As the application for the country’s most prestigious examination closes, the aspirants can be seen drawing out their book lists for the final push required to crack the first level of the exam - Prelims. With having to refer to tons of books, knowing the best-advised books for last-minute revisions before D-Day becomes crucial. Adding to that pressure, first-timers must also go through which book they can rely on. To ease this process, and going through various recommendations made by exam toppers and coaching institutes, here is a list of must-read historical books from McGraw Hill Publication that can help students revise more quicker.
Ancient and Medieval India: Poonam Dalal Dahiya
The book Ancient and Medieval India by Poonam Dalal Dahiya, which combines narrative and historical analysis, exposes a fascinating legacy covering all crucial components intended for candidates for the UPSC as well as several other State public service examinations.
The most prestigious credit-by-examination book, it has assisted numerous students in preparing for UPSC and State-level exams. There are unique chapter-by-chapter practice questions included in this book. The book also has a detachable chart that allows students to see the entirety of the revision at a glance and highlights crucial passages in bicolour for them to concentrate on.
History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra
Beginning from the first time Europeans stepped onto the subcontinent, the book provides an extensive overview of all the events that took place on the land as it moves away from a largely political narrative to provide. Using easy-to-understand language, the book explains the conditions in 18th-century India that led to the establishment of the British Raj with a focus on economic exploitation and nationalist movements through the introduction of significant freedom fighters.
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
Every Civil Services aspirant should have this book for their preliminary and main exams. Detailed notes covering a wide range of topics in the syllabus for Indian Heritage and Culture for General Studies-Paper I in the Civil Services Examination. In addition to providing comprehensive and current information on Indian art, paintings, music, and architecture, this book also contains several pictures and flow charts to make it even more interesting to read. There are 28 chapters, 4 appendices, and a detailed chart of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the book, which contains questions from UPSC Preliminary and Main Examinations from previous years.
History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra is a thorough overview of the history of the Indian subcontinent between the eighth and eighteenth century. History of Medieval India examines this fascinating time in Indian history when the region witnessed tremendous changes and was profoundly impacted by invading armies, religious movements, and the ups and downs of the shifting political, economic, and cultural milieu. Telling the history of a region that spans the geographical dimensions and political divides of the Indian subcontinent is a daunting endeavour in and of itself. Satish Chandra completes this tough assignment with the enquirer's eye and the pen of a scholar. This collection, which covers the histories of the Cholas, Rajputs, invading Turks, Vijayanagara rulers, Bahmanids, Mughals, Marathas, and others, is an important read for anybody interested in mediaeval Indian history.
Post Independence India by Snehal Tripathi
This book holds immense importance for candidates appearing in the Prelim and Main exams of UPSC, as History is a vital subject in the exam. Post-Independence India has become a significant part of the syllabus for both UPSC and state PSCs exams since 2013. The content of this book has been developed from scratch to cater to the needs of new aspirants, without assuming any prior knowledge. To aid the readers, the book uses pedagogical tools such as bolding, highlighting, and illustrations. Additionally, the book provides analysis and special notes on important events, considering the increasing trend of asking concept-based questions.
