Old NCERT books for UPSC are a must to prepare in order to crack this highly competitive exam. IAS aspirants must master each and every concept to clear the exam in the first go. NCERTs are essential and are a must-read for candidates who want to get their basics right for the IAS exam. Specifically, old NCERT books provide in-depth, correct and text-heavy content for major subjects like History, Geography, Economics, Polity etc.

The difference between new and old NCERT books for UPSC is that the focus of the latter is on facts and figures, and covering more material rather than explanation. On the other hand, new NCERT books build on concepts but have factually thin content. Those who have cleared the CSE exam and other ex-civil servants strongly recommend the candidates preparing for the exam to cover topics from Old NCERTs. Another reason why the NCERT is crucial is that nearly 30% of the questions asked in the exam are directly from NCERTs. Moreover, your answer writing in the Mains exam must correlate with the NCERT style of factual answers. Overall, old NCERTs are extremely reliable for UPSC preparation and a must to read. In this article we will cover:

• The importance of old NCERT books and how to cover the vast content given in the books.
• Most importantly, we have given the complete list of old ncert books for UPSC which aspirants can refer to and start their preparation hassle-free.
• A complete description of all the important books with the publisher/author’s name.

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Download the complete list of old NCERT books for UPSC in PDF.

Old NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation

Old NCERT books for UPSC are one of the best ways to get started with exam preparation. Several candidates who have cracked the IAS exam confidently recommend using old NCERT books to pace up the exam preparation with facts and information which can be used to answer multiple questions in the exam, as well as build in-depth understanding for answering the descriptive sections in the paper. Check some of the best old NCERT books for UPSC exam in the following table:

Also, check the best History Books for UPSC exam to build a stronghold on the History section

Other Old NCERT Books to Refer for UPSC

Since the UPSC syllabus is vast and diverse, candidates are advised to extend their preparation to other books and materials. The above-mentioned Old NCERT books are best for History and Geography. However, there are other subjects available in NCERT which are equally important for the UPSC exam. Let us see a few other important Old NCERT books that you should refer to in the table below:

Also, refer to NCERT History Books For UPSC here.

Prepare Yourself With Old NCERT Books for UPSC

Preparing for the UPSC exam involves a lot of dedication and hard work. It is important that you are aware of what to study and which materials to choose and in the right sequence. Starting your preparation with old NCERT books is a sound choice as it will help you understand concepts in-depth. This will make your answer writing skills concrete for the UPSC Mains exam. Compared to new NCERT books, old NCERT books provide factual and heavy study material and are ideally preferred for Social Sciences. However, new NCERT books can be referred to for the Science and Maths portions.

Get the complete list of important NCERT books for UPSC Exam here!

Old vs. New NCERT Books for UPSC Exam: A Brief Comparison

“Should I pick old NCERT books for UPSC or prefer studying from the new ones?” is a persistent doubt on the minds of Civil Services aspirants. While both old and new NCERT books have their merits and demerits, candidates must ensure that they select the one appropriate for the particular subject that they are preparing for. While the choice of old vs. new NCERT books depends on a candidate’s preferred method of learning, below is a brief comparative analysis of new and old NCERT books for UPSC exam preparation that should be useful in selecting the best study material:

• Old NCERT books are loaded with facts, whereas new NCERTs are factually thin with more emphasis on concepts and explanation.
• Old NCERTs are text-heavy, and detailed. On the other hand, new NCERTs are highly subjective, and follow a narrative approach to the concepts.
• While there is more information and material in old NCERT books, the newer version focuses more on the description of limited information.
• New NCERT books are more easily available, online as well as in hard copies.
• Old NCERT books lack illustrations, diagrams and pictorial representations, making it difficult for candidates who learn better with visual representations.
• Old NCERT History books for UPSC, for instance, are rich in facts, content and information. One can quickly memorise and make notes using these books.
• New NCERTs are purported to evoke thoughts, but might be less useful in covering the syllabus of certain subjects, specifically, Social Sciences.

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We hope that you find the list of Old NCERT Books for UPSC useful for your exam preparation. You can also check how to read NCERT for UPSC with the linked article. For more information and updates regarding the UPSC exam, download the Testbook App now!