Planning to stick to Spectrum + NCERT + PYQs for modern history. A friend says that's underkill and I need a second thick book. I really don't have time for two books on the same period.

Has Spectrum + serious PYQ practice been enough for you for prelims, or did you feel a gap in a particular segment (like 1940s, or peasant movements)?

It's enough as a spine if you actually do the PYQs and go back to the exact chapter you missed. The gaps I saw were usually in a specific movement or a committee name, not because I lacked a second full book. I used a second source only for those leftover questions, not cover to cover.

I'll disagree a bit – I needed a little more on economic policies / some Governor-General details than Spectrum's short treatment, but I still would not start a second complete book from page 1. Add only where PYQs sting.

That's the same conclusion though: PYQ-driven top-ups, not a parallel book. I'm with Priya on the spine.

ok so spectrum stays, and i'll keep a small 'pyq leftover' file. good.

please don't buy bipin chandra and spectrum and ncert and a coaching module all at once. asking for a friend.

too late almost, but i will not open the extra pdfs.

Useful thread. I'll do the leftover-file method for ancient/medieval too, not a second full book.