“An exam that tests not only your knowledge but your character, consistency, and courage—UPSC is not a test, it's a transformation.”

Every year, lakhs of aspirants across India dream of clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Among them, only a few thousand make it past the Prelims, and fewer still reach the finish line. What makes the difference? Strategy, yes. Consistency, of course. But at the heart of it all lies the right booklist—the true companion of every UPSC warrior.

If you're just beginning your UPSC journey, one of your most crucial decisions will be: What to read? With the market flooded with books, guides, and coaching notes, it’s easy to get lost. That’s why we've crafted this UPSC Prelims 2025 Booklist for Beginners—the ultimate guide to set your preparation on the right track.

 

UPSC – The Fate Lies in the Exam 

Ask any civil services officer, and they'll tell you that the journey begins with Prelims, a screening test that filters lakhs down to thousands. It’s objective, time-bound, and ruthless.

 

The UPSC Prelims consists of:

 

• General Studies Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks)

 

• CSAT – Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks, qualifying only)

 

While CSAT can be a hurdle for many, GS Paper I makes or breaks most aspirants. This paper tests your grasp of subjects like History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment, Science & Technology, and Current Affairs.

 

To tame this paper, you don’t need more books—you need the right ones.

 

At CD Deshmukh, one of the most trusted names for UPSC classes in Thane, we’ve seen how beginners waste months dabbling in multiple sources. That’s why we focus on a targeted booklist strategy, cutting the noise and sharpening the focus. 

 

UPSC Prelims Booklist 2025 

Let’s now get to the essential books for UPSC Prelims 2025.

This booklist is tailored especially for beginners. It balances NCERTS with standard reference books and clarifies what to read and skip.

 

1. History

Ancient & Medieval History:

• Old NCERT by RS Sharma (Ancient) and Satish Chandra (Medieval)

• Tamil Nadu State Board Class 11 & 12 books (supplementary)

• Skip detailed facts; focus on themes, culture, and timeline.

 

Modern Indian History:

• Spectrum’s A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir – The Bible for Modern History

• NCERT Class 12 – Modern India by Bipin Chandra (for understanding)

 

Art & Culture:

 

• Nitin Singhania’s Indian Art and Culture (2nd Edition)

• CCRT Website for online resources

• Select NCERTS (Class 11 Fine Arts)

 

CD Deshmukh Tip: Don't rote-learn dates. Focus on themes and cause-and-effect patterns in historical developments.

 

2. Geography

• NCERTS Class 6 to 12 – Essential. Build your foundation.

• GC Leong – Certificate Physical and Human Geography – For conceptual clarity.

• Atlas – Oxford or Orient BlackSwan – For map-based questions.

 

CD Deshmukh Practice: Use maps actively. We train students in interactive map-based learning—a powerful way to memorise without cramming.

 

3. Indian Polity

• Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth – The Holy Grail. Read it twice.

• NCERT Class 9 to 12 Political Science – For conceptual build-up

• Constitution articles and amendments – only selected, high-impact ones

 

CD Deshmukh Shortcut: Our UPSC courses in Thane include mind maps and flowcharts to simplify complex polity topics like FRS, DPSPS, and Amendments.

 

4. Economy

• NCERT Class 11 & 12 – Indian Economic Development

• Sriram’s Economy Booklet – For applied understanding (optional)

• Economic Survey Summary and Budget Highlights (from official sources)

• For the Current Economy:

• Newspapers (The Hindu / Indian Express) – Daily reading

• PIB & RBI Website Updates – Monthly tracking of key policies

 

CD Deshmukh Method: We make economics fun by linking it to real-life examples—GDP, inflation, budget—explained in layman's language during our lectures.

 

5. Environment & Ecology

• Shankar IAS Environment Book – Best in class.

• NCERTS – Class 12 Biology (Unit on Ecology) – Often overlooked but crucial

• MOEF Website – Skim through environmental schemes and reports

 

CD Deshmukh Insight: Environment overlaps with Current Affairs. Our current static integration modules make sure you understand both.

 

6. Science & Technology

• NCERT Class 6–10 Science – Focus on physics, biology, and chemistry basics.

• Daily Current Affairs – For tech news, ISRO, DRDO, AI, etc.

• Science Reporter Magazine (optional)

 

CD Deshmukh Reality Check: Don’t go deep into formulas. UPSC wants awareness, not expertise. We help simplify and summarise for maximum retention.

 

7. Current Affairs

• Newspapers: The Hindu / Indian Express – Read 1 hour daily

• Monthly Current Affairs Magazines: Vision IAS / Forumias / Insights

• PIB, PRSIndia, Yojana & Kurukshetra (only selected editions)

 

CD Deshmukh Format: Our in-house monthly magazine compiles filtered, exam-worthy news, not just headlines, but with UPSC relevance tags.

 

8. CSAT (Paper II)

• CSAT by TMH (Tata McGraw-Hill) – Covers all sections

• Past Year Papers – Practice daily

• RS Aggarwal for Quantitative Aptitude – Optional for weak areas

• Word Power Made Easy – To improve vocabulary

 

CD Deshmukh's Advice: Don’t underestimate the CSAT. Many brilliant aspirants fail just because they ignore it. We offer CSAT mock sessions and strategy drills regularly.

 

Essential Books for Beginners – Final Booklist Recap

Here’s a concise table of books you must start with as a beginner: 
 

Subject	Book(s)
History	Old NCERTS, Spectrum, Nitin Singhania
Geography	NCERTS, GC Leong, Oxford Atlas
Polity	NCERTS, Laxmikanth
Economy	NCERTS, Economic Survey (summary)
Environment	Shankar IAS Book
Science & Tech	NCERTS, Current Affairs
Current Affairs	The Hindu / Express, Monthly Magazines
CSAT	TMH CSAT Manual, PYQS

 

Start small, but be consistent. Quality always trumps quantity. 

 

CD Deshmukh – More Than a UPSC Institute 

 

Named after C. D. Deshmukh, India’s first RBI Governor of Indian origin and one of our most respected civil servants, we aim to inspire future bureaucrats to live up to that legacy.

At CD Deshmukh Institute, we don’t just give you a booklist—we offer you a complete roadmap.

 

Our UPSC courses in Thane and UPSC classes in Thane include:

 

Mentorship-Driven Classes: 

With personal attention and hand-holding

Integrated Booklist Strategy: 

So you know what to read and when

NCERT-Based Foundation Batch: 

Perfect for beginners

Prelims Test Series: 

Based strictly on UPSC trends

Doubt Solving + Peer Discussions: 

Because learning is better together

 

We’ve helped hundreds of aspirants crack the Prelims by doing one thing right—simplifying the complex. 

 

Conclusion – Begin Right, Win Big 

Choosing the right books at the start of your UPSC journey is like picking the right tools before building a house. A weak foundation, and everything comes crashing down. But a solid one? You make a fortress.

Don't fall into the trap of reading too much. Read less, but read right. With proper guidance from CD Deshmukh and the discipline to stick to your plan, the UPSC dream isn’t just possible—it’s probable.

So, if you're looking for UPSC classes in Thane that help you study smart, not just hard, or need a reliable launchpad through our UPSC courses in Thane, remember:

 

CD Deshmukh Institute isn’t just a classroom—it’s where civil servants are born.