Indian History Books for UPSC, Complete Book List for Prelims, Mains and Optional!

PWOnlyIAS October 29, 2024 03:09 4744 0

Indian History Books for UPSC will help candidates to study for history subject for prelims, mains and optional. Let us look in detail about history books!

Indian History Books for UPSC, Complete Book List for Prelims, Mains and Optional!

Indian history books for UPSC can be divided into ancient history, medieval history and modern history. In addition, world history and art and culture have to be studied as part of the subject for the UPSC exam.

Indian history books for UPSC are classified as NCERT books and reference books. The NCERT books are considered the core books for UPSC exam as they cover the majority part of the subject of Indian history.

You can get more information about Indian history books for UPSC by reading on. This will be helpful for you to complete the syllabus!

Indian History Books for UPSC Overview

Indian history books for UPSC will cover both the stages of the exam and will be useful for prelims, mains as well as optional subject. The overview of Indian history books for UPSC is provided here.

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Indian History Subject Prelims: General Studies Paper

Mains: GS 1, Optional

Different History Books NCERT books

Reference Books

Availability Hardcover and Digital Format

Also Read: UPSC 2024 Book list

Weightage of Indian History in UPSC Examination

Indian History holds a significant position in both the UPSC Prelims and Mains (GS Paper 1) exams. For Prelims, history questions typically range from 10 to 13 questions every year, covering Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History sections. In the Mains GS Paper 1, history covers around 100–125 marks focusing heavily on Modern Indian History, especially significant events like the freedom struggle, colonial impact, and social reform movements. A strong foundation in Indian History not only boosts scores in GS but also provides context for other parts of the syllabus, such as polity, art, and culture.

Indian History Books for the UPSC Exam

Selecting the right Indian history books for UPSC can shape your preparation by providing clarity on complex events and movements. A well-structured collection of books should cover Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History comprehensively, each period building a foundation for the next. Understanding historical developments in India helps the aspirants in forming a contextual base that enhances critical thinking for answer writing.

Furthermore, with the right resources, candidates can gain perspectives on India’s vast cultural heritage, including art, architecture, and societal evolution, all of which are vital to scoring well in the exam. Here are some of the important and toppers recommended material and Indian history books for UPSC Examination 2025:

Indian History Books for UPSC Prelims 

Indian history books for UPSC prelims are majorly NCERT publications. These books cover the whole subject in a comprehensive way. The details of the books are below.

Ancient History
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- I
  • NCERT Class VI Our Pasts-I
  • Ancient Indian History (Class XI): R.S. Sharma
Medieval History
  • History of Medieval India – Satish Chandra (Old NCERT)
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- II
  • NCERT Class VII Our Past-II
Modern History
  • A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum’s 
  • NCERT Class XI Modern India by Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- III
  • NCERT Class VIII Our Past-III
Art and Culture
  • NCERT Class XI An Introduction to Indian Art
  • Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) Art and Culture Notes.
  • NCERT Class XI: Living Craft Traditions of India 

Indian History Books for UPSC Mains

Indian history books for UPSC mains will cover the history subject, which is part of GS paper 1 of the exam. These books will help candidates answer questions asked from ancient, medieval, modern and world history. The list of important history books for UPSC mains is given here.

Subject Name of Books
Ancient History and Indian Art and Culture
  • Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
  • India’s Ancient Past by RS Sharma
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- I
  • NCERT Class VI Our Pasts-I
  • NCERT Class XI An Introduction to Indian Art
  • Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) Art and Culture Notes.
  • NCERT Class XI: Living Craft Traditions of India 
Medieval History
  • History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- II
  • NCERT Class VII Our Past-II
Modern History
  • A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir
  • From Plassey to Partition
  • NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- III
  • NCERT Class VIII Our Past-III
  • NCERT Class XI Modern India by Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
Post Independence History
  • India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha
  • India Since Independence by Bipin Chandra
World History
  • NCERT Class XI – Themes In World History 
  • NCERT Class IX: India and the Contemporary World-I
  • NCERT Class X: India and the Contemporary World-II

Indian History Books for UPSC Optional

Candidates opting for history as an optional subject will need to study the subject in more detail compared to the GS 1 paper. Hence, Indian history books for UPSC optional cover a large number of reference texts. Here are some of the important books for history optional.

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Subject Name of Books
Ancient History 
  • The Wonder That Was India by A.L. Basham
  • India’s Ancient Past by Ram Sharan Sharma
  • Ashoka & Decline of the Maurya by Romila Thapar
Medieval History
  • Old NCERT- History of Medieval India- Satish Chandra
  • The Agrarian System of Mughal India 1556-1707 by Irfan Habib
  • A History of South India by K.A. Nilkantha Shastri
  • Indian Feudalism by R.S. Sharma
Modern History
  • A New Look at Modern Indian History From 1707 to the Modern Times by Alka Mehta and B L Grover S
  • India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipan Chandra
  • India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha
  • From Plassey to Partition and After by Sekhara Bandyopadhyaya 
Post Independence History
  • India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha 
  • The Making of Modern India” by Bipan Chandra
  • Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century” by Shashi Tharoor
  • India: A History” by John Keay
World History
  • Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe 
  • NCERT Class IX: India and the Contemporary World-I
  • NCERT Class X: India and the Contemporary World-II
  • The Story of Civilization-II by Arjun Dev, NCERT
  • Contemporary World History for class XII (Old NCERT Book)

Also Read: History Optional Syllabus 2024

Best Indian History Books for UPSC 

Candidates who are unable to cope with the vastness of history can opt for books that have been designed specially for them. Physics Wallah offers you history books that will build your foundation and help understand the subject in a better way. Here are the best Indian history books for UPSC  by Physics Wallah.

PW and OnlyIAS have become popular resources for UPSC aspirants due to our exam-oriented approach and simplified explanations. The PW materials are structured to meet the demands of both Prelims and Mains, often focusing on high-yield topics like the freedom struggle and key historical events. While providing content tailored to cover intricate topics with clarity, making it easier for candidates to retain information and approach the exam confidently.

Best Indian History Books for UPSC
Subject Book Title
Complete History Books PW ONLYIAS UPSC Wallah History Combo Set
UPSC UDAAN Prelims Wallah UPSC UDAAN Prelims Wallah Combo Set

Sign up for the PWOnlyIAS Online Course by Physics Wallah and start your journey to IAS success today!

Indian History Books for UPSC FAQs

NCERT books offer a strong foundation for candidates. However, they have to read reference books for additional knowledge.

A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir is one of the best books for modern history apart from NCERT.

Themes in Indian history are the best books for ancient history.

History of Medieval India - Satish Chandra is one of the best books for medieval history for UPSC.

Candidates can read NCERT books or any other reference books mentioned above. Books by Physics Wallah can also serve as additional resources.
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