IAS-Tips for 2011 & 2012 Candidates

Hello friends;
1. I had promised to give some tips for 2011 & 2012 candidates, in a reply to Pooja, Vaibhav Sharma
and some other friends in my thread “IAS – Revised Tips for Beginners and UGs.” I was busy
throughout the period, but I worked on it. Whenever I got at least 10 minutes’ free time, I sat with my
laptop. You may think I am too late, but still we have enough time to prepare for 2011 exam.
2. This thread may go up to more than 50 postings. Please do not post your queries or
comments till I complete the last posting with a “Thank you.” Orkut will allow only 10
postings at a stretch and I will have to wait for some time to post the next item. Thus, the
whole exercise may take one or two hours.
3. I receive many friendship requests from many IAS candidates through Orkut each day. I accept
these requests just only not to make them disappointed. But I would like to say that there is no
benefit in being a friend of mine in Orkut. I am living with my family and get very little time to spend
before net. Being in Defence, I have to spend at least 10 hours per day in office. As I am in
supervisory level, I have to plan my next day’s work, while at home. Even then, I have tried my best
to reply some queries in my scrapbook, but failed. I have checked my message box only once. My
humble request is; please do not send any IAS related queries to my scrapbook because it is
not human possible to reply such large number of queries. You may please post your
queries in this thread.
4. I never mind whether you are my friend or not.
5. All queries in this thread or the previous thread [“IAS – Revised Tips for Beginners and UGs.”] will
be replied, though some delay may occur sometimes. I take pleasure in replying all these queries
because it is read by thousands and it benefits the other candidates also.
7. I am not an agent of any coaching institute, book publisher or website. [I have seen many sites
reproducing my tips in their site. I am happy in that because these would benefit more candidates]. I
do not receive any reward for this work in any form. I do not expect even a “thanks” from any of
you. This is not my profession. I have a decent job and fairly handsome salary. I have done
the mistake of giving my number to some friends through Orkut. While talking to me, they
often mention as if I make a good profit through this work. In fact, I cannot even attend
mobile calls in office, because I am deployed in software development [I am Asst. Accounts
Officer (IT) in Defence] and speaking through phone may divert my attention during coding
activities. So, please do not ask my number. I will never like to meet any of you in person,
even though you may live in the city of my living. All my activities will be confined to this
forum.
Tips
These are my tips for those candidates who plan to appear for the Civil Services Exam (CSE)
in 2011 and 2012. I have tried to make this as comprehensive as possible.
The most important aspect about an attempt in CSE is understanding the scheme of
examination. For this purpose, the following websites are suggested;
www.upscportal.com
www.threeauthors.com
www.examrace.com

1. Selecting an optional is the most important step in CSE. I have already mentioned the importance
of this process in the beginning of my previous thread itself. But the prevailing trend is that one opts
the subjects in which the largest number of students get through. I would like to mention that the
most important factor is not the “numbers”, but the percentage.
1.1 The syllabus prescribed by the UPSC in all subjects is a little tougher than the degree level, but a
little lighter than PG level. The reason is that the standard of Delhi University or Calcutta University is
taken as the benchmark by the UPSC. In most of the universities, obtaining a Degree is easier than
passing CBSE XIIth standard. The reason is lighter syllabus and liberal evaluation. As a result, a
candidate who goes through the UPSC syllabus may think it very tough. The interesting aspect is that
this toughness is felt in one’s own subject only. For example, a botany student may feel the botany
syllabus in CSE is very tough. But when going through the syllabus of any other subject, he may feel it
“easier”. The reason is that he has no basic knowledge of that subject, and hence, he feels it is not as
tough as his own subject. On the other hand, a candidate who has a background in that subject may
find that subject “tough”. In simple words, it is natural to feel that your subject is tough because you
know something about that subject. On the other hand, you are not able to realise the toughness of
other subjects because of two reasons;
a. Your mind is already gloomed by the disappointment of finding a tough syllabus. It is natural in this
situation to think that only you are at disadvantage, and thus, feel a little envy of the others.

b. As I have already stated, the syllabus of some other subject may seem lighter because you do not
know much about the subject. For instance, when a geography student sees the sub-topic “ocean
currents and tides” in the syllabus of geography, he can understand how deep is this sub-topic. But
when a history student sees this, he may think that “oh, how light is the geography syllabus!” because
he does not know what are the points to be studied in this sub-topic; how many ocean currents are
there, how many are cold and how many of them are hot, where do they flow through, what are their
effects on climate, etc. In fact, a non-geography candidate cannot grasp that this sub-topic requires a
thorough knowledge about the oceans. This is true in respect of any optional.
1.2 Many science candidates (especially medicine and engineering degree holders) tend to opt social
subjects because of the following reasons;
a. As I have mentioned in the beginning of my previous thread, some coaching classes fool them to
believe that only humanities are scoring subjects. The reason is that these coaching classes have no
faculties in science subjects. The failed science candidates have many other career avenues. But many
brilliant humanities candidates opt to teach in the coaching centres, because they want to utilise the
knowledge they gained during the preparation for CSE. By reading this, do not think that there are not
enough coaching centres in science. Good coaching centers are available for these subjects also, and
I’m happy to guide you in this regard in future also.
b. The second reason is the so called “ripple effect”. A science student who opted humanities subjects
as per the advice of the coaching centres may advice their friends also to do the same. When they
quote the coaching centres also, the friends who hear this will be in a dilemma. Here, my advice is to
watch the results. You have to watch out as to how many science students opted entirely for
humanities subjects get through. In my observation, the number of such students is negligible. But it
is a fact that many science candidates who have opted one science subject and one arts subject as
optionals pass every year. This is an advisable approach because they retain their subject of
graduation and avoid the risk of studying two non-familiar subjects.
c. Another reason is the consideration that by studying two optionals from humanities, a large portion
of the syllabus of General Studies will be covered. This is somewhat reasonable, but not entirely
because of the following reasons;
i. By studying two subjects from the social studies stream, you will cover approximately 33% of the
GS Paper. Even then, you will have to cover the remaining portion from the other subjects.
ii. To attend the GS paper in Mains, you have got no need to study that subject in thorough. For
instance, only 25% of Public Administration optional is required to be studied for GS. In such a case,
what is the benefit of “sacrificing” your own optional and venturing into an un-known zone?
iii. The arts subjects require a wide – range of reading and preparation from various materials. This
style is not known to the science students.
iv. Ordinarily, the grip of science students over language will be poor, as compared to arts students.
The arts subjects require the answers to be presented in well –constructed sentences. Otherwise, you
may convey an idea that you did not intend to.
v. Ordinarily, some arts streams such as Sociology and Psychology have no common syllabus with GS.
Even then, many candidates who opt these subjects also get through.
vi. Above all, while selecting a new subject, you have to keep in mind that you are competing with
students who have already studied that subject. In a competitive exam, this will give the others a
head start.
It will be like running the Olympics 100 M finals wearing a pair of shoes bigger than your feet, but
thinking that the last year’s champion wore the same size of shoes and hence, the athletes who wear
shoes of this size would win the race. Neither you, nor the shoes are going to benefit from it. The
benefit will be to the others. As I have already mentioned, you have to select the subject where you
are comfortable and where you can bring out your best performance.
d. However, if you want to study arts subjects because of your real interest in any of them, it is
advisable that this subject may be selected along with your subject of graduation. Also, in case of
those science subjects which are not included in the UPSC syllabus (like electronics & Communication,
Computer Science, Nursing, Pharmacy, etc), there is no other option than studying two new subjects.
In such a scenario, you will have to study two entirely new subjects. In such eventuality, there is no
meaning in applying the above logics.
1.3 The other criterion to be applied in selecting the optionals, I have already mentioned in my
previous thread.
Systematic Study
2.1 Systematic study is the next step to success. The phrase “systematic study” may mean different
things to different students. But in the broad sense, it contains the following;
a. Prudent selection of the areas to be studied
b. Determining their relative importance
c. Assessing your comfort level with each topic/sub-topic (not the subject)
d. Determining your priorities and identifying the topics which need more concentration.
e. Strategies to study the selected areas thoroughly
d. Charting out the time schedule for study, taking into consideration, the availability of time.
e. Meticulous implementation of the above time schedule.
f. Keeping the goal in perspective.
g. Never say die spirit.
2.2 Many students often ask how/where to begin the studies. The answer lies in the above points. My
advice is; begin the preparation from the subject or chapter where you feel more interesting. But by
doing so, you risk the chance of sticking on to a single subject most of the time. To avoid this, assign
time to each subject as per the requirements of each subject.

The requirements are to be decided by you. But equal weightage should be given to all subjects. Equal
weightage does not mean equal time. The subjects or chapters which need more attention should be
assigned more time. The other tips on time management are;
1. Prepare a weekly time table for your study. A day a week should be assigned to revision. If you find
a day of exclusive revision a week will be boring, you may assign two half days a week for this
purpose.
2. Keep a study diary. The date-wise details of the chapters you have studied may be noted down
there. The previous day’s diary may be reviewed each day. This will serve two purposes:
a. You can keep a tap of the progress of your journey. It will enable you to know which portions are
left out and assign the remaining time for the most important topics or chapters left out.
b. The diary can be used for the purpose of revision.
3. Keep short notes. It is a time saving device. You can jot down the important points in the
essays/topics in your note book. Leave enough space for adding new points that you may come across
during additional reading. But, at any cost, these notes should not be exhaustive. An exhaustive note
will not serve the purpose of time management. You will end up taking notes throughout your life
time. For instance, an exhaustive note on Akbar’s religious policy may come to more than 100 pages
in MS-word. You may keep on adding new points you get from different books. So this is type of note
taking is not advisable. Your short notes may be in broken sentences. It may contain the summary of
a paragraph in one or two broken sentences. The things which are difficult to remember may be noted
down; like the years, names, the details of administrative set up, etc. Thus, Akbar’s religious policy
may be confined to about 3-4 pages in a note book. 4. The short notes will become useful during
revisions. It will become the most useful during the run-up to exams because you will have to revise
most of the selected topics/chapters during the two or three days prior to the exam. As the most
important and hard to remember points are jotted down in these notes, these would contain the
“extra” points that give you “extra” marks.
5. If you are employed, try to adjust your study time as per the requirements of your job. The most
important point is keeping your goal in focus. Utilise your free time to the maximum. But minimum
five hours study a day is required, if you want to appear in 2011. (That does not mean five hours a
day’s study will do for all candidates. I say this for the employed candidates). In case your working
hours are too much demanding, try to switch over to another job with lesser pressure, albeit at the
cost of lesser salary. But I will never advise you to leave your job for completely concentrating on
CSE.

Awareness about the Exam

6. It is good to get a fair idea about the CSE; the scheme of exam, the optionals available, the
combination of subjects allowed. The recent trends, the pattern of questions and the syllabus of the
subject you have chosen, the recent developments that are happening in your subject, etc.
7. Read the syllabi of your optionals more often. Every time you go through it, you will get new
insights about the subject, its implications and current relevance. This reading should not be confined
only to the topics or chapters you have selected for intensive study. If you find that any topic/chapter
you had not selected is important in the light of the current developments, add this also to the list of
subjects to be studied.

8. Similarly, read the previous years’ questions more often. Think a minute or two of how you will
answer, if the same question appears in this year. Here also, you will get new ideas about presenting
the answer. Also, the questions may also contain some important points related to the topic. Perhaps
you will get a different question in your exam, but you can present the ideas/points you got from the
previous question papers also, in your answer. This will be more crucial in some social subjects, as the
previous questions will indicate the thinking of those who set questions. Remember that there are
many controversies surrounding the important topics in arts subjects like history, political science,
economics, etc.
9. Each time you read your notes/text books, imagine questions from the topic. Also, arrange the
answers in your mind. Identify which points are to be presented and which ones will be ignored by you
in your answer. This will help you save much of the thinking time in exam hall. All you will have to do
in the exam hall is just to arrange your answer in your mind and present them.
10. Use internet to get current developments about the important topics. You can use “google” for
your searching purpose. But try to avoid websites of organisations, because they will present their
ideas only. The popular ‘Wikipedia’ can be used for knowing the latest developments. It is true that
their editing standards are poor. But they give you a lot of related information with the maximum
possible neutrality.
11. Practice writing model answers. Evaluate them with reference to the ones available in your
texts/guides. Identify your weaknesses and strong points. Build on the strong ones and try to
overcome the weak ones. If you can get somebody to evaluate your answers, it is good. But if you can
do it yourself, you will have an added advantage; it will increase your capacity to analyse. Besides,
you will read your answer and the text/guide once more. That will definitely leave a good impression
in your mind.

12. You will have to quote authorities in your answers. Collect good quotations and information about
theauthoritative works by various scholars and authors. But do not try to present all of them in your
answer sheet. Quote the authorities only when it is necessary. A good answer should not have more
than three quotations. If you can begin or end an answer with a quotation, it will be good. Again, do
not begin or end all answers with quotations. If you do this mistake, your answer will be monotonous
and a collection of quotations. Remember that a good answer can be presented even without a single
quotation. However, it does not mean that you should desist from presenting the opinions of
authorities. These can be presented without quotations, that too only when the situation warrants. For
instance, if the question demands to examine the views of various scholars on a particular topic, you
may present the views of the authorities, but with less quotations.
13. Keep abreast of the latest developments. Watch ‘DD’ News bulletin at any regular time a day; in
English and your mother tongue. Notice the headlines and see how the same news is presented in the
next day’s news paper. Take note of the important points from the news paper. Go through your notes
regularly.
14. Similarly, go through all the articles (including letters to the Editor) in the editorial and op-ed page
of “The Hindu”. Initially, you may be clueless and the items may be boring to you. However, persist
with reading these items and note the important points in your note book. Note them date-wise. This
will help you ascertain whether the point is relevant, when you go through it in a future date. For
example, you may jot down in your notebook; “next world cup football will be held in South Africa”.
But once the world cup is over (by early July 2010), this point will become somewhat wrong. To avoid
this type of confusion, it would be better to keep the notes date-wise.
Also, in GS(Mains), if you can write the dates of deaths, major accidents that shook the world, pacts,
scientific experiments, etc., it would definitely fetch you extra marks. Further, I would like to remind
you that almost all the current affairs questions that were asked in the previous years had figured in
the editorial or op-ed pages of “The Hindu” at least once.
15. Follow this strategy for one month and analyse how much improvement you have made. If it does
not work, evolve your own strategy. Once you got a fair idea about what are the important
happenings around the world, you will have no doubt regarding what is to be read and what is to be
avoided from the newspapers. The “crest’ edition of The Times of India is also useful (published on
Saturdays”).
16. Once you have identified the important items in this way, read the further developments that are
related to them. Gradually, begin to read all important items from a newspaper. Avoid meaningless
statements/controversies of the politicians and minor accidents.
17. Reading the articles in The Hindu will help you in developing a good writing style also. This is
necessary for the Essay Paper. So notice the writing style, language and flow of ideas in the articles of
eminent journalists and writers in the editorial and op-ed page of The Hindu.
18. General Knowledge is a vast area. The syllabus is an indication only. By going through the
previous questions and analyzing the latest tendencies, you can predict the probable questions.
However, there is no short cut to success. If you feel that your knowledge level is not satisfactory, the
only remedy is hard work. Increase the range of your reading and change the techniques of
remembering facts.

19. Develop the habit of finding a question in every point you read. This will help you a great deal in
GS paper of Prelims also.
20. In General Studies, the scope for selected intensive study is limited. So, plan a long term-strategy
and make slow but steady progress.
21. Another feature of GS is that the facts are frequently undergoing changes. Always keep your eyes
and ears open. Note down the changed facts.
22. Plan your studies so that you may cover the whole syllabus at least three weeks ahead of the
exam. Then, do the revision with the help of the short notes you have taken. Some students need a
serious second reading of the whole selected portion of the syllabus, for remembering the facts well. If
you have such a habit, try to complete the first reading at least six weeks ahead of the exam so that
you may get enough time for the third revision based on short notes.
21. Avoid artificial and ornamental language. But never neglect grammar. A mistake in grammar may
convey just the opposite of what you have intended to say. This will eat away the vitals of your hard
work. If you are not sure about your grammar, practice the art of writing short sentences without
mistake.

General Studies
I have already mentioned several points regarding the strategy for General Studies. I do not want to repeat
them. Some more tips are offered here.
Some friends send their query mentioning they are zero in GS and what is to be done to build on the subject.
Eventually, those who are selected in CSE have a very good background in GS and they did not build it up in a
year or two. When they mention their period of preparation as one or two years, it does not include the time
they have spent on GS. Ninety per cent of them started to build up on GK, even before they heard of CSE. What
they did during their period of preparation was only streamlining their knowledge towards the requirements
of CSE as per the syllabus.

If you lag behind in this count, the only remedy is devoting more time to this area and leaving nothing
to chance. As I mentioned earlier, no selective study is possible in this subject, except for current
affairs.
Some students complain that they read news papers daily, but they have no idea as to what is to be
studied from the paper. For them, my tips are:
1. Leave petty political news such as meaningless controversies and statements, minor accidents,
stealing, chain snatching, rape, minor skirmishes between the countries, etc.
2. Pay more attention to major accidents (the place/countries where these occurred, the reasons,
impacts, etc.), names of storms/cyclones and the countries affected, the constitutional implications
behind the controversies (for example, the Women’s Bill), age old disputes between the countries,
peace/climate conferences, the places where these conferences occurred and their results/impacts,
elections and change of governments in other countries, the background of such changes, major
development initiatives of the governments (at centre/states), people’s initiative towards better
governance, news/developments related to RTI Act, activities of CVC & Election Commission, elections
in states, India’s relations with other countries, especially her neighbours, political developments in
SAARC countries, major Bills passed by the Parliament, important books published in the year, etc.
3. Read in detail the items figured in DD News.
4. As I mentioned earlier, take note of important items that you may forget. If practical, keep paper
cuttings and go through it regularly.
5. Read all items in the editorial and op-ed pages of “The Hindu”.
6. Go through previous years’ questions on GS (both Prelims and Mains) frequently. This will help you
to have a self-evaluation of the importance of a news item.

7. Assess your knowledge with the help of “model questions” appearing in periodicals and intensify
your efforts accordingly.
8. The Current affairs items featuring in magazines like Civil Services Chronicles give you an indication
as to which news items are to be concentrated.
9. While going through the previous questions, you may see that the 2 marks /5 marks questions
(short answer type) are very important. In fact, your final ranking will be decided by these questions.
It is very easy to score full mars in these questions. So, never leave any portion in GS and pay
attention to even the minutest points. It is challenging as well as interesting to learn these items.
10. Keep your eyes and ears open. You may get a new idea or piece of information from a piece of
paper or even from conversation between two strangers sitting beside you in train. Keep the curiosity
of your mind alive. When somebody tells you that he is coming from Cooch Bihar in Assam, do not
think that he is “some Bihari.” Instead, take it as an opportunity to come across a new place name
which may help you increase your knowledge and finally get through the IAS.

11. Many candidates ask me where to begin with, for GK. The best starting point for GK is the
knowledge about the countries. Many people end up learning the capitals and currencies of the
countries in a mechanical manner. But there are many things more about the countries. Try to learn
everything about a single country. You will learn much about its mountains, rivers, great leaders,
influence of that country in history, art, science, great writers, etc. It will definitely lead you to
another country because no country existed in total isolation. I often advise my friends to begin from
the test playing countries. For instance, if you explore the reasons for a small “fraction” of the British
Flag (Union Jack) in the national flags of Australia and New Zealand, you will get amazing and
interesting facts about these two countries. Also, it may be interesting to know that there are many
countries which play test cricket under the common banner of West Indies. Also, many candidates
know how these countries got the common name West Indies. But there was an “East Indies” as well!
To trade with this country, many European nations formed “East India Companies”, Dutch East India
Company, French East India Company and English East India Company. Yes, the “East Indies” was
none other than our motherland. The English succeeded in establishing their monopoly in the real
“East East Indies.” The French got monopoly in farther east. To overcome their disappointment of not
getting control over India, they called the land “French East Indies” (presently Laos, Cambodia and
Vietnam). The Dutch got control in still farther east and in their fondness to India, they called the land
“Dutch East Indies.” It later came to be known as Indonesia. Cricket originated in England. But do you
know, what is the difference between England, Great Britain and UK? Which are the major
contributions of Britain in sports, polity, science, literature and culture? This type of relative
knowledge will lead to a good basis in GK. It is the curiosity in us that prompt us to know more. You
cannot get a good basis in GK, if you learn only to get through the CSE. You are sure to fail in CSE
also, because the exam is designed to test your foundations and not your objectivity. So, never seek
short cuts. If you have not enough time to improve your GK, it is your necessity to find time. (My
point is, the GK base should be made from the very first day of your education, and not on the day
you decide to give a try at CSE).

Essay
The importance of Essay Paper is often ignored even by the experts. The 200 marks carried by this
paper are as important as GS or Optional subjects.
In the exam, you will be asked to write an essay on any of the five given subjects. You have to spend
the whole three hours, writing a single essay. Many candidates have a doubt; the time spend on
writing a single essay is equal to that spent for writing five essay-type answers in optionals. So,
should the length of an essay be about 3000 words (equal to 5 essay type answers in optionals)?
Here, we have to remember that the total marks are 200. Also, as the subject is given only in the
exam hall, you have to spend some time in thinking the points and arranging your answers. Hence, at
any cost, the ideal length of an Essay is about 1500-2000 words.
There is a classic way of writing a good essay, which is taught to us from the elementary school itself.
A good easy is the combination of awareness, knowledge, social concern, command over language,
creative and innovative thought and tireless practice. The characteristics of a good essay are unity
of thought, orderly presentation and style.

My tips for essay are:

1. Develop a thinking habit. In all other papers, you can have ready-built notes. But the scope of such
notes is very limited in Essay Paper. Never hope that somebody else may think for you. You have to
listen to the developments around you and collect as much information as possible. Thinking without
knowledge is dangerous. If you still believe that the earth is flat and plan a world tour, it would bring
you more trouble than pleasure. Thus, you can understand that GK(General Knowledge or awareness)
is the basis of a sound thought.
2. Leave all types of prejudices. Take for example, a previous year’s question in Essay Paper; “The
Problem of Languages in India”. (I do not remember the year). To answer this question, your mind
should be liberated from the clutches of prejudice and only knowledge can bring that liberation.
Language is a sensitive issue in India. You can write an essay which may inflame the feeling of
language fanaticism in the mind of a group of readers and cause a riot in the country. On the other
hand, you have the choice to write an essay that may soothe language tensions and bring about the
feelings of unity and brotherhood among different groups. The choice is yours. It depends upon what
kind of a personality you are. The essays and articles that cause feelings of ill-will are often based on
ignorance. For instance, you can argue that those who refuse to learn “national language” are anti-
national. (Personally, I can read, write and speak four languages. Even in UP, I get many prizes in
Hindi competitions, where all other participants are natural speakers of Hindi. Besides, I read,
understand and write Sanskrit, but I cannot speak it. So I think I am most suited to mention this
subject.) But the following facts are to be considered, while anlaysing the subject:

a. There is no “national language” in India. We have national flag, national bird, national animal,
national flower, etc., but no national language (rashtr bhasha). Article 343 of the Constitution
of India states that “Hindi, that is Hindi written Devnagari script is the official language (raj
bhasha) of India. Official language is the language of the government (prashasan)”, while
national language is the language of the country. So, any argument for imposing a non-
existing national language on the others is based on ignorance.
b. Many people learn only one language and they have no problem in their life and career. In
the meantime, the people in some other states struggle throughout their life, learning many
languages. This is applicable to all the educationally advanced states of India (Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Mizoram, Goa, etc). If the Hindi- speakers stick on to their argument without
understanding the difficulties of non- Hindi speakers, it is bound to broom tension.
c. The opportunities in employment (both in private and public sector) are decided on the
basis of competition. In any competition, it is common sense that the natural speakers of the
medium of examination would have the advantage. (I do not have the hallucination that all
people would take equal efforts to learn new languages, like me).
d. Universal primary education should be the priority of the State rather than patronising a
particular language. Almost half of the people in the Hindi – speaking states are illiterates or
semi-literates. More attention should be paid to address this issue. It would have a
tremendous effect, if at least the mother tongue is taught to all children of India, instead of
imposing a particular language on all.
e. The attempts to forcefully impose a language on the others have not succeeded in any
modern society. The Soviet Union broke away because of the feelings of sub-national
resistance based on language. The main reason was the attempt to impose Russian as the
national language. Sri Lanka, which has only two languages, fought 25 years of Civil War in
the name of language. The reason was the efforts to impose Sinhalese as the only language of
the state in education, administration and cultural activities. In Canada, the issue of self-
determination to the French speaking Quebec has not been settled yet. In Turkey, the
attempts to suppress the minority Kurd speakers are blamed by the international community.
But India remains a successful democracy only because of the ability of the people to think
beyond narrow lines of religion, language and region. India is an example to the world in
terms of tolerance and co-existence.
f. Over-politicisation is responsible for the tensions in the country in the name of language.
Politicians exploit the sentiments of people in the name of language, mostly in non-Hindi
speaking states.
g. National integration cannot be brought about by forcefully imposing a language on the
others. For national unity, what is needed is the ability to assimilate. Assimilation should not
be one-sided. It can be promoted only by wide-spread travel and interaction between people.
With increased modernisation of India, this would naturally happen. Hindi films and songs do
more service in spreading Hindi than the Hindi Prahar Sabhas do.
h. Learning a new language is beneficial in all respects. The approach in this regard should be
open. All should willingly come forward to learn at least one more Indian language. This would
help the cultural integration of the country. However, it should remain an individual choice as
to which language is to be learnt.
(I have presented the above example only to show the difference between knowledge and
ignorance. I have argued only against imposing a language and not against spreading it. I will
not entertain any more questions in this regard).
3. The most important qualities of a good essay are the following:
i. Unity: An essay should have a single theme and a definite purpose. The clearly defined goal
should be kept in kind throughout the exercise. While speaking of women’s reservation, you
should not waste your energy by describing the issue of domestic violence against women or
rhetoric against a patriarchal society. These may just be mentioned, if necessary.
ii. Order: An essay should lead to a logical conclusion. In the meantime, do not divert the
attention of the reader(s) to other related issues.
iii. Style: An essay should disclose the style of the author. It should have your stamp. Its
language should be dignified and literary. Do not use colloquial terms and expressions in it.
4. Try to give a personal touch to your essay. Formulate your opinions on all important issues.
Never try to reproduce somebody else’ opinions. Do not be afraid to express your views. But,
be careful in that your views should be poised, as I have said it earlier.
5. Constant practice is necessary to develop a good writing style. If you have the facility to get
your essays corrected by some scholarly persons, avail this. Otherwise, try to write essays on
the given subjects within the stipulated time frame and never read it for two or three days. In
the meantime, read from other books and other subjects. Recollect the points you have
presented in your essay and analyze what other points you would have added, if you had got a
second chance. Read your essay a second time after three or four days. You will definitely find
some flaws in your essay. If you still get more ideas on the subject, keep recollecting them. If
you feel you can write a better essay on the same subject, write an essay for the second time
and compare the first essay with the second one. Practice makes man perfect.
6. Reading is the most important basis for a good essay. Everything you read for CSE serves
the purpose of a practice round, because it influences your language, vocabulary and writing
style. But find some time to read some good articles from the periodicals. I would like to
present the main article in the editorial page of ‘The Hindu’ as a model essay for you. Don’t
worry if you cannot write an essay of such a standard. Remember that the author is much
more experienced than you are. Also, he/she may be a professional columnist. Further, they
get opportunity to edit their column, whereas you have to write an essay straightway. But
your ambition should be writing an essay of such standard. You can learn many things from
them; especially in terms of the style of presentation. If you want to improve your writing
style with too little reading, all your efforts would go in vain. You will stay where you are. It is
like trying to start your motor cycle without fuel. Reading does not mean reading for time
pass. It should be serious. Remember the interview board has a technique of measuring your
whole personality by asking the question “which is your favorite book?”
7. Keep a watch on the latest developments in national and international level. Out of the five
subjects given in the exam, at least three will have current relevance. [But the science
students wrongly think these are related to arts subjects. This is also one of the reasons
behind them leaving their own subjects. ]
8. Before planning the essay in your mind, try to correctly define the subject. For instance,
when you are asked to write about Judicial Activism, what you are supposed to write about is
the judiciary’s taking up the functions of the executive and the legislature. But many
candidates write about landmark judgments against the culprits in some important cases that
attracted national attention. Understanding the subject/topic clearly will help you keep un-
wanted points out. In 2009, there was a question related to “soft state”. Here, understanding
the subject “soft state” is more important. The word “soft state” appeared in the editorial and
op-ed page of The Hindu at least 100 times in the context of the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks.
A soft state is the one which compromises with its sovereignty and not too serious about
defending it. Without reading news papers seriously, you are not supposed to know this.
9. A good essay will have a well-defined structure. It can broadly be classified into three;
introduction, body of the essay and conclusion. The introduction is something like a manifesto
or a policy declaration. By reading the introduction, the reader should understand what you
are going to say about the subject. For example, an introduction to the subject “The Problem
of Languages in India” may look like this; India is a pluralistic society. Its people speak more
than 100 languages and belong to many religions, ethnicities and cultural identities. However,
the thread of nationalism in their minds is very strong. This ‘unity in diversity’ is the strength
of India as a country and it makes India a role model among the nations of the world.”
This type of an introduction will give an indication to the reader that you are going to present
an essay of conciliation. There is no restriction that the introduction should be confined to a
single paragraph. For example, you can explain the problems in the contemporary society,
related to the multiplicity of languages in the next paragraph. It will go as a part of the
introduction.
10. The conclusion may also go into two or three paragraphs, if the situation warrants. But it
may be good, if the conclusion is confined into a single paragraph. Invariably, the conclusion
should sum up the views you have already presented. The conclusion is the destination of the
journey called “essay”. It begins from the introduction which brings the reader to your world
and progresses through the body of the essay to reach the conclusion.
11. The body of the essay should be divided into small or medium sized paragraphs. The ideal
size of a paragraph may be five or six sentences. The sentences should be simple. But
complex sentences can be used, if you have a good command on the language. Keep in mind
that an essay full of complex sentences will not make a good reading.
12. In the paragraphs, you can present your views in order. The paragraphs should be well-
disciplined; your views should not overlap or stray from the main subject. For instance, when
you speak of the status of Hindi in Indian constitution, you should not divert from the subject
by mentioning the history of the language or the poetic power of Maithili Sharan Gupta. Your
views should be consistent; the idea contained in a sentence should not be against that of
another sentence.
13. A good paragraph in itself is a miniature essay. The first sentence may inform the reader
what you are going to present in the following lines. The sentences should have a smooth
flow. The last sentence of the paragraph may resemble the conclusion of an essay; it may sum
up the views you have presented in the same paragraph. For example, a good paragraph may
look like this;
“India is a multi-linguistic country where the sentiments of the linguistic minorities have been
taken care of. There are more than 160 major spoken languages. Many of them even do not
have a script. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India approves 22 languages which
are equally patronised in literary and cultural activities by the Union. Besides, Article 25 to the
Constitution guarantees the Right to Cultural and Educational activities to linguistic minorities
also. Thus, the Constitution has ensured that the chances of friction in the name of languages
in a pluralistic society will be minimal in India.”
14. Try constantly to improve your language. Learn the basic rules of grammar. One cannot
swim by taking tips from others. If you want to swim, jump into the water. Similarly, take a
small step by learning at least one chapter of grammar daily. Stick to the British grammar and
spelling rules. The spelling and grammar you have learned in your school is the so-called
“British English”. Nowadays, most of the sites present only American English. If you want to
learn grammar, read “Wren & Martin High School English Grammar & Composition”. Those
who find it difficult may read N.D.V. Prasada Rao’s “Learners’ English Grammar and
Composition” (Pub: S.Chand & Co., Ram Nagar, New Delhi-110055).
15. Pay more attention to rules of punctuation. It is a pity that even the schools ignore this
aspect. In many places, I have seen boards like “Boy’s School”. It should be “Boys’ School.”
The rule is that when the sign of apostrophe follows a noun ending with the letter‘s’, there will
not be any ‘s’ after that. For example, “Moses’ Law” means the Law of Moses. Also, it should
be Jesus’ love, Thomas’ faith, etc. Thus, “Boy’s School” means, the school owned by or meant
for a single boy and “Boys’ School” means the school meant for boys. Controllers’ Conference
is a conference where all controllers will attend and Controller’s Conference is a conference
convened by some controller. Be careful in such basic rules.
 16. With conscientious efforts and practice, you can improve your language and grammar. The
books and periodicals suggested for GS, especially The Hindu, Frontline, The Crest Edition of
The Times of India, etc., pay much attention in presenting correct English.
The Civil Services Aptitude Test
The UPSC Chairman made it clear on Nov 12, 2009 that the existing optionals in CSE Prelims
would be substituted with a Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Even among the much hyped
heated discussions, I had warned the candidates that the decision will be implemented only
after approval from the Union Cabinet. I was the only individual who had advised the
candidates to stick on to the old pattern, because there was no chance for the new pattern in
2010. Being a public administration post-graduate in government service, I know the
complicated procedure being followed in according government approval. When the
notification for CSE 2010 came, I was proved right.
In March, the Prime Minister has declared in Parliament that approval has been accorded by
the Union Cabinet for the CSAT and that the changed pattern will be implemented from 2011
onwards. This was stated as a reply to a question by an MP.
The question was prompted by the fact that the UPSC has never shown the courtesy to make
it clear whether the declared changes will take effect or not. The UPSC still keeps a mysterious
silence as to what will be the nature of the CSAT.
Many guess works are going on in the media. Often, the candidates themselves resort to the
guessing game. With the available information, I would inform you that CSE Prelims will have
two papers in future; (i) General Studies and (ii) Aptitude Test. The questions in the aptitude
test will be designed to measure the ability of the candidates to take decisions on the basis of
given facts and their psychological traits. I have advised some candidates to see MBA entrance
exam papers (CAT, etc). The questions may not be exactly of the same nature. But, an
intelligent candidate can understand what it is meant by an aptitude test; that is all.
My personal opinion is that there is no need for the panic among the candidates. It is created
only by the media hype. Consider the following facts:
1. Prelims is only a qualifying exam.
2. Your aim should be getting through the Mains (written/interview).
3. Start preparation for the Mains now. Cover the syllabus of Mains by the time the next
notification comes out. Even if the nature of CSAT is made clear by the UPSC before that,
never divert your attention towards that.
4. Begin preparation for the Prelims only in February. Four months’ preparation is more than
enough for the Prelims.

Suggested List of Books

General Studies
1. “The Hindu” newspaper. If this paper is not available in your locality, log on
to www.hinduonnet.com.
2. This website (www.toolika.com) will continue to provide you a good coverage of topics included in
the UPSC syllabus. Log on to this site regularly.
3. Read the following magazines:
i. Civil Services Chronicle,
A-26, Sector-2, Noida (UP) - 201 301
Ph : 09953007628
ii. Competition Wizard
B-19, ALS House, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar,
New Delhi -110 009.
Ph : 011- 27653714
iii. Yojana Magazine
4.Read the Book “General Studies Manual” (latest) by McGraw Hill, Noida. This book is recommended
for both Prelims and Mains as a basic source book. Address:
B-4, Sector-63, Noida, UP-201 301.
Ph: 0120-4383400
(or)
General Studies 2009, (or the latest edition)
Spectrum Books (Pvt) Ltd.
116, Ist Floor,
TC Jaina Tower III, B-4-LSC,
A-1, Janakpuri,
New Delhi - 110 058,
Ph : 011-25507922
5. Frontline Fortnightly.
6. G.S. Question Bank by Career Classics (a Competition Wizard publication)
Address: B-19, ALS House, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar,
Delhi -110 009.
Ph : 011- 27653714
7.A Concise Handbook of General Studies by Jawahar Publishers & Distributors. Address:,
15,DDA Market Ber Sarai
Opp. JNU Old Campus,
New Delhi - 110 006. Ph: 011-26962973
(In question - answer pattern. Recommended for final revision)
10. India Year Book or Manorama Year Book
11.A good standard daily in your language to keep informed of the issues relating to your state.
12.Watch the news bulletin of DD News for at least half an hour per day.
13. National Geography Magazine

(b) Indian History including Indian National Movement

1.NCERT history books (Classes Xl and Xll)

2.National Movement in India ,
Cosmos Bookhive (P) Ltd,
47/30, East Patel Nagar,
New Delhi - 110 008.
Ph: 011-25769681
(c) World geography Including Indian geography
1.Man and environment (NCERT)
2.General Geography of India (NCERT)
3.Geography of India: Resources and regional development (NCERT)
4.A Concise Handbook of Indian Geography by Jawahar Publishers. Contact details as above.
(d) Indian Polity
1.Indian constitution and government (NCERT)
2.Organs of government (NCERT)
3.Indian administration by Maheshwari (portions relating to Panchayati raj, Community
development etc.)
4.Indian Polity by Chronicle Publishers. Contact details as above.
(e) Indian Economy
1.Evolution of the Indian economy (NCERT)
2.Indian economy by Dutt and Sundaram.
3.The government document on Five Year Plan
4.Economic Survey- the latest edition
5.Indian Economy & Geography of India by Spectrum India
(f) General Science
1.NCERT books on science
2.Science Snippets by Publications Division, Ministry of information and Broadcasting.
3..A Concise Handbook of Science & Technology in India by Jawahar Publishers.

Anthroplology
Paper -I
(Basic Source Materials)
1.An Introduction to Anthropology by Haviland
or
An Introduction to Anthropology by Beals & Hoijer
2 conomy and Social Relations by N.K. Vaid
3 Uifying Anthropology by Mishra & Hasnain
4The World of Man by Hogiman
5 AnIntroduction to Social Anthropology by Majumdar & Madan
Suggested Additional Readings
Paper-I (Part-II A)
1.Human Biology by Harrison & Others
2Origin of Man by B. Janusch
3Physical Anthropology and Human Genetics by Shukla & Rastogi
Paper-I (Part-II B)
1.Rise of Anthropology Theory by M. Harris
2.History of Anthropological Thought by Upadhyay & Pandey
3.Anthropological Thought Makhan Jha
4.Cultural Anthropology by Herskovits
Paper - II
1.Indian Society, Social Change by NCERT
2.Caste in India & Other Essays by M.N. Srinivas
3.Social Change in Modern India by M.N. Srinivas
4.Tribal Culture of India by Vidyarthi & Rai
5.Indian Anthropology by N. Hasnain
6. Who Cares for Tribal Development? By N.K. Vaid
7.Modernisation of Indian Tradition by Y. Singh
8.An Outline of Indian Prehistory by D.K. Bhattacharya
Botany
The candidates are requested to use their university level books as the basic source material. The
books may be selected with reference to the UPSC syllabus. The books suggested for additional
reading are;

1.Microbiology : Powar’s two books on microbiology

2.Pathology : Singh’s book alongwith a foreign author.
3.Cryptogams : B.R. Vasishta (algae and fungi); P.C. Vashishta (pteridophytes and gymnosperms)
alongwith both volumes by Pandey and Trivedi.
4.Embryology : Bhojwani & Bhatnagar
5.Plant Anatomy : Esau or B.P. Pandey
6.Taxonomy : Naik alongwith Datta
7.Cell Biology : De Robertis & Ambrose and Easty or Powar
8.Genetics : Strickberger or Vir Bala Rastogi
9.Physiology and Biochemistry : Salisbury & Ross or Fritz & Noggle
10.Ecology : Veer Bala Rastogi, M.S. Jayaraj & P.D. Singh
11.Economic Botany : Kochar or Verma
Economics
Basic Source Materials
1. University level books. These may be selected with reference to the UPSC Syllabus. The most ideal
ones are those of Delhi University and Calcutta University. These are research - oriented books, which
provide enough information to the candidates.
2. Books of Unique Publishers, New Delhi. These are solved questions of previous years exams.
3.Indian Economy - McGraw Hill, Noida. (tel-0120-4383400)
4. Besides, in order to keep abreast of the latest developments in Indian & world economy, go through
the daily “Economic Times” and the magazines “Yojana” and “Kuruskshetra”.
Suggested Additional Readings
1.Economics- Paul A. Samuelson,
2.An Introduction to Economics (or)
3.A text Book of Economic Theory - By A.W. Stonier & D.C. Hauge
4.Outline of Monetary Economics - ACL Day
5.Modern Banking - RS Sayers
6.Money Supply in India - Concepts, Compilation & Analysis - (The latest series of Reserve Bank of
India)
7.Functions & Working of RBI from their website
8.International Economics _ Bo Soderston
9.Monetary Theory and Public Policy - Kenneth Kurihara
10.Macro Economic Analysis - Edward Shepiro
11.Economic Growth and Development - Mayer & Baldwin
12.Public Finance - HL Bhatia
Paper-II
1.Indian Economy - R.Dutt & KPM Sunadaram
2.Indian Economy - Mishra & Puri
3.Economic Survey - Govt of India
4.Survey of Agriculture & Survey Industry (latest) - The Hiindu
5.Survey of Indian Industry - Garham Bannock, RE Baxter & Ray Rees
Suggested Readings

1.Phsical Geography : Strahler & Strahler; Arthur Strahler; Thornbury’s (Geomorphology).

Thornbury is good for terminology and figures.
2.Human & Economic Geography : Leong & Morgan (Social & Economic Geography -Made
Simple)
3.Oceanography :Batal & Sharma
4.Political Geography : Dixit
5.Ecology :Odum
6.Climatology : S.D. Lal
7.Indian Economic Geography : Sharma & Kutino, C.B. Memoria
8.Soil Genesis :Daji
9.Geography of India : Dr. Gopal Singh
10.Penguin Dictionary for Geography
Basic Source Books
(1) Books of the following topics may be procured from S. Chand & Co. Delhi or Konark
Publishers, Delhi -92. A combination of both is also recommended.
1. Ancient India
2. Medieval India
3. Modern India Upto 1975
4. Modern World History
(2) NCERT Books: Ancient India (Class XI) Medieval India (Class XI) & Modern India (Class
XII)

The suggested books for additional reading are:

Ancient India
1.Rise of Civilization in India and Pakistan : Bridget & Raymond (Allchin for Harappan
Civilisation)
2.Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India : RS Sharma
3.Material Cultures and Social Formations in Ancient India : R.S. Sharma
4.Ashoka and Decline of the Mauryas : Romila Thapar
5.Harsha : A Political Study : D. Devahuti
6.Imperial Guptas : P.L. Gupta
7.Social Changes in Early Medieval India : R.S. Sharma
8. Ancient India by Publications Division (important for Essays)
 Medieval India

1.Medieval India : Society , the Jagirdari Crisis and the Village : Satish Chandra
2.Comprehensive History of India (Vol - V&VI) Mohammad Habibi & K.A. Nizami
3.The Wonder That was India - Vol - II : S.A.A Rizvi
4.New History of the Marathas : G.S. Sardesai
5.Sher Shah and His Times : K.R. Qanungo
6.Foundation of Muslim Rule in India : A.B.M. Habibulla

Modern India

1.Social Background of Indian Nationalism : A.R. Desai

2.National and Left Movement : K.N. Panicker
3.Nationalism and Colonialism in Modern India : Bipin Chandra
4.India's Struggle for Independence : Bipin Chandra and others
5.Modern India : Sumit Sarkar
6. An Advanced History of India by R.C. Majumdar, H.C. Ray Chaudhari and Kalikinkar Datta
(these books cover the entire history of India).
7. Modern India by Grover and Grover (S Chand Publications) (their three books on modern
India are equally important)
South India

1.A History of South India : K.A. Nilakanta Shastri

2.Administrative and Social Life under the Pallavas : C. Minakshi
3.The Cholas : K.A. Nilakanta Shastri
4.Viajayanagara : Burton Stein

World History

1.Europe Since Napoleon : David Thompson

2. Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe
3. For important topics like French Revolution and American War of Independence, sufficient
materials are available over internet.
4. Also suggested is the Guide by Chronicle Publishers on World History.

Law
Basic Source Book

The candidates are advised to use their university level books as the basic source of reference. The
books may be selected with reference to the UPSC Syllabus.
The books suggested for additional reading are:

i.Any one standard legal journal for up-to-date information on the subject.
ii.The Law of Torts by M.N. Shukla
iii.The Constitution of India by V.D. Mahajan
iv.The Constitution of India by Dr. M.V. Pylee
v.Read the books written by R.R. Maurya for ‘Partnership Act’
vi.Read the books written by S.K. Agrawal for ‘Sales of Goods Act’.
vii.The Indian Penal Code by R.M. Saxena
viii.Read the Following in Original
a.The Right to Information Act, 2005
b.Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
c.Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
d.Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
e.Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
f.Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955
g. Right to Information Act 2005
h.The website of the United Nations Organisation (for information on UNO)
i. A standard legal journal publishing latest legal developments and court verdicts
The candidates are requested to use their university level books as the basic source material.
The selection of the books may be made with reference to the UPSC Syllabus. The books
suggested for additional reading are;

Paper-I
1. Linear Algebra - K.C. Prasad, K B Datta
2.Calculus - Santhi Narayan
3.Analytic Geometry - Shantinarayan, HC Sinha, DK Jha and Sharma
4.Ordinary Differential eqs:- MD Raising Lumina, Golden seris-NP Bali
5. Dynamics, Statitics and Hydrostatics - M.Ray
6. Vector analysis - Shantinarayan
Paper-II
1.Algebra - K C Prasad, KB Datta
2. Real Analysis - Shantinarayan,Royden
3. Complex Analysis - GK Ranganath
4. Linear Programming - SD sharma
5.Partial Diff.eqs. - Singhania
6. Numerical analysis and Computer Progg. - V. Rajaraman, SS Shasri
7. Mechanics & Fluid dynamics - AP Mathur, Azaroff leonid

Philosophy
Suggested Readings
Paper 1
Indian Philosophy
1.Indian Philosophy : Dutta and Chatterjee
2.Essentials of Indian Philosophy : M. Hiriyanna
3.Introduction to Indian Philosophy :C.D. Sharma
4.Indian Philosophy : Prof. S.N. Dasgupta
Western Philosophy
1.A Critical History of Modern Philosophy : Y. Masih
2.A History of philosophy : Frank Thilly
3.A History of Western Philosophy : Bertrand Russel
Paper II
Social and Political Philosophy
1.Any standard book of Political Science containing the topics mentioned in the syllabus.
2.Modernization of Indian Tradition :Yogendra Singh
3.Social change in Modern India : M.N. Srinivas
Philosophy of Religion
1.Religious Philosophy : Y. Masih
2.Philosophy of Religion : Galloway
Philosophy
Basic Source Books
1. The latest ICSSR Survey of Psychology which is available in the market in the form of a 3 volume
book edited by Prof. Janak Pandey.
2. Psychology XI & XII Std by NCERT
3. Introduction to Psychology by Morgan & King
4. Social Psychology by Baron & Byrne
5. The Psychology of Small Groups by Shaw
6. Inner World by Sudhir Kakar
7. Achieving Society by David McClelland
8. Theories of Personality by Hall & Lindzey
9. Systems & Theories of Psychology by Krawiec & Chaplin
Suggested Additional Readings
1. Theories of Personality : Hall & Lindzey
2. Deprivation - Its Social Roots & Psychological Consequences : D. Sinha, R.C. Tripathi and G. Misra
3. Social Psychology: B.L. Kuppuswamy
4. Indian Approach to Personality (Read articles by A.C. Paranjpe or Raghunath Safaya)
Physics
The candidates are requested to use their university level books as the basic source material. The
books may be selected with reference to the UPSC syllabus. The books suggested for additional
reading are;

(a) General Reading

1. Introductory Physics Vol-I and II by Rensick and Halliday
2. Mechanics by D.S. Mathur
3. Classical Mechanics by Takwale
4. Modern Physics by Arthur Beiser
5. Motion of a Rocket by Rensick and Halliday
6. Berkley Course Vol-I

7. University Physics by Sears & Zeemansky

8. Solid State Physics by Kittel
9. Radiation by Saha & Srivastava
10. Thermal Ionisation & Stellar Spectra by Saha & Srivastava
11. Optics by Brijlal Subrahmaniam
12. Heat and Thermodynamics by Satya Prakash Singhal
13. Electricity and Magnetism by B.S. Singhal
14. Electronic Circuits by Malvino
15. A Hand Book of Electronics by Gupta & Kumar
16. Book on Waves & Oscillations by Jenkins & White
17. Berkley Course Volume – I & II
18. Quantum Mechanics by Ghatak & Lokanathan
19. Spectroscopy by Gupta & Kumar
20. Nuclear Physics by D.C. Tayal
21. Handbook of Electronics by Gupta & Kumar
22. Basic Electronics by Bhargava, Gupta & Kulshetra
23. Books by C.L. Arora for BSC (Physics)
24. Books by B.S. Aggarwal for BSC (Physics)
[Note: If the candidates decide to omit any of the topics from the syllabus, the related book may also
be omitted]
Political Science
Paper - I
1.A History of Political Thought by Sabine
2.Indian Political Thought by V.P. Verma
3.Modern Political Thought by S.P. Verma
4.Political Theory by Eddy Ashirwadam
5.Principles of Political Science by A.C. Kapur
6.Comparative Government & Politics by Maheshwari
7.Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Basu
8.Constitution of India by M.V. Pylee or D.D. Basu
9.Indian Government & Politics by W.H. Worris Jones

Paper - II
1.International Politics by Prakash Chandra
2.International Relations by Prakash Chandra
3.The Journal “World Focus”
4.The website of the United Nations Organisation
5.The coverage of international developments by the fortnightly “Frontline”
Public Administration
Basic Source Materials
1.Administrative Thought by Unique Publishers, New Delhi
2.Indian Administration by Unique Publishers, New Delhi
3.Journal of the Indian Institute of Public Administration
4.The periodical “Yojana”
Paper - I
1.Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya
2.Modern Public Administration by Nigro & Nigro
3.Administrative Thinkers by Prasad & Prasad
4.Principles of Management by Terry & Franklin
5.Public Administration in Theory and Practice by M.P. Sharma & B.L. Sadana
6.Public Personnel Administration by O’Glenn Stahl
7.Financial Administration by M.J.K. Thavaraj
8.Administrative Reform by G.E. Caiden
9.Administrative Law by M.P. Jain
10.Comparative Public Administration by R.K. Arora
Paper - II
1.Administrative History of India (Vol-I, II & III) by B.N. Puri
2.An Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Basu
3.Central Administration by A. Avasthi
4.The Sarkaria Commission Report on Centre-State Relations
5.Personnel Administration By A.R. Tyagi
6.Planning Commission by H.K. Paranajape
7.Principles and Practice of Public Enterprise Management by Laxmi Narayan
8.Financial Administration by M.J.K. Thavaraj
9.Law and Order Administration in India by K.K. Sharma
10.State Administration by J.D. Shukla
11.District Administration by S.S, Khera
12.Local Government in India S.R. Maheshwari
13.Issues in Indian Administration by R.B. Jain
14.Social Welfare Administration by D. Paul Chaudhary
15.Annual Reports of Department of Social Welfare
16.Right to Information Act
Sociology
Paper - I
1.Methods in Social Research by Goode & Hatt
2.Main Currents in Social Thought by Raymond Aron
3.Social Themes & Perspectives by Harlambos & R.M. Heald
4.African System of Kinship & Marriage by Radcliffe Brown
5.Kinship and Marriage by Robin Fox
6.Managing Organisational Behaviour by Paul & Balchand
7.Sociology Dictionary by McGraw Hill, Noida
Paper - II
1.Sociology: A Guide to Problems and Literature by T.B. Bottomore
2.Social Change in Modern India by M.N. Srinivas
3.Modernisation of Indian Tradition by Yogendra Singh
4.Society in India by David Mandelbaum
5.Social Stratification by Yogendra Singh
6.Rural sociology by A.R. Desai
7.Caste in Its 20th Century Avatar by M.N. Srinivas
Zoology
The candidates are advised to use their university level books as basic source materials. The books
may be selected with reference to the UPSC Syllabus.
Suggested Additional Readings:
1.Invertebrates : The entire Kotpal Series and Jordan
2.Vertebrates : Jordan and Varma
3.Evolution: Vir Bala Rastogi
4.Cell Biology: Powar
5.Ecology: Vir Bala Rastogi
6.Ethology: Magazines like Science Reporter, Nature, etc.
7.Genetics : Vir Bala Rastogi
8.Physiology: H.R. Singh
9.Biochemistry: Stryer
10.Embryology: Vir Bala Rastogi
11.Economic Zoology: Kotpal Series
Chemistry
Chemical kinetics - Advance physical chemistry - Gurdeep Raj
Photo chemistry - A text book of physical chemistry (Vol. - IV) - K.L. Kapoor
Advance physical chemistry - Gurdeep Raj.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Bonding and shape of organic molecules, Stereo chemistry of carbon compound - Reactions and
reagents - O.P. Agarwal
A guide to mechanism in organic chemistry - Peter Sykes
Rest all the chapters - A text book of organic chemistry - Bahl & Bahl
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Atomic Structure - Principle of physical chemistry - Puri, Sharma & Pathwa
Advance inorganic chemistry - J.D. Lee
Chemical Periodicity, Chemical bonding,Coordination compound - Selected topics in inorganic
chemistry - Maden, Malik, Tuli
Theoretical principles of inorganic chemistry - G.S. Manku,
Extradiction of metals, Principle of inorganic chemistry - Puri, Sharma, Jauhar.
Rest all the chapters - An advance inorganic chemistry - J.D. Lee
Pollution and its control - A text book of environmental chemistry and pollution - S.S. Dara.
Additional Books for Geography
Suggested Geography Books for IAS
The Earth's Dynamic Surface - By K. Siddhartha
Geomorphology - By Bloom
Geomorphology - By Sparks
Economic Geology - By Shackleton
Environmental Geology - By Valdiya
Climatology
Atmosphere Weather and Climate - By K. Siddhartha
Climate History and Modem Man - By Chorley
Science and Wonders of Atmosphere – By Gedzelman
Bio & Environmental Geog. Biosphere A Geography of Life - By Dr. Thomas and K. Siddhartha
Environmental Geology -ByValdiya
Living in the Environment - By Miller
Settlement Geography- Cities
Urbanization and Urban System - By K. Siddhartha & S. Mukherjee
Urban Geography - By Herbert Thomas
Indian Industrial Geography Indian industry a geographical perspective - By S. Mukherjee and K.
Siddhartha
Indian Economy - By Uma Kapila
General Reading environmental concerns and strategies - By T. N. Khoshoo
Development Indicators -Oxford University Press.
Environmental Hazards - published by Ministry of Environment and forest.