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Books for UPSC IFoS Exam 2025, List of Forest Services Preparation Books

Books for UPSC IFoS are essential for comprehensive coverage of the syllabus. Get the list of the best books for UPSC IFoS exam preparation here.
authorImageDeeksha Dixit30 Dec, 2024
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Books for UPSC IFoS Exam

Books for UPSC IFoS 2025 : While preparing for the UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFoS) examination candidates require the right set of books. The UPSC IFoS exam is known for its difficulty, covering a broad range of subjects. The right books for IFoS offer comprehensive coverage of the syllabus and help establish a solid foundation.

Selecting the appropriate books for UPSC IFoS can play a crucial role in your preparation. Continue reading for a detailed list of recommended books for the UPSC IFoS Prelims, Mains, and Optional Papers to guide your exam preparation.

PW Books for UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam 2025

To excel in the UPSC IFoS Exam 2025, candidates need quality books for each stage. These IFoS preparation books cover all the essential topics and provide comprehensive knowledge to tackle questions. Since the preliminary stage is common to both IFoS and CSE and many topics overlap, candidates can refer to the below-mentioned books to prepare for the Indian Forest Service Prelims examination:
PW Books for UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam 2025
IFoS Exam Books Link
UPSC IFoS Prelims Books UPSC UDAAN Prelims Wallah
UPSC IFoS Prelims Solved PYQs PW UPSC Prelims Previous Years Solved Papers
IFoS CSAT Practice Set (PYQ+Mock Tests) UPSC CSAT Wallah
UPSC IFS Prelims Current Affairs Udaan 500

Books for UPSC IFoS Prelims 2025

The IFoS Prelims exam includes General Studies and CSAT papers. Candidates are required to score above the cut-off in the GS paper to ensure their eligibility for UPSC IFS Mains. Here are the recommended IFoS exam books for these papers to help you start your preparation:
Books for UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam
General Studies Paper I Book List
History
  • NCERT Textbooks (Class VI-XII)
  • India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
  • A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum)
Geography
  • NCERT Textbooks (Class VI-XII)
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong
Polity
  • NCERT Textbooks (Class IX-XII)
  • Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
Economics
  • NCERT Textbooks (Class XI-XII)
  • Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
  • Economic Survey (latest)
Environment and Ecology
  • Environment by Shankar IAS
  • NCERT XI and XII Textbooks on Biology and Chemistry
General Science
  • NCERT Textbooks (Class VI – X)
  • The Hindu and PW OnlyIAS Magazines
General Studies Paper II (CSAT) Book List
Quantitative Aptitude
  • Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal
  • CSAT Manual by TMH or CSAT by Arihant
Reasoning Aptitude
  • Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
Reading Comprehension
  • CSAT Manual by TMH or CSAT by Arihant
  • PW OnlyIAS CSAT Wallah

Subject Wise Books for UPSC IFoS Mains 2025

The IFoS Mains 2025 exam will have multiple papers that require thorough preparation. Paper 1 and Paper 2 are common to all shortlisted candidates. However, for papers 3 to 6, candidates need to pick two optional subjects from the approved list. Here are the subject-wise recommended IFoS study books to help you cover the syllabus effectively:
Subject Wise Books for UPSC IFoS Mains
Subjects of UPSC IFoS Mains Recommended Book List
UPSC IFoS Paper I (English)
  • “High School English Grammar and Composition” by Wren and Martin
  • “Word Power Made Easy” by Norman Lewis
  • “Descriptive English” by S.P. Bakshi and Richa Sharma
  • “151 Essays” by S.C. Gupta
UPSC IFoS Paper II (General Knowledge) Cover static from prelims books and combine basic knowledge with current affairs.
  • History Culture: Old NCERT + Spectrum
  • Geography/Environment: NIOS + NCERTs and PW OnlyIAS monthly magazines
  • Polity: Laxmikanth + The Hindu
  • Economy: Budget+ Economic Survey, Schemes+ PW OnlyIAS monthly magazine
  • International Issues: PW OnlyIAS monthly magazines
  • Science-Tech: PW OnlyIAS monthly magazines
UPSC IFoS Paper III to VI (Optional Papers) Subject-specific books that are recommended by experts.

Books for UPSC IFoS Optional Papers

Choosing the right optional subjects is crucial for candidates aiming to clear the IFoS Mains exam. Each optional subject demands focus as there will be four papers from the selected subjects worth 800 marks. Candidates should ensure they are well-versed in their chosen subjects by following the below-mentioned books for UPSC IFoS optional papers:
Books for UPSC IFoS Optional Papers
Subject Books
Agriculture
  • Agriculture Science by Pushpendra K. Karhana
  • Principles of Agronomy by Reddy T. Yellamanda
  • An Introduction to Agriculture Extension by K. S. Sidhu
  • Agriculture at a Glance by R.K. Sharma
  • Soil Science by D.K. Das
  • Genetics by B.D. Singh
  • Plant Breeding by B.D. Singh
  • A Textbook of Animal Husbandry by G.C. Banerjee
Agricultural Engineering
  • Soil and Water Conservation by Dr. R Suresh
  • Principles of Agricultural Engineering by A.M. Michael and T.P. Ojha
  • Farm Machinery and Equipment by Dr. K. Sahay
  • Food Process Engineering and Technology by P.J. Fellows
  • Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures by Santosh Kumar Garg
  • Renewable Energy Sources and their Applications by S.C. Bhatia
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
  • A Textbook of Animal Husbandry by G.C. Banerjee
  • Veterinary Microbiology by D.V.M. Dryden
  • Veterinary Anatomy of Domestic Mammals by Singh, Singh, and Roy
  • Veterinary Physiology by James G. Cunningham
  • Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science by G. Subrahmanyan
Botany
  • NCERT- Plant Biology and General Biology
  • Cryptogams: A Text Book of Botany by Singh, Pandey, and Jain
  • Plant Anatomy by Dr. B. P. Pandey
  • The Embryology of Angiosperms by Sant Saran Bhojwani and S. P. Bhatnagar
  • Karp’s Cell Biology by Karp Gerald
  • Concepts of Genetics by Klug and Cummings
  • Plant Breeding: Principles and Methods by B D Singh
  • Biotechnology: Expanding Horizons by B D Singh
  • Fundamentals of Biostatistics by Veer Bala Rastogi
  • Plant Physiology and Development by Eduardo Zeiger, Lincoln Taiz
  • Ecology and Environment by Dr. P D Sharma
Chemical Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics by Y.V.C. Rao
  • Principles of Mass Transfer and Separation Processes by B.K. Dutta
  • Chemical Process Calculations by D.C. Sikdar
  • Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles by Christie J. Geankoplis
  • Chemical Reaction Engineering by Octave Levenspiel
  • Process Dynamics and Control by Dale E. Seborg, Thomas F. Edgar, and Duncan A. Mellichamp
  • Heat Transfer by J.P. Holman
  • Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering by Warren L. McCabe, Ernest Thiele
  • Chemical Process Industries by R. Norris Shreve and Joseph A. Brink
Civil Engineering
  • Building Materials by S.K. Duggal
  • Structural Analysis by R.C. Hibbeler
  • Design of Structures by N. Subramanian
  • Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering by Dr. K.R. Arora
  • Principles of Geotechnical Engineering by Braja M. Das
  • Fluid Mechanics by Frank M. White
  • Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics by Modi and Seth
  • Wastewater Engineering by Metcalf and Eddy
  • Highway Engineering by S.K. Khanna and C.E.G. Justo
  • Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning by L.R. Kadiyali
  • Surveying by B.C. Punmia
  • Geotechnical Engineering by C. Venkatramaiah
  • Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science by Gilbert M. Masters
  • Numerical Methods for Engineers by Steven C. Chapra and Raymond P. Canale
  • Construction Planning and Management by P. S. Gahlot
Forestry
  • Theory and Practice of Silviculture Systems by Ram Prakash, L S Khanna and S. Prabhu
  • Introduction to Forest and Renewable Resources by R. Manikandan A Textbook of Forest Management by G. Kuppusamy
  • Forest Ecology and Environment by P. P. Dhyani and M. S. Rawat
  • Forest Mensuration by Parshotam Kaushik and A. K. Misra
  • Forest Policy and Law by Ram Parkash
  • Forest Resource and Sustainable Development by Kailash Chanda Bebarta
  • Agroforestry in India by KG Tejwani
  • Indian Forestry by S.Prabhu
  • Principles and Practice of Agroforestry by P. K. Ramachandran Nair
  • Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management by S. L. Dingman
Mathematics
  • Linear Algebra by A.R Vasishtha or Kenneth Hoffman and Ray Kunze
  • Differential Calculus by S Chand or Krishna Prakashan
  • Integral Calculus by S Chand
  • Vector Calculus by Krishna Prakashan
  • Analytic Geometry by Krishna Prakashan (S Chand)
  • Numerical Analysis by Richard L. Burden and J. Douglas Faires
  • Abstract Algebra by David S. Dummit and Richard M. Foote
  • Real Analysis by Royden and Fitzpatrick
  • Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences by Mary L. Boas
  • Mathematical Statistics by S.C. Gupta and V.K. Kapoor
  • Partial Differential Equations by M.D. Raisinghania
Mechanical Engineering
  • Engineering Mechanics by R.C Hibbeler
  • Mechanical Vibrations by GK Grover or SS Rao
  • Machine Design by V.B. Bhandari
  • Fluid Mechanics by M White or RK Bansal
  • Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach by Yunus A. Cengel and Michael A. Boles
  • Heat and Mass Transfer by RK Rajput
  • Material Science and Engineering by William D Callister
  • Manufacturing Engineering and Technology by Serope Kalpakjian and Steven R. Schmid
  • Industrial Engineering and Management by O.P. Khanna or Ravi Shankar
  • Automobile Engineering by K.M. Gupta and N.K.Gupta or RK Rajput
  • Ecology and Environment by PD Sharma
  • Numerical Methods for Engineers by Steven C. Chapra and Raymond P. Canale
Physics
  • Classical Mechanics by Herbert Goldstein
  • Introduction to Mechanics by Kleppner and Kolenkow
  • Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications by Nouredine Zettili
  • Introduction to Electrodynamics by David J. Griffiths
  • Thermal Physics by Charles Kittel and Herbert Kroemer
  • Mathematical Physics by B.S. Rajasekaran
  • Atomic Physics by Max Born
  • Introductory Nuclear Physics by Kenneth S. Krane
  • Introduction to Elementary Particles by David J. Griffiths
  • Solid State Physics by Neil W. Ashcroft and N. David Mermin
  • Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
  • A Course in Electrical and Electronic Measurements and Instrumentation by A. K. Sawhney
  • Principles of Optics by Max Born and Emil Wolf
  • Modern Physics by Kenneth S. Krane
Statistics
  • Mathematical Statistics by Hogg, McKean, and Craig
  • Introduction to Probability Models by Sheldon M. Ross
  • A First Course in Statistical Methods by Ott and Longnecker
  • An Introduction to Generalized Linear Models by Annette J. Dobson
  • Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis by Richard A. Johnson and Dean W. Wichern
  • Sampling Techniques by William G. Cochran
  • Design and Analysis of Experiments by Douglas C. Montgomery
  • Introduction to Time Series and Forecasting by Peter J. Brockwell and Richard A. Davis
  • Biostatistics: The Bare Essentials by Geoffrey R. Norman and David L. Streiner
Zoology
  • Invertebrates by R.L. Kotpal
  • Chordate Zoology by E.L. Jordan and P.S. Verma
  • Modern Text Book of Zoology: Vertebrates by R.L. Kotpal
  • The Life of Vertebrates by J.Z. Young
  • Embryology of Chordates by S.N. Prasad
  • Ecology and Environment by P.D. Sharma
  • Cell Biology by Alberts
  • Genetics by B.D. Singh
  • Vertebrate Zoology by R.L. Kotpal
  • A Manual of Practical Zoology: Chordates by P.S. Verma and Agarwal
  • Animal Physiology by Hill
  • Molecular Biology of the Cell by Bruce Alberts
UPSC IFoS Related Articles
UPSC IFoS Exam Date UPSC IFoS Selection Process Newspaper for UPSC Exam
UPSC IFoS Syllabus Pratigya Diwas 2024 UPSC IFos Exam Pattern

Books for UPSC IFoS Exam 2025 FAQs

How many books to read for the UPSC IFoS Mains 2025 exam?

Read 2-3 standard books per subject for thorough preparation for the UPSC IFoS Mains exam.

Which book to refer to for the UPSC IFoS Prelims GS 1 paper?

Read recommended NCERTs along with the UPSC UDAAN Prelims Wallah and other standard resources for the UPSC IFoS Prelims GS 1 paper.

Which book is best for UPSC IFoS forestry optional?

"Principles and Practice of Silviculture" by L.S. Khanna and "Introduction to Forest and Renewable Resources" by R. Manikandan are most useful for UPSC IFoS forestry optional.

Can I skip current affairs for UPSC IFoS 2025 preparation?

No, current affairs are crucial for UPSC IFoS preparation at each stage. You can regularly read PWONLYIAS magazines.

Which are the useful books for UPSC IFoS English paper?

"High School English Grammar and Composition" by Wren and Martin and "Word Power Made Easy" by Norman Lewis are recommended for UPSC IFoS English paper.
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