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IAS Sociology Books

We have compiled for you a list of IAS books for Sociology to help you in your prepration for the IAS and other services under the UPSC. so it helps to know the best reference books for the ias exam.

Referring to the right books is a very important part of the IAS exam. We have here tried to make an important and exhaustive list of books that are required for preparing for the civil services exam conducted by UPSC. Those of you who choose Sociology as your optional subject for the UPSC mains exam should carefully go through this list and make your preparation well in advance. Please try to get as many of these books as possible for your reference.



Books for Sociology Optional For UPSC Paper – 1 – English

  • Sociology Themes and Perspectives by Michael Haralambos, Martin Holborn Buy Now
  • Sociological Thought by Francis Abraham and John Henry Morgan Buy Now
  • Sociological Theory by George Ritzer Buy Now
  • Political Theory by O P Gauba Buy Now

Books for Sociology Optional For UPSC Paper – 2 – English

  • Social Change in India by M N Srinivas Buy Now
  • Modernization of Indian Tradition by Yogendra Singh Buy Now
  • Handbook of Indian Sociology by Veena Das Buy Now
  • Rural Sociology by Doshi and Jain Buy Now
  • Social Background of Indian Nationalism by A R Desai Buy Now

Books for Sociology Optional For UPSC – Hindi

  • Samajshastra: Civil Seva Mukhya Pariksha Ke Liye by S S Pandey Buy Now
  • Samajshastra: Samaj Ki Smajh by Yogesh Atal Buy Now
  • Samajik Samasyayein by Ram Ahuja Buy Now
  • Rajniti Siddhant Ki Rooprekha by O P Gauba Buy Now
  • Samajshastra – Prashanotar Roop Mein (IAS Mains Q&A Solved Papers) Buy Now

UPSC Exam Sociology Books for Paper I

  1. Herton and Hunt, Sociology, Mcgraw - Hill International, Singapore 1984
    Buy Now

  2. Abrahamson Mark, Urban Sociology, Prentice-Hall Inc, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1980 Buy Now

  3. Haris C. C., The Sociology Enterprises: A Disscussion of Fundamental Concept, St. Martin Press Inc., New York, 1980 Buy Now

  4. Wilson John, Introduction to Social Movements, Basic Books, NY , 1998. Buy Now

  5. Hamilton, Malcom, B. The Sociology of Religion, Routledge, London, 1995. Buy Now

  6. Williams, Malcom, Science and Social Science: An Introduction, Routledge, London, 2000. Buy Now

  7. D.K.S. Roy, Social Development and the Empowerment of Mariginalised Groups: Perspectives and Strategies, Sage, New Delhi – 2001 Buy Now

  8. Harris C.C., The Family, Allen and Unwin, London – 1977 Buy Now

  9. Andreas Hess, Concept of Social Stratification, European and American Models, Palgrave, Houndmills, NY , 2001 Buy Now

  10. Giddens, Anthony, Capitalisation and Modern Social Theory, University Press Cambridge, 1971 Buy Now

  11. Smelser, N.J.The Sociology of Economic Life, Prentice Hall, New Delhi - 1988. Buy Now

  12. Haralombos, M, and Heald, R.M. Sociology: Themes and Perspectives, Oxford. Delhi - 1980. Buy Now

  13. Randall Collins, Theoretical Sociology, Harcourt Brace and Company, Florida, 1996. Buy Now

  14. Bottomore. T.B. Sociology: A Guide of problem and Literature Allen and Unwin, London - 1972. Buy Now

  15. Etzioni, Amitali, Modern Organization, Prentice Hall, NY, 1995 Buy Now

  16. Cuffs, Sharrock, and Francis, Perspective in Sociology, Routledge, NY 1995 Buy Now

UPSC Exam Sociology Books for Paper II

  1. Mandelbaum, David, Society in India, University of California, Press Berkreley, 1970 Buy Now

  2. Srivnivas M N Caste in Modern India and Other Essays, Asia Publishing House, Bombay -1962 Buy Now

  3. Srinivas M N Social Change in Modern India, Berkeley,University of California Press 1966. Buy Now

  4. Srinivas and Shah, The Myth of the self sufficiency of the Indian Village, The Economic weekly, 12:1375-1378 Buy Now

  5. Beteille Andre Sociology, Oxford, New Delhi - 2002 Buy Now

  6. Beteille Andre, The idea of Natural, Inequality and other Essays, Oxford, Delhi - 1987. Buy Now

  7. Beteille Andre, Essay in Contemporary Sociology, Oxford, Delhi - 1987. Buy Now

  8. Beteille Andre, Social Inequality of Indian Penguine, London, 1978. Buy Now

  9. Singh Yogender Cultural Change in India, Rawat, Jaipur, 2002. Buy Now

  10. Singh Yogender, Modernization of Indian Tradition, Thompson Press, New Delhi - 1973. Buy Now

  11. Unnithan T K , Indra Dev and Singh, Y, (eds) Towards a Sociology of Culture in India, Prentice Hall, new Delhi - 1965. Buy Now

  12. Gupta, Dipasnkar, Interrograting Caste, Penguine, New Delhi - 2000 Buy Now

  13. Shah A M Family in Contempory India, Orient Longman, New Delhi - 2001.

  14. Chandrani and Chandrani, Essay in Rural Sociology, Rawat, Jaipur -2000.

  15. Desai, Neera, and Krishnaraj, Women and Society in India,New Delhi - 1990 Buy Now

  16. Singer Milton and Cohen B.S. Structure and chasnge in Indian Society, Weener Grin Foundation for Anthropological Research 1968 Buy Now

  17. Social Inequality In India : Profiles Of Caste, Class & Social Mobility 2nd Edition, Rawat, Jaipur 19945. Buy Now

  18. Galenter Marc, Competing, Inequalities, Oxford, NY 1998.

  19. Chandra Puran Joshi, Social Science and Development: Quest for Relevence, Har-Anand Publication, Delhi 1995. Buy Now


Sociology Books on India

  1. Ram Ahuja: Society in India Buy Now

  2. Ram Ahuja: Social problems in India Buy Now

  3. IGNOU notes (especially for thinkers and topic on Indian system)

  4. Caste its 20th Century Avatar - M.N. Srinivas Buy Now

  5. India: Development and Participation - Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze Buy Now

  6. Y. Singh - Modernisation of Indian Tradition Buy Now

  7. Y. Singh - Social tradition in India

  8. I.P. Vidhyarthi - Tribal India Buy Now

  9. Social structure - M.N. Srinivas Buy Now

  10. Yojana (Independence day special 2001 on population)

  11. Y. Singh - Social Change in India Buy Now

  12. IGNOU Material

  13. NCERT texts books on sociology


General Reference Books for Sociology

  1. Sociology - T.B. Bottomore Buy Now

  2. Sociology - Harry M. Johnson Buy now

  3. Society: An introductory analysis - Maciver and Page Buy now

  4. Handbook of Sociology - Ogburn and Ninkoff Buy now

  5. Social anthropology - Madan and Majumdar Buy now

  6. Social Thought - Abraham and Morgan Buy now

  7. Dictionary of sociology - Geoffrey Duncan and Mitchell Buy now

  8. Sociology Dictionary - William P. Scott Buy now

  9. Introductory sociology: T.B. Bottmore Buy now

  10. Basic contribution of sociological and anthropological thinkers: dictionary of sociology, Social and cultural process: Maclver and Page and Madan & Majumdar

  11. Deviance and central: Social stratification - Harlambos and T.B. Bottomore

  12. Political Sociology - Tom Bottomore Buy now

  13. Niel J. Smelser- Economy and Society Buy now

  14. Abraham and Francis - Sociological theory Buy now

  15. Sociology - Sachideva & Vidhya Bushan Buy now

  16. Sociology Themes & Perspectives - Michael Haralambos & R.M. Heald. Buy now

  17. Social Anthropology - Madan & Majumdar Buy now

  18. Political System - Smelser

  19. Cultural Anthropology -Madan and Majumdar

  20. Sociology - Horton and Hunt Buy now

  21. Harlambus - Introduction to Sociology

  22. Social Demography - Samir & Dasgupta Buy now

  23. Chapters from a good book on Demography and Urban geography