After striking Ravana with a fatal arrow, Ram tells Lakshman to go to Ravana and seek knowledge from him. In Mahabharat, while on his deathbed Bhishma gave deep and meaningful instructions to Yudhistira on statesmanship and the duties of a king. I have lost the battle of the UPSC but Here I would like to share some knowledge which I gained in the long journey of civil service.

You must have heard toppers saying stick to one source to read. I agree with that. But this is half truth according to me. As per Full truth is, Choose the source of the reading that has full in depth information about the subject and then stick to that source. For example, nowadays, For the Polity, You can not rely only on the M.Laxmikant and current affairs notes. You have to read in detail about the Writs, Federal issues etc to get good marks in GS.2

Furthermore, It is said that UPSC mains is a test match and not a T20 game. As it is true, One needs to remember that in a test match , Leaving ball is as important as choosing the ball to score runs. Here I am sharing the topic wise list of sources to read and also list of sources to avoid.

General studies 1 :-

Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Book to read - NCERT both old and new & Current affairs
Book to Avoid - Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania

Significant events, issues, personalities during the middle of the eighteenth century (1750s) until the present.

Different stages and important contributors and contributions from various parts of the country in ‘The Freedom Struggle’.

Book to Read :- Modern Indian History by ‎ McGraw Hill
Books to avoid :-
1. From Plassey To Partition And After by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
2. India's Struggle for Independence: 1857-1947 by Bipin Chandra
3. Nationalist Movement in India: A Reader by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay

Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

Book to Read :- India Since Independence by Bipin Chandra ( Few chapters as per the demand of the syllabus)
Book to avoid :- India After Gandhi by Ram Guha

Events, forms and effect on society since the 18th century (world wars, industrial revolution, colonization, redraw al of national boundaries, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc.)

Book to Read :- Mastering Modern World History (Palgrave Master) - Now, Indian edition available which is affordable.
Book to Avoid :- History of the World by Arjun Dev

Indian society and diversity – Salient aspects.
Role of women and women’s organizations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and remedies.

Source to read :-
1.Keep watch on the Current affairs. For the Poverty related issue, can read columns of the Jean Dreze , Sen , Ritika khera etc.
2.For Urbanization related issues, can read from website like WRI India.
Books to avoid :- NCERT Indian Society.

Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
Effects of globalization on Indian society.

Source to Read :- Check IGNOU chapter in Political science syllabus. For Example, here is chapter on Secularism.

Distribution of key natural resources across the world including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent; factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world including India.

Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.

Geographical features and their location, changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and polar ice caps) and, in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Book to Read :- All NCERTs of the geography from standard 5 to 12 , Read again and Again
Book to Avoid :- Geography of India by Majid Hussain

Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Source to Read
1. Keep Close watch on Current affairs like Arctic, Ocean pollution etc
2. Keep Watching the National Geography Website to get idea of subjects
3. Website of the UNEP

Book to Avoid - Goh Cheng Leong book

General studies 2 :-

For all topics of the GS 2, Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth is necessary but not enough.

Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

Book to Read -
1. Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth
2. The Oxford Handbook of the Indian Constitution (Selected chapters like on Basic structure, Writs etc.)
Book to avoid :- Indian constitution by P.M.Bakshi

Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.

Book to Read :- The Oxford Companion to Politics in India: Student Edition ( Chapter on Federalism and Local Governance)

Source to Read :- Summary of the Justice Punchi commission 14th and 15th Finance commission Reports

Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.

Book to Read :- Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth

Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Source to Read :- Excellent and Brief material on this topic on PRS.
Book to Avoid :- Our parliament by subhash c kashyap

Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

Books to Read -
1. The Oxford Handbook of the Indian Constitution ( Selected chapters)
2. Rethinking Public Institutions in India by Oxford ( Selected chapters)

Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.

Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

1. Standing committee report on Rural Ministry - March of Current year
2. Standing committee report on Health - March of Current year
3. Standing committee report on Education - - March of Current year

Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Role of civil services in a democracy.

Sources to read :-
1. 2nd ARC reports
2. IGNOU chapters

India and its neighborhood- relations.

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Important International institutions, agencies and fora - their structure, mandate.

Source to Read :-
1. Observer research foundation articles
2. CFR Explainers for the Global issues
3. Should watch on IDSA articles - Just to get ideas of subjects
4. C. Rajamohan Columns in Indian Express

Book to Avoid :-
1. Pax Indica by Shashi Tharoor
2. Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy – Rajeev Sikri

General Studies 3 :-

Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Government Budgeting.

Sources to Read :-
1. Can Read Project Syndicate Articles
2. Explainer on the Gender Budget, Revenue Forgone statement etc.
3. Can Read from website of India spend and CBPS
Book to Avoid :- Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh

Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, - different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

Source to Read :-
1. Harish Damodaran Columns in Indian Express
2. Selected Articles in Down to Earth
3. 2-3 Chapters of the Book Indian Economy by Dutt & Sundaram

Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System-objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.

1.PRS Explainer on the PDS
2. Shanta Kumar Committee report on FCI reforms
3. Selected Chapters from the Book Indian Economy by Dutt & Sundaram

Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

Source to Read - Standing committee of the parliament Latest report on the Food processing ministry

Land reforms in India.

Sources to Read -
1. India Since Independence by Bipin Chandra ( Selected chapter)
2. Indian Economy by Dutt & Sundaram ( Selected chapter)

Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

Sources to Read - Selected Chapters from the Book Indian Economy by Dutt & Sundaram
Not to Read - Five Years planning reports

Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Investment models.

Source to Read -
1. Current Affairs and Parliament Standing committee report on these.
2. Year End review of these Ministries. Here is Example of Road transport ministry for year 2021.

Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Sources to read :
1. Year end review of the Ministry of Science and Technology
2. ISRO Missions.
3. DRDO And BARC in Current Affairs.

Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

1 .Book Environment Study - R. Rajgopalan
2. UNEP website - Campaigns, Columns etc
3. Down to Earth Stories, Mainly cover story

Disaster and disaster management.

Source to Read - Only Current affairs
Source to Avoid - NDMA reports

Linkages between development and spread of extremism.

Sources to Read-
1. Complete in depth knowledge of 5th and 6th Schedule
2. Complete Knowledge of the PESA act and Samantha Judgment
3. Few Paragraph from the Standing committee report on Home Affairs

Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

1. Read Indian Express Explainers about the all Non state actors based in South Asia.
2. All columns of G Parthasarathy from The Business line, Tribune etc.
3. Standing committee on Home Report.

Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

1.Standing committee of Home report on Working Conditions in Non-Border Guarding Central Armed Police Forces
2. .Standing committee of Home report on Working Conditions in Border Guarding Forces
3. The Standing Committee on Home Affairs on “Border Security: Capacity Building and Institutions”

General Study 4 :-

Book to Avoid - All books available in Market.
Source to Read :-
1.Few Reports of the 2nd ARC
2. IGNOU Political science book chapter on Gandhiji, BR Ambedkar, M N Roy
3. Make 2-3 Page Note from google with Ample of example on each word of the syllabus