UPSC – Maithili Syllabus

PAPER I 

HISTORY OF MAITHILI LANGUAGE AND  

ITS LITERATURE 

(Answers must be written in Maithili) 

PART A 

History of Maithili Language 

1. Place of Maithili in Indo-European Language family. 
2. Origin and development of Maithili language. (Sanskrit, Prakrit, Avhatt, Maithili)
3. Periodic division of Maithili Language. (Beginning, Middle era, Modern era). 
4. Maithili and its different dialects. 
5. Relationship between Maithili and other Eastern languages (Bengali, Asamese, Oriya)
6. Origin and Development of Tirhuta Script. 
7. Pronouns and Verbs in Maithili Language. 

PART B 

History of Maithili Literature 

1. Background of Maithili Literature (Religious, Economic, Social, Cultural).
2. Periodic division of Maithili literature. 
3. Pre-Vidyapati Literature. 
4. Vidyapati and his tradition. 
5. Medieval Maithili Drama (Kirtaniya Natak, Ankia Nat, Maithili dramas written in Nepal).
6. Maithili Folk Literature (Folk Tales, Folk Drama, Folk Stories, Folk Songs). 
7. Development of different literary forms in modern era : 

    (a) Prabandh-kavya 

    (b) Muktak-kavya 

    (c) Novel 

    (d) Short Story 

    (e) Drama 

    (f) Essay 

    (g) Criticism 

    (h) Memoirs 

    (i) Translation 

8. Development of Maithili Magazines and Journals. 

PAPER -II 

(Answers must be written in Maithili)

The paper will require first-hand reading of the prescribed texts and will test the critical ability of  the candidates. 

PART A 

Poetry 

1. Vidyapati Geet-Shati—Publisher : Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi (Lyrics— 1 to 50) 
2. Govind Das Bhajanavali—Publisher : Maithili Acadamy, Patna (Lyrics— 1 to 25)
3. Krishnajanm—Manbodh 
4. Mithilabhasha Ramayana—Chanda Jha (only Sunder-Kand) 
5. Rameshwar Charit Mithila Ramayan—Lal Das (only Bal-kand) 
6. Keechak-Vadh—Tantra Nath Jha. 
7. Datta-Vati—Surendra Jah ‘Suman’ (only 1st and 2nd Cantos). 
8. Chitra-Yatri 
9. Samakaleen Maithili Kavita—Publisher: Sahitaya Akademi, New Delhi. 

PART-B 

10. Varna Ratnakar—Jyotirishwar (only 2nd Kallol) 
11. Khattar Kakak Tarang—Hari Mohan Jha 
12. Lorik—Vijaya Manipadma 
13. Prithvi Putra—Lalit 
14. Bhaphait Chahak Jinagi—Sudhanshu ‘Shekhar’ Choudhary 
15. Kriti Rajkamlak—Publisher: Maithili Acadamy, Patna (First Ten Stories only) 
16. Katha–Sangrah–Publisher: Maithili Acadamy, Patna.