This is a list of books recommended for those preparing for the History Optional paper of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The books included in this list provide a comprehensive overview of the topics covered in the exam and provide students with the necessary guidance to score well.
Foundation:
- New NCERTs from VI to XII.
- S. Sharma – NCERT Ancient India
- Satish Chandra: NCERT Medieval India
- Bipan Chandra: NCERT Modern India
- OLD NCERTs for World History
Ancient India
- S. Sharma : India’s Ancient Past –OXFORD Press
- N.Jha: Ancient India in Historical Outline
- Upinder Singh : A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India
- Romila Thapar : The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.
- NIOS Material
- IGNOU Notes
Medieval India
- Satish Chandra : History of Medieval India Vol I and Vol II
- L. Mehta: Advanced Study In The History Of Medieval India: Vol I, II and III
- IGNOU Notes
Modern India
- Bipan Chandra (NCERT) – History of Modern India.
- Bipan Chandra – India’s Struggle For Independence
- Sekhar Bandyopadhyay – From Plassey to Partition
- Bipan Chandra – India After Independence
- L. Grover and Mehta – A New Look At Modern Indian History
Modern World
- Arjun Dev : History of the World
- Mukherjee : EUROPE-Since The French Revolution ( 1740 – 1950 )
- Norman Lowe : Mastering Modern World History
- Jain and Mathur: A History of Modern World
View the History Optional Foundation Course.