One of the most competitive exams, the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) is divided into three phases: prelims, mains, and personal interview. Given the difficulty and competition of the UPSC CSE exam, now is the best time for candidates to begin preparation.
According to the official notification, the UPSC CSE prelims 2023 will take place on September 28. Candidates should ensure that they focus on preparing for the prelims and main courses to strengthen their foundations and ensure they get the best results.
To help candidates prepare for the 2023 UPSC CSE prelims, here are some key books that can boost their preparation:
History
Based on last year’s papers, it is noticeable that a large number of questions are asked in the history section, making this crucial. To improve their preparation for ancient and medieval history, candidates may refer to the NCERT class 11 history textbook. In addition, candidates may refer to the NCERT class 12 Modern Indian History textbook to strengthen their preparation for this. A combination of the two books mentioned above will help candidates deepen their understanding of the key topics and events for the UPSC prelims exam.
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Art and culture
This part of the exam is important, especially for the exam. Candidates may refer to class 11 NCERT: An Introduction to Indian Art part-I, class 12 NCERT: An Introduction to Indian Art Part-II, and Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania in preparation for the exam. A combination of these three books will help candidates cover all major topics such as religious movements, Vedic literature, various schools of Indian philosophy and various other subjects.
Geography
The best resources for geography preparation are books such as NCERT class 11: India’s Physical Environment; NCERT Class 11: Fundamentals of Physical Geography; NCERT Class 11: India’s People and Economy; and NCERT class 11: Fundamentals of Human Geography. These books help candidates prepare efficiently and help them cover all relevant topics.
Indian polity
The Indian Constitution remains at the core of this segment and it is extremely essential for candidates to familiarize themselves with the various new amendments, laws and regulations. To do this, candidates must refer to Indian Polity by M Lakshmikant and Polity NCERTs. This book also helps candidates strengthen their basic skills, making the book a must-read.
Economy
Performing well in this segment of the exam is vital to achieving a good score in the UPSC prelims. Thorough preparation of the main topics in this course, such as national income, inflation-deflation, fiscal and monetary policy, taxes, etc., is absolutely necessary to perform well. To deepen their understanding of these topics along with several others, candidates may refer to NCERT Class 11: Indian Economic Development, NCERT Class 11: Introductory Microeconomics and NCERT Class 11: Introductory Macroeconomics.
Environment and ecology
In this segment, questions related to biodiversity, ecology and climate change can be expected that are part of the current global discourse. Thorough preparation of A Complete Guide by R Rajagopalan and Biodiversity, Climate Change and Disaster Management by Majid Husain will help candidates prepare for this component.
Current affairs
To prepare for this portion of the exam, candidates should proactively take notes while reading newspapers and monthly magazines. Some key resources to get an edge in this segment are the Articulate Magazine, The India 2022 Yearbook, The Economic Survey, government schemes and budget proposals. Candidates should refer to the current affairs of the past year and a half to boost their preparation for this segment. By integrating current affairs with fundamental concepts, candidates can solve the objective questions asked in the preparatory exam.
— Written by Mrunal Patel, Lecturer, Unacademy
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