Limited & Effective Booklist for UPSC Prelims 2026

Start With NCERTs: NCERTs (Class 6–12), History • Geography • Polity • Economy • Science Build strong basics first.

History (Ancient + Medieval): RS Sharma – Ancient India, Satish Chandra – Medieval India, Clear, reliable, exam-focused.

Modern History: Spectrum – Modern India, Covers freedom struggle, reforms, revolts — high weightage.

Art & Culture: Nitin Singhania – Art & Culture, Perfect for culture, architecture, paintings & heritage.

Geography: G.C. Leong – Physical Geography, Plus Atlas (Oxford/Orient) for map practice.

Polity: M. Laxmikanth – Indian Polity, The most reliable book for Prelims polity.

Economy: Ramesh Singh – Indian Economy, Add Budget + Economic Survey for updates.

Environment: NCERT Science Basics, Use one standard Environment book + Current Affairs.

CSAT: CSAT Practice Books, Focus on Quant, Reasoning & Comprehension with PYQs.

Current Affairs: Daily Newspaper + Monthly CA, Essential for Economy, Environment & Polity updates.

Practice: Solve 10+ Years UPSC PYQs, Take mock tests regularly.

Strategy: Read Less. Revise More. Practice Most. A compact booklist = faster revision + higher accuracy.