Civil Service Mains Examination -

History Syllabus
History syllabus for the Mains examination has two papers. Paper ONE starts from
early ancient history and goes up to Eighteenth century. Paper TWO begins from the
Europeans arrival in India and covers the entire modern Indian History. This paper
extends beyond Indian independence and goes up to the disintegration of the Soviet
Union in 1990. While paper ONE has 24 titles, the paper TWO has 27 titles. Here is
the detailed description of the History syllabus paper I and II: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 accounts: 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 economical life; Significance of the
Vedic Age; Evolution of Monarchy and Varna system.
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 Buddhism; Rise of Magadha
and Nandas. Iranian and Macedonian invasions and their impact.
7. Maura 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 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, Cholas, Hoysalas,
Pandyas; Polity and Administration; local Govern-ment; 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,
Kalhans Rajtarangini, Alberunis 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 measures -
Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of
Muhammad Tughluq - Firuz Tughluq: Agrarian measures, achievements in
civil engineering and public works, decline of the Sultanate, foreign contacts
and Ibn Battutas 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, literature 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, Malwa, Bahmanids - The Vijayanagra Empire - Lodis - Mughal
Empire, First phase: Babur and Humayun - The Sur Empire: Sher Shahs
administration - Portuguese Colonial enterprise - Bhakti and Sufi Movements
19. 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.
20. 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
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 Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: -
Population, agricultural production, craft production - Towns, 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
Khalsa Panth
23. 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
24. The Eighteenth Century: - Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire - The
regional principalities: Nizams 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

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 control; The Regulating Act (1773); The Pitts 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 tele-graph 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 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, 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; Gandhis 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.
12. Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha;
Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.
13. Consolidation as a Nation; Nehrus 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.
14. Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward castes and tribes in post-colonial
electoral politics; Dalit movements.
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.
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 CounterRevolution: (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
consequence
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 the Soviet Union, 1985-
1991 (ii) Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001. (iii) End of the cold
war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.

NOTE - check the recent syllabus