Indian Civil Service Exams (CSE) Syllabus - UPSC Exams

Paper-I

Sources and approaches to study of early Indian history.

Early pastoral and agricultural communities. The archaeological evidence.

The Indus Civilization: its origins, nature and decline.

Patterns of settlement, economy, social organization and religion in India (c. 2000 to 500 B.C.): archaeological perspectives.

Evolution of north Indian society and culture: evidence of Vedic texts (Samhitas to Sutras).

Teachings of Mahavira and Buddha. Contemporary society. Early phase of state formation and urbanization.

Rise of Magadha; the Mauryan empire. Ashoka's inscriptions; his dhamma. Nature of the Mauryan state.

Post-Mauryan period in northern and peninsular India: Political and administrative history,. Society, economy, culture and religion. Tamilaham and its society: the Sangam texts.

India in the Gupta and post-Gupta period (to c. 750): Political history of northern and peninsular India; Samantha system and changes in political structure; economy; social structure; culture; religion.

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.

India, 750-1200: Polity, society and economy. Major dynasties and political structures in North India. Agrarian structures. " Indian feudalism". Rise of Rajputs. The Imperial Cholas and their contemporaries in Peninsular India. Village communities in the South. Conditions for women. Commerce mercantile groups and guilds; towns. Problem of coinage. Arab conquest of Sind; the Ghaznavide empire.

India, 750-1200: Culture, Literature, Kalhana, historian. Styles of temple architecture; sculpture. Religious thought and institutions: Sankaracharya's vedanta. Ramanuja. Growth of Bhakti, Islam and its arrival in India. Sufism. Indian science. Alberuni and his study of Indian science and civilization.

The 13th Century. The Ghorian invasions. Factors behind Ghorian success. Economic, social and cultural consequences. Foundation of Delhi Sultanate. The "slave" Dynasty. IItutmish; Balban. "The Khalji Revolution". Early Sultanate architecture.

The 14th Century. Alauddin Khalji's conquests, agrarian and economic measures. Muhammad Tughluq's major "projects". Firuz Tughluq's concessions and public works. Decline of the Sultante. Foreign contacts: Ibn Battuta.

Economy society and culture in the 13th and 14th centuries. Caste and slavery under sultanate. Tehnological changes. Sultanate architecture. persian literature: Amir Khusrau, Historiography; Ziya Barani. Evolution of a composite culture. Sufism in North India. Lingayats. Bhakti schools in the south.

The 15th and early16th Century (Political History). Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat, Malwa, Bahmanids. The Vijayanagra Empire. Lodis. Mughal Empire, First phase : Babur, Humayun. The Sur Empire : Sher Shah's administration. The Portuguese colonial enterprise.

The 15th and early 16th Century (society, economy and culture). Regional cultures and literatures. provincial architectural styles. Society, culture, literature and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.

Monotheistic movements: Kabir and Guru Nank. Bhakti Movements: Chaitanya. Sufism in its pantheistic phase.

Akbar: His conquests and consolidation of empire. Establishment of jagir and mansab systems. His Rajput policy. Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sulh-i-kul and religious policy. Abul Fazl, thinker and historian. Court patronage of art and technology.

Mughal empire in the 17th Century. Major policies (administrative and religious) of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. The Empire and the Zamindars. Nature of the Mughal state. Late 17th Century crisis: Revolts. The Ahom kingdom, Shivaji and the early maratha kingdom.

Economy and society, 16th and 17th Centuries. Population. Agricultural and 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, famines. Condition of Women.

Culture during Mughal Empire. Persian literature (including historical works). Hindi and relgious literatures. Mughal architecture. Mughal painting. Provincial schools of architecture and painting. Classical music. Science and technology. Sawai Jai Singh, astronomer. Mystic eclecticism : Dara Shukoh. Vaishnav Bhakti. Mahrasthra Dharma. Evolution of the Sikh community (Khalsa).

First half of 18th Century: Factors behind decline of the Mughal Empire. The regional principalities (Nizam's Deccan, Bengal, Awadh). Rise of Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas. The Maratha fiscal and financial system. Emergency of Afghan Power. Panipat, 1761. Internal weakness, political cultural and economic, on eve of the British conquest

Indian Civil Service Exams (CSE) Syllabus - UPSC Exams