UPSC

UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for UPSC IAS Prelims

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of the most coveted exams in India, with thousands of aspirants appearing for it every year. The Prelims exam is the first hurdle that aspirants need to clear, and it comprises two papers – General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT).

To help aspirants prepare for the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam 2023, we have compiled a list of some of the best books that can help them ace the exam. In this blog, we will discuss in detail the books that aspirants can refer to for their preparation.

Prelims: General Studies-I and CSAT (General Studies Paper-II) are the two papers that make up the CSE Prelims test. While the CSAT is a qualifying exam, one’s selection for UPSC Mains is determined by their performance on the General Studies Paper. It means that the Prelims cutoff will be based on one’s performance in the General Studies Paper.

UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for History

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

NCERT (Ancient & Medieval) for XIth & XIIth

NCERT

Concise History of Modern India

Sujata Menon

NCERT (Ancient & Medieval) for XIth & XIIth

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Concise History of Modern India by Sujata Menon

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UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for Geography

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

Geography NCERT (VIth – XIIth)

NCERT

Geography World Atlas

World Atlas

NCERT (VIth- XIIth)

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World Atlas

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UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for Indian Polity (Civics/ Political Science)

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

NCERT (IX to XII)

NCERT

Constitution of India

P.M. Bakshi

NCERT ( IX to XII)

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Constitution of India by P.M. Bakshi

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UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for Economics

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

NCERT (XI)

NCERT

Indian Economy

Nitin Singhania

NCERT (XI)

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Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania

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UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Best Books for International Relations

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

NCERT (XII) Contemporary World Politics

NCERT

Current Affairs

(Times of India, The Hindus, etc.)

NCERT (XII) Contemporary World Politics

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Current Affairs (Times of India, The Hindus, etc.)

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UPSC CSE 2023: Best Books for Prelims (Paper-2) (CSAT)

Name of the book

Author/ Publishing House

Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual

Tata McGraw Hill

Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning

Dr. R.S. Aggarwal

CSAT Manual

Pearson

Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual

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Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by Dr. R.S. Aggrawal

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Pearson CSAT Manual

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UPSC CSE Prelims 2023: Syllabus for Exam Preparation

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Prelims exam is the first stage of the selection process, and it comprises two objective-type papers – General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT). The Prelims exam is a screening test, and only those who clear it will be eligible to appear for the Main exam.

Here’s the syllabus for the UPSC CSE Prelims exam:

General Studies Paper-I:

  1. Current events of national and international importance
  2. History of India and the Indian National Movement
  3. Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World
  4. Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
  5. Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  6. General Science

General Studies Paper-II (CSAT):

  1. Comprehension
  2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills
  3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability
  4. Decision-making and problem-solving
  5. General mental ability
  6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. – Class X level)

Note: Both papers are of 200 marks each, with a total of 400 marks. The duration of each paper is two hours.

Aspirants should keep in mind that the UPSC CSE Prelims exam syllabus is vast, and it requires a thorough understanding of the concepts and regular practice to clear the exam.

Note:- Areas of logical reasoning and Mental Ability have higher difficulty levels.

After qualifying for the Prelims, a total of 9(2 of which are optional and the rest are compulsory). Theory papers are conducted afterward.

The exam is solely theory-based and hence demands rigorous hard work combined with patience and smart work.

  • Compulsory Papers
    1. General Science (GS)
    2. Essay
    3. English
    4. Indian Language
  • Optional
    1. Social Science
    2. Science
    3. Language
    4. Others (engineering & medical)

Candidates are advised to study the complete syllabus thoroughly and focus on the topics that are most important and frequently asked in the exam. Practicing previous years’ question papers and taking mock tests can also help candidates prepare effectively for the SSC CPO exam 2023.

Practice FREE Mock Test For UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Preparation 2023:

Listyaan Learning brings one of the best test series to enhance your preparation with various questions helping you score more.

Exam Name

UPSC Pre Mock Test – 1 (Paper – I)

Practice Free

In conclusion, the UPSC CSE Prelims exam is a crucial step in the selection process, and it requires a comprehensive understanding of the concepts and current affairs. Aspirants need to cover a vast syllabus, and referring to the right study materials can significantly impact their preparation.

In this blog, we have discussed some of the best books that aspirants can refer to for their UPSC CSE Prelims Exam 2023 preparation. However, aspirants should note that books alone cannot guarantee success, and they need to put in consistent effort and practice to clear the exam.

We hope this blog helps aspirants in their preparation and wish them all the best for their upcoming exams.

Read more about the UPSC CSE 2023 examination.

Frequently Asked Questions:

The UPSC CSE is a national-level competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for various civil services positions in the Indian government, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

The eligibility criteria for the UPSC CSE exam are:

  • The candidate must be a citizen of India.
  • The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
  • The candidate must be between 21 and 32 years of age (age relaxations are available for certain categories).
  • The candidate must satisfy the physical and medical standards prescribed by the UPSC.

The selection process for the UPSC CSE exam consists of three stages:

  • Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
  • Main Examination (Written and Interview)
  • Personality Test/Interview

The syllabus for the UPSC CSE exam is vast and covers various subjects such as history, geography, economics, polity, science, and technology, among others. The detailed syllabus for the Prelims and Main exams is available on the UPSC website.

The exam pattern for the UPSC CSE exam varies for the Prelims and Main exams. The Prelims exam comprises two objective-type papers, and the Main exam consists of nine papers (out of which seven are counted for merit ranking) and a personal interview.

Yes, there is negative marking in the UPSC CSE exam. For each wrong answer in the Prelims exam, one-third (0.33) of the marks allotted to that question are deducted.

Some good preparation strategies for the UPSC CSE exam include:

  • Understanding the syllabus and exam pattern thoroughly
  • Making a study plan and sticking to it
  • Referring to standard textbooks and study materials
  • Practicing previous years’ question papers and mock tests
  • Staying updated with current affairs
  • Improving writing and communication skills
  • Staying motivated and disciplined throughout the preparation journey.

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