History : Optional Subject in UPSC | UPSC Family

 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 Mecedonian 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 Bhakit 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 Ghuria 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 Muhamma 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, literaute 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.

  

— 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.

 

 

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 contol; 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, casuses 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 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.