Culminating Books for Cracking IAS examination

Culminating Books for Cracking IAS examination – IAS (Indian Administrative Services) is considered to be one of the most challenging exams in India, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Merely standing and staring at the water won’t allow you to cross the sea; cracking this exam requires positive and timely efforts from individuals aspiring to become IAS officers.

Dedication plays a crucial role in helping individuals crack this examination. Before diving into the actual study material, it is essential to mentally prepare yourself by following these guidelines:

• Be confident in your abilities.
• Do not compare your starting point with someone else’s progress or completion.
• Make every minute count; wastage of time is not an option.
• Stay determined to achieve your goal.
• Maintain focus on your studies.
• Keep yourself self-motivated.

Academic Preparations

Culminating Books for Cracking IAS examination – The IAS exam is conducted in three stages: prelims, mains, and an interview. Each stage requires a different strategy for preparation. This article provides various ways to prepare for the IAS exam, along with a list of recommended competition books:

Stage-1 Prelims:

The preliminary stage consists of two papers: Paper 1, which focuses on General Studies, and Paper 2, which is the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Both papers consist of multiple-choice questions. Here is a list of important books that can be helpful during your preparation:

• NCERT books from 6th to 12th standard for all subjects
• For Modern History: “Spectrum” by Bipin Chandra
• For Art and Culture: NCERT (Class XI)
• Geography: Atlas (preferably Orient Black Swann or Oxford) and C. Leong (Last 10 Chapters are mandatory)
• Polity: “Laxmikant” or “DD Basu”
• Economy: “Ramesh Singh” (for basic concepts), Economic Survey (Mandatory), and current events including schemes
• Environment Studies and Ecology: “Environmental Studies” by Erach Bharucha and notes provided by the institute
• For Current Affairs: Newspapers like “The Hindu” or “Indian Express” and Elite IAS monthly current affairs magazine

Stage-2 Mains:

The mains stage consists of nine subjective papers, including two English papers and one regional language paper, which are compulsory and only qualifying. The remaining seven papers include General Studies 1, 2, 3, 4, an essay, and optional papers 1 and 2. Here are some important instructions for preparing the mains stage:

• History: Follow the same books as the preliminary stage.
• World History: NCERT by Arjun Dev
• Geography: Same as the preliminary exam
• Additional notes on world resources from the institute should be studied
• Indian Society: Institute notes are sufficient
• Polity & Governance: “Laxmikant”
• Social Justice: Institute notes
• International Relations: Institute notes

Stage-3 An Interview:

The interview is the final step to crack the IAS exam, where your critical and logical thinking skills are analyzed. One simple yet important tip is to “keep calm and be honest” throughout the interview.

Although the difficulty level of the IAS exam may vary, it is crucial to remain confident and determined in order to crack the paper.