Which NCERTs to Study for UPSC, Which to Skip. |UPSC CSE | Amit Kilhor

Main Ideas

• The presenter, Amit Kilhor, argues that NCERTs provide a useful foundation for UPSC preparation. He estimates that 30–35% of Prelims GS Paper I questions are directly or indirectly connected to NCERT material. He also says the books help establish the basic concepts behind the syllabus.
• His central time-saving recommendation is not to read every NCERT from Classes 6 to 12:
  • Skip the revised Classes 6–8 books for most UPSC preparation. He considers them too basic and says their topics are revisited in more advanced books.
  • Usually skip Classes 9–10, but use them selectively if a subject’s basic concepts are unfamiliar.
  • Prioritize Class 11–12 NCERTs that relate to the UPSC syllabus.
• The presenter refers to roughly 20–22 books as a manageable selection, though the exact count varies depending on optional books and subject-specific choices. He estimates that completing the core set could take about 50–60 days.
• NCERTs are not equally sufficient across subjects. In his view, they are especially valuable as the main foundation for History and Geography. For other subjects, they are generally introductory and should be supplemented with standard books, classes, or current affairs.

Subject-Wise Recommendations

History

• Ancient India: Read the newer NCERT on ancient history and the older NCERT by R. S. Sharma. The presenter says the older book is particularly useful for Prelims and considers these two books the core preparation for ancient history.
• Medieval India: Avoid the lengthy older NCERT by Satish Chandra, which he considers disproportionate to the topic’s exam weight. Instead, read:
  • Class 7, Our Pasts II.
  • The relevant newer NCERT on medieval Indian history, Themes in Indian History, Part II.
  • Focus especially on chapters related to Sufi and Bhakti traditions, culture, and architecture.
• Modern India: Read the newer NCERT on modern Indian history and the older NCERT by Bipan Chandra. Use Spectrum selectively for topics not adequately covered in those books; the presenter does not recommend treating it as a reason to read everything indiscriminately.
• World history: Read the two Class 9–10 books, India and the Contemporary World I and India and the Contemporary World II, along with the NCERT Themes in World History. He says these provide useful context, especially for Mains.
• He says NCERTs cover much of the History foundation, while modern history may still benefit from selective supplementation.

Polity and Political Science

• The core Polity NCERT is Class 11, Indian Constitution at Work. The presenter describes it as a straightforward introduction to constitutional concepts.
• He also recommends the Class 12 books Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence for their relevance to International Relations and post-independence India. He stresses that these are relevant books but are not, strictly speaking, the core Constitution/Polity textbook.
• For exam preparation, he recommends combining relevant NCERT material with M. Laxmikanth, class notes, and current affairs.
• He says Classes 6–10 Polity material can generally be skipped.

Geography

The four main NCERTs he recommends are:

• Class 11, Fundamentals of Physical Geography.
• Class 11, India: Physical Environment.
• Class 12, Fundamentals of Human Geography.
• Class 12, India: People and Economy.

He emphasizes repeated revision, especially of the Class 11 books, which he considers particularly important for Prelims.

NCERTs should be supplemented with current affairs, because some geographical data in the books may be outdated. He also recommends G. C. Leong and an atlas, along with classes or other reference material where needed.

Classes 9–10 Geography may be skipped if the Class 11–12 books are understandable. A one-time read is suggested for students who want extra reassurance.

Economics

The two main NCERTs are:

• Class 11, Indian Economic Development.
• Class 12, Introductory Macroeconomics.

The presenter advises skipping Microeconomics, which he says is not needed for the UPSC syllabus. Class 10, Understanding Economic Development, can be read once if useful; he considers the Class 9 book unnecessary.

He says Economics NCERTs are mainly an introduction and need to be supplemented with more advanced preparation. Students with a commerce background may be able to move on without relying heavily on them.

Indian Society

Read the two Class 12 books:

• Indian Society.
• Social Change and Development in India.

The presenter considers earlier school-level society material unnecessary for General Studies. Other sociology NCERTs are more relevant to the Sociology optional than to the general UPSC syllabus. He suggests using class notes or handouts for additional Society content.

Art and Culture

• Read Class 11, An Introduction to Indian Art.
• He also recommends Living Craft Traditions of India; if time is limited, prioritize Chapters 9 and 10.
• Supplement this material with relevant Ancient and Medieval History chapters, particularly those on Sufi and Bhakti traditions, art, and architecture.
• He warns against letting Art and Culture consume too much preparation time, given its limited and variable share of the exam. He mentions Nitin Singhania as a possible additional reference, but describes it as a substantial book that may be difficult to complete in full.

Science and Technology

The presenter distinguishes basic Science from Science and Technology:

• Basic Physics, Chemistry, and Biology questions appear mainly in Prelims.
• Science and Technology questions are often linked to current affairs—for example, AI, rockets, missiles, and nanotechnology—and are also relevant to Mains.

He says candidates with a science background generally need less school-level revision, while candidates without one may need foundational Science NCERTs. His specific class recommendations vary during the video: he suggests Classes 9–10 for some candidates and broader lower-class coverage for non-science candidates. The consistent advice is to tailor reading to the candidate’s background rather than automatically reading every Science book.

For Science and Technology, he emphasizes current affairs over extensive basic-science reading.

Environment

He does not recommend a separate NCERT sequence for Environment. Instead, cover the overlap in Geography and Science, including relevant ecology and environment material in Class 12 Biology, and supplement it with other preparation resources as needed.

Overall Study Approach

1. Begin with the relevant Class 11–12 NCERTs, rather than attempting all books from Classes 6–12.
2. Skip Classes 6–8 for most subjects and generally skip Classes 9–10 unless they are needed to clarify weak fundamentals.
3. Revise important NCERTs repeatedly, particularly Geography.
4. Add subject-specific resources where NCERTs are only introductory or insufficient, and use current affairs for dynamic material.
5. Adjust Science reading to your background and keep lower-priority areas, such as Medieval History and Art and Culture, proportionate to their exam weight.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Speaker: Amit Kilhor (the subtitles render his name inconsistently as “Amit Kilo”).
• Books and resources mentioned: NCERT textbooks; Our Pasts II; Themes in Indian History; Themes in World History; India and the Contemporary World I and II; NCERTs by R. S. Sharma, Bipan Chandra, and Satish Chandra; Spectrum; M. Laxmikanth; G. C. Leong; an atlas; Nitin Singhania’s Art and Culture book; class notes, handouts, and current affairs.