UPPSC History Syllabus 2024, Optional History Syllabus

• Sources and approaches to studying early Indian history.
• Early pastoral and agricultural communities. Archaeological evidence. (Neolithic and
• ChalcolithicCulture)
• The Indus civilization has its origin, nature, and decline.
• Patterns of settlement, economy, social organization, and religion in India (c. 2000–500 B.C.): archaeological perspectives.
• Evolutions of North Indian society and culture: evidence of Vedic texts (Samhitas of 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 dharma, and the nature of the Mauryan State.
• Post-Mauryan Period in Northern and Peninsular India. Political and administrative history. Society, economy, culture, and religion. Tamil akamand its society and SangamTexts.
• Changes in the Gupta and Gupta period (up to circa 750) political histories of northern and peninsular India. Samanta System and changes in political structure, economy, social structure, culture, and religion.
• Themes in early India
• Cultural history, languages,
• Major stages in the evolution of art and architecture, major philosophical thinkers and schools, and ideas in science and mathematics.

• Major Dynasties And Political Structures In North India From 750 A.D. to 1200 A.D. Rise of the Rajput Dynasties and the Imperial Cholas.
• Arab Conquest of Sindh and the Ghaznavide
• Empire; Advent of Islam and Sufism Alberuni, and His Study of Indian Science and Civilization.
• India, 750 A.D.–1200 A.D.: Economy, Society, Literature, Major Historical works, Styles of architecture, Religious thought, and institutions, the growth of the Bhakti Movement.
• The Ghorain invasions, Economic, Social, and Cultural consequences, and
• The Foundation of the Sultanate.
• The Sultanate Period and Political Dynasties: Slaves, Khaljis, Tughlaqs, Syeds, and Lodis; major historical sources, including foreign travelers’ accounts; Society and Culture During the Sultanate Period.
• The Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bahmani and Vijaynagar.
• The Mughal Period: Babar, Humayun; the Sur Period: Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan, Aurangzeb; a decline of the Mughal Empire; society, culture, and administration; economic changes; the arrival of European trading companies.
• Shivaji, Peshwas, And Rise Of Marathas
• The Rise of Sikh Power and the Third Battle of Panipat.
• Sources of the Mughal Period: Persian and Indigenous Accounts of Foreign Travelers.

• Establishment of British Rule in India: East India Company and its relations with the Regional Powers.
• Colonial Economy: Tribute System, Drain of wealth
• and “Deindustrialization”. Fiscal and Land Revenue Settlements (Zamindari, Ryotwari, and Mahalwari)
• settlements).Administrative Policies and Structure of the British Raj up to 1857 (including constitutional developments)
• Resistance to Colonial Rule: Early Uprisings, Causes, Nature, and Impact of the Revolt of 1857, Reorganization of the Raj in 1858, and After.
• Socio-Cultural Impact Of Colonial Rule: Official Social Reform Measures; Orientalist
• Anglicist Controversy, coming of English Education and the Press; Christian Missionary activities;
• Social and Religious Reform Movements in Bengal and Other Parts of the Country Economic Policies 1858–1914. Railways Commercialization of Indian Agriculture; Growth Of Landless Labourers And Rural Indebtedness; Famines; India As Market For British Industry; and drain theory
• Early Indian nationalism; Social background;
• Formation Of political associations; Peasant and tribal uprisings during the early nationalist era; Foundation of the Indian
• The National Congress; the moderate phase of the Congress; the growth of extremism; anti-partitions; and the Swadeshi Movement; the birth of the Muslim League. The Indian Councils Act of 1909; the Government of India Act of 1919.
• The interwar economy of India:
• Industries and problems of protection; Agricultural distress; The Great Depression; Ottawa agreements and discriminatory Protection. The growth of Trade unions
• Peasant movements.
• Home Rule Movement nationalism under Gandhi’s leadership: Gandhi’s thoughts, methods of mass mobilization and Different movements

(a) Revolutionary movements in India and Abroad; (b) Swarajists, Liberals,

Responsive cooperation;

(c) Emergence of Leftism In India

(d) Subhash Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army.

• Growth Of Communalism: Causes And Developments,
• Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, etc.
• Women and National Movement.
• Literary and cultural developments: Tagore, Premchand, Subramaniam Bharti, and Iqbal as examples only,
• Towards freedom: The Act of 1935; Congress Ministries, 1937–1939; The Pakistan movement,
• Post-1945 upsurge(RIN Mutiny, Telangana uprising, etc.): Constitutional negotiations And The Transfer Of power; Freedom And Partition.

• Renaissance, Reformation, and Counter-Reformation, Age of Enlightenment; Major ideas of Enlightenment, Kant, Rousseau, etc.;
• Spread of Enlightenment outside Europe,

• Rise of Socialist Ideas.
• Origins of Modern Politics European States System; American Revolution; French Revolution and its aftermath (1789–1815).
• Industrialization: Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society: Industrialization in Other Countries.
• Nation-State System
• Rise of Nationalism
• Century: Unification of Germany and Italy: Disintegration of Empires Through the Emergence of Nationalities.
• Imperialism and Colonialism: Transatlantic Slave Trade, Asian Conquest, Types
• Empire Settlement Latin America, South Africa, Indonesia, and Australia.
• Revolutions and Counter-Revolutions: 19th-century European revolutions; the Russian Revolution of 1917–1921; the Fascist Counter-Revolution in Italy and Germany; and the Chinese Revolution of 1949.
• World Wars (First and Second): causes, consequences, and various developments.
• Cold War: Emergence of two blocs and other related developments. The emergence of Third World and Non-Alignment
• UNO and Dispute Resolution.
• Colonies and Liberation—Latin America—Bolivia; Arab World—Egypt; South Africa—Apartheid Policy and Democracy; South-East Asia—Vietnam.
• Decolonization and underdevelopment Breakup of Colonial Empires (British, French, and Dutch) Factors Constraining Development: Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
• Soviet Disintegration and the Unipolar World: Causes, Consequences, and Other Developments, Globalization.

• Holistic and In-depth discussion of topics as per core needs and requirements of Preliminary and Mains Examination

• Ancient history: NCERTs
• Medieval history: Book by Satish Chandra
• Modern History:
• Book by Bipin Chandra
• 6-12th NCERT Books