>>HISTORY SYLLABUS UPSC MAIN EXAM

ANCIENT INDIA

1. Sources

Archaeological sources; excavation. Epigraphy. Numismatic. 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 (Palaeolithic 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 out side the Indus. Development of community life. Settlements. Development of agriculture. Crafts. Pottery and iron industries.

5. Aryans and Vedic period

Expansions of Aryans in India. Vedic period, religious and philosophic literature. Transformation from Rig vedic period to Later Vedic period. Political, social and economical life. Significance of the Vedic age. Evolution of monarchy and Verna system.

6. Period of Mahajanapada

formation of state (Mahajanapadas), republics and monarchies. Rise of urban centers. Trade routes. Economic growth. Introduction of coinage. Spread of Jainism and Buddhism. Rise of Nandas and Magadha. Iranian and Macedonian invasions and their impact.

7. Mauryan empire

Foundation of the Mauryan empire. Chandragupta. Kautilya and Arthsastra. Asoka and concept of Dharma. Edicts. Polity. Administration. Economy. Art. Architecture and Sculpture. External contacts. Religion. Spread of religion. Literature. Disintegration of the empire. Shungas and Kanvas.

8. Post Mauryan period

(Indo Greeks. Shaka. Kushanas. Western Kshatrapas) contact with out side world. Growth of urban centers. Economy. Coinage. Development of religions. Mahayana. Social conditions. Art, architecture, culture, literature ad science.

9. Early state and society in eastern India, Deccan and South India

Kharvela. The Satvahanas. Tamil states of the Sangam age. Administration. Economy. Land grants. Coinage. Trade guilds and urban centers. Buddhist centers. Sangam literature and culture. Art and architecture.

10. Guptas, Vakatakas and Verdhans

Polity and administration. Economic conditions. Coinage of Guptas. Land grants. Decline of urban centers. 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. Pallawas. Chalukyas of Badami. Polity and administration. Trade guilds. Literature. Growth of Vaishnava and Shaiva religions. Tamil Bhakti Movements. Shankaracharya. Vedanta. Institutions of temples and temple architecture. Palas, Senas, Rashtrakutas. Paramaras. Polity and administration. Cultural aspects. Arab conquest of Sindh. Al-Beruni. The Chalukyas of Kalyana. Cholas. Hoyasalas. Pandyas. Polity and administration. Local government. Growth of art and architecture. Religious sects. Institution of temples and Maths. Agraharas. Education and literature. Economy and society.

12. Themes in early India cultural history

Languages and texts. Major states in the evolution of art and architecture. Major philosophical thinkers. And schools. Ideas in science and mathematics.


MEDIEVAL INDIA

13. Early medieval India 750-1200

Polity. Major political developments in northern India and the Peninsula. Origin and rise of Rajputs. The Chola’s administration. Village economy and society. “Indian feudalism”. Agrarian economy and urban settlements. Trade and commerce. Society. The status of the Brahmans and the new social order. Condition of women. Indian science and technology.

14. Cultural traditions in India 750 -1200

philosophy Sankaracharya and Vedanta, Ramanuja and Vishishtdvaitvad, Madhva and Brahmamimansa,
religion. Forms and features of religion, Tamil devotional cult. Growth of bhakti. Islam and its arrivel in India. Sufism.
Literature. literature in Sanskrit. Growth of tamil literature. Literature in the newly developing languages. Kalhan’s rajtrangini. Alberuni’s India.
Art and architecture. Temple architecture .scupture. painting.

15. The thirteen century

the gorian invasion. Factors behind gorian success. Economic , social and cultural consequences. Foundation of delhi sultanate and Turkish. Consolidatoion. The rule of Iltutmish and bulban.

16. The fourteen century

the Khalji revolution. Alauddin Khalji. Conquest and territorial expansiojn. Agrarian and
economic measures.
Muhammad Tughlak. Major projects. Agrarian measures. Bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughlak.
Firoz Tughlak. Agrarian masures. Achievements in civil engineering and public works. Decline of the sultanate. Foreign contacts and Ibn Batuta’s account.

17. Society. Culture and Economy in the thirteen and fourteen century.

Society. Composition of rural society. Ruling calluses. Town dwellers. Women. Religious classes. Castes and Slavery under the Sultanate. Bhakti movement. Sufi Movement.
Culture. Persia literature. Literature in the regional language of north India. Literature in the languages of south India. Sultanate architecture and new structural form. painting. Evolution of a composite culture.
Economy. Agricultural production. Rise of urban economy and non agricultural productin. Trade and commerce.

18. The fifteen and early sixteen centuries-political development and economy.

Rise of provincial dynasties. Bengal. Kashmir (Zainul Abidin) Gujrat. Malwa.bahmanies.
the Vijayanagra empire
Lodhis
Mughal empire. First hase. Babar and Humayun.
The sur empire. Sher Shah’s administration.
Portuhuese colonial enterprise.
Bhakti and Sufi movement.

19. The fifteenth and early sixteenth century-siciety and culture

regional cultural specifities.
Literary traditions.
Provincial architecture.
Society. Culture. Literature and the art in Vijaya anagram empire.

20. Akbar

Conquest and consolidayion of the empire.
Stablishment of Jagir and Mansab systems.
Rajput policies.
Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sul-i-Kul and religious policy.
Court patronage of art and technology.

21. Mughal empire in the seventeen century.

Major administrative policies of Jahangir. Shahjajan and Aurangjeb.
The empire and the Zamindars.
Religious policies of Jahangir. Shahjanhan and Aurangzeb.
Nature of the Mughal state.
Late seventeen century crisis and the revolts.
The Ahom kingdom.
Shivaji and early maratha kingdom.

22. Economy and society in the sixteen and seventeen century.

Population. Agricultural production. Craft production.
Towns. Commerce with Europe through Dutch.english and French companied: a trade revolution.
Indian merchantile classes. Banking. Ensurance and Credit systems.
Condition of peasants. Condition of women.
Evolution of the sikh community and the Kalsha Panth.

23. Culure in the Mughal empire.

Persian histories and other literature.
Hindi and other religious literature.
Mughal architecture.
Mughal painting.
Provincial architecture and painting.
Classical painting science and technology.

24. The Eighteen century.

Factors for the decline of the Mughal empire.
Regional principalities. “nizams” deccan. Bengals. Awadh.
Maratha ascendationcy under the peshwas.
The Maratha ficl and financial system.
Emergence of Afgan power. Battle of Panipat 1761.
State of politics. Culture and economy on the eve of the british conquest.


PAPER-II

MODERN INDIA

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 18 th and 19 th 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 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, Subhash Chandra Bose, the Congress Socialist Party: the Communist Party of India, other left parties.

12. Political 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 on National Language

14. Caste and ethnicity after 1947;

Backward castes and tribes in post-colonial electoral politics

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.


MODERN WORLD

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. World Wars:

1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications
World War I: Causes and consequences
World War II: Causes and consequence
The World after World War II:

23. Emergence of two power blocs.

Emergence of Third World and non-alignment
UNO and the global disputes.
Liberation from Colonial Rule:
Latin America-Bolivar
Arab World-Egypt
Africa-Apartheid to Democracy
South-East Asia-Vietnam

24. Decolonization and Underdevelopment:

Factors constraining development: Latin America, Africa Unification of Europe:
Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community
Consolidation and Expansion of European Community European Union.

25. 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.