If you’re choosing History as your optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination, having the right set of books can make a huge difference. This article provides a comprehensive History Optional Booklist for UPSC, covering both Paper I (Ancient + Medieval) and Paper II (Modern + World History) — curated for beginners, intermediate learners, and serious aspirants alike.
UPSC History Optional Syllabus Overview
📄 Paper I
- Section A: Ancient India (Prehistoric to Gupta and Post-Gupta Period)
- Section B: Medieval India (Early Medieval Kingdoms to Mughal Empire and Later Mughals)
📄 Paper II
- Section A: Modern India (British expansion to Indian Independence)
- Section B: World History (American Revolution, French Revolution, World Wars, etc.)
History Optional Booklist for UPSC – Paper I (Ancient + Medieval)
Ancient Indian History
- Ancient Indian History – History Optional Notes by LotusArise
- A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th Century by Upinder Singh
- Ancient India (NCERT) – Prof. R.S. Sharma
Medieval Indian History
- Medieval Indian History – History Optional Notes by LotusArise
- Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) – 1 by Satish Chandra
- Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals- Mughal Empire (1526-1748) – 2 by Satish Chandra
- Medieval India : The Study Of A Civlization by Irfan Habib
- Ashoka & Decline of the Maurya – Romila Thapar
History Optional Booklist for UPSC – Paper II (Modern + World)
Modern Indian History
- Modern Indian History – History Optional Notes by LotusArise
- Post-Independence Indian History – History Optional Notes by LotusArise
- From Plassey to Partition and After A History of Modern India by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
- India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
- India since Independence by Bipan Chandra
World History
- World History – History Optional Notes by LotusArise
- A History of the Modern World: An Outline by Ranjan Chakrabarti / History of the World – Arjun Dev
- Mastering Modern World History (Palgrave Master Series) by Norman Lowe
Map for History Optional
Additional Resources
| Resource | Details |
|---|---|
| NCERTs | Class 6–12 History for conceptual clarity |
| IGNOU PDFs | Download BA/MA History Notes from eGyankosh |
| Map Work | Refer to LotusArise Maps + Old NCERT + Historical Atlas |
| Previous Year Questions | Analyze 10+ years of PYQs topic-wise |
| Toppers’ Notes | Use selectively for value-added points and structuring |
| LotusArise’s Articles | Refer LotusArise’s History Optional Articles for comprehensive understandings. |
Wow I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT I CAN GET SO AWESOME BOOKLIST OF UPSC OPTIONAL A LOT OF THANKS LOTUS ARISE 💜🧡💜💚💙💙💙💙