Political science is a very imp subject in UPSC. It is essential for both prelims and mains exams. Moreover, the subject gives a general idea about our govt and the overall federal system of the state. Popularly known as civics, the subject has gained a lot of attention in these years. Moreover, political science was an area of interest for a very long time. Countries in the world went through a lot of development and research. That’s when they came up with the right type of govt system for their state. Some countries were colonized. Others faced disasters like world wars. Hence, political science is an evolution of many global, political, and regional events. In today’s article, we will list some of the best political science books for UPSC.
We will also try to note tips on how to read these books. It is imp to know the right set of books for your Political Science book. However, it is even more important to learn how to use them and when to use them. But, you don’t have to worry much about this. Our article will cover it all for you. All you have to do is stick with us till the end.
Salient Features of the Best Political Science Books for UPSC
Firstly, let us discuss what the best political science books for UPSC must cover. The GS II syllabus in mains focuses mainly on political science and governance. The right set of books will cover the basic structure of our govt. It will also talk about our Constitution. Moreover, the book will give a brief background about independence. The book will also give a general view of different political conditions in different phases of India’s development. This will include progress both during and after Independence. The best political science books will explain complex concepts in simple words.
Over the years, GS II has helped toppers score very well. It is a static subject. Hence, the study material is easily available in the market. For some subjects, you can rely on a single resource for your prep. Provided you read daily current affairs and refer to that as well. However, with the static subject, it is not the case.
Political Science NCERT Books
Firstly, you need to start by reading some basic books. Without these, you cannot and will not understand the technicalities explained further. Then, what are the basic books for political science? For this subject, NCERT books work as a primary fodder. The books are very simple to understand. Moreover, they explain concepts at the school level. Hence, it is advisable to not skip any of them. They will create a base for your in-depth subject study. Moreover, the books create a historical background. That is, they give insights into some past incidents in our political environment.
Without a background, you will not understand what and why is this so in the present. Or how it will affect us in the future. For anyone who skips the brief history of political science in India, may not decode the current affairs that easily. Hence, you may end up wasting much time in research around static topics. While they are already covered in NCERTs you must definitely consider them. Let us now look at the list of the best political science books for UPSC, starting with NCERTs.
Social and Political Life I
The contents of this book have 4 units. They are pretty small and easy to read. It is the class VIth NCERT among political science books. Moreover, it is one of the most basic resources to start your prep with. If you are confused about where to begin. You pick this book right now for GS II. The book not only creates a base for political science but also introduces Indian Society to the readers. Hence, it is essential from both Indian society and Political Science point of view in GS II. Unit One explains the diversity in India. It also helps us to differentiate between diversity and discrimination in our country.
Further, unit two talks about the government. It tries to explain what is a govt and how a democratic govt works. Unit three contains three chapters around local govt and admin. The first chap under this unit is about Panchayati Raj. The other two chaps revolve around rural and urban administration. Although the terms are really fancy, the concepts are very easy to read. Unit four explains livelihood in India. Hence, it covers both rural and urban life issues. The book contains interactive dialogue-based explanations. Hence, the concepts are narrated in the form of simple stories. Moreover, you will also find questionnaires to test your understanding after every chapter.
Social and Political Life II
After you read the basics of govt, diversity, administration, and livelihood, it’s time to level up. The class VIIth NCERT for political science does exactly that. It elevates you from the basics and now you are at a higher level of learning the social and political life in India. You can consider this as the second part of an extension of the class VIth NCERT. This book talks about more elaborate topics. There is a total of four units in this book. The first one talks about Equality in Indian Democracy. This is one of the basic concepts in political science. Hence, every student and citizen must read it.
Unit two talks about the state government and contains two chapters around it. The third unit talks about gender and also describes women’s roles in our society. Finally, the last unit is all about the media. It gives you a basic understanding of the media’s role in our society. You can get all the NCERT books here: click now.
Political Science Books : Class VIII NCERT
This book is named social and political life III. It is a part of the social science series of NCERT books. It is also one of the most imp and best political science books for UPSC. This book has four units. Each unit contains one to two chapters. The first unit talks about the Indian Constitution and Secularism. The unit has two chapters. They elaborate and create a basic foundation of the constitution and the concept of Indian secularism. The second unit also covers two different topics. The first chapter under this unit is about answering why do we need a parliament. Moreover, the second chapter under this unit is about understanding laws. The third unit focuses on The Judiciary. Finally, the fourth unit focuses on social justice and the marginalized.
Other Important Political Science NCERT Books for UPSC
- Democratic Politics: This is one of the most imp books in the list of political science books. The book explains concepts with the help of cartoons, activities, questions, etc. There are only five chapters which focus on giving a clarity on democracy. The five chapters are listed below as follows:
- What is Democracy? Why Democracy?
- Constitutional Design.
- Electoral Politics.
- Working of Institutions.
- Democratic Rights.
- Democratic Politics II: This class tentht NCERT is a masterpiece. The book gives you a very fundamental idea on some of the core topics of political science. The books touches upon subjects like federalism and power sharing. Further, it also talks about democracy and diversity. The book also covers gender, religion, and caste. In addition to this, you will also read about popular struggles and political parties in Indian history. Finally, the last unit of the book talks about the outcomes of democracy and the challenges to democracy. One must definitely read this book to get hold on the basics.
- Political Theory: This book discusses some important terms used in global politics. Hence, without learning the terms, you cannot interpret the other topics in news or books. It discusses topics like social justice, citizenship, nationalism, etc.
- Political Science II and Contemporary World Politics: The first book from class XIIth talks about Indian Politics since Independence. The second book discusses global aspects of politics along with Indian Politics during that time.
Best Political Science Books for UPSC
- Class VIth to XIIth NCERT Political Science Books.
- A history of poltical thought : From plato to marx.
- Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy.
To read more such articles and book lists: click here.
FAQs
This is very subject. You can read all the NCERT books if you have time in hand. Check the contents of the book. If you are well aware of the topics, you can skip them. However, it is advisable to read all the NCERTs for concept clarity.
There are two important books suggested by toppers among the NCERTs. The first one is the democratic politics book series. The second one is the political theory NCERT.
Yes, you can select political science as an optional subject in mains. There are two optional papers for 250 marks each. Thus, the final total of optional papers comes to 500 marks.
Editor’s Note | Political Science Books
Here we will conclude our article. In today’s article, we talked about the essential features of the best political science books for UPSC. Then, we talked about the basic NCERT books for covering GS II. Further, we listed the imp NCERT books and explained the contents of the book in brief. Lastly, we noted some of the imp books for preparation in addition to NCERTs. In this way, we have covered every possible basic book for political science. You will find many different books online and offline for the subject. However, these books are very primary and static. Hence, it is advisable to stick with these books first and then go ahead with reading the other books.
