Generally you may easily find over hundred of books in the bookshelves of civil services aspirants, but there are only few books they actually hangout with. I felt following are widely accepted best books to read. So here is the list of 1o General Studies books for UPSC aspirants for advanced studies.
Books for Beginner IAS Aspirants —
Textbooks and Journals- Books for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam Preparation
NCERT Books (Download) – NCERT books for IAS Exam Preparation – PDF Free Download
Books for UPSC Aspirants (Advanced)
These books are equally useful for IAS aspirants in advanced level of studies.
1. Introduction to the Constitution of India 21st Edition
Written by Durga Das Basu, the book is indispensable for politicians, journalists, statesmen and administrative authorities and is also prescribed in several Universities even for undergraduate courses in Civics. It incorporates all amendments to the Constitution upto 98th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2013 and contains materials, figures and charts not included in any publication so far on the subject. Contains elaborate comments on separatism in Punjab, Assam and elsewhere.
2. Constitutional Law of India – A Critical Commentary
Written by Hormasji Maneckji Seervai. One of the most read books by UPSC and other Civil Service aspirants.
3. V. N. Shukla’s Constitution of India
Written by Mahendra Pal Singh, this book has proved itself, over eleven editions, to be the most authoritative and respected academic book on Indian Constitution. Its outstanding reputation has established it in the foremost rank of classic legal textbooks.
4. The Wonder That Was India 3rd Edition
Written by Arthur Llewellyn Basham. The Wonder That was India takes a look at the country’s history from the time of the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization. It explores the possible causes for the decline of the Harappan civilization and settlements. The book talks about the possibility of the Harappans having moved towards the south and settled in the peninsular region. The author also discusses the Aryan invasion theory, supporting it with various research papers and findings of that time. The evolution of Hindu religion is also talked about in this book—from the Harappan times, to the coming of the Aryans and the mutual influence that Hinduism and its off shoots Jainism and Buddhism had on each other.
5. Ancient India
Written by Romila Thapar. The book provides insight of ancient India and considered as the best choice for Civil Services aspirants.
6. Agrarian System of Mughal India
Written by Irfan Habib. A book read by most of UPSC aspirants as well as other competitive exams related to civil services.
7. India’s Struggle for Independence
Written by Bipin Chandra. Designed for ardent history enthusiasts, India’s Struggle For Independence is one of the most exhaustive and precise account of the struggle of Indian Independence ever written in the literary world. Written and edited by five expert authors, it presents a detailed outlook on one of the most important periods in Indian history. The facts and details provided in this book have been gathered from oral and written sources, and various other primary sources have been used along with years of intense research. Written with a very concise approach, it is a one of a kind book that details the intricacies of the Indian Independence struggle.
8. India: A Comprehensive Geography
Written by D. R. Khullar. As name suggests it is a comprehensive book of geography in Indian context. The book is one of the best books for UPSC civil services exams.
9. General Principles of World Geography
Written by Charles Farro. Giving an insight of world geography to aspirants and geography students. In the list of books for UPSC it must rightly included.
10. An Evolution of Indian Economy
Written by I.C. Dhingra. An essential book for economics, you can find this book easily in must read book-list of any serious aspirant.
You may also like to read: Books for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam Preparation