Table of Contents
Getting ready for the Kerala State Eligibility Test (SET) is an important step in your teaching career. One of the keys to doing well is choosing the right study materials. With so many books out there, it can be hard to know which ones to pick. In this blog, we will share a list of recommended books for each subject in the Kerala SET 2026. These books will help you understand the topics better and prepare for both Paper I and Paper II. Let’s get started!
SET ONLINE COACHING – FREE DEMO
Kerala SET 2026 – How Many Books Do You Actually Need?
The subject-wise lists below can look overwhelming — most subjects show 6–10 book options. You don’t need all of them. A practical way to narrow it down:
- Pick one core textbook per major unit, not one per topic — most of the books listed for a subject cover overlapping ground, so 2–3 well-chosen books beat all of them combined.
- Use NCERT/university-level texts for foundational concepts and reserve the more specialized or advanced titles for units where you already have some background and want to go deeper.
- Treat the syllabus, not the book list, as your checklist. Cross-check any book against the official Paper II syllabus for your subject before buying — a highly-rated book that covers units outside your syllabus wastes both money and time.
- For Paper I, prioritize current, not classic, editions — General Knowledge and Current Affairs books date quickly, so an older edition of Lucent’s or Arihant’s GK books will actively work against you; get the latest print run.
Kerala PSC SET Exam 2026 Highlights
1: The first recipient of the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna’ award?
| Kerala SET Recruitment 2025 Overview | |
| Exam Conducting Body | LBS Centre for Science & Technology & Government of Kerala. |
| Kerala SET Full Form | Kerala State Eligibility Test |
| Name of the Exam | Kerala SET 2025 (January Session) |
| Exam Level | State Level |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Exam frequency | Twice a year |
| Exam Duration | Paper I: 2 hours Paper II: 2 hours |
| Exam Language | English & Malayalam |
| Official Website | www.lbscentre.kerala.gov.in |
Enroll in Kerala's Top-rated HSA Coaching Program!
സർക്കാർ ജോലി എന്ന സ്വപ്നം ഇനി സ്വപ്നം മാത്രമല്ല! Join Entri's HSA Coaching Program
Join Now!Understanding the Syllabus for Kerala SET 2026
Before you start looking at the study books, it’s really important to know the syllabus for the Kerala SET 2026. The syllabus tells you what topics will be on the exam, which helps you focus your studying. By understanding the syllabus, you can plan your study time better and make sure you cover everything you need to know. This way, you won’t miss any important subjects. To help you get started, we’ve attached the syllabus PDF for you to check out.
| SUBJCET | FREE PDF |
| GENERAL | |
| ANTHROPOLOGY | |
| BENGALI | |
| CHEMICAL SCIENCES | |
| COMMERCE | |
| COMPUTER SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS | |
| EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC, OCEAN AND PLANETARY SCIENCES | |
| ECONOMICS | |
| EDUCATION | |
| ELECTRONIC SCIENCE | |
| ENGLISH | |
| GEOGRAPHY | |
| HINDI | |
| HISTORY | |
| HOME SCIENCE | |
| LAW | |
| LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE | |
| LIFE SCIENCES | |
| MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM | |
| MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES | |
| MUSIC | |
| NEPALI | |
| PHILOSOPHY | |
| PHYSICAL EDUCATION | |
| PHYSICAL SCIENCES | |
| POLITICAL SCIENCE | |
| PSYCHOLOGY | |
| SANSKRIT | |
| SANTHALI | |
| SOCIOLOGY | |
| URDU | |
| MANAGEMENT | |
| ARABIC | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES |
Best Books for Kerala SET 2026
Give your preparation for the approaching Kerala SET 2026 Written Examination a much-needed boost with the aid of Kerala SET Books. If you have a list of the finest Kerala SET Books, you will have a greater chance of passing the Kerala SET, which is a required prerequisite for employment as a Higher Secondary School Teacher in the State under the Special Rules in effect.
Join Kerala SET Coaching 2026 – Register Here
According to the most recent announcement issued by the LBS Centre for Science and Technology, the Kerala SET written examination would consist of two exams. Both papers will be worth 120 points. Paper 1 will feature General Knowledge and Teaching Aptitude questions, while Paper 2 will focus on the specific subject.
Paper 1 of the Kerala SET Syllabus will cover themes such as General Studies, Language and Reasoning, Current Affairs, Foundation of Education and Communication. All of the Kerala SET Books required for all of these subjects are included in the table below.
| Subjects of paper 1 | Books | Authors or Publishers |
| Language and Reasoning | High School English Grammar and Composition | Wren & Martin |
| Objective General English | S P Bakshi | |
| Quantitative Aptitude | R S Aggarwal | |
| A Modern Approach for Logical Reasoning | R S Aggarwal | |
| Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation for the CAT | N. K. Sinha | |
| General Studies | General Knowledge | Lucent |
| General Knowledge | Arihant | |
| Current Affairs | Daily Newspapers | The Hindu, The Indian Express etc. |
| Current Affairs Monthly Compilation | Vision IAS | |
| Year Book | Manorama | |
| Foundation of Education and Communication | Foundations of Education | A. Chaube and S. P. Chaube |
| Foundations of Education | Jason C. Robinson |
Topic-Based Books for Kerala SET 2026
In Kerala SET Paper 2, applicants will have to choose a topic from a list of 31 courses listed in the official notice. In the table below, we have included key Kerala SET Books for the majority of the subjects:
| Subjects | Author or publisher | Book |
| Anthropology | P. Nath | Physical anthropology |
| D.N.Majumdar & T. N. Madan | An Introduction to Social Anthropology | |
| Ember and Ember | Anthropology | |
| Makhan Jha | An Introduction to Anthropological thought (Theories) | |
| R. N. Sharma | Indian Anthropology | |
| Nadeem Hasnain | Indian Anthropology | |
| Nadeem Hasnain | Tribal India | |
| Virginius Xaxa | State, society, and tribes | |
| Virginius Xaxa | Xaxa committee report | |
| Arabic | – | The Kalimni Arabi Series |
| – | Arabi Liblib | |
| Haywood Nahmad | A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language | |
| Botany | De Robertis & Ambrose and Easy or Powar | Cell Biology |
| Strickberger or Vir Bala Rastogi | Genetics | |
| Salisbury and Ross or Fritz and Noggle | Physiology and Biochemistry | |
| Vir Bala Rastogi and M.S. Jayaraj and P.D. Singh | Ecology | |
| Chemistry | Peter Sykes | A guide to mechanism in organic chemistry |
| S. S. Dara | A textbook of environmental chemistry and pollution | |
| Gurdeep Raj | Advance physical chemistry | |
| J.D. Lee | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | |
| Commerce | Naseem Ahmed | Corporate Accounting |
| Aruna Jha | Auditing Students’ Guide to Auditing | |
| D. S. Rawat | Accounting Standards | |
| V.K. Singhania or Girish Ahuja | Income Tax | |
| Maheshwari & Mittal | Cost Accounting; Theory & Problems | |
| M. Y. Khan | Indian Financial System | |
| C.B. Gupta | Human Resource Management | |
| T.N. Chabra and R.K. Suri | Industrial Relations | |
| Economics | Ramesh Singh | Indian Economy |
| S.B. Gupta | Banking | |
| Graham Bannock, T.E. Baxter, Ray Rees | Dictionary of Economics | |
| Mayer and Baldwin | Economic Growth and Development | |
| M L Jhingan | Growth and Development | |
| Bo Soderston | International Economics | |
| Kenneth Kurihara | Monetary Theory and Public Policy | |
| A. C. I. Day | Outline of Monetary Economics | |
| H. L. Bhatia | Public Finance | |
| English | W. H Hudson | Introduction to English Literature by |
| – | The Routledge History of Literature in English
|
|
| William Shakespeare | The Tempest | |
| John Donne | Canonization | |
| William Wordsworth | Upon Westminster Bridge | |
| Jonathan Swift | Gulliver’s Travels | |
| Jane Austen | Pride and Prejudice | |
| Henry Fielding | Tom Jones | |
| Charles Dickens | Hard Times | |
| George Eliot | The Mill on the Floss | |
| D. H. Lawrence | Sons and Lovers | |
| E. M. Forster | A Passage to India | |
| Virginia Woolf | Mrs. Dalloway | |
| Raja Rao | Kanthapura | |
| French | Le Cid | Corneille |
| Le Mariage de Figaro | Beaumarchais | |
| La Conscience. Elle Avait Pris Ce Pli | Victor Hugo | |
| Nuit Rhénane, Le Pont Mirabeau | Apollinaire | |
| L’Etreinte du Monde | Les Rêves viennent Mourir Sur la page | |
| Gandhian Studies | Swanand S. Pathak | Gandhian Thoughts |
| Geography | D. R. Khullar | Indian geography |
| Majid Hussain | Human Geography | |
| Majid Hussain | Models and Theories | |
| Dixit | Geographical Thoughts | |
| Oxford | Atlas | |
| NCERT | Class 10th, 11th & 12th Geography | |
| Geology | S. M. Mathur | Concise Glossary of Geology |
| G. W. Turrel | Principles of Petrology | |
| A. K. Biyani | The dimension of Himalayan Geology | |
| T. K. Malik | Marine Geology | |
| Hindi | Namavar Sinhaas | Aadhunik Sahitya Ki Pravritiyan |
| Nilesh Jain | Khadi Boli Ka Prarambhik Swaroop | |
| Dr Ramprakash | Hindi Bhasha Ki Parampara Aur Vikas | |
| Dr Hardev Bihari | Hindi Bhasha | |
| Dr Vishwanath Tripathi | Hindi Sahitya Ka Sankshipt Itihas | |
| Munshi Premchand | Godan | |
| Phanishwar Nath Renu | Maila Anchal | |
| Bhartendu Harishchandra | Bharat Durdasha | |
| Jai Shankar Prasad | Skandagupta | |
| Dr Namvar Singh | Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman | |
| Vishwanath Tripathi | Lokwadi Tulsi | |
| History | Upinder Singh | A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th Century |
| Satish Chandra | Medieval India | |
| Sekhar Bandyopadhyay | From Plassey to Partition and After A History of Modern India | |
| Bipan Chandra | India’s Struggle for Independence | |
| Bipan Chandra | India since Independence | |
| Norman Lowe; Palgrave Master Series | Mastering Modern World History | |
| Home Science | Surjeet Publications | Home Science |
| Journalism | William E. Blundell | The Art and Craft of Feature Writing |
| William Zinsser | On Writing Well | |
| A. J. Liebling | The Press | |
| Kannada | M.H. Krishnaiah | Linguistic History of Kannada Language |
| R. Y. Dharwadkar | Kannada Bhasha Shastra | |
| R. S. Mugali | Kannada Sahitya Charitre | |
| Arupama Niranjana | Madhavi | |
| Devanuru Mahadeva | Odalaala | |
| A. N. Moorty Rao | Devaru | |
| Dr. H. M. Nayak | Janapada Swaroopa | |
| J. S. Paramashivaiah | Kannada Janapada Kathegalu | |
| G. H. Nayak | Kannada Sanna Kathegalu | |
| K. Marulasiddappa K.R. Nagaraj | Vachana Kammata | |
| Vijaya of Pampa | Vikramarjuna | |
| Malayalam | T. Chandy | 100 Chintha Vishayangal |
| Kanippayyur Makan Krishnan Namboodiripad and Kanippayyur | Adhunika Designil 30 Vasthubavanagal | |
| Jayakar Thalayolaparambu | Charithram Ethra Eluppam | |
| Jobin S Kottaram/Sebin S Kottaram and Asin | Jeevithathile Tholvikal Engine Vijayangalakkam | |
| Mathematics | Hoffman and Kunze | Linear Algebra |
| S. C. Malik and Savita Arora | Mathematical Analysis | |
| Shanti Narayan and P K Mittal | Analytical Solid Geometry | |
| M. D. Raisinghania | Ordinary and partial differential equations | |
| Krishna Series | Dynamics and Statics | |
| Joseph Gallian | Contemporary Algebra | |
| Spiegel, Lipschitz, Schiller, Spellman | Schaum Series | |
| Philosophy | Frank Thilly | History of Philosophy |
| C. D. Sharma | Survey of Indian Philosophy | |
| David Cooper | Existentialism: A Reconstruction | |
| C. Sharma | A Critical Survey of Indian Philosophy | |
| Dr. B. K. Lal | Contemporary Western Philosophy | |
| O. P. Gauba | Introduction to political theory | |
| Y. Masih | Introduction to Religious Philosophy | |
| Physics | Gupta, Kumar & Sharma, Takewale, Puranik &H.Goldstein | Classical Mechanism |
| Kleppner & Kolenkov | Mechanics | |
| A. Ghatak | Quantum Mechanics | |
| Brijlal & Subramanyam, B.S. Agarwal | Waves and Oscillations | |
| R.Resnic, Gupta & Goyal | Special Relativity | |
| Ajay Ghatak & B.S. Agarwal | Optics | |
| B.N. Basudeva | Fundamental of Magnetism electricity | |
| David Griffiths | Introduction of Electrodynamics | |
| Singal, Agarwal & Prakash, B.S. Agarwal, Shah & Srivastava | Thermal Physics | |
| B.B. Laud | Statistical Physics | |
| Rajkumar | Atomic & Molecular Spectra | |
| S.B. Patel | Nuclear Physics | |
| Allon Mottershed | Electronics | |
| Political Science | D. D. Basu | An Introduction to Constitution |
| O.P. Gauba | An Introduction to Political Theory | |
| V. R. Mehta | Foundations of Indian Political Thought | |
| B. L. Grover & Alka Mehta | A New Look at Modern Indian History | |
| Bipan Chandra | India’s Struggle for Independence | |
| B. L. Fadia | Indian Government and Politics | |
| V. P. Dutt | India’s Foreign Policy | |
| Spectrum Books Publication | International Organisations | |
| V. N. Khanna | International Relations | |
| Rajiv Sikri | Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India’s Foreign Policy | |
| Andrew Heywood | Global Politics | |
| Psychology | NCERT | Psychology Class XI & XII |
| Morgan & King | Introduction to Psychology | |
| Krawiec & Chaplin | Systems & Theories of Psychology | |
| Morgan and King | Psychology | |
| Ciccarelli | Psychology | |
| Baron & Byrne | Social Psychology | |
| Hall & Lindzey | Theories of Personality | |
| Robert Baron, Branscombe, Gopa Bhardwaj, Byrne | Social Psychology | |
| Shaw | The Psychology of Small Groups | |
| Sociology | Michael Haralambos & Martin Holborn | Sociology Themes and Perspectives |
| Ram Ahuja | Society in India: Concepts, Theories and Recent Trends | |
| Ram Ahuja | Social Problems in India | |
| Anthony Giddens | Sociology | |
| George Ritzer | Sociological Theory | |
| Yogendra Singh | Modernization of Indian Tradition | |
| Francis Abraham, John Henry Morgan | Sociological Thought | |
| M. N. Srinivas | Social Change In Modern India | |
| M. N. Srinivas | Caste Its Twentieth Century Avatar | |
| M. V. Rao | Persistence and Change in Tribal India | |
| A. R. Desai | Social Background of Indian Nationalism | |
| Statistics | V. K. Rohtagi | An Introduction to Probability Theory & Mathematical Statistics |
| S. C. Gupta & V. K. Kapoor | Fundamentals of Applied Statistics | |
| A. M. Goon, M. K. Gupta and B. Dass Gupta | Fundamentals of Statistics: 2 Vol | |
| Paul Meyer | Introductory Probability and Statistical Applications | |
| A. C. Gupta and V. K. Kapoor | Fundamentals of Mathematical Statistics | |
| P. V. Sukhatme & B. V. Sukhatme | Sampling Theory of Surveys with Applications | |
| William G. Cochran | Sampling Techniques | |
| Sanskrit | Umashankar Sharma “Rishi” | Sanskrit Sahitya ka Itihaas |
| Bhola Shankar Vyas | Sanskrit Kavi Darshan | |
| Kapildev Dwivedi | Rachna Nuvid Kaumudi | |
| Dr. Rajendra Kumar | Shukanasopadesh – Varnanam | |
| Kapildev Dwivedi | Bhasha Vigyan evam Bhasha Shastra | |
| Chakradhar Nautiyal “Hansa” Shastri | Brihad Anuvad Chandrika | |
| M. R. Kale | M. R. Kale’s books on each of the Mahakavya | |
| Tamil | Mu. Varadarasanar | Mozhi varalaru |
| Mu. Varadarasanar | Tamil ilakkiya varalaru | |
| Ka. Na. Kailasapathy | Oppilakkiya kotpadu | |
| Su. Sakthivel | Naatupura iyal aaivu | |
| V. C. Kulandaiswamy | Ulaga sevviyal mozhigalin varisaiyil tamil | |
| V. C. Kulandaisamy | Valluvar padikkum vaiyathu sorkkam | |
| Devira | Tamil mozhiyum varalarum | |
| Mu. Varadarasanar | Mozhi nool | |
| Su. Sakthivel | Ithazhiyal | |
| Dr Natesan | Tholkappiar Kanda Samuthayam | |
| V. Suba Manickam | Tamil Kadhal | |
| A. S. Gnanasambandan | Thambiyar Iruvar | |
| Arasan Santhuvanar | Silambu silambu | |
| Sami Chidambaranar | Silapathikaram Tamizhagam | |
| Zoology | Ramesh Gupta | Modern Zoology |
| Veer Bala Rastogi | Organic Evolution (Evolutionary Biology) | |
| Ganong | Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology | |
| C. B. Powar | Cell Biology | |
| P. K. Gupta | Genetics | |
| R. L. Kotpal | Modern Textbook of Zoology– Invertebrates | |
| David Nelson, Michael Cox | Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry | |
| A. K. Berry | An Introduction to Embryology | |
| P. D. Sharma | Ecology and Environment | |
| V. B. Upadhyay & G. S. Shukla | Applied and Economic Zoology | |
| Biotechnology | Bernard R. Glick and Jack J. Pasternak | Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications of Recombinant DNA |
| Sally Smith Hughes | Genentech | |
| U. Satyanarayana | Biotechnology |
Enroll in Kerala's Top-rated HSA Coaching Program!
സർക്കാർ ജോലി എന്ന സ്വപ്നം ഇനി സ്വപ്നം മാത്രമല്ല! Join Entri's HSA Coaching Program
Join Now!Books vs Other Study Material — When Each One Actually Helps
Books are one part of your preparation, not the whole of it. Here’s where they fit against your other resources:
- Use books for depth on genuinely difficult units — where subject-wise study notes feel too condensed to actually build understanding.
- Don’t use books as your first pass through the syllabus — start with the syllabus structure itself, then bring in a book for the specific units that need more than a summary.
- Previous year papers, not book contents, tell you what’s actually testable — cross-check a book’s depth against Kerala SET PYQs rather than assuming every chapter carries equal exam weight.
- A full 120-Day Study Plan tells you when to bring books in relative to notes, PYQs, and mock tests — books work best in the early-to-middle phase, not as last-minute revision material.
Enroll in Kerala's Top-rated HSA Coaching Program!
സർക്കാർ ജോലി എന്ന സ്വപ്നം ഇനി സ്വപ്നം മാത്രമല്ല! Join Entri's HSA Coaching Program
Join Now!Frequently Asked Questions
Are these books enough on their own, or do I also need coaching?
The books listed cover subject depth well, but pairing them with previous year papers and mock tests is what actually converts book knowledge into exam performance — books alone won’t show you how questions get framed.
Should I buy the latest edition of every recommended book?
For Current Affairs and General Knowledge books, yes — always get the latest edition. For core subject theory books (classical texts in your Paper II subject), older editions are usually fine since the underlying concepts don’t change.
Do I need different books for Paper 1 and Paper 2?
Yes — Paper I books (General Knowledge, Reasoning, Teaching Aptitude foundations) are the same for every candidate, while Paper II books are entirely specific to your chosen subject out of the 37 offered.
Are NCERT books enough for Paper 2 subject preparation?
NCERT texts are useful for foundational concepts in some subjects, but Kerala SET Paper II tests postgraduate-level depth — for most subjects you’ll need at least one specialized reference beyond NCERT, based on the subject-wise lists above.
How do I know which of the listed books to prioritize for my subject?
Match books to the syllabus units you’ve flagged as genuinely new to you — don’t try to read every listed book cover to cover; pick the ones covering your weaker units first.
Can I prepare using only free PDFs instead of buying books?
For Paper I and syllabus overviews, free study material covers a lot of ground — books become worth the investment specifically for Paper II units where free notes are too condensed for the depth Kerala SET actually tests.
