Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

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Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC: Don’t Read Them All! Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

The first advice every IAS aspirant gets is: “Go read the NCERTs.” So, you go to the market, buy a bundle of 40+ books (Class 6 to 12), and start reading. Stop right there. Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

Reading every single NCERT is a waste of time. You are preparing for a Generalist exam, not a PhD. At Trademark IAS, we believe in “Minimum Sources, Maximum Revision.” Here is the filtered list of Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC that you actually need.

![Image: A stack of NCERT books with ‘Old History’ and ‘New Geography’ highlighted]

1. The Great Debate: Old vs. New NCERTs Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

This is the most common confusion. Here is the verdict:

  • History: Read OLD NCERTs.

    • Why? The Old ones (written by R.S. Sharma, Satish Chandra, Bipan Chandra) are chronological and detailed. The New ones are “Theme” based and disjointed.

  • Geography: Read NEW NCERTs.

    • Why? Geography concepts (Climate, Vegetation) haven’t changed, but the data has. New books have better diagrams.

  • Other Subjects: Always NEW.

2. The Subject-Wise Checklist Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

A. History (The Backbone)

  • Ancient India: Class 11 (Old NCERT – R.S. Sharma).

  • Medieval India: Class 11 (Old NCERT – Satish Chandra).

  • Modern India: Class 12 (Old NCERT – Bipan Chandra).

  • Art & Culture: Class 11 (New NCERT – An Introduction to Indian Art).

  • Skip: Class 6-10 if you have time constraints.

B. Geography (The Non-Negotiable) Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

  • Fundamentals: Class 11 (Fundamentals of Physical Geography). Most Important Book.

  • Indian Geography: Class 11 (India: Physical Environment).

  • Human Geography: Class 12 (Fundamentals of Human Geography).

  • Note: Read Class 6-10 ONLY if you are from a non-science background and don’t understand terms like “Latitude/Longitude.”

C. Polity (The Foundation)

  • Concept Builder: Class 11 (Indian Constitution at Work).

  • Skip: Everything else. Jump straight to M. Laxmikanth after this.

D. Economy (The Macro View)

  • Concepts: Class 11 (Indian Economic Development) – Good for Mains.

  • Macroeconomics: Class 12 (Introductory Macroeconomics).

  • Warning: Skip the mathematical graphs in the Class 12 book.

E. Science & Society Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

  • Society: Class 12 (Indian Society & Social Change).

  • Science: Don’t read whole books. Read selected chapters (Biology Class 12 – last 4 chapters on Environment).

3. How to Read NCERTs Effectively? Must Read NCERT Books for UPSC

  • Reading 1: Read it like a novel. Don’t underline.

  • Reading 2: Understand the “Glossary” terms (e.g., What is Secularism?).

  • Reading 3: Make short notes of facts that are NOT in your standard books.

Conclusion

NCERTs are the “Appetizer,” not the “Main Course.” Finish these Must Read NCERT Books in 2 months and then move to the standard reference books. Do not spend 1 year here.

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