History
History Syllabus for UPSC Main Examination
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 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 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, 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.
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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
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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
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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
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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:
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 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 (1899- 1900); The Great Revolt of
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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 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 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:
i. Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau
ii. Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies
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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 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 consequence
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.
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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 the Soviet Union, 1985-
1991
ii. Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001
iii. End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.