Mechanical Engineering UPSC Strategy

Paper I Strategy
Mechanics
• For Mechanics of Rigid Bodies, you can refer to
NPTEL website for lectures. You should also practice
previous years question papers for this topic
particularly.
• For Mechanics of Deformable Bodies, you should
refer to Strength of Materials by Sadhu Singh.
Engineering Materials
• You can read this section from Callister’s
Materials Science and Engineering.
• NPTEL website also offers some good material
for this subsection.
Theory of Machines
• This is a vast and important topic and can be
read from Theory of Machines by SS Rattan.
• Alternatively, you can use Theory of Machines by
RS Khurmi.
• The examples from both the above sources are
really good.
Manufacturing Science
• This topic demands a variety of sources.
• The sources are: A Text Book on Production
Engineering by Swadesh Kumar Singh; Manufacturing
Technology by PN Rao; Manufacturing Science by
Amitabha Ghosh.
• The NPTEL website lectures are also good for
topics under this section.
• For Jigs and Fixtures, you can use A Textbook of
Production Engineering by PC Sharma (S Chand
publications).
• For numericals, the book by Swadesh Kumar
Singh is very good.
 • For manufacturing management, you should use
Operations Research by Hira and Gupta.
Paper II Strategy
Thermodynamics, Gas Dynamics and Turbine
• For thermodynamics, you should use Engineering
Thermodynamics by PK Nag. This is a very important
section of the syllabus because many questions are
asked from here. So, you must be thorough with at
least PK Nag, both the theory and the solved
examples.
• For fluids, you can refer to Fundamentals of
Compressible Flow by SM Yahya. This book need not
be covered in its entirely but only the parts that come
in the IAS syllabus.
• For the part on regeneration, you should refer to
Thermal Engineering by RK Rajput which covers this
portion better than the book by Nag.
Heat Transfer
• This section can be read from Heat and Mass
Transfer by DS Kumar.
• There are many formulas in this section, so cover
them thoroughly.
• RK Rajput’s book also has good numericals for
you to practice.
I.C. Engines
• The best book for this section is Internal
Combustion Engines by V Ganesan.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
• The portion can be read from Refrigeration and
Air Conditioning by CP Arora.
• You can also refer to Textbook of Refrigeration
and Air-conditioning by RS Khurmi.
• Psychometry can be read from PK Nag.
• NPTEL videos are also good for this section.
Steam Engineering
 • For this section, you can use Power Plant
Engineering by PK Nag.
General tips for Mechanical Engineering optional:
• Understand what kind of questions are asked by
the UPSC. For this, you should go through the
previous years’ UPSC question papers of mechanical
engineering diligently.
• Cover the theory portions thoroughly.
• In the next step, practice all the solved examples
of numericals from the standard textbooks.
• The next step should be to practice numericals
from the previous year question papers.
• You should also solve papers in an exam-setting.
For this, a test series will also help. Solving papers in
an exam-setting will enable you to understand the
particular demands of the IAS exam such as writing
comprehensive answers in a limited time frame, the
knack of choosing questions to answer when there is
a choice, etc.
• You should make notes for most topics in this
subject because there are multiple sources for
studying and this helps for revision also. Ideally, you
should also have a separate set of notes for all the
formulas which can help you in a quick last-minute
revision on the eve of the examination.
• The final and most important aspect of your
preparation is revision. Since the syllabus for
mechanical engineering is really vast and there is
innumerable number of formulas to remember, it is
extremely important that you revise the whole
syllabus at least twice before the mains exam.
• Draw diagrams and graphs wherever required.
They increase your score and in many answers, they
are absolutely necessary.
Mechanical Engineering Optional
Books
• Strength of Materials by Sadhu Singh
• Callister’s Materials Science and Engineering
• Theory of Machines by SS Rattan
• Theory of Machines by RS Khurmi
• A Text Book on Production Engineering by
Swadesh Kumar Singh
• Manufacturing Technology by PN Rao
• Manufacturing Science by Amitabha Ghosh
• A Textbook of Production Engineering by PC
Sharma
• Operations Research by Hira and Gupta
• Engineering Thermodynamics by PK Nag
• Fundamentals of Compressible Flow by SM Yahya
• Thermal Engineering by RK Rajput
• Heat and Mass Transfer by DS Kumar
• Internal Combustion Engines by V Ganesan
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning by CP Arora
• Refrigeration and Air-conditioning by RS Khurmi
• Power Plant Engineering by PK Nag

OPTIONAL BOOKs 2
Thermodynamics – R Yadav
Theory of Mechanics – S S Rattan
Heat Conversion – Arora and Kundwar
Heat Transfer – Gupta Prakash
Heat and Mass Transfer – R. Yadav
Theory of Mechanism and Mechanics – Jagdish Lal
Principles of Manufacturing Material & Process – Campbell
Fundamentals of Classed Thermodynamics – Van Wylen
Environmental Pollution Central Engineering-CS Rao
Mechanics of Solids – Popru
Energy Conversion – Sukhalmoy
Surveying and Levelling – T P Kanetkar
Manufacturing Science – Ghosh and Malik
Manufacturing Science – R K Jain
Manufacturing Technology – P N Rao
Production Management – R K Jain