Sociology is one of the optional subjects for the UPSC Mains Exam and holds importance in the UPSC Prelims exam too. The Optional exam is also divided into two papers. Paper 1 of Sociology deals with the Fundamentals of sociology, while the other deals with Indian society. If you are considering choosing Sociology as an optional subject, you must know that it is a vast subject to cover. However, one can easily cover the UPSC Sociology Syllabus in detail with UPSC Sociology books. All these books are easily available in the stores and contain all the relevant information.
UPSC Books for Sociology
Though UPSC Sociology Syllabus is vast and covers almost all sociology sections, it is not hard to study. With proper planning, dedication, and effective management of time, one can easily learn about all the topics with a better understanding. The books to cover the UPSC Syllabus for sociology includes the NCERT books for creating a strong base among the students. Here are the important UPSC Books for Sociology-
NCERT Sociology Books for UPSC
The NCERT books for Sociology include the Sociology books for classes 11 and 12th. The NCERT Sociology Books for UPSC are as follows-
- Class 11- Understanding Sociology
- Class 11- Introduction to Sociology
- Class 12- Social Change and Development in India
- Class 12- Indian Society
Best Sociology Books for UPSC Paper 1
Sociology paper 1 requires the students to have an approach to sociological thinkers. It deals with the Fundamentals of Sociology. There are a lot of books that cover the Fundamentals of Sociology, but the prominent UPSC books for Sociology paper 1 include-
- An Introduction to Political Theory by O P Gauba
- Sociological Thought by Francis Abraham and John Henry Morgan
- A Dictionary of Sociology by John Scott
- Sociology Themes and Perspectives by Haralambos & Holborn
- Sociological Theory by George Ritzer
- Introduction to Sociology by Anthony Giddens
Best Sociology Books for UPSC Paper 2
The syllabus for Sociology paper 2 deals with the Indian society, its structure, and the changes concerning the structure of the Indian Society. The best-recommended books for UPSC Sociology Paper 2 are as follows-
- Social Background of Indian Nationalism by A R Desai
- Rural Sociology by S.L Doshi and P.C Jain
- Modernization of Indian Tradition by Yogendra Singh
- Indian Society: Themes and Social Issues by Nadeem Hasnain
- Handbook of Indian Sociology by Veena Das
- Caste Its Twentieth Century Avatar by M N Srinivas
- Social Change in Modern India by M N Srinivas
All these books are important and sufficient to learn about the sociology syllabus in detail. But, it doesn’t mean you must study all of them. It is advised to keep the number of your books to a minimum so that you can study without the pressure of completing all those books. Also, prepare the syllabus by making notes per your understanding to reduce the time while revising. You can refer to the byjusexamprep official website for more such guidance.
