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MD/MS Postgraduate · Book Guide

Books for MD Paediatrics.

The national reference reading list, reproduced here in full, plus the editions residents actually read in 2026 — with recommended journals, a year-wise reading plan, and the references you'll need for your thesis and practical.

11Titles on the reference list
9Current-edition picks
7Journals listed
3 yearsReading plan included
Official list

The national reference reading list for Paediatrics

These 11 titles come from the National Board of Examinations curriculum document for Paediatrics, reproduced spelling and abbreviations included — MD and DNB candidates sit the same clinical work and read the same texts, so use it as your scope anchor and check your own university’s syllabus alongside it.

  1. Nelson Text Book of Pediatrics Vol.1 and 2.
  2. Forfar & Arneil's Text Book of Pediatrics - Campbell, Mc.Intosh
  3. IAP Text Book of Pediatrics - A. Parthasarathy.
  4. Medical Emergencies in Pediatrics - Meharban Singh
  5. Manual of Neonatal Care - John P. Cloherty.
  6. The Development of Infant and Young Child (Normal and Abnormal) - Illingworth.
  7. Drug Dosage in Children - Meharban Singh.
  8. Nutrition and Child Development - K.E. Elizabeth.
  9. Practical Approach to Pediatric Intensive Care - Praveen Kilnani.
  10. Current Pediatric Diagnosis and Tretment - Hay, Hayward, Levin.
  11. Pediatric Clinical Examintion - Santhosh Kumar.
Read this before you buy. These curriculum documents are revised infrequently, so several entries name editions that are now years out of date, and a few titles are out of print. Use this list to know the scope you are expected to have covered, then buy the current edition listed in the next section.

Reference list source: the National Board MD Paediatrics curriculum

What residents actually use

Current editions, and what each one is for

The books most residents actually buy. These are the editions in circulation now, with a note on whether each is something you read cover to cover, keep as a reference, or open only for the viva.

  1. Nelson Textbook of PediatricsKliegman, St. Geme et al. · 22nd edition · core referenceThe default authority for theory answers and any topic needing depth; residents read it chapter-wise alongside postings.
  2. IAP Textbook of PediatricsPiyush Gupta (ed.), Indian Academy of Pediatrics · 8th edition · India-context core textPreferred for Indian epidemiology, national programmes, IAP protocols and immunisation schedule questions.
  3. Manual of Neonatal Care (Cloherty)Eichenwald, Hansen, Martin, Stark · 9th edition · neonatology working manualCarried during NICU rotation for ventilation, jaundice, sepsis and fluid management decisions.
  4. Care of the NewbornMeharban Singh · 9th edition · Indian neonatology textUsed for level-2 nursery practice and neonatal viva topics framed the Indian way.
  5. Ghai Essential PediatricsVinod K. Paul, Arvind Bagga · 10th edition · rapid revision textRead for fast consolidation before theory papers and as a bridge from undergraduate knowledge.
  6. Practical Approach to Pediatric Intensive CarePraveen Khilnani · 3rd edition · PICU manualReference for shock, ventilation and sedation protocols during intensive care postings.
  7. Pediatric Clinical ExaminationSantosh T. Soans / Anupama Borker · clinical exam skillsDrilled for long-case and short-case presentation format in the practical exam.
  8. Nelson Pediatric Symptom-Based DiagnosisKliegman, Toth, Bordini, Basel · 2nd edition · clinical reasoningHelps convert textbook knowledge into differential-diagnosis answers for case-based questions.
  9. PG Textbook of PediatricsPiyush Gupta, P.S.N. Menon, Siddarth Ramji, Rakesh Lodha · 2nd edition · postgraduate Indian referencePositioned between Ghai and Nelson; useful for thesis background and seminar preparation.
Printed in our shop

Paediatrics books we print most often

These are the paediatrics titles residents send us to print most often — the books that actually come through the shop, alongside the official list above.

We print files you send us. We do not host, sell or supply book PDFs — send us a file you are entitled to print and we print and bind it.

Journals

Journals worth following in Paediatrics

Journal club and the “recent advances” parts of the theory paper come from here. You do not need to read all of them — pick the two Indian journals and one international one and follow them properly.

Indian Journal of PaediatricsIndian Journal of Practical PaediatricsIndian PaediatricsPaeadtricsPaediatroics Clinics of North AmericaArchives of diseases of ChildhoodJournal of Tropical Paediatrics
Reading plan

What to read, and when

Three years is less time than it sounds. The order below is what works for most MD Paediatrics residents — broad and readable first, reference-level later, revision and drilling last.

Year 1

Build the base

Build the base with Ghai Essential Pediatrics plus IAP Textbook cover-to-cover, and start clinical examination drills from day one; use Cloherty during the NICU posting and finalise the thesis protocol.

Year 2

Go deep, collect thesis data

Shift primary reading to Nelson chapter-wise mapped to rotations, add Khilnani for PICU and start systematic long-case presentations weekly plus journal club reading from Indian Pediatrics.

Year 3

Revise, drill, submit

Complete a second full Nelson pass focused on high-yield systems, do intensive case and spotter practice, revise from Ghai/IAP for speed, and finish thesis writing early so the last four months are pure exam revision.

Thesis

References for your thesis

Protocol, methodology and reporting standards examiners expect you to have followed.

  • Indian Pediatrics; Indian Journal of Pediatrics
  • Pediatrics (AAP); Archives of Disease in Childhood; Journal of Pediatrics
  • ICMR National Ethical Guidelines (2017)
  • WHO Child Growth Standards and IAP growth charts
  • Methods in Biostatistics - B.K. Mahajan
Practical & viva

What the practical actually tests

Books and material specifically useful for the clinical, spotter and viva stations.

  • Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics (for cross-questioning depth)
  • IAP Textbook of Pediatrics (national programmes, immunisation)
  • Pediatric clinical methods manuals for long and short cases
  • Cloherty Manual of Neonatal Care for NICU viva
  • IAP immunisation schedule, NTEP paediatric TB and IMNCI/F-IMNCI guidelines
  • Growth chart plotting, developmental assessment and instrument/X-ray spotters

Sitting the DNB instead? The same reading list, written for the NBE exam, is on the DNB Paediatrics books page.

Frequently asked

MD Paediatrics books — questions

Which books are recommended for MD Paediatrics?

The national curriculum document for Paediatrics lists 11 titles, beginning with Nelson Text Book of Pediatrics Vol.1 and 2.. The full list is reproduced on this page exactly as it is published.

Which single book should I start with in first year of MD Paediatrics?

Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics by Kliegman, St. Geme et al. is the usual anchor. The default authority for theory answers and any topic needing depth; residents read it chapter-wise alongside postings.

Are the editions listed here current?

Yes — we list the edition in circulation now for each title. Editions move quickly, so confirm the current one before you buy or print.

Do I need to buy every book on the list?

No. Most residents own three or four and use the department or library copy for the rest. That is exactly why printing selected chapters from a PDF works out cheaper than buying volumes you will open twice.

Can you print these books for me?

We print from the PDF you send us. Send the file on WhatsApp with your page count and whether you want colour, black and white or mixed, and we print, bind and deliver anywhere in India. We do not supply copyrighted book files.

How much does it cost to print a set of notes?

Black and white is 50 paise per page, colour is Rs 1 per page, and binding is Rs 40 per copy. A 400-page mixed set with binding usually works out around Rs 300 plus delivery.

Printing your MD Paediatrics reading?

Send the PDF on WhatsApp — colour Rs 1/page, B&W 50p/page, binding Rs 40. Printed, bound and delivered anywhere in India.

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