CBSE

Best Books for CBSE Class 10 and 12

Niranjan SharmaNiranjan Sharma14 Feb 2026
Best Books for CBSE Class 10 and 12

When students enter board year, a unique psychological “switch” flips and they have a different enthusiasm. From the very beginning, each student makes a decision that, as the teacher teaches the topic, they will also learn along with him. This is because they often view their studies from the perspective of a larger, long-term goal for the first time. This is not just about board students who feel this way, a "board year" creates a unique emotional dynamic that resonates with everyone around them. Their teachers, friends, and family all carry their own mix of anxiety and excitement. 

They share strategy, planning, and reference books for board exam preparation based on their experience or hearsay. Hearing different opinions confuses students as to which thing is the best to score well in the board exam. So here we have provided a list of the best reference books for CBSE Class 10 & 12 so that they can easily find out which reference book they should read without any confusion.

It's important to realise that more books do not mean better learning. Better clarity comes from the right books. And, reference books are only useful if used properly. With thorough explanations, excellent practice questions, and targeted exam practice, the best reference books help you advance your preparation. It makes tough topics easier and increases your confidence before exams. And helps you to score 100% in CBSE class 10th and 12th.

 

Things to Know Before Choosing a Reference Book

Before buying or using any reference book, take a moment and think about what your needs are that the reference book will fulfill. Many students buy reference books simply because they see their friends or classmates doing so, or because a senior suggests them, or because they see YouTube or social media videos about these books. But then, these books keep gathering dust on the shelf.. Before purchasing any reference book, it is best to give it careful thought. Your problems should be resolved by a reference book, not create new ones. 

The first and most important rule: NCERT first, reference books second

NCERT books are considered the best for 10th and 12th-grade students. Because of their simple and easy to understand content with relevant questions, examples, diagrams, and flowcharts, making them a popular choice among students. Once you complete the NCERT books, you will get an idea about your weak areas, focus on that, and then buy reference books. Here are a few of the most important things to check before buying: 

  • Check the latest syllabus year

  • Language should be simple and easy to understand

  • Clear connection with NCERT concepts

  • A good number of solved examples

  • Enough practice questions for each chapter

  • Diagrams, pictures, and mind maps included

  • Chapter-wise structure

  • Board-style questions included

  • Sample answers written in a clear format

  • Not too lengthy or bulky

  • The latest exam pattern covered

  • Suitable for self-study

  • Easy to revise before exams

List of Best Reference Books for CBSE Class 10 Subject-wise

Check out the best reference books for the CBSE class 10th Subject-wise:

Subject

Book Name & Author

Mathematics

  • R.D. Sharma

  • R.S. Aggarwal

  • Oswaal Question Bank 

  • Arihant All-in-One Mathematics

Science

  • Lakhmir Singh & Manjit Kaur

  • Dinesh Science Book

  • Oswaal Science Question Bank

  • Arihant All-in-One Science

  • Educart Science Question Bank 2026

English

  • BBC Compacta

  • Wren & Martin

  • Oswaal School Books’ 

  • Arihant Experts’ All In One Class 10  

  • VK Global’s Xam Idea

Social Science

  • Together with SST

  • Xam Idea

  • N.k Chowdhry’s S Chand

  • CCE Question Bank by Laxmi Publication

  • Arihant’s All-in-One Social Science Class 10 CBSE 

  • S.A. Siddiqui, Sudha Rastogi, J.P. Singhal, and Dr. Gulshan Rai

Hindi

  • All in One (Arihant)

  • Golden Guide

  • Navyug Hindi Vyakaran

  • Me ‘n’ Mine

  • U-Like

  • Oswaal Hindi Books 


 

List of Best Reference Books for CBSE Class 12 Subject-wise

Check out the best reference books for the CBSE class 12th Subject-wise:

Subject

Reference Book

Author / Publisher

Mathematics

Mathematics for Class 12

R.D. Sharma

 

CBSE Examination Mathematics – 15 Sample Question Papers

Prem Kumar

 

Solutions of Objective Mathematics with Chapter Tests

Dhanpat Rai

Physics

Concepts of Physics (Vol. 1 & 2)

H.C. Verma

 

Fundamentals of Physics

David Halliday, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker

 

CBSE Chapterwise Solved Papers

S.K. Singh

Chemistry

Pradeep’s New Course Chemistry (Vol I & II)

S.C. Kheterpal, S.N. Dhawan, P.N. Kapil

 

Concise Inorganic Chemistry

J.D. Lee

 

Modern Approach to Chemical Calculations

R.C. Mukerjee

Biology

S. Chand’s Biology for Class XII

P.S. Verma, B.P. Pandey

 

CBSE Biology Chapterwise Solved Papers

Arihant Experts

Accountancy

Accountancy for Class 12

T.S. Grewal

 

Analysis of Financial Statements Class XII

Shelly Goel, Rajesh Goel, D.K. Goel

 

Accountancy for Class 12

Sandeep Garg

Business Studies

Business Studies for Class 12

Subhash Dey

 

ABD’s Bull’s Eye Business Studies Case Studies

Neeru Sethi

Economics

Introductory Macroeconomics for Class 12

Sandeep Garg

 

Introductory Micro Economics Class 12

T.R. Jain, V.K. Ohri

Computer Science

CBSE All In One Computer Science with Python

Neetu Gaikwad

 

Computer Science with Python

Sumita Arora

English (Core)

Flamingo & Vistas (NCERT)

NCERT

 

English Grammar & Composition

Wren & Martin

Psychology

Psychology Explained – Class 12

Rajeev Soni

 

Introduction to Psychology (7th Edition)

Clifford T. Morgan

Political Science

Political Science for Class 12

V.K. Puri

 

Full Marks Political Science

Full Marks

Geography

Geography for Class 12

Satish Brothers

 

CBSE Chapterwise Solved Papers – Geography

Arihant Experts

History

Xam Idea History Class 12

Xam Idea Editorial Board

 

CBSE All In One History Class 12

Amibh Ranjan, Madumitta Pattrea

Sociology

CBSE All In One Sociology Class 12

Reena Kar, Rajpriya Verma

 

CBSE Question Bank Sociology

Oswaal Editorial Board


 

Pros and Cons of Buying Reference Books

Pros

Cons

Makes hard topics feel very easy.

Can be very wordy and time-consuming.

Covers extra questions for high scores.

Can make you ignore the NCERT "basics."

Best for last-minute summaries.

Usually very heavy and hard to carry.

Wrap-up

Reference books are just for practice, more and more questions, they do not do any magic. I remember when I was in 10th grade, I bought a math reference book because my topper friend was using it. I couldn't even solve three questions. I became stressed because I studied a lot but I am unable to solve these questions. After that, I discussed it with my maths teacher, who explained to me and suggested focusing on NCERT initially. So, don't buy a book just because someone else has it. Finish your NCERT first. Buy a reference book only when you feel you need more practice. Too many books create a lot of confusion.

Yes, of course, the best reference books can make a big and positive difference in your CBSE board exam preparation. RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal, HC Verma, and Lakhmir Singh are trusted names of reference books because of their concepts clearance explanation. You should make notes on a regular basis on the topics that you covered, as well as write formulas and equations. Highlight important concepts that are asked in past years and revise them daily. You should study regularly. Manage your time well. The CBSE board exam is very important, so you should solve a lot of question papers and mock tests for the board exam. This will help you do well on the CBSE board exam, or this is the only way to perform well in exams, no matter how easy or difficult the paper level is. Success in the CBSE board exams depends only on this, not on how many hours you sit at your desk or how heavy your reference books are. And also how well you manage to overcome exam stress from your mind and body in these last weeks. 


 

Before choosing the best reference book, check these things that are:

  • Follows the latest CBSE syllabus

  • Uses simple language

  • Easy to revise and suitable for self-study

  • Is clearly linked to NCERT concepts

  • Has solved examples and board-style questions

Niranjan Sharma

Written by

Niranjan Sharma

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions & more.

No. NCERT is sufficient. Reference books only help with practice.

Never skip NCERT. Board paper setters use NCERT as their primary source for keywords and diagrams. Use the “all-in-one” guide only to better understand a topic or to solve more problems.

The right time to start using a reference is once you finished your NCERT syllabus and know about your weak areas, and purchase a reference book accordingly and use it for practice, more questions from those topics or chapters.

Before choosing the best reference book, check these things that are: - Follows the latest CBSE syllabus - Uses simple language - Is clearly linked to NCERT concepts - Has solved examples and board-style questions - Is easy to revise and suitable for self-study

Whatsapp-color Created with Sketch.