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NCERT Foundations

Every NCERT a UPSC aspirant needs, in reading order, downloaded straight from NCERT's website.

All links verified: Sept 2026

Track your reading → Free PDF roadmap: English · 1 MB · हिंदी · 1.2 MB

New to UPSC? Start here
  1. Tap ★ Essential 12: the 12 books that answer the most Prelims questions, about 129 hours of reading.
  2. Read each subject from the top: the books are in reading order, and each book's Details says which chapters to read.
  3. Tap ✓ Done when you finish a book; the tracker then shows how many weeks are left.

Free, with no sign-up: every book comes straight from NCERT's website.

Words used on this page

  • Prelims: the first stage of the UPSC exam, with objective questions.
  • Mains: the written second stage.
  • GS I–IV: the four General Studies papers of Mains.
  • PYQ: previous years' questions, the real UPSC questions in Test yourself.

38 books

Polity

Class 10 GS II 6 h reading

Democratic Politics – II

A short, easy start: power-sharing, federalism, political parties and what democracy delivers.

Download 15 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 13 MB

Class 11 GS II 20 h reading Essential 12

Indian Constitution at Work

How the Constitution works: rights, elections, Parliament, executive, courts, federalism and amendments.

Download 32 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 31 MB

Class 12 GS I · II 13 h reading Essential 12

Politics in India since Independence

India's politics after 1947: nation-building, one-party dominance, the Emergency, regional movements.

Download 44 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 34 MB

Class 11 Prelims: Polity 10.5 h reading

Political Theory

The ideas behind the Constitution: freedom, equality, justice, rights, citizenship, nationalism, secularism.

Download 19 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 19 MB

Class 12 GS II 9.5 h reading

Contemporary World Politics

World politics since the Cold War: power centres, South Asia, the UN, security, globalisation.

Download 44 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 16 MB
Polity: reading order and Test yourself →

Geography

Class 10 GS I 7 h reading

Contemporary India – II

An easy first read on India's resources, farming, minerals, industries and transport.

Download 16 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 15 MB

Class 11 GS I 10 h reading Essential 12

Fundamentals of Physical Geography

The Earth's interior, landforms, atmosphere, climate and oceans: the base of world physical geography.

Download 15 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 18 MB

Class 11 GS I 6 h reading Essential 12

India: Physical Environment

India's relief, rivers, climate, forests and natural hazards, with maps worth studying closely.

Download 12 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 9.4 MB

Class 12 GS I · III 9 h reading Essential 12

India: People and Economy

India's population, farming, water, minerals, energy, transport and trade: its economic geography.

Download 17 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 17 MB

Class 12 GS I 6.5 h reading

Fundamentals of Human Geography

World population, human development and economic activities, from farming to services and trade.

Download 25 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 17 MB
Geography: reading order and Test yourself →

History

Class 12 GS I 9.5 h reading Essential 12

Themes in Indian History, Part I

Ancient India through its sources: the Harappans, early states, society, Buddhism, Jainism and stupas.

Download 24 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 27 MB

Class 12 GS I 9.5 h reading Essential 12

Themes in Indian History, Part II

Medieval India in four themes: foreign travellers, Bhakti and Sufi traditions, Vijayanagara, Mughal agrarian society.

Download 25 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 24 MB

Class 12 GS I 10 h reading Essential 12

Themes in Indian History, Part III

Colonial India: the countryside under British rule, 1857, Gandhi's movements and the Constitution's making.

Download 17 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 18 MB

Class 10 GS I 10.5 h reading

India and the Contemporary World – II

Nationalism in Europe and India, the world economy, industrialisation and print culture.

Download 30 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 29 MB

Class 11 GS I 15.5 h reading

Themes in World History

Early cities, Rome, the Mongols, feudal Europe, the Renaissance and modern Japan and China.

Download 29 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 26 MB
History: reading order and Test yourself →

Art & Culture

Class 11 GS I 11 h reading Essential 12

An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I

Indian art from rock paintings to temples, bronzes and Indo-Islamic buildings, with many photographs.

Download 203 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 63 MB

Class 12 GS I 12 h reading

An Introduction to Indian Art, Part II

Indian painting schools — Rajasthani, Mughal, Deccani, Pahari, Bengal School — and modern art.

Download 45 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 50 MB

Class 11 GS I 9.5 h reading

Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Part I

Chapters 1–6: Indian literature, philosophy, performing arts, art and architecture, astronomy and mathematics.

Download 65 MB

Heritage Crafts books

NCERT lists its Heritage Crafts books, but its website has no files for them (checked Sept 2026). When NCERT puts them back, the official links go here. Until then, read our free Indian Crafts for UPSC guide.

Read Indian Crafts for UPSC →
Art & Culture: reading order and Test yourself →

Economy

Class 10 GS III 7.5 h reading

Understanding Economic Development

An easy start: development, economic sectors, money and credit, globalisation, consumer rights.

Download 17 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 15 MB

Class 12 GS III 8 h reading Essential 12

Introductory Macroeconomics

National income, money and banking, the government budget and the balance of payments.

Download 12 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 11 MB

Class 11 GS III 12.5 h reading Essential 12

Indian Economic Development

India's economic journey: the colonial legacy, planning, the 1991 reforms, jobs and rural development.

Download 26 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 16 MB

Class 12 Prelims: Economy 7 h reading

Introductory Microeconomics

Demand, supply, costs and market equilibrium: the concepts behind how prices are set.

Download 15 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 13 MB
Economy: reading order and Test yourself →

Society

Class 12 GS I 10.5 h reading Essential 12

Indian Society

Caste, tribe, family, population, inequality and diversity: the core of GS I Society.

Download 22 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 23 MB

Class 12 GS I 10.5 h reading

Social Change and Development in India

How Indian society has changed: colonialism, the Constitution, villages, industry, media, social movements.

Download 24 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 23 MB

Class 11 GS I 8.5 h reading

Introducing Sociology

Sociology's basic ideas: society, social institutions, culture and how sociologists study them.

Download 17 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 19 MB

Class 11 GS I 8.5 h reading

Understanding Society

Social structure, rural and urban change, environment and society, and key sociologists.

Download 13 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 13 MB
Society: reading order and Test yourself →

Science & Environment

Class 12 Prelims: Environment 11 h reading

Biology

Chapters 5, 7–13: genes, health, microbes, biotechnology, ecology, biodiversity; skim chapters 2 and 6.

Download 168 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 43 MB

Class 6 Prelims: Science 21 h reading

Curiosity

The living world, food and health, magnets, measurement, materials, water and space.

Download 92 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 94 MB

Class 7 Prelims: Science 3 h reading

Curiosity

Acids and bases, electricity, metals, heat, life processes, light, and the Earth, Moon and Sun.

Download 51 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 54 MB

Class 8 Prelims: Science 5 h reading

Curiosity

Microbes, health, forces, pressure and cyclones, matter, light, and the sky and calendars.

Download 54 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 45 MB

Class 9 Prelims: Science 5.5 h reading

Exploration

NCERT's new Class 9 science: cells, motion, atoms, sound, reproduction and Earth as a system.

Download 141 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 142 MB

Class 10 Prelims: Science Optional for Prelims

Science

School science basics: chemical reactions, life processes, heredity, light, electricity, environment.

Download 75 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 65 MB
Science & Environment: reading order and Test yourself →

Foundation (Classes 6–9)

Class 6 Foundation 17.5 h reading

Exploring Society: India and Beyond

NCERT's new Class 6 book: maps, early Indian civilisation, local government and economic life.

Download 228 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 72 MB

Class 7 Foundation 22.5 h reading

Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1)

India's geography and climate, early empires to the Guptas, the Constitution, money and markets.

Download 99 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 114 MB

Class 7 Foundation 17.5 h reading

Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2)

Indian farming, India's neighbours, kingdoms of the 6th–12th centuries, government, infrastructure and banking.

Download 63 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 54 MB

Class 8 Foundation 16 h reading

Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1)

Natural resources, the Sultanate and Mughals, the Marathas, colonial rule, elections and Parliament.

Download 59 MB Also in Hindi (हिंदी) · 69 MB

Class 8 Foundation 21 h reading

Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2)

The freedom struggle, Indian architecture, the judiciary, citizenship, population and cities.

Download 57 MB

Class 9 Foundation 18.5 h reading

Understanding Society: India and Beyond

NCERT's new Class 9 book: landforms, climate, early India to 1000 CE, democracy, elections, markets.

Download 80 MB
Foundation (Classes 6–9): reading order and Test yourself →
Old or new NCERT?

NCERT has changed its books twice since 2022.

1. Trimmed in 2022-23. To reduce students' load after COVID-19, NCERT cut content from its books. Most of the Class 10–12 books on NCERT's website are these trimmed editions, and those say so in their opening pages.

2. New books from 2024. NCERT is replacing its books class by class with new ones written for the new school curriculum. As of Sept 2026, Classes 6 to 9 have new social science and science books; the Class 10, 11 and 12 books are still the older ones.

What this means for you:

  • Classes 10–12, the main UPSC books: there is only one edition to read — the one on NCERT's website, linked on this page.
  • Classes 6–9: read the new books if you need a foundation. The old ones (Our Pasts, The Earth: Our Habitat, Social and Political Life and others) are no longer in NCERT's catalogue. NCERT's website still has the old Class 7 and 8 files, so we link them below for as long as it does. The old Class 6 and 9 books are gone from NCERT's website, and we never link unofficial copies.
  • A topic NCERT cut is still examinable if it is in UPSC's syllabus. UPSC publishes its own syllabus every year, and it does not mention NCERT.

Old NCERT books and where their topics are now

  • Our Pasts – II · Class 7

    Old Class 7 history book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 7 (Parts 1 and 2).

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: 4 questions could be answered from this book

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 32 MB

  • Our Environment · Class 7

    Old Class 7 geography book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 7.

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: 1 question could be answered from this book · 1 Environment or Science question could be answered from this book

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 22 MB

  • Social and Political Life – II · Class 7

    Old Class 7 civics book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 7.

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: No question since 2016 could be answered from it alone

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 20 MB

  • Our Pasts – III · Class 8

    Old Class 8 history book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 8 (Parts 1 and 2).

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: 3 questions could be answered from this book

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 54 MB

  • Social and Political Life – III · Class 8

    Old Class 8 civics book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 8.

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: 1 question could be answered from this book

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 24 MB

  • Resources and Development · Class 8

    Old Class 8 geography book. Its topics are now in Exploring Society, Class 8.

    UPSC Prelims 2016–2026: 1 Environment or Science question could be answered from this book

    Withdrawn from NCERT's catalogue; the file is still on NCERT's website.

    Download old edition · 14 MB

Removed from NCERT's website (no official copy online)

  • Class 6

    Old books: Our Pasts – I; The Earth: Our Habitat; Social and Political Life – I

    Read instead: Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Class 6

  • Class 9

    Old books: Contemporary India – I; India and the Contemporary World – I; Democratic Politics – I; Economics

    Read instead: Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Class 9

How to read NCERTs for UPSC
Polity

Start with Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work — it answers more Prelims questions than any other NCERT (32 questions since 2016). New to Polity? Read Class 10 Democratic Politics – II first. Then Class 12 Politics in India since Independence for post-1947 context. Political Theory and Contemporary World Politics are for Mains depth.

Read NCERT for the framework, then move on: NCERT could answer 15 of UPSC's 22 Polity questions in 2017, but none of 12 in 2025.

After NCERT: M Laxmikanth's Indian Polity (McGraw Hill).

Polity: reading order and Test yourself →
Geography

Physical before Indian: Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, then India: Physical Environment, then Class 12 India: People and Economy. Class 10 Contemporary India – II is an easy first step; Fundamentals of Human Geography adds world economic geography for GS I.

Read with an atlas open and find every river, pass and region the text names — some answers can be read only off NCERT's maps. In 2024, NCERT could answer 11 of UPSC's 18 Geography questions.

After NCERT: G C Leong, Certificate Physical and Human Geography (Oxford University Press), for world physical geography.

Geography: reading order and Test yourself →
History

Read the three Class 12 Themes in Indian History books in order: ancient, medieval, colonial. They go theme by theme, not year by year, so keep one running timeline across them: UPSC asks which came first and who lived when, rarely an exact date. For the national movement add Class 10 India and the Contemporary World – II, and the new Class 8 Exploring Society (Part 2), whose freedom-struggle chapter answered 7 Prelims questions. Themes in World History is background for GS I world history.

After NCERT, for modern India: Spectrum's A Brief History of Modern India.

History: reading order and Test yourself →
Art & Culture

Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art (Part I) first, then Part II for painting, then chapters 1–6 of Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India. Learn to recognise, not memorise: for each temple style, sculpture school or painting school, note its region, its period and one feature you could spot in a photograph.

After NCERT: Nitin Singhania's Indian Art and Culture (McGraw Hill), and our Indian Crafts for UPSC guide.

Art & Culture: reading order and Test yourself →
Economy

Class 12 Introductory Macroeconomics first — Money and Banking and the Budget chapter are the two most-asked chapters on this whole list. Then Class 11 Indian Economic Development for planning, reforms and rural India. New to economics? Start with Class 10 Understanding Economic Development.

NCERT helps least in Economy: it could answer 37 of UPSC's 194 Economy questions since 2016. Build concepts here, then follow the economy through the year.

After NCERT: Ramesh Singh's Indian Economy (McGraw Hill).

Economy: reading order and Test yourself →
Society

Class 12 Indian Society, then Social Change and Development in India — together they cover the Society part of GS I. The two Class 11 sociology books matter mainly if Sociology is your optional subject. As you read, note one example or piece of data for each concept; Mains answers on society need them.

Society: reading order and Test yourself →
Science & Environment

Class 12 Biology comes first: chapters 5 and 7–13 (genetics, health, microbes, biotechnology and ecology) answer more Environment and Science questions than any other NCERT. The Class 6–10 science books build general science; only a few of their chapters have answered Prelims questions, and each book's Details names them.

Environment and Science questions are counted separately: since 2016, NCERT could answer 48 of UPSC's 296.

Science & Environment: reading order and Test yourself →
Foundation (Classes 6–9)

NCERT's new Class 6–9 books mix history, geography, civics and economics in one book per class. Read them if your school basics are weak; otherwise start with the Class 10–12 books. Two of their chapters stand out for Prelims: the freedom struggle in Class 8 (Part 2) and state and society up to 1000 CE in Class 9.

Foundation (Classes 6–9): reading order and Test yourself →

Get the free PDF roadmap →

Track your reading →

Questions students ask

Should I read old or new NCERTs for UPSC?

For Classes 10–12 there is no choice to make: NCERT has one edition of each, linked here. For Classes 6–9, read the new books if you need a foundation; see 'Old or new NCERT?' above.

Did UPSC drop the topics NCERT removed from its books?

No. NCERT trimmed its books to lighten school students' load. UPSC's syllabus is published in its own annual notification, which does not refer to NCERT books, so a topic stays examinable as long as it is in that syllabus.

Are NCERTs enough for Prelims?

No, but they are the base. Of the 640 Polity, Geography, History and Economy questions UPSC scored in Prelims 2016–2026, NCERT text could answer 179 — about 3 in 10 — and covered the topic of 169 more. 2026 answers follow UPSC's provisional key.

How many NCERTs do I need?

If you are short on time, the Essential 12: about 129 hours of first reading. 132 of the 179 Prelims questions NCERT could answer can be answered from these 12 books. Everything else on this page adds depth.

Where do the downloads come from?

Every file comes from NCERT's own website, ncert.nic.in, where NCERT offers it free. For a full book, this page joins NCERT's chapter files into one PDF on your own device and names it after the book. We don't store or edit any NCERT file.

Are the Hindi NCERTs the same as the English ones?

Yes — the same books and chapters in Hindi. A few have no Hindi edition yet: Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India, Class 8 Exploring Society (Part 2) and Class 9 Understanding Society. For these we show the English book. UPSC sets the Prelims papers in both Hindi and English.

Why can't I find the old Class 6 or Class 9 NCERTs here?

NCERT has removed them from its website, so no official copy exists online. PDFs on other sites are unofficial and may be altered; we link only NCERT's own files. The new books cover the same subject areas.

How is the reading time worked out?

Pages × 5 minutes, for a careful first reading. Your pace will differ; the numbers help you plan and compare books.

Where are the Heritage Crafts books?

NCERT lists them, but its website has no files for them. Until it restores them, read our free Indian Crafts for UPSC guide.

How did you count 'questions answerable from this book'?

See 'How this page was checked' at the bottom of the page.

How this page was checked

Books and links. Every title, edition and file was read on NCERT's own website (ncert.nic.in) in Sept 2026, and every download was tested twice. Reading time is pages × 5 minutes.

Prelims questions. We used UPSC's official General Studies Paper I for 2016–2026, with its final answer keys for 2016–2025 and its provisional key for 2026, all published on upsc.gov.in. We checked all 647 Polity, Geography, History and Economy questions against the NCERT text. A question counts for a book only if that book's text is enough to reach UPSC's answer, either directly or by ruling out the other options. For 19 of the 179, you also need one fact NCERT doesn't state; we tell you that fact. Every supporting line was checked against the NCERT page it came from.

Environment and Science questions are counted separately from the headline (48 of 296 answerable) and shown on each book that answers them. The 2026 answers will be re-checked when UPSC publishes its final key.

Change log

September 2026: Page rebuilt. Every book and link checked on NCERT's website; Prelims question counts added.

Spotted an error? Tell us — we fix it and record the change here.

NCERT textbooks are published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). Every file comes from NCERT's own website; a full book is joined into one PDF on the reader's device. Minimalist IAS does not store or edit any NCERT file.

Previous-year questions are from UPSC's question papers and answer keys (final keys; for 2026, the provisional key) published on upsc.gov.in.

Minimalist IAS is not affiliated with NCERT or UPSC. Books by other publishers are named for reference only.

NCERT can move or replace a file at any time. We re-check every link each month; if one breaks, tell us.