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Latest update:
- UPSC Exam Date 2024 – 26 May 2024
- Download UPSC Notification
There are a total of 48 subjects on the UPSC optional subject list, including History. The history curriculum for the UPSC places a strong emphasis on applicants’ comprehension of historical research methods and their familiarity with chronological events. It is included in General Studies Paper 1 in the IAS Exam’s main stage as well.
UPSC History Syllabus: 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 economic life; Significance of the Vedic Age; Evolution of Monarchy and Varna system.
See more: The Arrival of Indo-Aryans in the Early Vedic Period
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 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.
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 BrahmaMimansa.
— 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 measure.
— Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad 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.
— 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.
— 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 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.
UPSC History Syllabus: 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.- Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.
- 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.
- Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward Castes and Tribes in post-colonial electoral politics; Dalit movements.
- 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.Tips to Prepare History Syllabus for UPSC 2024
- Understand the Syllabus: Start by thoroughly reading and understanding the UPSC syllabus for History. It will give you a clear idea of the topics and subtopics that you need to cover. Pay attention to the weightage given to different periods, themes, and areas of study.
- Read NCERT Books: Begin your preparation by reading the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) textbooks for History from classes 6 to 12. NCERT books provide a solid foundation and cover the basic concepts and themes in a concise manner.
- Make Notes: While studying, make concise and organized notes. Jot down important facts, dates, events, and key concepts. These notes will serve as quick revision material closer to the exam and will help you remember important points.
- Analyze Previous Years’ Question Papers: Go through the previous years’ question papers of the UPSC exam and analyze the pattern and types of questions asked from the History section. It will give you insights into the examiners’ expectations and help you prioritize your preparation accordingly.
- Focus on Conceptual Understanding: Instead of memorizing facts and dates, focus on understanding the concepts, causes, and consequences of historical events. Develop a holistic understanding of the subject, linking different periods and themes together.
- Practice Answer Writing: History is a subject that requires effective presentation skills. Practice answer writing regularly to improve your writing style, coherence, and clarity. Work on structuring your answers, providing relevant examples, and incorporating historical perspectives.
- Stay Updated: Keep yourself updated with current events, particularly those related to History. Read newspapers, magazines, and online sources to stay informed about recent archaeological discoveries, historical debates, and new interpretations of historical events.
- Revise Regularly: Allocate sufficient time for regular revision. Revise your notes, important dates, and key concepts frequently to ensure retention of knowledge.
Download UPSC History Question Papers
| Year | History Paper I | History Paper II |
| 2022 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2021 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2020 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| 2019 | Download PDF | Download PDF |
