MASTER BOOKLIST (TOPIC-WISE)
HIMACHAL PRADESH GK
20–30% weightage
Topics:
* Geography: ranges, rivers, passes, soils, climate zones
* History: ancient tribes, hill states, British administration, revolts
* Economy: horticulture belts, hydro projects, tourism
* Polity: administrative divisions, legislature, Panchayati Raj
* Culture: fairs, dances, temples, handicrafts
* Environment: parks, wildlife, Ramsar sites
* Current Affairs: HP Budget, new schemes, disasters
✅ Recommended Books:
Jag mohan Balokhra
Himachal Pradesh Board Class 6–10 Geography & History textbooks
HP Government Portal & Budget PDF
Divya Himachal / The Tribune (HP Edition) for HP Current Affairs
✅ Pro tip: For budget and schemes, always read HP Economic Survey free on HP Govt site).
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2️⃣ INDIAN POLITY
✅ \~12–15% weightage
Topics:
* Constitution basics
* Fundamental Rights, DPSP, Duties
* Union & State Legislatures
* President, Governor, PM, CM
* Supreme Court & High Courts
* Important Articles (e.g. 192, 120)
* Parliamentary terms (Cut Motion etc.)
✅ Recommended Books:
- Laxmikanth – Indian Polity
➡Read selectively if short on time: FR/DPSP/FD, Parliament, State Govt, Governor, SC/HC, Important Articles & Schedules
NCERT Class 11 Political Science (for base understanding)
✅ Past Paper Example:
* Cut Motion objective (2025)
* Article 192 disqualification power (2025)
3️⃣ INDIAN ECONOMY
✅ \~10–15% weightage
Topics:
* GDP, growth vs development
* RBI tools (CRR, SLR, Repo, Operation Twist)
* Banking reforms
* Government schemes (PLI, PM Kisan)
* Budget terms
* Economic Survey/Budget 2026
✅ Recommended Books:
⭐ Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh(for concepts)
⭐ Indian Economy Key Concepts by Sankar ganesh K (shorter, simpler)
⭐Union Budget Highlights
✅ Past Paper Example:
* Operation Twist by RBI (2025)
* Twin Balance Sheet problem (2025)
🌟 4️⃣ INDIAN HISTORY
✅ \~10–12% weightage
Topics:
* Ancient: Maurya, Gupta, Art & Architecture
* Medieval: Delhi Sultanate, Mughals, Bhakti/Sufi
* Modern: 1857 Revolt, INC sessions, Gandhian Era
* Post-independence integration
✅ Recommended Books:
Spectrum – A Brief History of Modern India (latest)
NCERT History 6–12
For Ancient/Medieval basics: *Themes in Indian History – NCERT Class 11 & 12
✅ *Past Paper Example:*
* Patel’s statement after Gandhi’s death (2025)
* 1857 Revolt historian views (2023)
5️⃣ GEOGRAPHY (India & World)
✅ \~10–12% weightage
### Topics:
* Indian Physiography
* Rivers, lakes, soils, agriculture regions
* World straits, passes
* Climatic regions
* Population distribution
✅ Recommended Books:
⭐NCERT Geography 6–12 (old or new editions)
⭐Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong
⭐ Oxford Student Atlas for India (for map practice)
✅ *Past Paper Example:*
* Marble Falls pertain to Narmada system (2025)
* Bab-el-Mandeb strait (2024)
## 🌟 6️⃣ ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY
✅ \~8–10% weightage
### Topics:
* Ecosystem structure
* Biodiversity hotspots
* Conservation projects
* National Parks, Ramsar Sites
* Pollution, Climate Change
* International environmental agreements
✅ Recommended Books:
⭐ Shankar IAS Environment Book (latest edition) (selected topic)
⭐NCERT Biology Class 12 (Ecology chapters for basics)
MoEFCC Annual Report (for Indian context – optional)
✅ *Past Paper Example:*
* Ramsar accredited Indian city (Indore, 2025)
## 🌟 7️⃣ SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
✅ \~8–10% weightage
### Topics:
* ISRO Missions (Aditya-L1, XPoSat)
* Nuclear and defence tech
* Digital India
* AI, IoT basics
* Health programs
✅ Recommended Books:
⭐ NCERT Science Class 6–10 (must for basics)
⭐ ISRO official website (for latest missions)
Current Affairs magazines (Vision, Drishti) for tech news
✅ *Past Paper Example:*
* XPoSat mission details (2024)
* ISRO Payloads match-list (2024)
## 🌟 8️⃣ CURRENT AFFAIRS (National + International)
✅ \~15–20% weightage
### Topics:
* National schemes and policies
* Summits, conferences
* India’s rank in global indices
* Defence deals, sports, awards
* Government Budget & Economic Survey
✅ Recommended Sources:
⭐ **The Hindu / Indian Express (daily)**
⭐ **VisionIAS Monthly Magazine**
⭐ **Drishti Current Affairs (Hindi/English)**
⭐ **PIB website (for schemes)**
✅ *Past Paper Example:*
* India’s rank in Democracy Index (2024)
* Global Summits chronological order (2024)
* NITI Aayog Health Index top state (2025)
# ✅ 🎯 BONUS TIPS
🟢 Always revise **Assertion–Reason** and **Match-the-Following** types—they appear every year.
🟢 Track **HP State Budget and Economic Survey** carefully (always 5–8 direct questions).
🟢 Revise **recent ISRO missions** from official website.
🟢 Focus on **HP-specific geography and history**—these are guaranteed questions.