Anil Bohare

Well, the precise answer to your question is - a single book like this hasn't been written so far! And even if it is ever, you won't be able to physically lift it :) The reason is clear - the syllabus of the UPSC IAS exam is pretty vast, covering a huge range of topics and ideas, touching a reasonable depth in each, from both the objective testing and the descriptive answer writing perspectives. So for each part of the syllabus, there are at least 2 or 3 excellent books available, and for each type of testing pattern, there are many. Overall, it can be quite cumbersome for a candidate to go into each one of these separately, and then collate the wisdom gained into one integrated whole, to be applied during the Pre and then the Mains. It is not easy! So if you have just started thinking about preparing, what to do? Typically, my reaction is expected to be - Just do the NCERTs thoroughly :) Since that advice has practically turned into a national pastime now, it has lost its meaning. Given below is a structured advice only for the really sincere beginners. Stepwise process to start your UPSC CSE prep: Isolate 3 to 5 hours of preparation time per day. Be very consistent with this. Please remember your schedule will be tighter than of the aspirants for other government exams. Start with Economics. It's the subject in which you need to first build up your fundamentals. Only then would you be able to understand the finer aspects of many other subjects and answer the questions. The ideal reference material for this would be Indian economy by Dutt and Sundaram. Focus a lot of time on the basics even if they are not explicitly a part of the course. Do this for two hours everyday. Next comes History. Start reading about the Indian Independence struggle. The best source for this would be India's struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra. It may seem that the internet is a powerful medium but it is equally confusing. Use it sparingly. Next is Geography. The best reference material for this would be a standard text book on Geography or Indian Geography by Khullar. Next are Polity and Ethics. In ethics it's either you get it or don't get it kind of a situation. So effort needed may be much higher. Also the material that is available on ethics is very limited. There is no dearth of material on polity. Last, start reading material relating to Environment, ecology and technology. A possible "Ideal Study plan" - Day I - Economics 2 hours, History 2 hours, Newspaper 1 hr Day II - Geography 2 hours, Ethics 2 hours, Newspaper 1 hr Day III- Env., ecology & tech. 2 hours, Polity 2 hours, Newspaper 1 hr Repeat this cycle *consistently*. So what about the NCERTs? Karoon ki nahin? They are a great tool only if you seriously go through them, making pointwise notes, and realise that they represent a starting point. And even with this, they're going to take up several months of intense study. Some important precautions: Stop looking for that one book that'll be a panacea. Be precise in what you study. There's no point in reading endlessly on a topic just because it interests you. Know when to stop. It requires a lot of patience, discipline and resilience. Steel yourself. Be positive, be optimistic. Be ready to sacrifice what you want so that you get what you deserve. And if you want a comprehensive solution for your preparation, then visit UPSC Civil Services Exams (Prelim + Mains) Preparation Course