Sociology Optional Books For UPSC Mains Exam 2023

Sociology Books for UPSC can be considered to hold crucial importance in UPSC exam preparation. Candidates who have chosen Sociology as their optional subject in the UPSC IAS Mains stage must ensure going through all important study materials including Sociology Notes and Sociology optional books for UPSC. Being one of the popular and high-scoring optional, its syllabus can be easily covered by reading some of the Best Sociology Books for UPSC with effective strategies.

Candidates must also read the best Sociology books for exam topics related to Society & Social Justice as present in UPSC Prelims Syllabus.
Similar to the other 48 UPSC Optional Subjects, the UPSC Syllabus for Sociology optional can be subdivided into Paper 1: Fundamentals of Sociology, and Paper 2: Indian Society, Structure & Change.
Apart from reading both general and NCERT Sociology books, candidates must also attempt UPSC Sociology Previous Year Question Papers, test series, and important practice sets for solid preparation.

In this article, we have provided a complete list of the best Sociology Books for UPSC that candidates can refer to for exam preparation.

Score well with our Sociology Optional Coaching program here.

Sociology Optional Books For UPSC

As per the previous UPSC IAS Exam Analysis, some of the most important UPSC Sociology topics are related to Indian society structure, Marxist sociology, social movements, agrarian society, kinship, politics and religion in relation to modern society, etc. Thus, to cover such comprehensive topics, you must take the help of the best books for Sociology optional subject.

Check out the list of best sociology optional books for UPSC in the below section.

UPSC Sociology Optional Book List - Paper 1
Book Name	Author/Publication	Book Description
Introduction to Sociology	Anthony Giddens	It covers introductory sociological concepts with an emphasis on linking micro and macro sociology as per the latest research.
Sociological Theory	George Ritzer	The Ritzer Sociology book for UPSC contains different aspects of both classic and modern sociological theories with attention to postmodern social theory as well.
A Dictionary of Sociology	John Scott	It’s a best-seller that contains over 2500+ entries on the terminology, methods, concepts and thinkers in Sociology as well as related political fields.
An Introduction to Political Theory	O P Gauba	It’s a great sociology book for UPSC Optional paper 1 covers the latest themes on Politics and Society with good examples.
Sociology: Principles Of Sociology With An Introduction To Social Thoughts	S Chand	This book covers different and aspects of social changes from the past to modern society with critical concepts of Marx, Rousseau, etc.
Sociology Themes and Perspectives	Haralambos & Holborn	It’s fully updated to contain the latest sociology teaching, research and developments to support learnings on stratification, class and mobility, gender, sex and religion in society, etc.
UPSC Sociology Optional Book List - Paper 2
Book Name	Author/Publication	Book Description
Social Background Of Indian Nationalism	A R Desai	It presents a comprehensive study of rise of nationalism in Indian society for over a decade in social, cultural, religious, political and economic forms.
Society in India: Concepts, Theories and Recent Trends	Ram Ahuja	The book looks at the complex structure of the Indian Society from the historical, political, religious and philosophical points of view.
Caste: Its Twentieth Century Avatar	M N Srinivas	This anthology presents a volume of essay on topics related to the appraisal of the role women play in perpetuating caste; the relationship between caste and the economy, and between caste and Hinduism.
Modernization Of Indian Tradition	Yogendra Singh	This book covers Modern social traditions on kinship and social theories from late 17th to 19th centuries in India.
Social Change in Modern India	MN Srinivas	This volume is a compilation of a series of lectures delivered by the eminent social anthropologist Srinivas. It’s applicable as a classic Sociological text for UPSC as well as UG/PG aspirants
Rural Sociology	Doshi & Jain	This book covers classic Rural Sociology concepts applicable in UPSC Mains optional papers for topics like Agrarian social structure, land reforms and rural developments, etc.

Check the top UPSC IAS Prelims Strategy for good preparation here!

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Sociology Books For UPSC - NCERTs

Candidates can choose Sociology NCERT Books for their initial IAS preparation which will also build a strong foundation. After completing the NCERTs, candidates can start reading standard Sociology optional books available in the market. To gain an understanding of the UPSC Sociology Syllabus topics, candidates can download the Sociology NCERT Books for UPSC PDF given in the table below.

Sociology NCERT Books For UPSC PDF
Book Name	PDF Link
Introducing Sociology – A Textbook for Class XI	Download PDF
Understanding Society – A Textbook for Class XI	Download PDF
Social Change and Development in India – Textbook in Sociology for Class XII	Download PDF
Indian Society – Textbook in Sociology for Class XII	Download PDF

Check the List of NCERT Books For UPSC for other subject preparation here!

How To Choose The Best Sociology Book For UPSC?

Several candidates, who have chosen Sociology in their optional, ask “How to choose the best Sociology book for UPSC?” It’s recommended that students read limited books. Above we have mentioned a lot of books but you are not required to study all of those books for Sociology optional UPSC. Follow the expert tips to choose the best Sociology books for UPSC as given below –

Choose Language First: Before selecting any Sociology books for the UPSC IAS exam, make sure you understand the contents and language of the book for easy understanding.
Books as per Latest Syllabus: Always choose those books that cover the updated UPSC IAS Syllabus for Mains optional. You can choose 1-2 books from both Paper 1 and 2 as mentioned above.
Teacher & Expert Recommendations: You can ask your subject teachers or coaching experts to recommend the best Sociology books for UPSC. The Testbook faculty has also recommended some UPSC Civil Services Books for Sociology here!’
Go for the Latest Editions: You must ensure to pick up only the latest or revised editions of the UPSC Sociology books.
Prioritize Renowned Writers and Publishers: Although there are several Sociology books available in the market, candidates must choose only proficient writers and publishers. For instance, go for the Ritzer sociology book for UPSC Optional Paper 1 and Nitin Sangwan’s Essential Sociology for both Papers 1 and 2.
Books with Model Papers and Questions: You can also go for other miscellaneous books for Sociology optional UPSC that contains sample papers and model questions. Additionally, solve UPSC IAS Previous Year Papers to level up your preparation.

We hope that this article delivered the right information you needed before buying the Sociology Books for the UPSC examination. For more such optional subject-related study materials and resources, download the Testbook App for free or join our UPSC Online Coaching program to get the best learning experience.

Sociology Books For UPSC - FAQs

What are the highly recommended Sociology Optional Books for Paper 1?

Some of the top recommended books for Sociology UPSC Mains Paper 1 are Introduction to Sociology by Anthony Giddens, Sociological Theory by George Ritzer, and Sociology Themes and Perspectives by Haralambos & Holborn.

What other sources to refer to apart from these UPSC Sociology Books?

Apart from this list of best Sociology books for UPSC, candidates can refer to NCERT textbooks, Caste essays and sociology anthologies by Srinivas, IGNOU B.A books, and other online Economic and Political Weekly articles for coverage of Sociology and political current affairs. Also, refer to Testbook GK & Current Affairs for day-to-day preparation.

Which Sociology books for UPSC are recommended by toppers?

M.N Srinivas’ Caste: Its Twentieth Century Avatar and Nitin Sangwan’s Essential Sociology are some of the topper-recommended Sociology books for the UPSC exam.

Which is the Best NCERT Sociology Book For UPSC IAS?

Class XI NCERT Sociology textbooks like Introducing Society, and Understanding Society as well as Class XII textbooks like Social Change and Development in India are some of the best NCERT Sociology books for UPSC exam preparation. You can access the full books in PDF format given here.