Akshat Jain upsc booklist, mains booklist, prelims booklist, anthropology booklist, my optional booklist, my advice & more
Akshat Jain booklist for GS1
History
| NCERT books for history (for basic understanding of history). | Class 6th to 12th NCERT books |
According to Akshat Jain if you are new in this UPSC preparation world, then you have to read the NCERT books of classes 6th to 12th for a basic understanding of history. Do not worry about new or old ncert you can go with any of these books are just for brief reading. according to Akshat Jain ncert books are not that much important in history.
| Freedom Struggle (must read book) | A brief history of modern India By spectrum |
You have to read this book very thoroughly, this book helps you in prelims and mains examination. He told us that, for him, this is one of the most important weapon for history.
| Post-Independence India (must read book) | Nitin Sangwan notes |
Basically what Nitin Sangwan did was summarize Bipin Chandra’s history book as notes so Akshat Jain told us that these notes should be enough for post-independence India. You do not need any other study material on this topic.
| World History (must read book) | Vision Ias Notes |
Because very few questions come from this part that’s why I suggest you that there is no need to go for any other special book or notes just go through vision ias notes and that will be enough for you.
Art & culture
| NCERT (must read book) | Class 11th an introduction to Indian art |
This book is easy to read, it is a very small book and it has only vital points that you have to read. This book helps you in the Prelims exam and in mains exam as well.
| Indian art and culture (supplement book) | Indian art and culture by Nitin Singhania |
He uses this book as a supplement, this is not his primary book if he finds any gap on this topic then he uses this book to fill up those gaps. You can do the same thing but if you find this book will work better for you then you can go for it.
| Old NCERT of class XI (must read) | Ancient India by RS Sharma |
| Old NCERT of class XI (must read) | Medieval India by Satish Chandra |
For prelims these two books are important and you have to read them. Direct questions do come from these two books and for mains, these books come in very handy as well. Just read those books very briefly So combined these four study materials and makes notes from them.
Geography
| Ncert Book (must read book) | class vI-X (brief reading) Class XI-XII (Very Important) |
If you don’t know anything or you just have less knowledge in geography they start with class 6th and 10th ncert books for basic knowledge just go through with brief reading but you have to read class 11th and 12th ncert these are must-read books for UPSC. Class 11th for physical geography & class 12th for Indian geography.
| Supplement books | certificate Physical & human geography By GC Leong |
| Geography Video | MS. Rajtanit (mrunal.org) |
After reading NCERt books, if you find that you did not understand any such topic then you can refer to those three resources.
| Atlas (must read) | Oxford student atlas for India (4th edition) |
There is no doubt about it if you’re going for a UPSC exam and you don’t have this book then you are in travel brother. Go through this book very thoroughly and read each chapter of this book.
Remaining topics
| Indian society and the diversity of India (Just go through) | Vision Ias notes |
| women, population, urbanization, poverty & development issues (Just go through) | Vision Ias notes |
| Effects of Globalization on Indian Society (Just go through) | Vision Ias notes |
| Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism (Just go through) | Vision Ias notes |
Akshat Jain booklist for GS2
Constitution and Polity
| NCERT (for basic understanding of constitution & polity). | Class Vi-XII |
If you are new in this UPSC world and you don’t know anything about the constitution and polity then you have to go through these books for basic knowledge on this topic.
| Indian polity (must read book) | Indian polity by Laxmikanth |
You have to read this book, this is the bible on this topic, not only me but others are also recommended this book to the UPSC aspirants. You have to read this book very thoroughly and revise it as many times as possible.
| Current Affairs (you have to read) | Editorials – The Hindu Vision Ias current affairs (PIB) Press Information Bureau (govt) (PRS) Parliament of India (govt) |
I use vision ias current affairs materials for current affairs, you can buy it online. You have to read the editorials from The Hindu newspaper or you can use the India times newspaper and these two websites PIB & PRS both are government websites are very important also. PIB- for a government initiative, what initiative government is for the people. PRS- Basically you have to understand what parliament is doing, how it works, what bills are pending E.t.c.
Governance
| 2nd arc report (Must read) | 2nd arc report 1th, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th |
This is one of the vital materials for governance, you can say that this is the backbone of governance. Do not try to ignore this, this is a free UPSC material you can download this, just type the 2nd arc report on the web and you can download them. Do not go for a complete report rather go for a summary of these reports.
| Current Affairs (must read) | Editorials of the Hindu newspaper, vision ias materials, PRS– government website PBI– government website |
social justice
| 1. Government policies and intervention 2. Welfare scheme bodies constituted for vulnerable selection 3. Social sector, health, education, Human resources 4. Issues relating to poverty and hunger (must read) | Vision IAS current affairs, The Hindu newspaper, PIB- Press Information Bureau, Niti ayog’s- Three years action agenda, budget and economy survey. |
I do not read any specific book for this portion but I follow vision Ias current affairs monthly magazine along with the PIB government website (you can understand what the government is doing on these topics). Niti Ayog’s action agenda is another important thing that you have to read, don’t read all the documents, read specific topics. Budget and economic survey is another important factor but I never read the complete budget, just read the summary of it and I think the summary will be enough for you.
International Relationship
| International relationship (must read) | Vision Ias Current affairs, editorials- The Hindu newspaper Ministry of external affairs website |
This topic is very vast and it is tough to cover all that’s why I do not recommend any book. What I did was, I focus on current affairs and editorials and Ministery of external affairs website.
Akshat Jain booklist for GS3
Economy
| NCERT must read) | Ncert of class IX-XII |
This is the must-read book for the economy, I read those books, especially class 11th and 12th ncert books are most important.
| Indian economy (for basic understanding) | Indian economy by Sanjeev Varma |
If you did not understand any particular topic from NCERT book then you can refer to this book and this book is much more comprehensive than Ramesh sing’s economy book.
| Current Affairs (must read) | The Hindu editorials, Vision Ias current affaires PIB- Press information bureau Budget & economy survey |
You have to read current affairs for the economy especially editorials and current affairs.
| Online website (conceptual clarity) | Investopedia & Arthapedia |
Environment
| NCERT Biology (must read) | Class XI ncert Last 4 chapters (13th-16th) |
Ncert of class 12th is a very important book, do not read the complete book just read the last 4 chapters of this book, this book helps you to make the base for the environment.
| Environment (Must read) | Environment by Shankar IAS |
Read this book very briefly, this is a must-use weapon for the environment, This is a very thick and bulky book but you have to read this.
| Current affairs (must read) | Vision Ias Current affairs, editorials- The Hindu newspaper PMF ias website |
Internal Security
| Internal Security (must read) | Internal security & disaster management by- Ashok Kumar and vipul |
This book helps me to make my base on internal security and I have written direct answers from this book on the UPSC answer sheet.
| Current affairs (must read) | Vision Ias Current affairs, editorials- The Hindu newspaper |
Disaster Management
| 2nd ARC report (must read) | 2nd arc third report-crisis management |
This is very important for disaster management. Just go through the summary of the 2nd arc report this will help you a lot.
| NDMA (must read) | Ndma guidelines |
This is equally important for the UPSC exam, direct questions do come from the ndma guidelines. Almost every year UPSC asks questions from these guidelines. this is free material you can download from ndma website.
| Current affairs (must read) | Vision IAS current affairs |
Science & technology
| Current affair (must read) Editorials | Vision ias The Hindu editorials |
I did not refer to any book for this, I just prepared with current affairs and editorials, and make some notes on hot topics about science and tech and that will be enough for you.
Akshat Jain booklist for GS4
Ethics
| 2nd ARC (must read) | 2nd arc fourth report- Ethics in governance, Citizen-Centric administration |
This report on ethics is very important, I quote this report on the UPSC ethics exam paper. Read this report multiple times and try to write this report with bullet points.
| Lexicon for ethic (must read) | Lexicon for ethics, integrity & aptitude by chronicle |
I read this book for ethics but if you want someone else books then you can go for it but read only one book.
Akshat Jain Prelims Booklist and Strategy
For prelims, my basic books remain the same because the syllabus almost remains the same. But if we talk about specific materials that I read for prelims was Vision ias PT 365, Previous year question paper, Insightsias government schemes compilation,
Csat
I did not prepare for cast but what I did was, I took the previous year’s question papers and give a test, and I cleared the paper very easily that’s why I did not prepare for this subject. After giving the previous year’s paper if you find that you can’t clear it then prepared with some mental ability topics.
Akshit Jain (optional) anthropology booklist and strategy
Paper 1
| Sociocultural anthropology (must read) | In search of ourselves By Naresh Kumar vais |
| Anthropology Theories (must read) | Epathshala |
| Physical (must read) | Physical anthropology by P. Nath |
Paper 2
| Indian Anthropology (must read) | Indian Anthropology by Nadeem Hasnain |
| Tribal Anthropology (must read) | Professor XAXA comity report |
| Archeology (must read) | Archeology by D.K Bhattacharya |