Comprehensive History Booklist for Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History (UPSC)

Discover the ultimate history booklist for UPSC covering Ancient, Medieval, and Modern India. Explore best books, strategies, and PYQ relevance for optimum preparation.

Introduction

History is one of the most scoring subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. When approached systematically, it becomes both enriching and rewarding—especially when using the right booklist for History UPSC, covering ancient, medieval, and modern periods comprehensively. Whether you’re preparing for GS Paper I or History Optional, choosing the best books can save time, enhance clarity, and boost accuracy.

In this guide, we present a curated history booklist for UPSC, categorised by periods, with descriptions, relevance, and tips. The suggestions cater to a variety of aspirants—from those seeking broad overview texts to those going deep for optional papers. We also highlight how to integrate PYQs (previous-year questions) into your reading strategy.

Best History Books for UPSC

Indian History constitutes a significant part of the UPSC History syllabus, covering Ancient, Medieval, Modern Indian History, World History, and Art & Culture. To build a strong foundation and gain a comprehensive understanding, aspirants need a curated list of books that combine both basic NCERTs and advanced reference texts.

Aspirants are now expected to prepare interdisciplinary topics with integrated perspectives due to the evolving pattern of UPSC questions. In this context, The Study IAS by Manikant Singh’s History books (Basic to Advanced Foundations) are highly recommended. These books holistically cover the entire syllabus, connecting themes from history, polity, economy, culture, and society, making them ideal for today’s UPSC trend.

Below is a detailed and thematically arranged list of the Best History Books for UPSC preparation:

Ancient History Books for UPSC

Ancient Indian History spans from the Indus Valley Civilization to the Gupta Empire, covering key developments in religion, polity, society, and culture. These books help develop a strong conceptual base:

• NCERT Class XI: Ancient India

• NCERT Class XII: Themes in Indian History – I

• India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma (Old NCERT)

• The Wonder That Was India – A.L. Basham

• Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 – Romila Thapar

• The Study IAS – Ancient History by Manikant Singh

The Study IAS by Manikant Sir – Recommended Books

•  Ancient History And Culture (English) – Advance Foundation

• Ancient History And Culture (Hindi) – Advance Foundation

• Ancient History (English) – Optional Series

• Ancient History (Hindi) – Optional Series

Special Focus Areas

• Harappan Culture

• Vedic Literature

• Jainism and Buddhism

• Mauryan Administration

• Gupta Age Achievements

• Sangam Age

• Art & Architecture (Stupas, Temples, Paintings)

Medieval History Books for UPSC

Medieval history covers the period from the 8th to the 18th century, including the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Vijayanagar, and Bhakti-Sufi traditions.

• History of Medieval India – Satish Chandra (Old NCERT)

• A History of South India – K.A. Nilkantha Sastri

• The Mughal Empire – J.F. Richards (The New Cambridge History of India)

• The Agrarian System of Mughal India – Irfan Habib

• Indian Feudalism – R.S. Sharma

• The Study IAS – Medieval History by Manikant Singh

The Study IAS by Manikant Sir – Recommended Books

• Medieval History And Culture (English) – Advance Foundation

• Medieval History And Culture (Hindi) – Advance Foundation

• Medieval History (English) – Optional Series

• Medieval History (Hindi) – Optional Series

• Early Medieval India (Hindi) – Optional Series

 Important Focus Areas

• Delhi Sultanate and Administration

• Mughal Empire (Babur to Aurangzeb)

• Bhakti and Sufi Movements

• Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms

• Regional Kingdoms & Architecture

Modern History Books for UPSC

Modern Indian History spans the period from the decline of the Mughal Empire, rise of British colonialism, to the freedom struggle and post-independence India.

• NCERT Class XII: Themes in Indian History – III

• NCERT Class XI: Modern India – Bipan Chandra (Old NCERT)

• A Brief History of Modern India – Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir)

• History of Modern India – Bipan Chandra

• India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra

• From Plassey to Partition – Sekhar Bandyopadhyay

• India After Gandhi – Ramachandra Guha

• India After Independence – Bipan Chandra

• The Study IAS – Modern History by Manikant Singh

The Study IAS by Manikant Sir – Recommended Books

• Modern History (English) – Advance Foundation

• Modern History (Hindi) – Advance Foundation

• Modern History (English) – Optional Series

• Modern History (Hindi) – Optional Series

 Key Areas

• British Policies (1757–1857)

• Revolt of 1857

• Socio-Religious Reform Movements

• Indian National Movement (1885–1947)

• Role of Gandhi, Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose

• Constitutional Development

Indian Art and Culture Books for UPSC

Art and Culture is an important part of Prelims and Mains. These books cover architecture, paintings, performing arts, and cultural institutions.

• Indian Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania

• NCERT Class XI: An Introduction to Indian Art

• The Wonder That Was India – A.L. Basham

• The Study IAS – Art and Culture by Manikant Singh

World History Books for UPSC

World History is part of the GS Paper I in UPSC Mains and covers the Renaissance, colonialism, World Wars, the Cold War, and decolonization.

• Contemporary World History – Arjun Dev (Old NCERT)

• The Story of Civilization Part 2 – Arjun Dev & Indira Arjun Dev

• Mastering Modern World History – Norman Lowe

• Europe Since 1815 – W.C. Craig

• Europe Since 1870 – James Joll

• Europe Since Napoleon – David Thompson

• Age of Revolution 1789–1848 – Eric Hobsbawm

• The Study IAS – World History by Manikant Singh

 The Study IAS by Manikant Sir – Recommended Books

• World History (English) – Basic & Advance Foundation

• World History (Hindi) – Basic & Advance Foundation

• World History (English & Hindi) – Optional Series

 Key Themes

• French and Russian Revolutions

• World Wars and Cold War

• Industrial Revolution

• Colonialism & Decolonisation

• Political Ideologies: Fascism, Nazism, Socialism

Best History Optional Books for UPSC Mains

For aspirants choosing History as an optional subject in UPSC Mains, the following advanced books cover the entire optional syllabus comprehensively:

Paper I: Ancient and Medieval India

• India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma

• Early India – Romila Thapar

• History of Medieval India – Satish Chandra

• A History of South India – K.A. Nilkantha Sastri

• Indian Feudalism – R.S. Sharma

• The Agrarian System of Mughal India – Irfan Habib

• The Mughal Empire – J.F. Richards

• The Study IAS – History Optional Paper I by Manikant Singh

Paper II: Modern India & World

• History of Modern India – Bipan Chandra

• India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra

• India After Independence – Bipan Chandra

• From Plassey to Partition – Sekhar Bandyopadhyay

• India After Gandhi – Ramachandra Guha

• Mastering Modern World History – Norman Lowe

• Europe Since 1815 – W.C. Craig

• Europe Since 1870 – James Joll

• Age of Capital / Age of Revolution / Age of Empire – E.J. Hobsbawm

• Industry & Empire – E.J. Hobsbawm

• The Social Basis of Democracy & Dictatorship – B.J. Moore

• The Mainstream of Civilization – Strayer, Gatzke & Harbison

• The Study IAS – History Optional Paper II by Manikant Singh

 Core Optional Books by The Study IAS

• Ancient History (English & Hindi)

• Medieval History (English & Hindi)

• Modern History (English & Hindi)

• World History (English & Hindi)

• Early Medieval India (Hindi)

• Map (English & Hindi) – For Paper 1 Mapping

• Concept Capsule (English & Hindi) – Value-added notes

• Prelims Booster (English & Hindi) – Useful overlap

• Question Bank (History) – Topic-wise PYQs

 Must-Have History Books for UPSC (Basic to Advanced)

Additional Must-Reads for Value Addition

• Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania – For both Ancient & Medieval Culture

• Facets of Indian Culture by Spectrum – Optional reference

• A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum – For Prelims

• History of Modern World – Jain & Mathur – World History (Optional)

Preparation Strategy

• Start with NCERTs for conceptual clarity.

• Follow up with The Study IAS Foundation books for detailed coverage.

• Use optional-specific material for Paper 1 and 2 of History Optional.

• Solve Previous Year Questions (PYQs) using The Study IAS Question Bank.

• Complement learning with maps, chronologies, and theme-based revisions.

Conclusion

The UPSC History syllabus is vast and demands an integrated and structured approach. The combination of standard NCERTs, reliable reference books, and The Study IAS books by Manikant Sir offers aspirants a complete roadmap from basic to advanced level. The optional books by The Study IAS are particularly useful for conceptual clarity, structured preparation, and exam-oriented practice.

Every aspirant is encouraged to focus on chronological understanding, theme-wise analysis, and map practice, which are critical for scoring high in both GS Mains and History Optional.

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