📜 OPTIONAL — HISTORY

Papers: VI & VII · 500 marks. GS overlap: VERY HIGH — covers GS-I history entirely (ancient, medieval, modern, world history, post-independence), plus Essay and Prelims history. Syllabus size: VERY LARGE — the longest of the popular optionals. Best for: strong readers with good memory and genuine love of the subject.

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PAPER I — ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL INDIA

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: expansion of Aryans in India; Vedic period — religious and philosophic literature; transformation from Rig Vedic period to later Vedic period; political, social and economic 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. 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 the 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, Sangam Age polity and culture, 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 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 — 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 Brahma-Mimansa; 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 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 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, 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; Sher Shah and the Sur Empire; 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; conditions of peasants, conditions of women; evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth.
23. Culture in the 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 politics, culture and economy on the eve of the British conquest.

PAPER II — MODERN INDIA AND WORLD HISTORY

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 Jaffar and Mir Kasim; the Battle of Buxar; Mysore; the Maratha; 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 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; Dayanand 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; 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.
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: 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.
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 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 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 East Europe 1989-2001; (iii) End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.

BOOKLIST

STRATEGY

• The longest optional syllabus — start early and be systematic. Budget 5–6 months for the first reading.
• Historiography earns marks: cite nationalist, Marxist, subaltern and Cambridge school perspectives.
• Maps matter in Paper I (ancient sites, empires) — practise them.
• World History (Paper II) is often under-prepared by candidates and is therefore an opportunity.
• Write analytically, not narratively — causes, consequences, significance, historiographical debate.
• Solve 15 years of PYQs; questions repeat in theme if not in wording.

Pros: total GS-I overlap; rich material; interesting for those who love the subject. Cons: very long syllabus; heavy memory load; time-intensive alongside GS.