NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation is an ultimate resource for aspirants to set the groundwork for their UPSC Exam Prep. One of the best foundational resources for aspirants preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, NCERT textbooks from Class 9th to 12th cover subjects such as History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, and Sociology, etc. and is one of the best preparation resources for candidates to build a strong conceptual base. This is effective for attempting both objective-type and descriptive papers of UPSC Civil Services Exam. Moreover, many questions in the UPSC exams are directly or indirectly based on the information provided in NCERT books, making them indispensable for thorough preparation. 

Aspirants are advised to systematically study NCERT books from classes 6 to 12, as they align well with the UPSC Syllabus; the right usage will enhance your ability to analyze, interpret and present information persuasively. Another key factor why aspirants refer to these books is their validity, as the information is provided by Government institutions. So, NCERT Books for UPSC should be referred by the IAS Aspirants. NCERT Books are considered as the 1st step in the journey of IAS Preparation. If you are searching for the Best NCERT Books for IAS, you have come to the right place. In this article, get the list of NCERT books for UPSC Prelims and Mains exams. 

Keep a tab on Daily UPSC Current Affairs to stay updated in your exam preparation for the upcoming IAS Mains 2025!

NCERT Books For UPSC Prelims 2025

The Prelims is the 1st stage of the selection process of the UPSC Civil Services Exam, which is conducted in two papers – GS Paper 1 and the CSAT. The Prelims is conducted to screen candidates for the Mains exam. The UPSC Prelims is conducted for a total of 400 marks, equally divided between Paper I & Paper II. The following is an expert-curated NCERT Booklist for UPSC Prelims –

Also check – Old NCERT Books For UPSC

NCERT Books for UPSC Mains 2025 

Candidates who qualify the Prelims will be appearing for the UPSC IAS Mains. The Mains exam will have a weightage of 1750 marks in total. In this exam, there will be both descriptive and objective-type papers. Therefore, you have to cover the vast UPSC Mains Syllabus to cover these papers. Below is the paper-wise UPSC NCERT Book List for the Mains exam that will help you to clear the cut-off in this exam – 

NCERT Books for GS Paper I: Indian Heritage, Culture, History & Geography

The GS Paper 1 of UPSC Mains is “Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.” Candidates can refer to the following NCERT Books for UPSC Mains to prepare for this paper –

Also check – NCERT History Books for UPSC

NCERT Books for GS Paper II: Polity, Governance & International Relations

UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 is “Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.” Candidates must be proficient with the NCERT Political Science Books to prepare for this paper –

NCERT Books for UPSC GS Paper III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment

NCERT Books for UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 “Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management” covers important subjects such as Economy, Science & Technology and Environment. Referring to the following NCERT Books is recommended for candidates for effective Mains Preparation –

NCERT Books for GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude

UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 is the paper on “Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.” Considered one of the most challenging papers of IAS Mains, GS Paper 4 has case studies based questions for which foundational knowledge is indispensable. Refer to the following NCERT textbooks for Mains GS-4 to strengthen your exam preparation –

These NCERT books are highly recommended for building a strong conceptual understanding essential for the UPSC examination.

Also read – How to Read NCERT for UPSC?

Must Read UPSC NCERT Books – Class Wise List of NCERTs

Given the vast number of NCERT Books from Class 6th to 12th, aspirants who are just starting out their preparation might feel overwhelmed with the large amounts of study material at hand. For your easy reference, the following table mentions the most important NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation class wise for systematic study and effective revision –

Candidates who will be appearing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam in Hindi can check the UPSC NCERT Book List in Hindi to kickstart their preparation for the upcoming Mains. 

We hope this NCERT Book List for UPSC 2025 will help you prepare for the IAS Prelims and Mains Exam. You can also read our NCERT Notes for UPSC on the linked article. You can also join our NCERT Foundation Course to access mock tests, and live classes or install the Testbook App for the latest updates.

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