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Let’s list out the “History Booklist for UPSC”, which covers world, Indian, ancient, and modern history as well as the best ways to prepare. The four main themes covered in the UPSC History Books are ancient history, modern history, Indian history, and world history. History is a significant subject in the UPSC civil service exam because it is covered in the mains, prelims, and optional syllabuses. Before choosing their last history books for IAS study, candidates should carefully review the UPSC history syllabus.
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UPSC History Syllabus – How to Cover it?
Many applicants make the error of reading the advanced-level books without first understanding the fundamental ideas when reading the UPSC history books. Acquiring a high grade in history requires developing mental clarity across all subjects. As a result, we have put together a solid plan to help you cover the UPSC History Books properly. The first step is to properly review the UPSC history syllabus to comprehend the themes that are important for the exam. The second step is to start preparing with the NCERT books to develop the foundations correctly.
After finishing the NCERT history books, you can refer to the advanced-level books. We have categorized the history booklist for upsc into four sections to make the preparation process easier for the candidates
Must Read: UPSC Prelims History: Previous Year Questions
Ancient History Booklist for UPSC
From the beginning of the writing era to the beginning of the Middle Ages, ancient history addresses issues about historical events. To get ready for the ancient history portion, let’s list out the top Ancient History UPSC history books.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| NCERT Class XI Ancient India | N/A | Buy Now |
| NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History-I | N/A | Buy Now |
| India’s Ancient Past | Ram Sharan Sharma | Buy Now |
| The Wonder That Was India | A.L. Basham | Buy Now |
Must Read: The Ultimate UPSC Booklist
Medieval History Booklist for UPSC
The Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and other medieval historical events are covered in detail in the Mediaeval UPSC History Books. Let’s list out the top UPSC history books list, which include topics from world history that are pertinent to the exam.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals | Satish Chandra | Buy Now |
| The Mughal Empire | John F. Richards | Buy Now |
| The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History | Peter Jackson | Buy Now |
| Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King | Audrey Truschke | Buy Now |
Modern History Booklist for UPSC
Topics from the world’s history beginning after the Middle Ages are covered under modern history. Let’s examine the top UPSC history books list, which includes topics from modern history that are important to the exam.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| NCERT Class XI Modern India | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| A Brief History of Modern India | N/A | Buy Now |
| India After Gandhi | Ramchandra Guha | Buy Now |
| History Of Modern India | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| Mastering Modern World History | Norman Lowe | Buy Now |
| Indian Art and Culture | Nitin Singhania | Buy Now |
| History of the Modern World | Jain and Mathu | Buy Now |
World History Booklist for UPSC
Subtopics from global historical events, such as the World War, Europe’s Unification, etc., are covered in the World UPSC History Books. Let’s go through the top UPSC history books list, which includes topics from world history that are very important to the exam.
| Book | Author | Link to Buy |
| Contemporary World History for class XII (Old NCERT Book) | N/A | Buy Now |
| Mastering Modern World History | Norman Lowe | Buy Now |
| Europe Since Napoleon | David Thompson | Buy Now |
| Europe Since 1815 | W.C. Craig | Buy Now |
| Europe Since 1870 | James Joll | Buy Now |
| The Story of Civilization, Part 2 | Arjun Dev, NCERT | Buy Now |
Indian History Booklist for UPSC
The History Syllabus includes a significant amount of material on Indian history, so to do well in this area, you must follow the special preparation plan. Let’s list out the top UPSC history books list, which includes topics from Indian history that are important to the test.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| India’s Ancient Past | RS Sharma | Buy Now |
| History of Modern India | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| India’s Struggle For Independence | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| History of Medieval India | Satish Chandra | Buy Now |
| The Wonder That Was India | AL Basham | Buy Now |
| India After Gandhi | Ramachandra Guha | Buy Now |
History Booklist for UPSC Prelims + Mains
Prelims, mains, and optional exams all include the UPSC History Syllabus. Therefore, the greatest books that experts and previous year’s toppers propose should be chosen. Exam-relevant themes for all selection stages are covered in the list of top UPSC history books. Let’s have a look.
History Booklist for UPSC Prelims
Ancient history, modern history, and medieval history comprise the three sections of the UPSC History Prelims Syllabus. Let’s discuss the top UPSC history books so you can study well for the preliminary exam.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| NCERT Class XI Modern India | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| India’s Ancient Past | R. S. Sharma | Buy Now |
| History of Medieval India | Satish Chandra | Buy Now |
History Booklist for UPSC Mains
While NCERT history books are adequate for preparing for the UPSC preliminary test, additional history books are necessary to cover advanced-level questions and get an in-depth understanding of the subject matter for the UPSC Mains exam. The syllabus for the UPSC history mains is broken down into sections such as medieval history, modern history, Indian modern history, and global modern history. Let’s talk about the top UPSC history books so you may be well-prepared for the main exam.
| Book | Author | Direct Link to Buy |
| History of the Modern World | Jain and Mathur | Buy Now |
| History Of Modern India | Bipan Chandra | Buy Now |
| Mastering Modern World History | Norman Lowe | Buy Now |
| India After Gandhi | Ramchandra Guha | Buy Now |
| India’s Ancient Past | RS Sharma | Buy Now |
| Indian Art and Culture | Nitin Singhania | Buy Now |
| The Wonder That Was India | A.L. Basham | Buy Now |
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FAQs
In order to perform well in the history topic for the UPSC Prelims, candidates should master the fundamental ideas found in NCERT textbooks and complete as many UPSC past year question papers and mock exams as possible.
No. The NCERT history books are sufficient to understand the fundamental ideas of every subject; but, for topics at an advanced level, you must use the standard volumes.
India’s Ancient Past by R. S. Sharma, A Brief History of Modern India, and NCERT Class XI Modern India by Bipan Chandra are some of the top UPSC history books. Satish Chandra’s History of Mediaeval India, et
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