UPSC History Syllabus IAS Mains (General Studies) Optional Paper

UPSC History General Studies Syllabus

Indian Culture: Salient features of Literature, Art Forms, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Modern Indian History: Significant events, personalities and issues during the middle of the eighteenth century until the present.
Indian Freedom Struggle: Stages, important contributors and contributions from different parts of the country.
Post-independence consolidation and reorganization in the country.
History of the World: Events, forms and effect on the society from 18th century like world wars, industrial revolution, colonization, redrawal of national boundaries, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc.

UPSC History Syllabus for Paper I

History Syllabus For UPSC – 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.

Pre-history and Proto-history

Geographical factors; hunting and gathering (paleolithic and mesolithic); Beginning of agriculture (neolithic and chalcolithic).

Indus Valley Civilization: Origin, date, extent, characteristics, decline, survival and significance, art and architecture.
Megalithic Culture: Distribution of pastoral and farming cultures outside the Indus, Development of community life, Settlements, Development of agriculture, Crafts, Pottery, and Iron industry.
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.

UPSC History Syllabus – 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.

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.

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.
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.

UPSC History Syllabus – 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

History Syllabus For UPSC – 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.
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

Cultural Traditions in India, 750- 1200: – Philosophy

Skankaracharya and Vedanta, Ramanuja and Vishishtadvaita, Madhva and BrahmaMimansa
Religion: Forms and features of religion, literature, literature in the newly developing languages, Kalhan’sRajtarangini, Alberuni’s India
Art and Architecture: Temple architecture, sculpture, painting

UPSC History Syllabus – 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

The Fourteenth Century: The Khalji Revolution” – AlauddinKhalji: Conquests and territorial expansion, agrarian and economic measures – Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq – FiruzTughluq: Agrarian measures, achievements in civil engineering and public works, decline of the Sultanate, foreign contacts and Ibn Battuta’s account
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.
UPSC History Optional Syllabus – 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
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.
UPSC History Syllabus-Economy and Society in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries:

Population, agricultural production, craft production – Town
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 KhalsaPanth

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
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

History Syllabus For UPSC – 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.

British Expansion in India: Bengal – Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three Anglo-Maratha Wars; The Punjab.
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.
UPSC History Syllabus – 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.

Social and Religious Reform movements in Bengal and Other Areas:

Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath Tagore
IswarchandraVidyasagar; The Young Bengal Movement
DayanadaSaraswati; 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.
Indian Response to British Rule:

Peasant movements and tribal uprisings in the 18th and 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 Swadeshi Movement in Bengal
The economic and political aspects of Swadeshi Movement
The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.

UPSC History Syllabus- 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.
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.

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.
Industrialization: (i) English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society (ii) Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan (iii) Industrialization and Globalization.
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.

UPSC History General Studies Syllabus

UPSC History Syllabus for Paper I

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