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Syllabus of History Paper - I

  1. Sources Archaeological sources: Exploration, excavation, epigraphy, numismatics, monuments.
    • Literary sources:Indigenous: Primary and secondary; poetry, scientific literature, literature, literature in regional languages, religious literature.
    • Foreign account: Greek, Chinese and Arab writers.
  2. Pre-history and Proto-history: Geographical factors; hunting and gathering (paleolithic and mesolithic); Beginning of agriculture (neolithic and chalcolithic)
  3. Indus Valley Civilization: Origin, date, extent, characteristics-decline, survival and significance, art and architecture.
  4. Megalithic Cultures: Distribution of pastoral and farming cultures outside the Indus, Development of community life, Settlements, Development of agriculture, Crafts, Pottery, and Iron industry.
  5. Aryans and Vedic Period: Expansions of Aryans in India: Vedic Period: Religious and philosophic literature; Transformation from Rig Vedic period to the later Vedic period; Political, social, and economical life; Significance of the Vedic Age; Evolution of Monarchy and Varna system.
  6. Period of Mahajanapadas: Formation of States (Mahajanapada): Republics and monarchies; Rise of urban centres; Trade routes; Economic growth; Introduction of coinage; Spread of Jainism and Buddism; Rise of Magadha and Nandas. Iranian and Macedonian invasions and their impact.
  7. Mauryan Empire: Foundation of the Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta, Kautilya, and Arthashastra; Ashoka; Concept of Dharma; Edicts; Polity, Administration, Economy; Art, architecture, and sculpture; External contacts; Religion; Spread of religion; Literature. Disintegration of the empire; Sungas and Kanvas.
  8. Post-Mauryan Period (Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas, Western Kshatrapas): Contact with outside world; growth of urban centres, economy, coinage, development of religions, Mahayana, social conditions, art, architecture, culture, literature, and science.
  9. Early State and Society in Eastern India, Deccan, and South India: Kharavela, The Satavahanas, Tamil States of the Sangam Age; Administration, Economy, land grants, coinage, trade guilds, and urban centres; Buddhist centres; Sangam literature and culture; Art and architecture.
  10. Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas: Polity and administration, Economic conditions, Coinage of the Guptas, Land grants, Decline of urban centres, Indian feudalism, Caste system, Position of women, Education and educational institutions; Nalanda, Vikramshila and Vallabhi, Literature, scientific literature, art, and architecture.
  11. Regional States during Gupta Era: The Kadambas, Pallavas, Chalukyas of Badami; Polity and Administration, Trade guilds, Literature; growth of Vaishnava and Saiva religions. Tamil Bhakti movement, Shankaracharya; Vedanta; Institutions of temple and temple architecture; Palas, Senas, Rashtrakutas, Paramaras, Polity, and administration; Cultural aspects. Arab conquest of Sind; Alberuni, The Chaluky as of Kalyana, Cholas, Hoysalas, Pandyas; Polity and Administration; Local Government; Growth of art and architecture, religious sects, Institution of temple and Mathas, Agraharas, education and literature, economy and society.
  12. Themes in Early Indian Cultural History: Languages and texts, major stages in the evolution of art and architecture, major philosophical thinkers and schools, ideas in Science and Mathematics. 
  13. Early Medieval India, 750-1200:
    • Polity: Major political developments in Northern India and the peninsula, origin, and the rise of Rajputs.
    • The Cholas: administration, village economy and society “Indian Feudalism”.
    • Agrarian economy and urban settlements.
    • Trade and commerce. 
    • Society: the status of the Brahman and the new social order.
    • Condition of women.
    • Indian science and technology.
  14. Cultural Traditions in India, 750-1200:
    • Philosophy: Skankaracharya and Vedanta, Ramanuja and Vishishtadvaita, Madhva and Brahma Mimansa.
    • Religion: Forms and features of religion, Tamil devotional cult, growth of Bhakti, Islam and its arrival in India, Sufism.
    • Literature: Literature in Sanskrit, growth of Tamil literature, literature in the newly developing languages, Kalhan's Rajtarangini, Alberuni's India.
    • Art and Architecture: Temple architecture, sculpture, painting. 
  15. The Thirteenth Century:
    • Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate: The Ghurian invasions - factors behind Ghurian success.
    • Economic, Social and cultural consequences. 
    • Foundation of Delhi Sultanate and early Turkish Sultans. 
    • Consolidation: The rule of Iltutmish and Balban.
  16. The Fourteenth Century:
    • “The Khalji Revolution”.
    • Alauddin Khalji: Conquests and territorial expansion, agrarian and economic measure.
    • Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq. 
    • Firuz Tugluq: Agrarian measures, achievements in civil engineering and public works, decline of the Sultanate, foreign contacts and Ibn Battuta's account.
  17. Society, Culture and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries:
    • Society: composition of rural society, ruling classes, town dwellers, women, religious classes, caste and slavery under the Sultanate, Bhakti movement, Sufi movement. 
    • Culture: Persian literature, literature in the regional languages of North India, literature in the languages of South India, Sultanate architecture and new structural forms, painting, evolution of a composite culture.
    • Economy: Agricultural Production, rise of urban economy and non-agricultural production, trade, and commerce.
  18. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century-Political Developments and Economy:
    • Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat.
    • Malwa, Bahmanids.
    • The Vijayanagara Empire.
    • Lodis. — Mughal Empire, First phase: Babur, Humayun. 
    • The Sur Empire: Sher Shah’s administration. 
    • Portuguese colonial enterprise, Bhakti, and Sufi Movements. 
  19. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- Society and culture:
    • Regional cultures specificities.
    • Literary traditions. 
    • Provincial architectural. 
    • Society, culture, literature, and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.
  20. Akbar:
    • Conquests and consolidation of empire. 
    • Establishment of jagir and mansab systems.
    • Rajput policy. 
    • Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sulh-i-kul and religious policy.
    • Court patronage of art and technology.
  21. Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century:
    • Major administrative policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan, and Aurangzeb. 
    • The Empire and the Zamindars. 
    • Religious policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan, and Aurangzeb. 
    • Nature of the Mughal State. 
    • Late Seventeenth-Century crisis and the revolts.
    • The Ahom kingdom.
    • Shivaji and the early Maratha Kingdom.
  22. Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries:
    • Population Agricultural and craft production. 
    • Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies: a trade revolution.
    • Indian mercantile classes. Banking, insurance, and credit systems. 
    • Conditions of peasants, Condition of Women. 
    • Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth. 
  23. Culture during Mughal Empire:
    • Persian histories and other literature. 
    • Hindi and religious literatures. 
    • Mughal architecture. 
    • Mughal painting. 
    • Provincial architecture and painting. 
    • Classical music. 
    • Science and technology. 
  24. The Eighteenth Century: 
    • Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire. 
    • The regional principalities: Nizam’s Deccan, Bengal, Awadh. 
    • Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas. 
    • The Maratha fiscal and financial system.
    • Emergence of Afghan power Battle of Panipat, 1761. 
    • State of, political, cultural, and economic, on eve of the British conquest.

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Syllabus of History Paper - II

  1. European Penetration into India: The Early European Settlements; The Portuguese and the Dutch; The English and the French East India Companies; Their struggle for supremacy; Carnatic Wars; Bengal-The conflict between the English and the Nawabs of Bengal; Siraj and the English; The Battle of Plassey; Significance of Plassey.
  2. British Expansion in India: Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three AngloMaratha Wars; The Punjab.
  3. Early Structure of the British Raj: The Early administrative structure; From diarchy to direct control; The Regulating Act (1773); The Pitt's India Act (1784); The Charter Act (1833); The Voice of free trade and the changing character of British colonial rule; The English utilitarian and India.
  4. Economic Impact of British Colonial Rule:
    (a) Land revenue settlements in British India; The Permanent Settlement; Ryotwari Settlement; Mahalwari Settlement; Economic impact of the revenue arrangements; Commercialization of agriculture; Rise of landless agrarian labourers; Impoverishment of the rural society.
    (b) Dislocation of traditional trade and commerce; De-industrialisation; Decline of traditional crafts; Drain of wealth; Economic transformation of India; Railroad and communication network including telegraph and postal services; Famine and poverty in the rural interior; European business enterprise and its limitations.
  5. Social and Cultural Developments: The state of indigenous education, its dislocation; Orientalist-Anglicist controversy, The introduction of western education in India; The rise of press, literature, and public opinion; The rise of modern vernacular literature; Progress of science; Christian missionary activities in India. 
  6. Social and Religious Reform Movements in Bengal and Other Areas: Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath Tagore; Iswarchandra Vidyasagar; The Young Bengal Movement; Dayanada Saraswati; The social reform movements in India including Sati, widow remarriage, child marriage, etc.; The contribution of Indian renaissance to the growth of modern India; Islamic revivalism-the Feraizi and Wahabi Movements.
  7. Indian Response to British Rule: Peasant movement and tribal uprisings in the 18th and 19th centuries including the Rangpur Dhing (1783), the Kol Rebellion (1832), the Mopla Rebellion in Malabar (1841-1920), the Santal Hul (1855), Indigo Rebellion (1859-60), Deccan Uprising (1875) and the Munda Ulgulan (1899-1900); The Great Revolt of 1857 —Origin, character, causes of failure, the consequences; The shift in the character of peasant uprisings in the post-1857 period; the peasant movements of the 1920s and 1930s.
  8. Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism; Politics of Association; The Foundation of the Indian National Congress; The Safety-valve thesis relating to the birth of the Congress; Programme and objectives of Early Congress; the social composition of early Congress leadership; the Moderates and Extremists; The Partition of Bengal (1905); The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal; the economic and political aspects of Swadeshi Movement; The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.
  9. Rise of Gandhi; Character of Gandhian nationalism; Gandhi's popular appeal; Rowlatt Satyagraha; the Khilafat Movement; the Non-cooperation Movement; National politics from the end of the Noncooperation movement to the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement; the two phases of the Civil Disobedience Movement; Simon Commission; The Nehru Report; the Round Table Conferences; Nationalism and the Peasant Movements; Nationalism and Working-class movements; Women and Indian youth and students in Indian politics (1885-1947); the election of 1937 and the formation of ministries; Cripps Mission; the Quit India Movement; the Wavell Plan; The Cabinet Mission. 
  10. Constitutional Developments in the Colonial India between 1858 and 1935.
  11. Other strands in the National Movement. The Revolutionaries: Bengal, the Punjab, Maharashtra, U.P. the Madras Presidency, Outside India. The Left; The Left within the Congress: Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, the Congress Socialist Party; the Communist Party of India, other left parties. 
  12. Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence. 
  13. Consolidation as a Nation; Nehru's Foreign Policy; India and her neighbours (1947-1964); The linguistic reorganisation of States (1935-1947); Regionalism and regional inequality; Integration of Princely States; Princes in electoral politics; the Question of National Language.
  14. Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward Castes and Tribes in post-colonial electoral politics; Dalit movements.
  15. Economic development and political change; Land reforms; the politics of planning and rural reconstruction; Ecology and environmental policy in post-colonial India; Progress of Science. 
  16. Enlightenment and Modern ideas:
    (i) Major Ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau.
    (ii) Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies. 
    (iii) Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism.
  17. Origins of Modern Politics:
    (i) European States System. 
    (ii) American Revolution and the Constitution.
    (iii) French Revolution and Aftermath, 1789-1815.
    (iv) American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery.
    (v) British Democratic politics, 1815-1850: Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists.
  18. Industrialization:
    (i) English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society.
    (ii) Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan.
    (iii) Industrialization and Globalization.
  19. Nation-State System:
    (i) Rise of Nationalism in 19th century.
    (ii) Nationalism: State-building in Germany and Italy. 
    (iii) Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World.
  20. Imperialism and Colonialism:
    (i) South and South-East Asia.
    (ii) Latin America and South Africa.
    (iii) Australia.
    (iv) Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.
  21. Revolution and Counter-Revolution:
    (i) 19th Century European revolutions.
    (ii) The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921. 
    (iii) Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany.
    (iv) The Chinese Revolution of 1949.
  22. World Wars:
    (i) 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications. 
    (ii) World War I: Causes and Consequences. (iii) World War II: Causes and Consequences. 
  23. The World after World War II:
    (i) Emergence of Two power blocs.
    (ii) Emergence of Third World and non-alignment.
    (iii) UNO and the global disputes. 
  24. Liberation from Colonial Rule: 
    (i) Latin America-Bolivar.
    (ii) Arab World-Egypt.
    (iii) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy. 
    (iv) South-East Asia-Vietnam.  
  25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment:
    (i) Factors constraining development; Latin America, Africa. 
  26. Unification of Europe:
    (i) Post War Foundations; NATO and European Community.
    (ii) Consolidation and Expansion of European Community 
    (iii) European Union. 
  27. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World:
    (i) Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and Soviet Union, 1985-1991.
    (ii) Political Changes in East Europe 1989-2001. 
    (iii) End of the Cold War and US Ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.

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Previous Year UPSC Questions

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
2020 2019 2018 2017
2025 2024 2023 2022 2021
2020 2019 2018 2017

Paper-1


SECTION ‘A’

  1. Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim: 50
    map

    (i) Neolithic site
    (ii) Mesolithic site
    (iii) Paleolithic site
    (iv) Neolithic site with stone artefacts
    (v) Site of Indus Valley Civilization
    (vi) Early Harappan site with a fire-pit
    (vii) Late Harappan site
    (viii) The Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) site
    (ix) Mesolithic site
    (x) Megalithic site
    (xi) Mahajanapada of South India
    (xii) Site of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana
    (xiii) Major Rock Edict of Asoka
    (xiv) Asokan Minor Rock Edict
    (xv) Commercial centre of the Mauryas
    (xvi) Saka-Kushan coin hoard
    (xvii) An inscription mentioning Ashvamedha Sacrifice
    (xviii) Site of Post-Mauryan period burnt brick house
    (xix) Terracotta craft centre of Post-Mauryan period
    (xx) Important port of the Pallava period
  2. (a) "The Chalcolithic people were experts in microliths and were also skilful workers in stone." Elucidate. 15
    (b) "The Harappans were not an artistic people." Comment. 15
    (c) "The ideological challenge posed by Jainism and Buddhism was deeply rooted in the socio-economic transformations brought about by the expansion of agrarian settlements in eastern India." Explain. 20
  3. (a) "The origin of the territorial republics has been traced to the reaction against the pattern of life that evolved in the later Vedic period." Analyse. 15
    (b) How far did the Mauryans facilitate the diffusion of the material culture of the Gangetic plains? Explain. 15
    (c) Examine the nature and impact of India's contacts with Central Asia during the 1st to 3rd century CE. How did these interactions influence India's political, cultural and economic spheres? 20
  4. (a) "The dynamics of social mobility in early medieval India were shaped by a complex interplay of caste hierarchies, religious legitimation, economic transformation and political patronage." Critically assess how these factors collectively reconfigured the structure of early medieval Indian society. 15
    (b) Discuss the circumstances which led to the conflict between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas and mention how this rivalry shaped the power dynamics in South India. 15
    (c) Critically evaluate the major stages in the development of art and literature in early medieval India and explain how these stages reflected the broader changes in society and patterns of patronage during the period. 20

SECTION ‘B’

  1. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each : 10×5=50
    (a) "Religious themes inspired a large section of literature in provincial languages in late medieval India." Comment. 10
    (b) "Alauddin Khilji's economic measures aimed at centralising political authority in the Delhi Sultanate." Elucidate. 10
    (c) Critically assess the role of imperial Karkhanas in Mughal India. How did they reflect the ideological and functional imperatives of the Mughal State? 10
    (d) "The principles of Sikhism represented a harmonious blend of Islamic and Indic religious beliefs and practices." Comment. 10
    (e) Gunpowder changed the character of warfare in India during the Mughal era. Elucidate. 10
  2. (a) Discuss the structural features of Todar Mal's revenue system and evaluate its effectiveness in standardized land revenue assessment in India. 15
    (b) Barani's Fatwa-i-Jahandari" was not a proper account of the Delhi Sultanate, rather a lament. Elucidate. 15
    (c) Discuss the development of Hindi literature under Mughal patronage. How did the Bhakti and Sufi Movements influence it? 20
  3. (a) Portuguese maritime power disrupted the character of trade in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. Review. 15
    (b) Akbar's Rajput policy was shaped by considerations of factional politics in the Mughal court. Discuss. 15
    (c) Evaluate the impact of Mughal revenue administration on the agrarian structure of North India. To what extent did it bring continuity and change in the rural socio-economic fabric? 20
  4. (a) "Aurangzeb's religious policy was a reflection of the changed political realities of the Mughal Empire." Elucidate. 15
    (b) Define the rise of distinct provincial architectural styles under the Mughal Empire in light of structural diversity, cultural interaction and the nature of provincial power dynamics. 15
    (c) Critically examine the political, military and administrative factors that led to the transformation of the Maratha character in the 18th century. How did these changes influence its rise and eventual decline? 20

Paper-2


SECTION ‘A’

  1. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
    (a) "The Sikh monarchy was Napoleonic in the suddenness of its rise, the brilliancy of its success and the completeness of its overthrow."
    (b) "The seeds of domestic dissensions were thickly and deeply sown in the Maratha system under the Peshwas."
    (c) "Bhagat Singh and his comrades significantly expanded the meaning and scope of revolution, redefining it beyond mere political upheaval to include social and ideological transformation."
    (d) "The significant feature of the Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the principle of election which it introduced, though the word 'election' was very carefully avoided in it."
    (e) "The colonial rule opened the Indian markets for British-manufactured goods and led to 'deindustrialization' or destruction of indigenous handicraft industries."
  2. (a) Do you agree that the idea of permanent fixation of land revenue of 1793 in Bengal was highly influenced by the Physiocratic school of thinking? Discuss. 20
    (b) "The tug of war between the two principles of freedom and control of the press made its influence felt on the colonial rulers' attitude to the press." Discuss. 20
    (c) "The movement for linguistic States generated deep apprehensions among the nationalist elite. They feared it would lead to the Balkanization of India." Examine. 10
  3. (a) "During the Carnatic Wars, the French position, which at one time dazzled the Indian world by its political successes, was destined to end in humiliation and failure." Explain. 20
    (b) Why has the 'safety valve theory' related to the foundation of the Indian National Congress been thoroughly discredited by recent researchers? Analyze. 20
    (c) "The emergence of Gandhi signified the Indianization of the national movement." Analyze with reference to his early movements between 1917-1922. 10
  4. (a) "The tensions between cultural revivalism and modernization shaped the trajectory of the socio-religious reform movements in 19th century India." Discuss. 20
    (b) In what ways did the tribal and peasant uprisings of the 19th century contribute to the rise and growth of nationalism in India? Examine. 20
    (c) Discuss the major initiatives taken by the Government of India for the removal of caste injustice and inequality after 1947. 10

SECTION ‘B’

  1. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
    (a) "The French Revolution started and led to the victory in its first phase by the aristocracy."
    (b) "With the Reform Act of 1832 began an activity in reconstructing legislation to which there had been no parallel in British history."
    (c) "The First World War did not produce just political consequences, it also had a deep impact on the ways of thinking.”
    (d) "In the Soviet Union, as also in China, there was a strong belief that anti-imperial movements in the colonies would result in their moving into the socialist orbit."
    (e) "The pre-Marxian socialist thinkers envisioned socialist societies without fully considering the practical mechanisms for achieving or maintaining them."
  2. (a) "Nationalism in the 19th century was a driving force for both integration and disintegration." Illustrate with examples from Europe and other parts of the world. 20
    (b) "The American Revolution was, in many respects, a manifestation of the Enlightenment in political, civil and ecclesiastical spheres." Explain. 20
    (c) Did new imperialism represent a continuation of old colonial practices or did it mark a fundamental shift in global power structure? Discuss critically. 10
  3. (a) "By the time of 1932 elections, Germany's ruling classes began to feel that the only way to escape from a deep economic crisis was to hand over political power to a totalitarian agency." Explain. 20
    (b) Discuss critically the salient features of Mikhail Gorbachev's domestic reforms. 20
    (c) "Anti-clericalism of the Enlightenment echoed the sentiments of the Renaissance and the Reformation. Yet it neither endorsed the paganism of the Renaissance nor did it share the faith of Reformation." Discuss. 10
  4. (a) Why did the non-communist Vietnamese leaders fail to provide successful leadership for Indo-China's anti-colonial struggle? Discuss. 20
    (b) To what extent did the concept of free trade of European Economic Community contribute to the formation of European Union? Examine. 20
    (c) Examine the impact of the links between scientific education and industrial expansion on German society in the early 20th century. 10

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