UPSC CSE 2022: Best Books for Prelims & Mains Exam Preparations
Here is the list of the Best Books to prepare for the UPSC CSE (Prelims & Mains) 2022 examination.
The Union Public Service Commission conducts the CSE exam, formally known as the UPSC Civil Service Exam, every year at the national level. The commission evaluates candidates’ knowledge in a wide range of areas, from aptitude to general studies, throughout the three stages of the CSE exam to select appropriate candidates for IAS, IPS, IFS, and other allied services.
Candidate Criteria for the UPSC CSE 2022 Examination:
Nationality requirement: Applicants for UPSC CSE must be an Indian citizen, a subject of Bhutan, a subject of Nepal, a Tibetan refugee (who arrived in India before January 1, 1962), or a person of Indian origin (who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries, Vietnam, or other countries) to set a permanent residence in India.
If an applicant is not an Indian citizen, he or she must have a certificate of eligibility issued by the Indian government in his or her favor; otherwise, the offer of appointment will be withdrawn.
Age Limit: Only those candidates who have attained 21 years of age and are less than 32 years of age as of August 2022 are eligible.
Category | Minimum Age | Maximum Age |
General | 21 | 32 |
EWS | 21 | 32 |
SC/ST | 21 | 37 |
OBC | 21 | 35 |
Educational Qualifications for the UPSC CSE 2022 Examination:
The minimum requirement for the UPSC CSE exam is that the candidate has a degree from a government-approved university or an equivalent certificate.
Candidates in their last year of study or those awaiting results are also eligible to take the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam. Candidates with technical and professional credentials that the government recognizes as comparable to professional and technical degrees.
Number of Attempts Allowed for the UPSC CSE 2022 Examination:
Category | No. of Attempts |
General | 6 |
EWS | 9 |
SC/ST | Unlimited |
OBC | 9 |
Structure of the UPSC CSE 2022 Examination:
The CSE Examination is a three-stage examination consisting:
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.
Particulars | General Studies Paper-I | General Studies Paper-II |
No of Questions | 100 | 80 |
Marks Allotted | 200 | 200 |
Time Allotted | 2 hours | 2 hours |
Subjects | Current Affairs, History, Geography, Indian Polity, Economic, Social Development, General issues, and General Science | Comprehension, Interpersonal Skills, Logical reasoning, Decision, General Mental Ability, Basic numeracy, Data interpretation |
Nature of Exam | The score will be considered for Cut-off | Qualifying Nature- Candidates will have to score 33% to qualify for CSAT |
Mains: There are two sorts of papers in the CSE Mains Exam: qualifying and merit-ranking. Paper A and Paper B, which will be qualifying in nature, are the Language and English papers, respectively. The scores one receives on these papers will not be added to the scores that determine your rank.
Paper | Subject | Marks | Duration |
Paper A | Compulsory Indian language | 300 | 3 Hours |
Paper B | English | 300 | 3 Hours |
Paper I | Essay | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper-II | General Studies I | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper III | General Studies II | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper IV | General Studies III | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper V | General Studies IV | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper VI | Optional I | 250 | 3 Hours |
Paper VII | Optional II | 250 | 3 Hours |
Interview: The final stage of the selection process is the interview. The interview is for 275 marks, for a total of 2025 maximum score. The board evaluates the candidate based on characteristics such as:
- Mental sharpness
- Critical thinking
- Analytical thinking
- Risk assessment skills
- Crisis management skills
- Ability to become a leader
- Intellectual and moral integrity
Since each round is an elimination round, the applicants must qualify for the subsequent round. All of them are conducted in offline mode and require different strategies. Leave about the tough examination protocols, even the preparation phase is also exhausting.
As the syllabus is vast and huge, books have another important role to play besides strategies and planning. Two papers are conducted for two hours each with Multiple Choice Questions only.
Here is the list of the Best Books to Prepare for the UPSC CSE 2022 examination.
UPSC CSE Prelims 2022: 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
Concise History of Modern India by Sujata Menon
UPSC CSE Prelims 2022: Best Books for Geography
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
Geography NCERT (VIth – XIIth) | NCERT |
Geography World Atlas | World Atlas |
UPSC CSE Prelims 2022: 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 |
Constitution of India by P.M. Bakshi
UPSC CSE Prelims 2022: Best Books for Economics
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
NCERT (XI) | NCERT |
Indian Economy | Nitin Singhania |
Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania
UPSC CSE Prelims 2022: 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
Current Affairs (Times of India, The Hindus, etc.)
UPSC CSE 2022: 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 |
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by Dr. R.S. Aggrawal
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
- General Science (GS)
- Essay
- English
- Indian Language
- Optional
- Social Science
- Science
- Language
- Others (engineering & medical)
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Books for History, Indian Heritage, & Culture
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
Indian Art and Culture | Nitin Singhania |
India Since Independence | Bipan Chandra |
History of Medieval India | Satish Chandra |
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
India Since Independence by Bipan Chandra
History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Books for Geography
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
World Geography | Majid Hussain |
Fundamentals of Physical Geography NCERT (XI) | NCERT |
World Geography by Majid Hussain
Fundamentals of Physical Geography NCERT (XI)
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Books for International Relations and Polity
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
International Relations | Pushpesh Pant |
Introduction to the Constitution of India | D.D. Bose |
International Relations by Pushpesh Pant
Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Bose
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Books for Economics
Name of the book | Author/ Publishing House |
Challenges to Internal Security of India | Tata McGraw Hill |
Environment & Disaster Management | Tata McGraw Hill |
Challenges to Internal Security of India by Tata McGraw Hill
Environment & Disaster Management by Tata McGraw Hill
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Book for Ethics
Ethics, Integrity, & Aptitude for Civil Services by Subba Rao & P.N. Roy Chaudhary
UPSC IAS Mains 2022: Best Book for English
Compulsory English by A.P. Bhardwaj
UPSC CSE Mains 2022: Best Books for Essay
The Vault of Essay by Yagya Nand Jha
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if one is dedicated and focused, one year is enough for IAS preparation.
The minimum cut-off mark for Paper 2 is 33 percent. The Commission may fix a minimum cut-off mark for Paper 1 too.
The majority of the questions in the general studies paper in Prelims and Mains are about Humanities. However, taking Humanities as a graduate stream solely to pass the UPSC exam is neither necessary nor desirable.
If a candidate’s handwriting is not easily legible, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him.
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