Book List for General Studies (Paper 1, 2 and 3)

Disclaimer: While aspirants might have come here reading the tag ‘Tips for Civil Services Examination’, I must candidly declare that there are actually no objective tips for this examination as such. I believe that every successful candidate has his/her own style of studying depending upon his/her background, strengths and weaknesses. However a proper guidance always helps and it is my endeavor in this blog to share my experiences and both what I did and what I think should be or should not be done.

I am mentioning some sources for Paper 1, 2 and 3 that I referred to. Since I prepared for both older pattern and new pattern, there may appear some kind of overlap of sources and it is not necessary that all the sources are best. Neither all these sources need to be read entirely. Some sources were not referred to by me, but I think can be read with discretion.

Paper 1

1. Indian Art and Culture
• New NCERTs on Indian Culture
• GK Today Notes on Culture for Mains(I got from some friend of mine)
• CCRT website (I did not read from this source but it is quite good)
2. Indian History
• Class XII old NCERT by Bipan Chandra
• Spectrum for Modern History
• Book by Wizard Publications and ALS class notes
3. Post-Independence History
• India after Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha (I read it before the pattern changed and it is a wonderful book to read if one has time)
• New NCERT on Politics in India since independence
• Bipan Chandra’s India since independence (topics on consolidation and land reforms etc.)
4. World history
• Old NCERTs Class IX (last three chapters) and class XII.
• Jain and Mathur book for world history (This book can be read selectively for various revolutions – the impacts and consequences have been dealt very well)
• Wizard Publication book that came only last year (small book)
5. Indian Society
• There were not many concrete sources for society. The Hindu’s editorials are quite good. I searched some more editorials for urbanization and globalization on internet. Topics like communalism, secularism, regionalism etc. can be covered from IGNOU chapters available on IGNOU website.
• For this topic the current affairs is also relevant.
• Approach paper to XIIth plan is a wonderful document and a must read for a number of GS topics. In my humble opinion, the whole plan should be avoided
6. Indian and World Geography
• New NCERT of class 11 and 12 are a must read.
• I also did ALS class notes and their wizard publication book
• Old NCERTs of class 6, 7 and 8 that deals with different continents
• GC Leong also helps in strengthening the concepts
• Mrunal.org has some very good articles on Geography

Paper 2

1. Polity
• Lakshmikanth’s Indian Polity is THE book for Indian polity and Indian Constitution. DD Basu can be used as supplement.
• Current Affairs from daily newspaper (12 months before the mains examination) should be covered
• Representation of People’s Act has remained in news and it sufficed. Otherwise some basic provisions can be read from internet
• Fringe topics can be covered from any coaching notes. I referred to Vision IAS online notes
2. Government Schemes, Policies etc.
• For this newspaper is sufficient. I made detailed notes of any policy, law, bill, scheme or government proposal that appeared in newspaper from internet and revised it time and again. Later some monthly magazine or coaching crash course material can be seen if time allows (not necessary)
3. NGO, SHG
• ARC report on Social Capital (quick reading of relevant chapters)
• A issue of Yojana on this topic (can be found on Yojana website)
• Vision IAS notes on many paper 2 topics are good
4. E Governance, transparency citizen charter etc.
• Vision IAS notes
• Mohit Bhattacharya book on New Horizons of Public administration (relevant pages)
5. International and bilateral relations
• Again for this The Hindu is best source. Editorials of The Hindu comprehensively cover this topic. But background of any issue that comes up, be it Iraq crisis or Nepal constitutional crisis etc. must be covered from internet for complete understanding. Mrunal.org is also helpful.
• Shashi Tharoor’s Pax Indica is a good read for bilateral relations and a futuristic perspective.
6. Approach paper to 12th plan again.

Paper 3

1. Economics
• Any coaching notes for the basics of Economics and Indian Economy
• Newspaper for current affairs. Indian express is better than The Hindu for economics.
• Economic survey
2. Cropping Pattern and Food Processing
• ALS printed notes (can be taken from those who join coaching)
3. Land Reforms
• Bipan Chandra and some relevant Yojana issue
4. Other Economics topics + Infrastructure
• I covered fringe topics from Vision IAS online notes
• Approach paper to XII plan
5. Science and Technology
• There is no fixed source. But ALS printed notes on Science and Technology are good
• Apart from that one has to be general aware of scientific developments in world from newspaper, periodicals etc.
6. Environment
• ALS printed and class notes
• I found a small booklet on environment and ecology by Vaijram and Ravi very helpful for both mains and prelims
• Current affairs from The Hindu
• Mrunal.org
7. Disaster Management
• There was an issue of Yojana of March 2012. I found it sufficient.
• For details of NDMA, Vision IAS notes
8. Topics related to Security
• Vajiram and Ravi’s Yellow booklet on these topics
• ARC report on Conflict Resolution
• Read from Internet detailed background and current status of insurgency in North East apart from basic Internal Security Threats

Some good websites that can be occasionally visited.

• http://thediplomat.com/
• http://www.cfr.org/
• http://www.arthapedia.in/index.php?title=Home_Page
• http://www.cprindia.org/page/published-columns
• http://www.frontline.in/magazine/
• http://www.epw.in/
• http://www.mea.gov.in/
• http://www.idsa.in/
• http://www.satp.org/

The above list is not exhaustive.