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BUREAUCRATS MUST READ

5 BOOKS EVERY SERIOUS IAS


ASPIRANT AND BUREAUCRATS MUST
READ
 June 19, 2013  Posted by: INSIGHTS

 Category: DEMOCRACY (https://www.insightsonindia.com/category/democracy/) IAS


(https://www.insightsonindia.com/category/ias/) UPSC (https://www.insightsonindia.com/category/upsc-2/)

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Every serious IAS aspirant must know beforehand what awaits him once he enters the ‘system’.
Almost ever year, a retired bureaucrat or a diplomat pens an autobiography recollecting all the
bad old memories and present them to the reader in the hope that his experiences might shed
some light on the working of the ‘system’ he was part of.

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I found following books worth reading for their honest re ection about the working of the
‘system’. Hope you will enjoy reading them.

1) Bureaucrazy Gets Crazier: IAS Unmasked – M.K.Kaw (http://www. ipkart.com/bureaucrazy-


gets-crazier-ias-unmasked/p/itmd9y9djszkuqty?pid=9789322008086&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/bureaucrazy-gets-crazier-ias-unmasked/p/itmd9y9djszkuqty?
pid=9789322008086&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/bureaucrazy-gets-crazier-ias-unmasked/p/itmd9y9djszkuqty?
pid=9789322008086&a d=vinaykumar1)

This is an intimate, inside look at the state of the Indian Administrative Service
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Administrative_Service), with nothing held back. It lays
bare the activities of the modern mandarins behind bolted portals, describing how they crawl
up the greasepole of success, manipulating in-laws and outlaws with equal felicity.

Bureaucrazy was rst published in 1993. Its rst edition was sold out in 30 days. It was
translated into Hindi and Punjabi under the title Afsarshahi Benaqab. Over the years there has
been a clamour for Bureaucrazy 2. This is a revised and updated edition of the original with 15
new chapters in addition to the 31 of the rst edition.

About the Author


Maharaj Krishen Kaw (http://www. ipkart.com/all-categories/pr?
sid=search. ipkart.com&q=m+k+kaw&autosuggest%5Bas%5D=o &autosuggest&a d=vinaykum
submittype%5D=entered&autosuggest%5Bas-grouprank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Bas-
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shown%5D=on&selmitem=All+Categories&otracker=start&vertical=all&_l=DQuDYLtAVLJCq%20B
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-&_r=KZAKktr0yiOpZmOEheSxmA--&ref=c4219269- 4c-4901-8e7a-
c880596e67c8&a d=vinaykumar1) was born on 10 November 1941 in Srinagar, Kashmir. He
joined the IAS in 1964 and was allotted to the Himachal Pradesh cadre. He held important
posts in the state, including Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Finance Secretary, Education
Secretary and Personnel Secretary. He also spent fteen years at the centre and held the posts
of Member Secretary, Fifth Central Pay Commission, Secretary Civil Aviation and Secretary
Human Resource Development.

2) The Honest Always Stand Alone – C.G.Somiah (http://www. ipkart.com/honest-always-stand-


alone/p/itmdyv5d74kncyaz?pid=9788189738716&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/honest-always-stand-alone/p/itmdyv5d74kncyaz?
pid=9788189738716&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/honest-always-stand-alone/p/itmdyv5d74kncyaz?
pid=9788189738716&a d=vinaykumar1)

Candid and outspoken, CG Somiah shares his experiences as an Indian Administrative O cer
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Administrative_Service), from his rst posting to Orissa as
Assistant Collector to the more heady days of ghting terrorism in Punjab, keeping an eye on
the country as Home Secretary and Central Vigilance Commissioner and, nally, a six-year
tenure as Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

His e orts to stem corruption resulted in a loss of promotion for two years. His colleagues
were upset about his plight and some of them were of the view that it was not prudent to defy
corrupt politicians who can harm one’s career.

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Somiah, however, heartily disagreed with them. Speaking straight from the heart, Somiah’s
narrative is well-knit and crisply put together. It takes us back to the exciting days of Rajiv
Gandhi’s prime ministership and gives us a glimpse into the discussions that took place at the
highest political level. As its title suggests, The Honest Always Stand Alone marks the journey of
a man who always upheld the truth.

3) The Service Of The State: The IAS Reconsidered (http://www. ipkart.com/service-state-ias-


reconsidered/p/itmczzkqr5vukccg?pid=9780670083817&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/service-state-ias-reconsidered/p/itmczzkqr5vukccg?
pid=9780670083817&a d=vinaykumar1g)

(http://www. ipkart.com/service-state-ias-reconsidered/p/itmczzkqr5vukccg?
pid=9780670083817&a d=vinaykumar1)

Is the Indian Administrative Service (IAS)


(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Administrative_Service) still the most appropriate
institution to govern twenty- rst-century India Should a cadre of generalists head organizations
as complex and diverse as industrial units, museums and rural development boards? If it had
to be replaced, what is the best alternative? Drawing on his experience of thirty-six years in the
IAS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Administrative_Service), Bhaskar Ghose addresses
these and other major questions regarding the role, relevance and e ectiveness of India’s long-
established but often controversial system of state administration in The Service of the State.

This re ective and luminous memoir is not only a portrait of a lifetime’s service to the state; it is
also a timely and persuasive argument for a system of governance that has had a critical
impact on India since Independence.

About the Author


Bhaskar Ghose  (http://www. ipkart.com/all-categories/pr?
sid=search. ipkart.com&q=bhaskar+ghose&autosuggest%5Bas%5D=o &autosuggest%5Bas-
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shown%5D=on&selmitem=All+Categories&otracker=start&vertical=all&_l=DQuDYLtAVLJCq%20B
-&_r=KZAKktr0yiOpZmOEheSxmA--&ref=814c2575-f10b-46fa-b448-
8d4d15a1e8ef&a d=vinaykumar1)was educated in Mumbai and Delhi and joined the Indian
Administrative Service (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Administrative_Service) in 1960,
retiring from it after thirty-six years. He served in various capacities both in the government of
West Bengal, the state to which he was assigned, and in the Government of India.

He has held the posts of Director General, Doordarshan (www.ddindia.gov.in), Secretary,


Department of Culture in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and Secretary,
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He has been a visiting fellow of Queen Elizabeth
House, University of Oxford (www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/).

4) Untouchables: My Family’s Triumphant Escape from India’s Caste System – Narendra Jadhav
(http://www. ipkart.com/untouchables-my-family-s-triumphant-escape-india-s-caste-
system/p/itmczzbfdrnfum3s?pid=9780520252639&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/untouchables-my-family-s-triumphant-escape-india-s-caste-
system/p/itmczzbfdrnfum3s?pid=9780520252639&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/untouchables-my-family-s-triumphant-escape-india-s-caste-
system/p/itmczzbfdrnfum3s?pid=9780520252639&a d=vinaykumar1)

Every sixth human being in the world today is an Indian, and every sixth Indian is an
untouchable. For thousands of years the untouchables, or Dalits, the people at the bottom of
the Hindu caste system, have been treated as subhuman.

In this remarkable book, at last giving voice to India’s voiceless, Narendra Jadhav
(http://www. ipkart.com/all-categories/pr?
sid=search. ipkart.com&q=narendra+jadhav&autosuggest%5Bas%5D=o &autosuggest%5Bas-
submittype%5D=entered&autosuggest%5Bas-grouprank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Bas-

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overallrank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Borig-query%5D=&autosuggest%5Bas-
shown%5D=on&selmitem=All+Categories&otracker=start&vertical=all&_l=DQuDYLtAVLJCq%20B
-&_r=KZAKktr0yiOpZmOEheSxmA--&ref=21e01f5a-5bc3-4252-9131-
6ed2fc422949#jumpTo=0|7&a d=vinaykumar1)tells the awe-inspiring story of his family’s
struggle for equality and justice in India. Based on his father’s diaries and family stories, Jadhav
(http://www. ipkart.com/all-categories/pr?
sid=search. ipkart.com&q=narendra+jadhav&autosuggest%5Bas%5D=o &autosuggest%5Bas-
submittype%5D=entered&autosuggest%5Bas-grouprank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Bas-
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shown%5D=on&selmitem=All+Categories&otracker=start&vertical=all&_l=DQuDYLtAVLJCq%20B
-&_r=KZAKktr0yiOpZmOEheSxmA--&ref=21e01f5a-5bc3-4252-9131-
6ed2fc422949#jumpTo=0|7&a d=vinaykumar1) has written the triumphant story of his
parents’ their great love, unwavering courage, and eventual victory in the struggle to free
themselves and their children from the caste system.

He vividly brings his parents’  world to light and un inchingly documents the lives of
untouchables – the hunger, the cruel humiliations, the perpetual fear, and the brutal abuse.
Untouchables (http://www. ipkart.com/untouchables-my-family-s-triumphant-escape-india-s-
caste-system/p/itmczzbfdrnfum3s?pid=9780520252639&ref=eecc2141-ca29-4ca1-a4e3-
b8711a046387&srno=t_2&otracker=from-
search&query=narendra%20jadhav&a d=vinaykumar1) is an eye-opening work that gives
readers insight into the lives of India’s 165 million Dalits, whose struggle for equality continues
even today.

About the Author


Narendra Jadhav  (http://www. ipkart.com/all-categories/pr?
sid=search. ipkart.com&q=narendra+jadhav&autosuggest%5Bas%5D=o &autosuggest%5Bas-
submittype%5D=entered&autosuggest%5Bas-grouprank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Bas-
overallrank%5D=0&autosuggest%5Borig-query%5D=&autosuggest%5Bas-
shown%5D=on&selmitem=All+Categories&otracker=start&vertical=all&_l=DQuDYLtAVLJCq%20B
-&_r=KZAKktr0yiOpZmOEheSxmA--&ref=21e01f5a-5bc3-4252-9131-
6ed2fc422949&a d=vinaykumar1)was born in Mumbai, India. He is currently the principal
adviser and chief economist for the Reserve Bank of India and is the author of seven books and
more than seventy research papers.

5) An Outsider Everywhere: Revelations By An Insider (http://www. ipkart.com/outsider-


everywhere-revelations-insider/p/itmd8wasytxjd5bd?pid=9789322008048&a d=vinaykumar1)

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(http://www. ipkart.com/outsider-everywhere-revelations-insider/p/itmd8wasytxjd5bd?
pid=9789322008048&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/outsider-everywhere-revelations-insider/p/itmd8wasytxjd5bd?
pid=9789322008048&a d=vinaykumar1)

Autobiographies of civil servants generally make for banal reading. These are either exercises
in self-glori cation or attempts at ponti cation.

This is an autobiography with a di erence. M.K. Kaw, the author of Bureaucrazy fame is known
for his style imbued with humour and pen dipped in satire. Here he takes a look at his own life,
starting with a zany essay on why he is called Kaw, which means crow in Kashmiri. In one of the
chapters, he refers to the phenomenon which led some of his younger colleagues to revel in
the appellation Kawboy.

The text is peppered with half-remembered lines of a childhood poem celebrating the exploits
of Natha Singh, a truck driver of Delhi. He has not omitted to reproduce in its unexpurgated
virility a naughty limerick he composed at a party about his chief secretarys non-performing
member.

There are revelations about the exploits of politicians and bureaucrats, as seen from the
perspective of a poet who got trapped in the topsy-turvy world of bumbledom.

Kaw has manfully resisted the temptation to deliver high-sounding sermons at hapless juniors
in the service. He has instead concluded with tongue-in-cheek aphorisms camou aged as
pearls of wisdom.

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Latest Additions
6) The Insiders View: Memoirs of a Public Servant (http://www. ipkart.com/insiders-view-
memoirs-public-servant/p/itmdcpd2aphd5sv2?pid=9780670085859&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/insiders-view-memoirs-public-servant/p/itmdcpd2aphd5sv2?
pid=9780670085859&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/insiders-view-memoirs-public-servant/p/itmdcpd2aphd5sv2?
pid=9780670085859&a d=vinaykumar1)

In this illuminating memoir Javid Chowdhury shares his varied experiences over four decades
in the IAS: the years in training, when he imbibed the services ethos and values; his initiation
into the rural universe as the District Development O cer and the District Magistrate; and
further on, to his handling of the infamous Bank Securities and Jain Hawala scams as Director
of Enforcement and Union Revenue Secretary.

With a light pen, Chowdhury describes the changing social pro le and attitudes of entrants to
the higher civil services; the nepotism, in many garbs, that he encountered as Establishment
O cer; and the stranger than ction tortuous investigations of crimes. He also o ers his
nuanced re ections on the dubious legacy Gujarat acquired as a result of the communal
carnage in 2002.

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About the Author


Javid Chowdhury has been a career civil servant in the Gujarat cadre of the Indian
Administrative Service and has experience in several key sectors of public administration. He
has served as the Union Secretary in the Ministry of Food, Department of Revenue and the
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. He lives in retirement with his son and daughter in Delhi.
Presently, he is active with NGOs working in the domain of Public Health.

7) Pyramid of Virgin Dreams (http://www. ipkart.com/pyramid-virgin-


dreams/p/itmdytpwkfz6cdzd?pid=9788129117441&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/pyramid-virgin-dreams/p/itmdytpwkfz6cdzd?
pid=9788129117441&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/pyramid-virgin-dreams/p/itmdytpwkfz6cdzd?
pid=9788129117441&a d=vinaykumar1)

Eight-year-old Kartikeya Kukreja solemnly swears to become an IAS o cer after accompanying
an illegal poaching expedition to obtain a partridge and blackbuck for his father’s boss’s
supper.

Kartikeya eventually discovers the secret of his father’s fawning subordinates as they attempt
to scramble their way up the civil service pyramid, and himself experiences a similar hilarious
predicament.

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A refreshingly original rendition of the slippery life in the Indian bureaucracy, Pyramid of Virgin
Dreams, replete with comic imagery, portrays, with humour and intelligence, an India that is
both farcical and full of hope.

About the Author


Vipul Mittra is an o cer of the Indian Administrative Service, currently serving in Gujarat. He
lives with his family in Ahmedabad. Pyramid of Virgin Dreams, his rst novel, was ten years in
the making.

8) No Minister: Memoirs of a Civil Servant (http://www. ipkart.com/no-minister-memoirs-civil-


servant-hb-mahesh-prasad-english-macmillian-india-ltd-new-delhi-hardcover-edition-1st-
1st/p/itmczyxuvhvjtxzv?pid=9780230636477&a d=vinaykumar1)

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pid=9780230636477&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/no-minister-memoirs-civil-servant-hb-mahesh-prasad-english-
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pid=9780230636477&a d=vinaykumar1)

The bard wrote: ‘The course of true love never ran smooth’. The same is true of this book. It is
the memoirs of a civil servant who followed the path of rectitude. This is an interesting
autobiographical account full of anecdotes and the author’s personal observations on the
bureaucracy, politics and life. It covers a fascinating period in India’s political and administrative
fabric and gives us insights into the working of the civil services. As Mahesh Prasad observes,
‘The career of a civil servant which may appear to be glittering to outsiders is an eternal
struggle’. As he says, there are those who are happy saying ‘Yes, Minister’, and so reap the
bene ts that come their way. Those who dare to oppose the Minister have to face the
consequences. Dealing with the steel frame, it unveils the seeping in of corruption and inequity
in the bureaucracy. The book is replete with self- deprecating humour and bon mots and is well
worth a read.

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About the Author


Mahesh Prasad has had a long and distinguished career as a Civil Servant in the Indian
Administrative Service. He retired from the rank of Cabinet Secretary, as Chairman India Trade
Promotion Organization (ITPO). During his career spanning 40 years he has held several posts
in the Civil Services, including the post of Joint Secretary in the Ministries of Home and
Commerce, and Advisor, Planning Commission. He has also held Secretary level positions at
the Centre in the Ministries of Finance, Industry, Environment, and Information & Broadcasting.
Mr Prasad has also been Chairman of a number of UN and intergovernmental bodies. Born in
Lucknow, India, into an upper middle class family, the author was educated at Lucknow
University and at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. He has been conferred several awards for
distinguished public service such as Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award (1998), Bharat Gaurav
Award (1999), Pride of India Award (2000), International Millennium Goldstar Award (2001),
Rashtriya Ratna Award (2001) and U.P. Ratan Award (2003). Mr. Prasad now serves on the
Board of various commercial and charitable organizations.

9) And What Remains in the End : The Memoirs of an Unrepentant Civil Servant
(http://www. ipkart.com/remains-end-memoirs-unrepentant-civil-
servant/p/itmdgt9jbnxqkyen?pid=9788129123732&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/remains-end-memoirs-unrepentant-civil-
servant/p/itmdgt9jbnxqkyen?pid=9788129123732&a d=vinaykumar1)

(http://www. ipkart.com/remains-end-memoirs-unrepentant-civil-
servant/p/itmdgt9jbnxqkyen?pid=9788129123732&a d=vinaykumar1)

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In And What Remains In The End: The Memoirs Of An Unrepentant Civil Servant, author Robin
Gupta provides readers with the socio-historical and economic developments that have
occurred in India over the last four decades. Gupta’s memoir provides a rich account about a
country that is progressive and the people who have dedicated themselves to serving India. It
is a sensitive, historical, and philosophical account, of India’s growth as a nation, and the major
role played by Indian civil servants in advancing it.

About Robin Gupta

Robin Gupta is an author and retired civil servant. He was born in 1948 in Delhi. Gupta brie y
served with the Indian Police Service before becoming an Indian Administrative Service o cer
in 1974. As an IAS o cer, he received challenging assignments which required him to travel
across the country. Gupta was also posted as a commissioner on seven di erent occasions,
which is a record in Indian civil service history. Gupta’s nal posting was in the Government of
Punjab, where he was a nancial commissioner.

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Abhijeet G > Guest • 2 years ago


Bullet for bullet by Julio ribero
△ ▽ Reply Share ›
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Tamajit Chattaraj • 2 months ago


First of all thanx for the post.My question is---How will reading these books these books help in
my Mains &PT?
What should be the perfect approach reading these books?
Awaiting for early response.Thanks in advance.
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arjun • 6 years ago


thanks a lot ...
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Gintama Sakata • 2 years ago


To the last bullet- Story of Ashok Kamte, for IPS aspirants
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Naveen • 2 years ago


Insights any books for IPS?
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Shashank Shekhar • 3 years ago


English, August and Mammaries of Welfare state by Upamanyu Chatterjee
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prabhat kmr • 3 years ago


sir plz also suggest any book in Hindi medium
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Tanvi • 5 years ago


Thanks for this!
How many of these books are fiction,and more importantly, satirical in content?
Which ones are like 'English, August'?
Satire basically?
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veen • 5 years ago


just completed reading Robin gupta's
AND WHAT REMAINS IN THE END

Excellent account of a civil service officer's functions, a collection of good case studies helpful for
mains paper 4 and dispensing duties boldly after getting selected.

hats off to a civil servant who belongs to dwindling group of retired officers receiving a clean chit
for his service...
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prabhat kmr > veen • 3 years ago


plz suggst any hindi book
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mahendra • 5 years ago


very important if one is aspiring to become IAS he must know what is inside and an insider view!
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prabhat kmr > mahendra • 3 years ago


plz sggest any hindi book
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narera > mahendra • 5 years ago


do you have e books of above said books .I would be very grateful to you. share them on
orkut community. 'ias interview preparation'
very famous one .
do if you could
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vivekadityacs • 5 years ago


Reblogged this on vivekadityacs&#039s Blog.
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Sumeet Mahendra (@sumt7) • 5 years ago


Thanks, but you should also add a few books for future diplomats like "Making of a Diplomat" and
Walking with Lions" etc., I've read both and will provide the review soon on my blog.
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Lloyd • 5 years ago


seems to be a good collection...thax for sharing it...!!
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anud • 5 years ago


I think you should post some books for aspiring DIPLOMATS & IPS Officers too :)...that would
help others to explore other important services too :)
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Ajinkya Fadnavis > anud • 5 years ago


Anud u will find books written by ifs officers in wikipedia foreign service
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guyfromtheeast • 6 years ago


What about English, August?
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Mohit • 6 years ago


Thanks a lot Vinay for suggesting these books. I have always wondered if there are any books
written by IAS officers about their career experiences. I could never find a comprehensive list of
these recommended books neither were there enough reviews available. This page addresses
both the problems. Thanks again!
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rashithakur • 6 years ago


thanx for the above article.this was really helpful.i have read few of the above mentioned books
and i have found them really motivating.must read for every aspirant .i really appreciate your
article.once again thnx for that. however i have a doubt.can someone guide me how to prepare
for IAS hindi as i am from science stream ,so don't have much knowlegde about hindi literature
and grammer.i found this link during my online search. @ http://www.wiziqnq.com/cour... .are
these courses useful???should i enroll myself in any online course or should i stick with offline
coaching. kindly guide me about them..
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INSIGHTS > rashithakur • 6 years ago


Rashith,

Thanks for appreciating this blog. I wish I could help you, but I am not from Hindi region so
can't help you much.

Trust those sites only if you can learn about them by friends or people who have taken
those courses already. It is better to do self study. all the best.
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rashithakur > INSIGHTS • 6 years ago


thnx for your advice.. and your post helped me a lot :) .one more thing,can you
recommend me few books for IAS which can further assist me in my
preparation.any advice will be highly obliged and appreciated. :)
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Tempting Deals • 3 years ago


Guys check the Recommended Books UPSC Civil Services Preparation by IASGurukul:
https://goo.gl/ziNmuL
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Anurag Rathore • 5 years ago


This list does include some really good books. I recently read "And What Remains in the End: The
Memoirs of an Unrepentant Civil Servant ". I agree with Anud above. It would be great if you could
compile a reading list for IPS Aspirants like me?
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ishant > Anurag Rathore • 4 years ago


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read corruption in bureaucracy by ips officer...................there r lots of books which are

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