Selecting the right resources is the first step toward cracking the UPSC Indian Statistical Service (ISS) exam. Given the vast syllabus, aspirants often struggle to distinguish between “good to read” and “must-read” books.
In this guide, I have compiled a subject-wise list of standard books and study materials recommended by toppers and experts for all six papers.
- ⚠️ Exam Essential: Before diving into the books, it is vital to understand the question patterns. You can download the UPSC ISS PYQ (Previous Year Question Papers PDF Download 2014-2025) here.
- Scientific calculators are allowed in the exam hall for Statistics papers. If you haven’t bought one yet, we highly recommend the Casio FX-991ES Plus-2nd Edition – View on Amazon. It is the standard for ISS aspirants.
Subject-Wise UPSC ISS Recommended Books
- Plinth to Paramount (Vol 1) by Neetu Singh
- 120 Rules of Grammar by Nimisha Bansal – View on Amazon
- Descriptive English by Arihant
- High School English Grammar by Wren & Martin
- SP Bakshi (Objective General English)
- Spectrum (Modern History) by Rajiv Ahir
- NCERTs (Class 11 & 12)
- Lucent’s GK (For Ancient/Medieval summary)
- Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth – View on Amazon
- NCERTs (Class 11 & 12)
- YouTube Channels: Sudarshan Gurjar or Target UPSC
- Vision IAS / Drishti IAS Monthly Magazines
- Mrunal Patel (YouTube) for Economic concepts (GDP, Budget)
- The Hindu / Indian Express (Editorials)
Pro Tip: For General Studies, focus more on current events related to the Indian Economy and Social Issues.
- Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics (FMS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor – View on Amazon
- Fundamentals of Statistics by Goon, Gupta, Dasgupta – View on Amazon
- Objective Statistics by S.C. Gupta – View on Amazon
- Finite Differences and Numerical Analysis by H.C. Saxena
- Numerical Methods by Jain & Iyengar (Alternative)
- Fundamentals of Computers by E. Balagurusamy – View on Amazon
- Computer Fundamentals by Reema Thareja
- NCERT Class 11/12 (Computer Science)
- Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics (FMS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor View on Amazon
- An Introduction to Probability and Statistics by V.K. Rohatgi & Saleh
- Casella & Berger (For advanced concepts)
- Linear Models in Statistics by Alvin C. Rencher
- Linear Regression Analysis by Montgomery
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) (For ANOVA)
- MoSPI Website (mospi.gov.in)
- “Indian Statistical System” PDF (UNDP/UNSD)
- Government Press Releases (GDP, CPI, WPI)
- Senior Notes (e.g., Asthitv Ranjan Srivastava’s notes)
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor
- Sampling Techniques by W.G. Cochran
- Theory & Analysis of Sample Survey Designs by Daroga Singh & F.S. Chaudhary
- Prof. Shalab sir Notes (IIT Kanpur – Online)
- Basic Econometrics by Damodar Gujarati
- Econometrics by Koutsoyiannis
- Prof. Shalab sir Notes (IIT Kanpur – Online)
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor
- Introduction to Time Series by Chatfield or Brockwell (For advanced topics)
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor
- Demography by M.L. Jhingan
- Pathak & Ram (Techniques of Demographic Analysis)
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor
- Introduction to Statistical Quality Control by Montgomery
- Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis by Johnson & Wichern – View on Amazon
- An Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Analysis by Anderson –
- NPTEL Lectures by Prof. Amit Mitra (IIT Kanpur)
- Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor
- Design and Analysis of Experiments by Das & Giri
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Final Checklist for Aspirants
- Syllabus First: Always keep a printout of the official UPSC syllabus on your desk.
- Limited Resources: Do not buy 10 books for one subject. Stick to one standard book and revise it multiple times.
- PYQs are Gold: Solve at least the last 10 years of UPSC ISS papers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which books are absolutely mandatory for every ISS aspirant?
While many books are available, Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics (FMS) and Fundamentals of Applied Statistics (FAS) by S.C. Gupta & V.K. Kapoor are the “must-buy” bibles for this exam. They cover the core foundation of Paper I, II, and III.
How should I prepare for the subjective papers (Paper III & IV)?
For subjective papers, conceptual clarity is more important than memorizing formulas. Use FMS and FAS for basic theory, and then solve assignments from the All India UPSC ISS Test Series to practice answer writing.
Do I need to buy all the recommended books?
No. Stick to one standard book per subject and revise it multiple times. Supplement your reading with previous year papers (PYQs) to understand which topics are repeated most frequently.