HISTORY

PAPER I

1. Sources Archaeological sources :

o Exploration, excavation, epigraphy, numismatics,

monuments.
o 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 :

o Geographical factors; hunting and gathering (paleolithic and

mesolithic);
o 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 :
o Formation of States (Mahajanapada): Republics and

monarchies;
o Rise of urban centres; Trade routes; Economic growth;

Introduction of coinage;
o Spread of Jainism and Buddism;
o Rise of Magadha and Nandas.
o Iranian and Mecedonian 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:
o Kharavela, The Satavahanas, Tamil States of the Sangam

Age;
o Administration, Economy, land grants, coinage, trade guilds

and urban centres;

o Buddhist centres; Sangam literature and culture; Art and

architecture.
10. Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas:
o Polity and administration, Economic conditions, Coinage of

the Guptas, Land grants, Decline of urban centres, Indian

feudalism,
 o 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:
o The Kadambas, Pallavas, Chalukyas of Badami; Polity and
Administration, Trade guilds, Literature; growth of
Vaishnava and Saiva religions.
o Tamil Bhakti movement, Shankaracharya; Vedanta;
o Institutions of temple and temple architecture;
o Palas, Senas, Rashtrakutas, Paramaras, Polity and
administration; Cultural aspects.
o Arab conquest of Sind; Alberuni,
o The Chalukyas of Kalyana, Cholas, Hoysalas, Pandyas; Polity
and Administration; Local Government;
o 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:
o 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:
o — Polity: Major political developments in Northern India
and the peninsula, origin and the rise of Rajputs.
o — The Cholas: administration, village economy and society
“Indian Feudalism”.
o — Agrarian economy and urban settlements.
o — Trade and commerce.
o — Society: the status of the Brahman and the new social
order.
o — Condition of women.
o — Indian science and technology.
14. Cultural Traditions in India, 750‐1200:
o — Philosophy: Skankaracharya and Vedanta, Ramanuja

and Vishishtadvaita, Madhva and Brahma-Mimansa.

o — Religion: Forms and features of religion, Tamil

devotional cult, growth of Bhakti, Islam and its arrival in

India, Sufism.
o — Literature: Literature in Sanskrit, growth of Tamil

literature, literature in the newly developing languages,

Kalhan's Rajtarangini, Alberuni's India.
o — Art and Architecture: Temple architecture, sculpture,

painting.
15. The Thirteenth Century:
o — Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate: The Ghurian

invasions - factors behind Ghurian success.

o — Economic, Social and cultural consequences.
o — Foundation of Delhi Sultanate and early Turkish Sultans.
o — Consolidation: The rule of Iltutmish and Balban.

16. The Fourteenth Century:

o — “The Khalji Revolution”.
o — Alauddin Khalji: Conquests and territorial expansion,

agrarian and economic measure.

o — Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian

measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq.

o — 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:
 o — Society: composition of rural society, ruling classes,
town dwellers, women, religious classes, caste and slavery
under the Sultanate, Bhakti movement, Sufi movement.
o — 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.
o — 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:
o — Rise of Provincial Dynasties : Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul

Abedin), Gujarat.
o — Malwa, Bahmanids.
o — The Vijayanagara Empire.
o — Lodis.
o — Mughal Empire, first phase : Babur, Humayun.
o — The Sur Empire : Sher Shah’s administration.
o — Portuguese colonial enterprise, Bhakti and Sufi

Movements.
19. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century‐ Society and
culture:
o — Regional cultures specificities.
o — Literary traditions.
o — Provincial architectural.
o — Society, culture, literature and the arts in Vijayanagara

Empire.
20. Akbar:
o — Conquests and consolidation of empire.
o — Establishment of jagir and mansab systems.
o — Rajput policy.
o — Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sulh‐
i‐kul and religious policy.
o — Court patronage of art and technology.
21. Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century:
o — Major administrative policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and
Aurangzeb.
o — The Empire and the Zamindars.
o — Religious policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
o — Nature of the Mughal State.
o — Late Seventeenth Century crisis and the revolts.
o — The Ahom kingdom.
o — Shivaji and the early Maratha Kingdom.
22. Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries:
o — Population Agricultural and craft production.
o — Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English
and French companies : a trade revolution.
o — Indian mercantile classes. Banking, insurance and credit
systems.
o — Conditions of peasants, Condition of Women.
o — Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth.
23. Culture during Mughal Empire:
o — Persian histories and other literature.
o — Hindi and religious literatures.
o — Mughal architecture.
o — Mughal painting.
o — Provincial architecture and painting.
o — Classical music.
o — Science and technology.
 24. The Eighteenth Century:
o — Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
o — The regional principalities: Nizam’s Deccan, Bengal,
Awadh.
o — Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas.
o — The Maratha fiscal and financial system.
o — Emergence of Afghan power Battle of Panipat, 1761.
o — State of, political, cultural and economic, on eve of the
British conquest.

PAPER‐II
1. European Penetration into India:
o The Early European Settlements; The Portuguese and the

Dutch;
o The English and the French East India Companies; Their

struggle for supremacy; Carnatic Wars;

o 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:
o Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar;
o Mysore;
o The Marathas;
o The three Anglo-Maratha Wars;
o The Punjab.

3. Early Structure of the British Raj:

o The Early administrative structure; From diarchy to direct

contol; The Regulating Act (1773); The Pitt's India Act

(1784); The Charter Act (1833);
o 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:
o 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.
o 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:
o Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath

Tagore; Iswarchandra Vidyasagar; The Young Bengal

Movement;
o Dayanada Saraswati;
o The social reform movements in India including Sati, widow

remarriage, child marriage etc.;

o The contribution of Indian renaissance to the growth of

modern India;
o Islamic revivalism-the Feraizi and Wahabi Movements.
7. Indian Response to British Rule:
o 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);
o The Great Revolt of 1857 —Origin, character, casuses of

failure, the consequences;

o The shift in the character of peasant uprisings in the post-

1857 period; the peasant movements of the 1920s and

1930s.
8. Birth of Indian Nationalism:
o Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism;
o Politics of Association;
o 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;
o The Partition of Bengal (1905); The Swadeshi Movement in

Bengal; the economic and political aspects of Swadeshi

Movement;
o The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.

9. Gandhian Phase of Indian Nationalism:

o Rise of Gandhi; Character of Gandhian nationalism; Gandhi's

popular appeal;
o 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;
 o Simon Commission; The Nehru Report; the Round Table
Conferences; Nationalism and the Peasant Movements;
o Nationalism and Working class movements; Women and

Indian youth and students in Indian politics (1885-1947);

o 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.
o The Revolutionaries: Bengal, the Punjab, Maharashtra, U.P.

the Madras Presidency, Outside India.

o 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;
o Nehru's Foreign Policy; India and her neighbours (1947-

1964);
o The linguistic reorganisation of States (1935-1947);

Regionalism and regional inequality;

o Integration of Princely States; Princes in electoral politics;
o 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;
o Land reforms;
o the politics of planning and rural reconstruction;
o Ecology and environmental policy in post-colonial India;
o Progress of Science.
16. Enlightenment and Modern ideas:
o Major Ideas of Enlightenment : Kant, Rousseau.
o Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies.
o Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian
Socialism.
17. Origins of Modern Politics :
o European States System.
o American Revolution and the Constitution.
o French Revolution and Aftermath, 1789-1815.
o American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and
the abolition of slavery.
o British Democratic politics, 1815-1850 : Parliamentary
Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists.
18. Industrialization :
o English Industrial Revolution : Causes and Impact on Society.
o Industrialization in other countries : USA, Germany, Russia,
Japan.
o Industrialization and Globalization.
19. Nation‐State System :
o Rise of Nationalism in 19th century.
o Nationalism : State-building in Germany and Italy.
o Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of
nationalities across the World.
20. Imperialism and Colonialism :
o South and South-East Asia.
o Latin America and South Africa.
o Australia.
o Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.
21. Revolution and Counter‐Revolution :
o 19th Century European revolutions.
o The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921.
o Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany.
o The Chinese Revolution of 1949.
22. World Wars :
o 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars : Societal
implications.
o World War I : Causes and Consequences.
o World War II : Causes and Consequences.
23. The World after World War II:
o Emergence of Two power blocs.
o Emergence of Third World and non-alignment.
o UNO and the global disputes.
24. Liberation from Colonial Rule :
o Latin America-Bolivar.
o Arab World-Egypt.
o Africa-Apartheid to Democracy.
o South-East Asia-Vietnam.
25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment :
o Factors constraining Development ; Latin America, Africa.
26. Unification of Europe :
o Post War Foundations ; NATO and European Community.
o Consolidation and Expansion of European Community
o European Union.
27. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the
Unipolar World :
o Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and

Soviet Union, 1985-1991.

o Political Changes in East Europe 1989-2001.
o End of the Cold War and US Ascendancy in the World as the

lone superpower.