During the UPSC preparation journey, many aspirants feel stuck with the NCERTs. They face confusion with which book to start first, how to read them, what subjects they should pick first and how to enhance conceptual clarity. It is a known fact that NCERT books are the first and most important step in the UPSC journey, but reading them the right way matters more than just finishing them. These NCERT books build the foundation for concepts that appear again and again in the latter stages of examinations. Despite knowing their importance, many aspirants either read NCERTs too casually or get stuck memorizing facts without understanding the ideas behind them. This leads to confusion and weak conceptual clarity.
To read NCERT books for UPSC exam, begin with adopting a subject-wise reading approach, starting from Class 6th to 12th for more clarity, focusing on concept building in the first read, then making targeted notes after cross-referencing with the syllabus and previous year questions (PYQs) in the second/third read, always connecting to current affairs and practicing questions to build a strong foundation for the exam. By reading books subject-wise, making effective notes, time table and practicing potential questions, one can easily master the NCERTs and secure their chances of success.
What are NCERT Books?
NCERT books are official textbooks published by India's National Council of Educational Research and Training. They serve as foundational study materials for Classes VI-XII. The NCERT books are written in easy-to-understand language and are totally trustworthy because they are written and reviewed by subject experts. The NCERT Books for UPSC cover a comprehensive syllabus for all subjects, forming a strong base for major competitive exams like UPSC. The NCERT books cover many important subjects from a Prelims perspective, such as History, Indian Polity, Geography and Economics.
8 Effective Ways to Study NCERT Books for UPSC Civil Services Exam
To read NCERT books for UPSC exam, keep focus on clarity of concepts over memorization, start with basics NCERTs(Class 6-12) subject-wise (History, Polity, etc.), make effective & concise notes, link topics to current affairs and the syllabus, use maps/diagrams, and practice questions, understanding that NCERTs build fundamentals, not the complete picture, which requires supplementing with standard books and newspapers. When reading NCERT books, aspirants should prepare a subject-wise and class-wise approach. They should focus on understanding the concepts first, and then make notes and always finish one topic before jumping to another. Let’stake a look at the effective way to study NCERT books for UPSC civil services exam
1. Read Books Subject-Wise
Prioritise reading books subject-wise with heavy weightage first. Aspirants should start with History, then go for Geography, Polity, Economy, Ecology, Science and lastly CSAT. This approach will help aspirants cover larger parts of the civil service exam syllabus first, which will boost scoring potential.
2. Read Books Class-Wise
After sorting the NCERT books subject-wise, aspirants should start reading the books class-wise. One should always start from class VI and then move upwards in the hierarchy. This approach helps clear the basics and avoid confusion. When the foundation is strong, aspirants can grasp complex information with ease.
3. Focus on Clarity of Concepts
Aspirants should prioritize understanding the underlying concepts rather than memorizing facts because UPSC tests conceptual clarity more than the retention powers of aspirants. When the focus is on conceptual clarity, it becomes easier to solve different types of problems and apply knowledge in practical situations. This is especially helpful in the UPSC interview. This approach also builds a strong foundation that supports advanced learning and helps build problem-solving skills.
4. Make Effective & Concise Notes
Instead of reading the same topic multiple times, aspirants should make concise and effective notes during their first study session. These UPSC notes should include key points and examples in a simplified manner. During future revisions, these notes will act as a quick reference, saving time and effort from reading lengthy NCERT topics. This method also boosts memory, as the process of writing and making notes helps in better retention of the information.
5. Make A Realistic Time Table
Aspirants should make a realistic timetable that allocates specific time slots for all relevant subjects. Dividing time effectively ensures that the entire syllabus is covered without creating last-minute stress. Also, it helps maintain a balanced approach, giving adequate time for difficult topics while ensuring that easy topics are not neglected. A timetable encourages discipline and consistency, which are important for success in clearing a civil services exam.
6. Multiple Revision
Revising topics multiple times is important for developing a strong grasp of all subjects. Each revision helps in identifying weak areas and clarifying doubts that may have been overlooked earlier. Multiple revision also improves recall during exams and boost confidence. This approach ensures that knowledge is not just learned but fully understood and retained.
7. Practice Potential Questions
Practising the potential questions with the NCERT books reading helps in testing understanding of the topic. It allows aspirants to identify areas where they are strong and areas that need improvement. Regular practice also familiarizes aspirants with the exam pattern, exam demands and type of questions likely to appear in exams. This process helps build problem-solving and analytical skills, which are important in scoring well.
8. Relate NCERT Topics to Current Affairs
Linking NCERT topics with current affairs helps form good-quality answers. Aspirants should read current affairs every day through newspapers or magazines like The Hindu or Yojana. While studying NCERT books, aspirants should connect the topics with real-life events. For example, while studying Polity, aspirants should relate UPSC topics like governance, laws, and the Constitution to new bills passed by the government or recent Supreme Court judgments. This habit helps aspirants form insightful answers and understand concepts better.
How to Master Subject-wise NCERTs Reading for UPSC Preparation
In the UPSC syllabus, some subjects are extremely important because they carry heavy weightage. Therefore, aspirants should understand how to read NCERTs effectively when applying the subject-wise reading approach. Let’s understand how to master subject-wise NCERT reading for UPSC preparation.
1. History NCERTs (Class VI to XII)
History NCERT books help aspirants understand events in a clear time sequence, which is very important for both Prelims and Mains. They should start with reading Class-VI, our past to learn about early humans, ancient civilisations, and cultural developments and only then move towards books from higher classes. Aspirants should read and finish difficult topics first and then move towards the easier topics.
2. Geography NCERTs (Class VI to XII)
Geography NCERTs build strong conceptual clarity and help aspirants link theory with real-world events like monsoons, climate change, agriculture, and natural disasters. This is very important from the current affairs and Interview point of view. Aspirants should first master basic concepts such as maps, landforms, rivers, and climate. These basics are very important for understanding advanced topics later. Class XI and XII books like India Physical Environment and Fundamentals of Human Geography explain resources, population, industries, and globalization in detail, and they should always be read last.
3. Polity NCERTs (Class IX to XII)
NCERT Polity books for UPSC are essential to understand how India’s political system works before moving to advanced reference books. Class-IX Democratic Politics introduces core concepts like democracy, elections, rights and equality. These concepts form the base for UPSC questions and help in quality answer writing for the mains exam. NCERT polity books of class XI, Indian Constitution at Work, and Class-XII, Politics in India Since Independence, explain constitutional bodies, governance, and political developments after 1947; these topics should be learnt in sequence with the related topics mentioned in the previous class’s NCERTs.
4. Economics NCERTs (Class IX to XII)
Economics NCERTs help aspirants understand basic economic ideas and government policies in simple language. Class IX NCERT Economics book explains the fundamental concepts like demand, supply, poverty, and employment. These ideas are useful throughout the UPSC preparation. These NCERTs should be read after finishing heavier subjects such as History and Polity because it carries mediocre weightage in exams.
5. Science NCERTs (Class VI to X)
Science NCERTs are useful mainly for General Studies Paper III and help in understanding environmental and technological issues. Therefore, aspirants should study them up to Class X unless they choose science as their optional subject. They should focus more on topics like environment, biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy and basic technology because only these topics are relevant in UPSC exams.
Conclusion
NCERTs are undoubtedly the most trustworthy source of information for effective UPSC preparation. Aspirants who begin their preparation by reading NCERTs build a strong foundation of knowledge, understand concepts better and have better retention capabilities. These books help form better answers and help in understanding complex topics because they are written in easy-to-understand language. To read the NCERT books effectively, aspirants should make quality notes, revise multiple times, link topics with current affairs and make a realistic timetable. Aspirants should also master subject wise approach of reading NCERTs because some subjects carry heavy weightage in the exams.