UPSC 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 accounts: 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 economic life; Significance of the Vedic Age; Evolution of Monarchy and
Varna system.
6. Period of Mahajanapadas: Formation of States (Mahajanapadas): Republics and monarchies; Rise of
urban centres; Trade routes; Economic growth; Introduction of coinage; Spread of Jainism and Buddhism;
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, Kushans, 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 Chalukyas 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 measures
• Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq
• Firuz Tughluq: 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 Vijayanagra Empire
• Lodis
• Mughal Empire, First phase: Babur and 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 cultural specificities
• Literary traditions
• Provincial architecture
• Society, culture, literature and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.
20. Akbar: – Conquests and consolidation of the 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 Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries:
• Population, agricultural production, craft production
• Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies: a trade revolution
• Indian mercantile classes, banking, insurance and credit systems
• Condition of peasants, condition of women
• Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth
23. Culture in the Mughal Empire:
• Persian histories and other literature
• Hindi and other religious literature
• 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 politics, culture and economy on the eve of the British conquest
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 Anglo-Maratha 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:
• 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.
• 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 movements 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 (18991900);
• 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 Non-cooperation 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 neighbors (1947-1964)
• The linguistic reorganization 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 postcolonial 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:
• Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau
• Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies
• Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism.
17. Origins of Modern Politics:
• European States System.
• American Revolution and the Constitution.
• French revolution and aftermath, 1789-1815.
• American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery.
• British Democratic Politics, 1815-1850;
• Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists.
18. Industrialization:
• English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society
• Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan
• Industrialization and Globalization.
19. Nation-State System:
• Rise of Nationalism in 19th century
• Nationalism: state-building in Germany and Italy
• Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the world.
20. Imperialism and Colonialism:
• South and South-East Asia
• Latin America and South Africa
• Australia
• Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.
21. Revolution and Counter-Revolution:
• 19th Century European revolutions
• The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921
• Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany.
• The Chinese Revolution of 1949 22.
22. World Wars:
• 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications
• World War I: Causes and consequences
• World War II: Causes and consequence
23. The World after World War II:
• Emergence of two power blocs
• Emergence of Third World and non-alignment
• UNO and the global disputes.
24. Liberation from Colonial Rule:
• Latin America-Bolivar
• Arab World-Egypt
• Africa-Apartheid to Democracy
• South-East Asia-Vietnam
25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment:
• Factors constraining development: Latin America, Africa
26. Unification of Europe:
• Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community
• Consolidation and Expansion of European Community
• European Union.
27. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World:
• Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet communism and the Soviet Union, 1985-1991
• Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001.
• End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.
