UPSC Geography Optional Books for IAS civil services mains

Geography Optional Books for IAS Civil services

UPSC Geography Optional Books for IAS Mains – Geography as a optional subject is very good because its a scoring subject. Geography plays a very important role in all competitive examinations. In the competitive exams, Apart from conceptual questions examiner can directly ask questions for mapping, facts, globe etc. This is very important subject for both UPSC IAS Prelims and Mains examinations. Aspirants should go through Geography NCERT Books to gain deep knowledge in the subject.

If your approach to the geography optional is right then this is the most scoring subject. Best UPSC Geography Optional Books for UPSC civil services mains also help in IAS mains general studies paper and prelims GS paper. Many aspirants have cracked UPSC civil services mains examination by opting high scoring geography as their optional.

Best UPSC Geography Optional Paper-I Books

If you are confused about which books to read for preparation of geography optional paper 1? then in below table we are giving important geography books list, which was referred by toppers. You can also download History NCERT Books for GS paper.

A Geography by Population – R.C. Chandna

Agricultural Geography – Majid Husain

Climatology – D.S.Lal

Economic and Social Geography – Made Simple – R.Knowles & J.Wareing

Economic Geography- Hartshorn & Truman A

R.C.Chandna – Environmental Awareness

Environmental Geography – Savindra Singh

H M Saxena – Environmental Geography

General Climatology – Critchfield

Geomorphology – Savindra Singh

Human Geography -Majid Husain

Oceanography- Sharma & Vatal, NCERT

Evolution of Geographic Thought-Majid Husain

Physical Geography – Made Simple – Richard H Bryant

Physical Geography – Savindra Singh

Introducing Physical Geography – Alan Strahler

Physical Geography in Diagrams -Bunnett

Political Geography -R.D.Dixit

Principles of Geomorphology-W.D. Thornbury

Regional Planning in India – Chand & Puri

Urbanization & Urban Systems in India- R. Ramachandran

UPSC Geography Optional Books (Paper-II)

An UPSC IAS civil services aspirant should be in consistent touch with geography optional syllabus paper 1 and paper 2. During your preparation for mains examination, you should not go off-track.

A Geography of India -Gopal Singh

Agriculture Geography – Majid Husain

Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong

C.B. Mamoria – Economic and Commercial Geography of India

Economic and Commercial Geography of India – Sharma & Coutinho

Economical and Commercial Geography of India – C.B. Mamoria

R.C.Chandna – Environmental Awareness

Environmental Geography – Savinder Singh

Environmental Geography – Saxena

Geography of India – Majid Husain

Geography of Population- R.C.Chandna

Hindu’s Survey on Agriculture

Human Geography – Majid Husain

India Disasters Report

Oxford School Atlas – Oxford

Modern Political Geography of India – B.L. Sukhwal

Regional Planning in India – Chand and Puri

Urbanization and Urban Systems in India – R. Ramachandran

Environmental Geography – Saxena

Tips To Score More in Geography Optional in UPSC Mains

Geography is a very popular optional subject among the UPSC IAS aspirants because of its a high scoring optional. If any candidate have not studied geography during his/her graduation or post graduation even then they can opt for this as optional. In this post, we are giving you a few tips, which should be kept in the mind to score high marks in the geography optional paper.

• In the mains optional papers, you would have a choice of attempting five questions out of the eight given. Geography papers tend to be lengthy. Hence, you must not take more than five minutes to decide the questions that you would be attempting.
• There are generally sub-parts to all the questions. Choose those questions for which you know all the sub-parts. This ensures maximum marks.
• Don’t make incomplete maps. Maps are quite scoring and you should ensure that you get the maximum benefit out of these questions. So, prepare well and make complete maps with accurate labelling.
• Always try to substantiate your answers with General Studies portions wherever relevant of course. This will give the impression that you are well-updated with current affairs. Geography is an inter-disciplinary subject and so you can involve content from anthropology, economics, ecology, environment, etc.
• Always use case studies and other examples and figures to highlight what you are trying to convey through your answers. Provide graphs wherever possible.
• Include relevant theories to your answers.
• If you are asked about a theory or a model, you can adhere to the following framework while writing your answers: Definition, Concept, Theory/Model, Application, Role in the contemporary world, Criticism.