UPSC History

UPSC Prelims History Syllabus 2024

Ancient Indian History

• Sources of Ancient History
• Prehistoric Period
• Indus Valley Civilization: Phases, Town Planning, Society, Culture, Religious Practices, etc.
• Pastoral and farming society
• Vedic society & Vedic texts
• Vedic Society Religion, Varna system, etc.
• State Formation & urbanization (from the Mahajanapadas to the Nandas)
• Buddhism and Jainism
• The Mauryan Empire
• Asoka, his inscriptions, administration, etc.
• Post-Mauryan India (BC 200- AD 300)
• The Satavahanas
• State formation in Peninsular India
• The Sangam Age & Sangam Literature
• Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Parthians, Kushans, Kanishka-Contacts with the outer world.
• Bhagavatism, Saivism, Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana, Jainism, and Culture and art.
• The Guptas
• Literature Science, Arts, Economy, and society - Modification in the political organization of the empire.

Medieval Indian History

• Early Medieval India.
• Major dynasties
• Political and Agrarian organizations
• Status of women & social mobility
• Arabs in Sind and the Ghaznavids.
• Cultural trends
• Significance of temples & monastic Institutions
• Sankaracharya, Islam & Sufism.
• Art and architecture
• Literature and Science
• 13th and 14th Centuries (Ghorian invasions, Delhi Sultanate, Aladdin Khalji, Muhammad Tughlug, Firuz Tughluq, decline of the Delhi Sultanate)
• Development of urbanization and commerce
• Spiritual movement- Hinduism and Islam
• Literature, Architecture, Technological changes
• The 15th and early 16th Century including Vijayanagara Empire
• Monotheistic movements: Kabir; Guru Nanak, and Sikhism; Bhakti.
• Spread of regional literature
• The Mughal Empire
• Economy: state of affairs of peasants and artisans, escalation in trade, trade with Europe, social stratification.
• Decline of the Mughal Empire
• Maratha power under the Peshwas
• The Afghans
• Regional states
• Most important components of composite culture.
• Rise of the Urdu language.

Modern Indian History

• British Extension
• Carnatic Wars
• Invasion of Bengal
• Mysore and its confrontation to British expansion:
• Anglo-Maratha Wars
• Regulating and Pitt’s India Acts
• Early composition of the British Raj.
• Economic Impact of the British Raj
• Land revenue Settlements (Zamindari, Ryotwari, Mahalwari)
• Deindustrialization
• Railways
• Commercialization of agriculture
• Increase of landless labor
• Cultural & social changes
• Western education & modern thoughts
• Indian Renaissance
• Religious and social reform movements
• Social reform events before 1857
• Development of the Indian middle class
• Vernacular press act
• Rise of modern literature in Indian languages
• Early uprisings
• The Revolt of 1857
• Indian Freedom struggle
• Growth of national consciousness
• Creation of Associations
• Establishment of the Indian National Congress
• Swadeshi Movement
• Economic Nationalism
• Development of Extremism & split in Congress
• Policy of Divide and Rule
• Congress-League Pact of 1916
• Separatist movements (Hindu Mahasabha & Muslim League)
• Partition of India
• Independence of India
• Post-1945 developments
• India after 1964