UPSC Optional Subject

UPSC History Optional: Syllabus, Notes & PYQs

Paper I and Paper II syllabus, period-wise LearnPro notes, preparation method and UPSC History Optional questions from 2017 to 2025.

2 Papers250 Marks Each500 Marks TotalDescriptive Mains Papers

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Subject Overview

What UPSC History Optional Covers

History Optional moves from archaeological sources and early Indian society to medieval political formations, colonial rule, modern India and world history. The two papers test factual command, chronological understanding, interpretation of sources and the ability to build a balanced historical argument.

Paper I: Ancient and medieval Indian history, culture, society, economy and political institutions.
Paper II: Modern India, the national movement, post-independence consolidation and major developments in world history.
Answer requirement: A direct argument supported with dates, examples, historians’ views, maps or short diagrams where useful.

Paper IAncient & Medieval India

Paper IIModern India & World

Duration3 hours per paper

StageUPSC Civil Services Mains

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UPSC History Optional Syllabus

Read the complete syllabus before selecting books or making notes. Use each numbered syllabus line as a checklist and connect it to previous questions.

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 account: Greek, Chinese and Arab writers.
Pre-history and Proto-history: Geographical factors; hunting and gathering (paleolithic and mesolithic); Beginning of agriculture (neolithic and chalcolithic)
Indus Valley Civilization: Origin, date, extent, characteristics-decline, survival and significance, art and architecture.
Megalithic Cultures: Distribution of pastoral and farming cultures outside the Indus, Development of community life, Settlements, Development of agriculture, Crafts, Pottery, and Iron industry.
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.
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 Buddism; Rise of Magadha and Nandas. Iranian and Macedonian invasions and their impact.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Chaluky as 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Fourteenth Century:
- “The Khalji Revolution”.
- Alauddin Khalji: Conquests and territorial expansion, agrarian and economic measure.
- Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq.
- Firuz Tugluq: Agrarian measures, achievements in civil engineering and public works, decline of the Sultanate, foreign contacts and Ibn Battuta’s account.
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.
The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century-Political Developments and Economy:
- Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat.
- Malwa, Bahmanids.
- The Vijayanagara Empire.
- Lodis. — Mughal Empire, First phase: Babur, Humayun.
- The Sur Empire: Sher Shah’s administration.
- Portuguese colonial enterprise, Bhakti, and Sufi Movements.
The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- Society and culture:
- Regional cultures specificities.
- Literary traditions.
- Provincial architectural.
- Society, culture, literature, and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.
Akbar:
- Conquests and consolidation of 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.
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.
Economy and society, in the 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, Condition of Women.
- Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth.
Culture during Mughal Empire:
- Persian histories and other literature.
- Hindi and religious literatures.
- Mughal architecture.
- Mughal painting.
- Provincial architecture and painting.
- Classical music.
- Science and technology.
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, political, cultural, and economic, on eve of the British conquest.

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.
British Expansion in India: Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three AngloMaratha Wars; The Punjab.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Indian Response to British Rule: 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); 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.
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.
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 Noncooperation 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.
Constitutional Developments in the Colonial India between 1858 and 1935.
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.
Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.
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.
Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward Castes and Tribes in post-colonial electoral politics; Dalit movements.
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.
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.
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.
Industrialization:

(i) English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society.

(ii) Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan.

(iii) Industrialization and Globalization.
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.
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.
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.
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 Consequences.
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.
Liberation from Colonial Rule:

(i) Latin America-Bolivar.

(ii) Arab World-Egypt.

(iii) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy.

(iv) South-East Asia-Vietnam.
Decolonization and Underdevelopment:

(i) Factors constraining development; Latin America, Africa.
Unification of Europe:

(i) Post War Foundations; NATO and European Community.

(ii) Consolidation and Expansion of European Community

(iii) European Union.
Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World:

(i) Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and 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.

Open the dedicated History Optional syllabus page →

Manual Study Articles

History Optional Notes by Period

Use these LearnPro articles for the topic indicated. Return to the syllabus after every reading and prepare a short revision note in your own sequence.

Preparation Method

How to Prepare History Optional

A workable plan converts the syllabus into notes, connects notes to recurring questions and produces timed answers. The aim is not unlimited reading; it is controlled coverage and repeated revision.

Map the Syllabus

Break every line into themes, sub-themes, chronology and likely question forms.

Build Core Notes

Keep one dependable base source for each period and add examples, debates and dates.

Add Interpretation

Use historians’ views selectively. Explain why an interpretation supports the argument.

Write and Revise

Practise previous questions under time limits, then improve structure, maps and conclusions.

2017–2025 Archive

UPSC History Optional Previous Year Questions

Select a year and then Paper I or Paper II. Use the archive to identify repeated themes, command words and the depth expected in a 10-, 15- or 20-mark answer.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim: 50
Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.
(i) Neolithic site

(ii) Mesolithic site

(iii) Paleolithic site

(iv) Neolithic site with stone artefacts

(v) Site of Indus Valley Civilization

(vi) Early Harappan site with a fire-pit

(vii) Late Harappan site

(viii) The Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP) site

(ix) Mesolithic site

(x) Megalithic site

(xi) Mahajanapada of South India

(xii) Site of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana

(xiii) Major Rock Edict of Asoka

(xiv) Asokan Minor Rock Edict

(xv) Commercial centre of the Mauryas

(xvi) Saka-Kushan coin hoard

(xvii) An inscription mentioning Ashvamedha Sacrifice

(xviii) Site of Post-Mauryan period burnt brick house

(xix) Terracotta craft centre of Post-Mauryan period

(xx) Important port of the Pallava period
(a) “The Chalcolithic people were experts in microliths and were also skilful workers in stone.” Elucidate. 15

(b) “The Harappans were not an artistic people.” Comment. 15

(c) “The ideological challenge posed by Jainism and Buddhism was deeply rooted in the socio-economic transformations brought about by the expansion of agrarian settlements in eastern India.” Explain. 20
(a) “The origin of the territorial republics has been traced to the reaction against the pattern of life that evolved in the later Vedic period.” Analyse. 15

(b) How far did the Mauryans facilitate the diffusion of the material culture of the Gangetic plains? Explain. 15

(c) Examine the nature and impact of India’s contacts with Central Asia during the 1st to 3rd century CE. How did these interactions influence India’s political, cultural and economic spheres? 20
(a) “The dynamics of social mobility in early medieval India were shaped by a complex interplay of caste hierarchies, religious legitimation, economic transformation and political patronage.” Critically assess how these factors collectively reconfigured the structure of early medieval Indian society. 15

(b) Discuss the circumstances which led to the conflict between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas and mention how this rivalry shaped the power dynamics in South India. 15

(c) Critically evaluate the major stages in the development of art and literature in early medieval India and explain how these stages reflected the broader changes in society and patterns of patronage during the period. 20

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each : 10×5=50

(a) “Religious themes inspired a large section of literature in provincial languages in late medieval India.” Comment. 10

(b) “Alauddin Khilji’s economic measures aimed at centralising political authority in the Delhi Sultanate.” Elucidate. 10

(c) Critically assess the role of imperial Karkhanas in Mughal India. How did they reflect the ideological and functional imperatives of the Mughal State? 10

(d) “The principles of Sikhism represented a harmonious blend of Islamic and Indic religious beliefs and practices.” Comment. 10

(e) Gunpowder changed the character of warfare in India during the Mughal era. Elucidate. 10
(a) Discuss the structural features of Todar Mal’s revenue system and evaluate its effectiveness in standardized land revenue assessment in India. 15

(b) Barani’s Fatwa-i-Jahandari” was not a proper account of the Delhi Sultanate, rather a lament. Elucidate. 15

(c) Discuss the development of Hindi literature under Mughal patronage. How did the Bhakti and Sufi Movements influence it? 20
(a) Portuguese maritime power disrupted the character of trade in the Indian Ocean in the 16th century. Review. 15

(b) Akbar’s Rajput policy was shaped by considerations of factional politics in the Mughal court. Discuss. 15

(c) Evaluate the impact of Mughal revenue administration on the agrarian structure of North India. To what extent did it bring continuity and change in the rural socio-economic fabric? 20
(a) “Aurangzeb’s religious policy was a reflection of the changed political realities of the Mughal Empire.” Elucidate. 15

(b) Define the rise of distinct provincial architectural styles under the Mughal Empire in light of structural diversity, cultural interaction and the nature of provincial power dynamics. 15

(c) Critically examine the political, military and administrative factors that led to the transformation of the Maratha character in the 18th century. How did these changes influence its rise and eventual decline? 20

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

(a) “The Sikh monarchy was Napoleonic in the suddenness of its rise, the brilliancy of its success and the completeness of its overthrow.”

(b) “The seeds of domestic dissensions were thickly and deeply sown in the Maratha system under the Peshwas.”

(c) “Bhagat Singh and his comrades significantly expanded the meaning and scope of revolution, redefining it beyond mere political upheaval to include social and ideological transformation.”

(d) “The significant feature of the Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the principle of election which it introduced, though the word ‘election’ was very carefully avoided in it.”

(e) “The colonial rule opened the Indian markets for British-manufactured goods and led to ‘deindustrialization’ or destruction of indigenous handicraft industries.”
(a) Do you agree that the idea of permanent fixation of land revenue of 1793 in Bengal was highly influenced by the Physiocratic school of thinking? Discuss. 20

(b) “The tug of war between the two principles of freedom and control of the press made its influence felt on the colonial rulers’ attitude to the press.” Discuss. 20

(c) “The movement for linguistic States generated deep apprehensions among the nationalist elite. They feared it would lead to the Balkanization of India.” Examine. 10
(a) “During the Carnatic Wars, the French position, which at one time dazzled the Indian world by its political successes, was destined to end in humiliation and failure.” Explain. 20

(b) Why has the ‘safety valve theory’ related to the foundation of the Indian National Congress been thoroughly discredited by recent researchers? Analyze. 20

(c) “The emergence of Gandhi signified the Indianization of the national movement.” Analyze with reference to his early movements between 1917-1922. 10
(a) “The tensions between cultural revivalism and modernization shaped the trajectory of the socio-religious reform movements in 19th century India.” Discuss. 20

(b) In what ways did the tribal and peasant uprisings of the 19th century contribute to the rise and growth of nationalism in India? Examine. 20

(c) Discuss the major initiatives taken by the Government of India for the removal of caste injustice and inequality after 1947. 10

SECTION ‘B’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

(a) “The French Revolution started and led to the victory in its first phase by the aristocracy.”

(b) “With the Reform Act of 1832 began an activity in reconstructing legislation to which there had been no parallel in British history.”

(c) “The First World War did not produce just political consequences, it also had a deep impact on the ways of thinking.”

(d) “In the Soviet Union, as also in China, there was a strong belief that anti-imperial movements in the colonies would result in their moving into the socialist orbit.”

(e) “The pre-Marxian socialist thinkers envisioned socialist societies without fully considering the practical mechanisms for achieving or maintaining them.”
(a) “Nationalism in the 19th century was a driving force for both integration and disintegration.” Illustrate with examples from Europe and other parts of the world. 20

(b) “The American Revolution was, in many respects, a manifestation of the Enlightenment in political, civil and ecclesiastical spheres.” Explain. 20

(c) Did new imperialism represent a continuation of old colonial practices or did it mark a fundamental shift in global power structure? Discuss critically. 10
(a) “By the time of 1932 elections, Germany’s ruling classes began to feel that the only way to escape from a deep economic crisis was to hand over political power to a totalitarian agency.” Explain. 20

(b) Discuss critically the salient features of Mikhail Gorbachev’s domestic reforms. 20

(c) “Anti-clericalism of the Enlightenment echoed the sentiments of the Renaissance and the Reformation. Yet it neither endorsed the paganism of the Renaissance nor did it share the faith of Reformation.” Discuss. 10
(a) Why did the non-communist Vietnamese leaders fail to provide successful leadership for Indo-China’s anti-colonial struggle? Discuss. 20

(b) To what extent did the concept of free trade of European Economic Community contribute to the formation of European Union? Examine. 20

(c) Examine the impact of the links between scientific education and industrial expansion on German society in the early 20th century. 10

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim:
(i) Prehistoric site

(ii) Area of petroglyphs

(iii) Neolithic site

(iv) Harappan site

(v) Buddhist monastery

(vi) Chalcolithic site

(vii) Neo-Chalcolithic site

(viii) Megalithic site with rock art

(ix) One of the Mahajanapadas’ capital and associated with Buddha’s miracle

(x) Hominid fossil find site

(xi) Major rock edict of Ashoka

(xii) Ancient trade centre

(xiii) Stone inscription recording land grants with tax exemptions

(xiv) Shiva temples named after family relationships

(xv) Place of art-related inscription

(xvi) Place of inscription of three languages

(xvii) Temple site where three styles of temple architecture are found

(xviii) Jain pilgrimage site

(xix) Shiva temple of Gupta period

(xx) Megalithic monumental site
Answer the following questions:

a). Harappan art contributes to our understanding of their aesthetic sensibilities in addition to spiritual and ritualistic life. Comment.

b). Discuss different types of Megalithic burial practices in India. How far does the archaeological evidence from it help us to know the religious beliefs and cultural practices?

c). Western Kshatrapas are known for their socio-economic contribution, particularly in trade, agriculture, and urbanization. Examine the statement.
Answer the following questions:

a). Symbiotic relationships between Buddhist establishments, traders, artisan guilds, and royal support led to a close proximity of religion, economy, and polity in the Mauryan and post-Mauryan periods. Examine the statement.

b). Discuss the role of Buddhism in shaping the socio-religious landscape of the Mauryan empire.

c). Discuss the evolution of the State institution and taxation system from the Rigvedic period to the later Vedic period.
Answer the following questions:

a). Highlight the contributions of Aryabhatta, Varahamihira, and Brahmagupta in the fields of Astronomy and Mathematics.

b). Examine the course of Pallava-Chalukya conflicts between the sixth and eighth centuries CE.

c). Examine the role played by Agraharas in the promotion of education in early medieval India.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

a). Illustrate the main features of Vesara style temple architecture.

b). Evaluate Firuz Shah Tughluq’s economic policies.

c). Evaluate the contribution of Qalandariyyah to medieval Indian culture.

d). Discuss the main features of the Malwa school of painting with examples.

e). Highlight the features of the Portuguese colonial enterprise.
Answer the following questions:

a). Analyze the contributions of Acharya Triumvirate to Indian Vedanta.

b). Compare and contrast the position of Hindu and Muslim women in 13th and 14th century India.

c). Examine the causes and consequences of peasant uprisings during the reign of Aurangzeb.
Answer the following questions:

a). “Instead of bringing credit, the Ibadat Khana brought growing discredit to Akbar.” Comment.

b). How did the Maratha guerilla warfare tactics contribute to their military successes against larger and more established armies?

c). Examine the role of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty in the political transformation of the State of Hyderabad.
Answer the following questions:

a). Discuss the contributions of Bahmani Sultans to the development of Indo-Islamic architecture.

b). Evaluate the impact of the Third Battle of Panipat on the political economy of 18th-century India.

c). Examine the process of urbanization caused by the establishment of European trading companies in India.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). After the battle of Plassey, the mercenary became the Kingmaker.

b). The values of utilitarianism prompted the Company administration to attempt reform of Indian society.

c). In course of the 19th century, the agenda of social reform was gradually replaced by revivalism.

d). The federal provisions of the Government of India Act of 1935 foundered on the rock of princely intransigence.

e). The strength of the Pakistan programme was its vagueness. It meant everything to everyone.
Answer the following questions:

a). The pace of commercialisation of agriculture increased as a result of British revenue policies in India. — Critically examine.

b). Why was the Great Revolt of 1857 confined only to North India? How did it change the character of British rule in the subcontinent? Explain.

c). Why did the demand for land reform never become an agenda in national politics after 1947? Elucidate.
Answer the following questions:

a). Political extremism in colonial India often converged with cultural nationalism but not always. – Comment.

b). Regionalism in India after 1947 was occasioned by developmental imperatives as much as linguistic particularism. – Elucidate.

c). Twenty years of peace secured by the treaty of Salbai proved very costly to the Marathas in strategic terms. — Elucidate.
Answer the following questions:

a). The Swadeshi movement of 1905 anticipated many of the tactics that were later developed during the Gandhian mass movement. — Critically examine.

b). The trade union movement joined forces with the mainstream of nationalist politics to strengthen each other in their struggle against colonial rule. – Comment.

c). India’s developmental strategy after independence was influenced by economic imperatives, not ideological considerations. – Comment.

SECTION ‘B’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). The ideas raised by Enlightenment thinkers were profoundly unsettling and challenging to old regime society and political order.

b). The American Civil War was a result of the disparity of needs of industrial north and agrarian south.

c). The unification of Germany was as much a product of coal and iron as it was of blood and iron.

d). The new regime in China addressed the peasant question by instituting widespread land distribution, which was carried out swiftly and ruthlessly.

e). The revolutions of 1989 did not simply destroy governments; they also ended an ideology.
Answer the following questions:

a). The course of the English industrialization was too long drawn to be considered a revolution. Comment.

b). The social and political landscape of Europe after the first world war was uniquely suited to the rise of Fascism. Discuss.

c). The state was the most important factor in the industrialization of Russia. Comment.
Answer the following questions:

a). The second world war was a truly global conflict. Discuss.

b). Trace the different stages of European economic integration.

c). The nature of apartheid regime undermined South Africa’s claim of being a democratic polity.
Answer the following questions:

a). The emergence of two power blocs not only symbolised two competing ideologies but also two alternative models of economic growth. Explain.

b). To what extent underdevelopment in Latin America is caused by neo-imperialism?

c). How did Ho Chi Minh emerge as the central figure in the Vietnamese independence movement?

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of
about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for
each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim:
(i) Neolithic site

(ii) Site of Mother and Child Terracotta Figure

(iii) Hoard of Gupta Coin

(iv) Site of Botanical remains

(v) Harappan site with mud–brick platform

(vi) Mauryan reservoir site

(vii) Capital of Maitraka dynasty

(viii) Dockyard

(ix) Rock shelter

(x) Stone axe factory

(xi) Satavahana inscription site

(xii) Minor rock inscription of Ashoka

(xiii) Buddhist Stupa

(xiv) Mesolithic site

(xv) Iron smelting workshop

(xvi) Megalithic site

(xvii) Temple site dedicated to Surya

(xviii) Roman factory site

(xix) Site of Muvar Koil (Temple of Three)

(xx) Megalith stone site

Answer the following questions:

a). “The Neolithic Age represents a revolution due to significant changes that took place
during this period .Examine.
b). The Indus-Saraswati cultural zone exhibited both homogeneity and diversity. Discuss.

c). How do the comparative study of languages, archaeological sources and vast corpus of
Vedic literature helps to determine the Aryan problem in Indian history. Discuss.
Answer the following questions:

a). How far the Sangam literature acts as a window into the social and cultural traditions
of ancient South India?
b). Analyze the contours of imperial ideology as exhibited during the Mauryan period.

c). Evaluate the status of women in the Gupta period as compared to the pre–Gupta era.
Answer the following questions:

a). Analyze the tenets, spread and impact of the Bhakti Movement.

b). How far temple architecture under the Cholas became more refined and
grandiose as compared to the early South Indian temple architect are style?
c). Is it correct to say that the post-Gupta period was remarkable for expansion of religious
cults in India?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

a). Discuss the various proponents of Indian feudalism.

b). Examine the defects in Alberuni’s assessment of Indian society.

c). Discuss the importance of Sufi literature as an important source of history.

d). What factors do you attribute for the decline of the Delhi Sultanate?

e). The motive of Alauddin Khilji’s agrarian policy was to curb the powers of the
intermediaries. Examine the measures which he adopted to achieve his objective.
Answer the following questions:

a). Discuss the role of Nur Jahan in the Mughal court politics during the reign of Jahangir.

b). Why did Balban prefer ‘consolidation over ‘expansion’ of the Delhi Sultanate?

c). What features of European paintings were incorporated in the Mughal Miniature
painting?
Answer the following questions:

a). The Marathas posed a significant threat to the integrity of the Mughal Empire. Discuss.

b). “Haidar Ali was born to build an empire, and Tipu Sultan to lose one.”Comment.

c). Analyze the rise of the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh.
Answer the following questions:

a). Mughal architecture was syncretic in character. Comment.

b). The economy of India was not stagnant in the eighteenth century. Discuss.

c). Discuss the nature of the Mughal State under Akbar.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). “Colonialism had a twisted logic of its own for commercialization. It emerges on
analysis to have been often an artificial and forced process.”
b). After 1857, “the peasants emerged as the main force in agrarian movements.”

c). “Awakened political consciousness of Indian masses, bound with dishonourable and
cowardly insults of the British led to the movement of Non-Cooperation.”
d). When Gandhiji launched the Civil Disobedience Movement he was “desperately in
search of an effective formula.”
e). “If abdication of British responsibility at the time of transfer of power was callous, the
speed with which it was done made it worse.”
Answer the following questions:

a). The Carnatic Wars, the Anglo-Mysore Wars and the Anglo-Maratha Wars had virtually
eliminated the French from the contest of supremacy in South India. Discuss.
b). While introducing the Indian Councils Bill of 1861, the British thought that the only
Government suitable for India ‘is a despotism controlled from home’. Comment.
c). The root of the whole question behind the Indigo Revolt is the struggle to make the
raiyats grow indigo plants without paying them the price of it’. Analyse.
Answer the following questions:

a). Do you agree that ‘the decline of traditional Indian artisan production was a fact, sad
but inevitable’? Discuss.
b). The historical significance of tribal and peasant uprisings in India ‘lies in that they
established strong and valuable traditions of resistance to British rule’. Discuss.
c). To accomplish the aims of education, ‘political propaganda and formation as well as
propagation of nationalist ideology’, the press became the chief instrument. Comment.
Answer the following questions:

a). The universalist perspective of socio-religious reform movements was not a ‘purely
philosophic’ concern; it strongly influenced the political and social outlook of the
time’. Examine.
b). The Congress Socialist Party agenda was not to cut off from the Congress, but ‘intended
to give the Congress and the national movement a socialist direction’. Analyse.
c). How did the factionalised Dalit leadership in Hyderabad undergo a period of intense
re-organization between 1948 and 1953?

SECTION ‘B’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). “The American War of Independence finally ended in 1783 when Britain acknowledged
the independence of the United States of America.”
b). “The Chartist Movement not only fulfilled some of the demands of the middle class,
but its ramifications were felt among the working class and the colonies as well.”
c). “The Revolutions of 1848 were shaped by the ideas of democracy and nationalism.”

d). “The British imperialism in South Africa from 1867 to 1902 was influenced to a large
extent by the capitalist mining of diamonds.”
e). “The supremacy of USA after the end of Cold War had its challenges as well.”
Answer the following questions:

a). The philosophers and thinkers may have laid the foundation of the French Revolution,
but it was precipitated by social and economic reasons. Explain.
b). Marxian socialism claims itself to be a scientific socialist theory capable of explaining
the history of humankind. Discuss.
c). Enlightenment was not confined to scientific revolution alone, but humanism and
ideas of progress too were its inseparable constituents. Examine.
Answer the following questions:

a). The impact of industrial revolution on the middle class worldview is reflected in the
views of Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus and Jeremy Bentham. Comment.
b). Discuss the different stages of the unification of Italy from 1848 to the occupation of
Rome in 1870.
c). The Treaty of Versailles contained in itself the seeds of the Second World War. Examine.
Answer the following questions:

a). “UNO was the necessity of the time when World War II ended.” Critically examine
its achievements and shortcomings.
b). The historical causes for the rise of anti-colonial movement in South-East Asia were
cultural differences, spread of western education and the emergence of Communist
ideas. Discuss.
c). Arab nationalism was not only a cultural movement, but also an anti-colonial struggle.
Comment.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map applied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below serial wise :

(i) Palaeolithic site

(ii) Mesolithic site with burials

(iii) Neolithic pit-dwelling

(iv) Early village settlement

(v) Neolithic site

(vi) Neolithic-Chalcolithic site

(vii) Harappan UNESCO site

(viii) Megalithic burial site

(ix) Place of Second Sangam

(x) Earliest Satavahana capital

(xi) Place or inscribed statue of Ashoka

(xii) First Gupta hoard or coins

(xiii) Hoard of metal sculptures

(xiv) Ancient port

(xv) Oldest Jesuit church

(xvi) Centre of Gandhara art

(xvii) Buddhist monastery

(xviii) Place of earliest Vishnu temple

(xix) Shiva and Buddhist temple complex

(xx) Earliest Chaitya Griha

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following questions:

a). The urban character of the Harappan Civilization was a result neither of any outside influence nor a
sudden act but a gradual evolution of regional socio-economic factors. Comment.
b). Foreign accounts as a source of ancient Indian history may have some advantages but also have a few shortcomings. Citing appropriate examples, examine the statement.

c). Though some of the ideas of Buddhism may have had their origin in Vedic-Upanishadic traditions but it was an altogether new religion with its own specific principles and institutions. Discuss.
Answer the following questions:

a). The economic achievements of the Guptas were the culmination of a process which began during the
Kushanas. Comment.
b). Ashoka’s Dhamma was propagated not just for moral upliftment and social harmony but also for the extension of the state’s authority. Analyse the statement.

c). With the help of representative examples, delineate the main differences between the Nagara and Dravida styles of temple architectures.
Answer the following questions:

a). Evaluate the importance of tripartite struggle for the domination over North India during the eighth and ninth centuries.

b). Throw light on the chief characteristics of Tamil Bhakti Movement during the early medieval period,

c). Kalhana’s Rajatarangini is the best example of history writing tradition in early lndia. Discuss.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:

a). What were ‘Brahmadeya’ grants? How do you account for the large number of such grants in the early medieval period?

b). The establishment of large number of urban settlements in North India in the thirteenth century was principally owing to the deployment or Turkish garrisons across the lands. Comment.

c). Much of the political instability after the death or lltutmish was the doing of the Chahalgan. Elucidate.

d). The Rajput school of painting was Mughal in style and Rajput in its content. Comment.

e). Account for the rise of the Maratha power in the eighteenth century.
Answer the following questions:

a). The market regulations of Ala-ud-din Khilji were useful for the Sultan’s military might but harmful for the economy of the Sultanate. Comment.

b). Examine the nature of the Manasabdari system during the reign of Akbar.

c). Chola maritime expansion was driven largely by concerns of overseas commerce. Elucidate.
Answer the following questions:

a). The Virashaiva Movement of Southern Deccan in the twelfth century was essentially an attempt at social reform. Discuss.

b). The various Gharanas of Hindustani classical music were outcomes of patronage by regional princely courts, rather than central imperial ones. Discuss.

c). The prolonged conflict between the Vijayanagara Kingdom and the Bahmani successor states was influenced less by cultural factors, and more by strategic and economic considerations. Comment.
Answer the following questions:

a). Trade and commerce in the Mughal Empire brought about the integration of the Indian subcontinent into a single market. Comment.

b). Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy was a major factor in Mughal decline. Discuss.

c). The Vaishnava Bhakti tradition of the fifteenth century contributed in the flourishing of provincial literature. Discuss with appropriate examples.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). ‘The Battle of Plassey (1757) was a skirmish while the Battle of Buxar (1764) was a real war’.

b). ‘The Treaty of Amritsar (1809) was significant for its immediate as well as potential effects.’

c). ‘Famines were not just because of foodgrain scarcity, but were a direct result of colonial economic policies’.

d). Penetration of outsiders- called dikus by the Santhals-completely destroyed their familiar world, and forced them into action to take possession of their lost territory’.

e). ‘Within a limited scope the Indian Scientists could pursue original scientific research in colonial India’
Answer the following questions:

a). Explain how the Permanent Settlement initiated a rule of property in Bengal and what were its consequences?

b). Was the Western education a harbinger of cultural awakening or an instrument of colonial hegemony? Discuss.

c). Can you explain how, after acquiring Diwani, the government of the East India Company functioned like ‘an Indian ruler’?
Answer the following questions:

a). Do you think that the Indian National Movement was a ‘multi class movement’ which represented the anti-imperialist interests of all classes and strata? Give reasons in support of your answer.

b). The British rule had differential impact on the Indian Society. Describe in what ways, the Indians responded to the Revolt of 1857

c). Analyse how the revolutionaries taught people self confidence and widened the social base of the freedom movement.
Answer the following questions:

a). Discuss the policies and programmes of the early nationalists (moderates). To what extent they were able to fulfil the aspirations of the people?

b). In the light of contentions over the McMahon Line, analyse the India-China relations in the 1950s and 1960s.

c). How did the popular movements help us to understand the nature of environmental crisis in post-colonial India?

SECTION ‘B’

Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words:

a). ‘Rousseau kindled a hope which became the spirit of the Enlightenment”.

b). “The codification of French Law was perhaps the most enduring of Napoleon’s achievements’.

c). Engels did much more than Marx himself to popularise the ideas of Marxism.

d). ‘Roaring Twenties’ in Europe and America had many positive points. It helped women to uplift themselves in the region.

e). The first Reformation Act (1832) occupies a significant place in the constitutional development of Britain’.
Answer the following questions:

a). Do you agree that the economic effects of the Industrial Revolution were to add enormously to wealth and capital on the one hand and to degrade the masses to permanent poverty as the other? Elucidate.

b). Discuss how Fascism was a response to the post-war situation arising out of political instability, thwarted nationalist hopes and fears of the spread of communism?

c). Do you feel that the Vietnamese fought the 20th century’s longest and bloodiest war for their liberation and integration of their country? Analyse.
Answer the following questions:

a). Do you understand that the lack of statesmanship in London during the 1760’s and the 1770’s was, an important contributory factor in precipitating the American Revolution. Analyse.

b). Discuss, how the policies adopted by Mikhail Gorbachev were responsible for the disintegration of the USSR ?
c). What happened to Malaya after it was liberated from Japanese occupation in 1945? Discuss.
Answer the following questions:

a). Describe the launching of Non-Alignment Movement. Why the small nations wanted to remain aloof from the powerful nations?

b). Why was the apartheid policy introduced in South Africa? What were its main features?

c). How far did Latin American countries overcome centuries of subjugation and foreign intervention?

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim:

(i) Paleolithic site

(ii) Mesolithic site

(iii) Neolithic site

(iv) Neolithic-Chalcolithic site

(v) Harappan site

(vi) Proto-historic and historic site

(vii) Inscriptional site

(viii) Jain monastic site

(ix) Coin hoard

(x) Paleolithic site

(xi) Terracotta site

(xii) Rock-cut caves

(xiii) Ancient learning centre

(xiv) Political and cultural centre

(xv) Buddhist site

(xvi) Ancient port

(xvii) Early historic site

(xviii) Ivory hoard

(xix) Buddhist monastic centre

(xx) Temple complex

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following:

a). Do you agree that ecological factors influenced the flow and ebb of the Harappan Civilization? Comment.

b). Do you consider that the Upanishadic principles embody the high point of Vedic religious thought? Comment.

c). Analyze the significance of external influences and indigenous development on post-Mauryan art.
Answer the following:

a). Will it be proper to consider the megaliths to represent a single, homogeneous or contemporaneous culture? What kind of material life and cultural system is revealed in megalithic cultures?

b). How would you characterize the nature of Mauryan state on the basis of Kautilya’s Arthashastra?

c). How did the Varnashrama Dharma manifest the increasing social complexities in the Gupta and post-Gupta period arising from social and economic developments?
Answer the following:

a). “The political and economic needs of rulers, combined with economic and status needs of the merchant class, together provided the receptive cultural milieu in which Buddhism flourished.” Comment.

b). Large number of land grants in hitherto non-arable tracts invariably meant expansion of agriculture in early medieval India. How did the management of hydraulic resources (different types of irrigation works) facilitate expansion of agriculture in this period?

c). Discuss the relationship between emergence of literature in vernacular languages and formation of regional identities in early medieval India.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). Discuss the different stages of Indian feudalism and analyze its impact on Indian political system.

b). Do you consider Sultan Iltutmish to be the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate? Discuss.

c). Identify the different categories of Persian literature which emerged during the Delhi Sultanate.

d). Examine the causes of Babur’s success against Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat.

e). Discuss the attitude of Chishti saints towards the state. How were the Suhrawardi saints different in their attitude towards the government?
Answer the following:

a). Discuss the transformation of Sikh community from a Nirguna Bhakti sect into a politico-military organization.

b). Give your assessment of Bahlul Lodi’s relation with his nobility.

c). Examine the basic features of Mughal tomb architecture with special reference to the Taj Mahal.
Answer the following:

a). Discuss the importance of Iqta system. How did it help in centralization of administration of the Delhi Sultanate?

b). Why is the reign of the Khaljis known as the ‘Khalji Revolution’?

c). The late seventeenth century Mughal India is considered to be a period of Jagirdari crisis. Discuss.
Answer the following:

a). “The Chola rulers were not only mighty conquerors, efficient administrators but also builders of fine temples.” Comment.

b). Discuss with relevant illustrations the relations between Akbar and the Rajput states.

c). How far is it justified to consider the states like Bengal, Awadh and Hyderabad as ‘successor states’ of the Mughal state?

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following:

a). The introduction of Western education transformed India in unforeseen ways.

b). Tipu Sultan had little success in setting forth a course of change significantly different from the general experience of 18th century crisis of Indian politics and society where public life tended over and over to become a system of plundering.

c). The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 was designed for better control of the vernacular press and to empower the government with more effective means of punishing and repressing seditious writings.

d). The rise of the Communist Movement in India in the 1920s lent a militant and revolutionary content to the Trade Union Movement.

e). In the first decade of the 20th century, the atmosphere was ripe for the emergence of revolutionary groups to fill up the vacant space in the political map of the country.
Answer the following:

a). India had been the world leader in the field of hand spun and hand-woven yarn and cloth for many centuries. Many nationalist and Marxist critiques considered that the British dominion deliberately shattered the traditional and world famous handicrafts of India. Comment.

b). What were the various ways in which nationalism manifested itself in India during colonial rule?

c). The East India Company had thought that they had found an ideal puppet in Mir Kasim. Mir Kasim, however, belied the expectation of the company. Examine critically.
Answer the following:

a). How did English utilitarian thinking impact India in the British era?

b). The same Gandhiji who withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement on the issue of violence at Chauri-Chaura, refused to condemn people’s violence during the Quit India Movement. Do you think that he was losing his faith in the efficacy of non-violence and was willing to deviate from this path? Elucidate.

c). While individually the Marathas were clever and brave, they lacked the corporate spirit so essential for national independence. Discuss with reasons.
Answer the following:

a). Discuss the major constitutional developments in India after 1858 and their impact on society and polity.

b). Discuss the changing nature of Dalit assertion in India in the twentieth century.

c). How were the Princely States integrated in the Indian Union after the partition? What role did Sardar Patel play in it?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). There were many reasons why the industrial revolution first happened in England.

b). Napoleon’s continental system may be reckoned as the greatest blunder and may be described as a “monument of misdirected energy”.

c). The Chartist Movement failed to achieve its stated objectives, but succeeded in seeding the idea that a representative democracy should include all citizens.

d). During the Cold War, some important leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement wanted to keep the movement away from the military blocs.

e). The Arab countries looked up to Nasser as a leader who could withstand the pressure exerted by Western countries on Egypt to make peace with Israel.
Answer the following:

a). What was “enlightened” about the Age of Enlightenment?

b). What were the causes and consequences of the revolutionary upsurge of the 1840s in Europe?

c). The white-minority government of South Africa treated the natives very badly by denying them fundamental rights and made Apartheid as official policy. How were the people able to end Apartheid policy and establish a transitional rule?
Answer the following:

a). The rise of nationalism across nations shattered the chains which held together the empires of modern Europe. Discuss.

b). In the American civil war, the victory of the North had many consequences. Some of them were direct and obvious. However, its indirect effects on American development were perhaps even more important. Comment.

c). Revolutions, whether in Russia (1917) or in China (1949), are a disastrous way of transforming a country. Comment.
Answer the following:

a). Europe was at war with itself in the first half of the twentieth century with a long cease-fire. Comment.

b). The impact of the end of the Cold War and the emergence of the US as the lone superpower has been both good and bad. Discuss.

c). Do you think that the United Nations Organisation has played a significant role in resolving international disputes and ensuring peace in the world?

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim.

(i) Paleolithic site.

(ii) Paleolithic Factory site.

(iii) Neolithic site.

(iv) Early and Mature Harappan site.

(v) Chalcolithic site.

(vi) Site of Coin and Seal Moulds.

(vii) Ancient Administration Centre.

(viii) Ancient Political Headquarter.

(ix) Ancient temple site.

(x) Pre and Proto Historic site.

(xi) Ancient Capital city.

(xii) Place of Shiva Temple.

(xiii) World Heritage Centre of Temple complex

(xiv) An Inscriptional site.

(xv) Place of Jain Temple.

(xvi) Largest Buddhist Monastery.

(xvii) Ancient Temple Complex.

(xviii) Place of oldest Mosque.

(xix) Temple Complex dedicated to Shiva.

(xx) Ancient Education Centre.

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following:

a). Puranas were the innovative genre of literature to popularise and revive Vedic religion. Elaborate with examples.

b). Discuss the factors that played an important role in the process of urbanisation after the Later-Vedic period.

c). Throw light on the nature of religion and classification of gods mentioned in the Rigveda.
Answer the following:

a). Evaluate the significant political features of the Post Mauryan Northern India. What are the main sources of it?

b). A number of scholars considered Alexander as ‘The Great’, although long term impacts of Alexander’s invasion on India need to be re-evaluated. Comment.

c). Discuss the salient features of cultural traditions of South India as reflected in Sangam Literature.
Answer the following:

a). ‘Sanskrit literature of classical Gupta Age set standards for the early medieval India’. Evaluate the statement with representative examples.

b). LTrace and identify the changing pattern of Tantrism in Ancient India with examples.

c). Describe the evolution and development of regional temple architecture of South India with special reference to Pallavas.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). Critically evaluate the Muslim Nobility during the period of Tughlaq dynasty.

b). Describe in detail about the foreign travellers’ accounts which gave information of Vijayanagar kingdom.

c). How did international trade support urbanisation in North India during the 13-14th century CE.

d). Evaluate the aim and impact of the translation of Sanskrit scriptures into Persian language during Mughal period.

e). Examine the sources of the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji with special reference to Shivabharat and Sabhasad Bakhar.
Answer the following:

a). Assess the causes of the defeat of Northern Indian States against the Turkish invasion.

b). Amuktamalyada dwells much upon the relationship of fort, Brahmanas and dispersed tribal groups. Comment.

c). Elaborate upon the agrarian reforms of Alauddin Khilji.
Answer the following:

a). Describe village polity and economy of medieval Deccan.

b). Some new crafts production were introduced by the Turks. Comment.

c). The mission of Kabir was to preach a religion of love which would unite all castes and creeds. Explain.
Answer the following:

a). Evaluate the contribution of Sher Shah towards trade and commerce, administration and agricultural reforms.

b). Make an estimate of the development of paintings under Mughal rulers with special reference to colours, technique, themes and influences on them.

c). Critically evaluate history of the Eighteenth Century India with reference to culture and economy.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following:

a). “Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in 1839. His death was the signal for an   outburst of anarchy all over the Punjab.” 

b). “In the initial stages, when Indian nationalism was immature, just sprouting, it found expression in many liberal religio-reform movements.”

c). “In the early twentieth century, there came into existence a number of women’s   organisations, which operated more actively in the public arena and focused more directly on women’s political and legal rights.”  

d). ”The Trade Union movement in India not only supported the call for national struggle at critical juncture, but also impact its course and character in several ways”.

e). “Based on his discussion with Indian leaders , as well as his own perception, Lord Mountbatten soon came to the conclusion that partition was the only practicable and feasible solution.”
Answer the following:

a). “It was Dupleix who had first showed the way of intervening in disputes of the Indian rulers and thereby acquiring political control over vast territories — a technique which was later perfected by the English East India Company.” Elaborate.

b). For long, the Revolt of 1857, has been mistaken to be a mere mutiny of the Indian sepoys in the Bengal army. However, its causes need to be searched for not only in the dissatisfaction of the army, but in a long-drawn process of fundamental social and economic change that upset the peasant communities. Discuss.

c). Do you feel that the Santhal Hool(rebellion) 1855-56, was the most effective tribal movement in pre-1857 India?
Answer the following:

a). In its political behaviour the Indian National Congress in its early career was never a radical organisation, besides the founders of the congress involved A.O Hume in their project.Do these facts verify that congress was founded as a ‘safety valve’? Explain.

b). Do you agree with the fact that the virtual failure of the Non-cooperation and the gloom that descended on nationalist scene, created conditions for revolutionary activities? Discuss.

c). Planning was seen as a powerful instrument that could be used to remove regional inequality. Examine.
Answer the following:

a). “In the divided and contestable space of Indian politics, Gandhiji could claim for himself a centrist position because he alienated neither and tactically combined the goal of the moderates with the means of the extremists.” Discuss.

b). “After Indian Independence, India-China relations started on a high note, but during the course of the coming years India had to face a bitter experience due to the Chinese aggression”. Elaborate.

c). “The Reorganisation of the states on the basis of language was a major aspect of national consolidation and integration. comment.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). “The principles of Enlightenment were in some ways a continuation of the discoveries and theories of the Scientific Revolution.” 

b). “The causes of the French Revolution of 1789 included both long term and structural factors, as well as more immediate events.” 

c). “Industrial revolution had far reaching social and political consequences with the advent of assembly line factories, urbanisation and rise of the urban working class.”

d). “The multitude of newly independent countries came to be known as “Third World”, belonging neither to the First World of capitalist democracies, nor the Communist Second world.”

e). “The British were slated to withdraw from Palestine in May 1948, and both sides prepared for that day. Violence between Arabs and Jews, already endemic, escalated.”
Answer the following:

a). “Napoleon was not a revolutionary but he solidified many of the   revolutionary changes of 1789 — 1791 and he himself supported most of the ideas and proposals of Enlightenment philosophers.” Substantiate. 

b). “Lincoln’s main thesis was the Slavery issue had to be decided one way or the other and could no longer be evaded by compromise.” Comment in the light of his role in the American civil war.

c). “The 1848 revolutions frightened the crowned heads of Europe and caused several to abdicate. Those who remained were cognizant of the threats posed by liberalism, nationalism and socialism .”comment.
Answer the following:

a). “From Bismarck’s ‘Blood and Iron’ speech and his forceful actions to achieve German unification ,Bismarck came to be known as the Iron chancellor.” Critically examine.

b). Do you agree with the statement that the Second World War history’s most destructive war? Elaborate.

c). Discuss the circumstances leading to the French exit from Algeria in 1962.
Answer the following:

a). How did Stalin build on Lenin’s legacy of Bolshevik Revolution and introduce new elements of totalitarianism to transform USSR as a superpower?

b). A new configuration of power emerged in world politics after the end of the cold war. Analyse how USA managed to become the sole superpower. 

c). Critically examine whether it was true that after a century of dependency on Europeans, Africans were ill-prepared for the task of nation-building.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the following places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cum-Answer Booklet. Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given below seriatim.

(i) Brick temple site

(ii) Early Harappan site

(iii) Ancient seaport and trade centre

(iv) Stone age site

(v) Neolithic site

(vi) Archaeological site

(vii) Ancient capital city

(viii) Ancient capital

(ix) Harappan site

(x) Ancient inscription site

(xi) A rock-cut cave site

(xii) Ancient capital city

(xiii) Famous temple site

(xiv) Centre of School of art

(xv) Ancient inscriptional site

(xvi) Ancient education centre

(xvii) Pre-Harappan site

(xviii) Chalcolithic period site

(xix) Early inscriptional site

(xx) Ancient petroglyphs site

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following:

a). Do you agree that archaeological literary sources? Comment.

b). The development of art and architecture during the Sunga period belies the belief that they were anti-Buddhist. Discuss.

c). Did the mastery over agriculture act as a leverage for the rise of Harappan towns and cities? Discuss.
Answer the following:

a). The flourishing international trade during the Kushana period gave fremendous impetus to the development of art. Discuss.

b). Examine how the transformation of the Varna system from the Rigvedic to the Later-Vedic period affected the position of women.

c). There are no literary sources for the Harappan culture and no archaeological evidence for the Vedic period. Explain the phenomenon.
Answer the following:

a). Explain how Ashoka used religion as a tool of political aggrandizement?

b). you agree that the system of land grants from the Gupta-Vakataka period was connected with the decentralisation of state in any way? 20

c). The discovery of monsoons by Hippalus gave a new direction to Indo-Roman trade during the Satavahana period. Comment.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). Discuss how Vijayanagar empire became the cultural capital of the south?

b). Examine the status of Sanskrit in Mughal India.

c). Assess the rule of Zainul Abedin in Kashmir.

d). The economic measures of Alauddin Khalji were aimed at greater political control. Discuss.

e). Examine the European impact on Mughal paintings.
Answer the following:

a). Assess the statement that ‘the philosophy of Shankaracharya revolutionised religious thoughts in India’.

b). Delineate the state of agriculture during the Sultanate period.

c). Sufi and Bhakti thoughts ennobled Indian psyche amidst the vagaries of time. Elucidate.
Answer the following:

a). The emergence of early capitalism in the Mughal period was primarily due to urbanisation and commercialisation. Comment.

b). Internal strife and conflict beset with personal ambitions was enough of an invitation for the Ghurids to invade India. Discuss.

c). The Mughals built like Titans and embellished like jewellers. Comment.
Answer the following:

a). Critically analyse whether the success of the Mughals is to be credited to their robust Jagirdari and Mansabdari system.

b). was as much the court intrigues as also the defiance of the provincial powers that hastened the decline of the Mughals in the 18th century. Comment.

c). Shivaji was not merely a military conqueror but also was an enlightened ruler. Discuss.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following:

a). “Tipu Sultan was trying to build in Mysore a strong centralised and militarised state, with ambitious territorial designs.”

b). “Not until independence, when economic development became a conscious and pursued policy, did the Railways begin to realize their potential for assisting in the transformation of the Indian economy.”

c). “Two important intellectual criteria which informed the reform movements were rationalism and religious universalism.

d). “…the Kol Insurrection was mainly a war of the tribal inhabitants of Chotanagpur against the non-tribal settlers and service-holders.”

e). “The Cripps Mission was plagued throughout, and ultimately torpedoed.”
Answer the following:

a). How far was the drain theory a focal point of nationalist critique of colonialism?

b). Examine the forces at work for the introduction of western education in India. Analyse the thrust given to it by the Christian Missionaries.

c). Do you subscribe to the view that the Anglo-French tussle in Carnatic demonstrated the internal decay of the provincial chieftains of South India?
Answer the following:

a). How would you explain the major trends of the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal?

b). Is it justified to say that the Government of India Act of 1935 had all brakes, but no engine?

c). How far was the widow remarriage movement effective in arousing social concern for Indian women?
Answer the following:

a). Why is the Quit India Movement characterised as a ‘Spontaneous Revolution’? Did it accelerate the process of Indian independence?

b). Assess the role of Subhas Chandra Bose in India’s struggle for independence.

c). How did the introduction of Community Development Programme and Panchayati Raj promote welfare of rural India?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). “The arguments of the free traders were a curious mixture of economic hard-headedness, social benevolence, cosmopolitan idealism and class prejudice.”

b). “There are many ways in which the war of 1914 — 18 was unprecedented, and in human history, entirely novel.”

c). “The ineffectiveness of the League of Nations to prevent or to check Japanese aggression against China was the first serious blow to its prestige as an agency for providing security.”

d). “Non-alignment came to symbolize the struggle of India and other newly independent nations to retain and strengthen their independence from colonialism and imperialism.”

e). How would you explain the nature of pre-Marxian Socialism?
Answer the following:

a). How did the policies of governments facilitate the process of industrialisation in Europe?

b). How was Italy transformed from ‘a geographical expression’ to a nation-state?

c). How far did the Napoleonic preferential stance to help out the French economy result in embroiling France in continental conflicts?
Answer the following:

a). Which factors would you attribute to the British colonial intervention in Malaya in the 19th century? How did Malays react to British colonial rule?

b). Explain why Latin America was beset with chronic political instability and endemic military conflicts throughout most of the 19th century.

c). Do you agree with the view that the formation of NATO marked a revolution in American attitude to the world problems?
Answer the following:

a). Do you subscribe to the view that the Greek War of Independence was mired in contrasts of the best and the worst episodes? How did it affect the Concert of Europe?

b). Was Czechoslovakia served on a dish to Hitler at Munich? What were its implications?

c). Analyse the role of Egypt after the Second World War in bringing about Arab unity.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the föllowing places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cam-Answer Booklet- Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given belowseriatim.

(i) Megalithic burial site

(ii) Chalcolithic site

(iii) Cave paintings

(iv) Paleolithic site

(v) Political site

(vi) Political and Cultural centre

(vii) Terracotta centre

(viii) Harappan site

(ix) Vaishnava cultural site

(x) Painted Grey Ware site

(xi) Chalcolithic site

(xii) Early agriculture centre

(xiii) Early Harappan site

(xiv) An ancient temple

(xv) An ancient seaport

(xvi) Budhhist centre

(xvii) Inscriptional site

(xviii) An ancient capital

(xix) A jaina centre

(xx) An ancient capital

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following:

a). How did the early Indian historical tradition, as reflected in ltjhasa-purana, emerge? What are the distinctive features of this genre?

b). “Archaeological evidence does not give direct access to the possible social and political dimensions of the decline of the Harappan civilization. What it does indicate very clearly is that the Harappan culture underwent a gradual process of de-urbanization’? ‘Comment.

c). Give an account of gana-sanghas (non-monarchical state systems)? Why did they decline?
Answer the following:

a). Do you agree with the popular View that Mauryas established a unitary and highly centralized if not monolithic state system?

b). The concept Of Shratnanic religions, with particular reference to Buddhism, had their roots in Upanishadic ideas. Discuss.

c). “Doubtless it was not a free state; it was any rate a state” (K A N Sastri). Reflect upon the nature of local self-government institutions in the Chola country.
Answer the following:

a). What was the impact of trans-regional and trans-continental trade in the post-Mauryan period on social and cultural life of India?

b). “Utpanna dravide bhakthi, Karnate vriddhimagata I Sthita kinchit maharashtre gurjare jirnatam gata II – Padmapurana Account for the emergence of bhakti in Dravida desa.

c). Discuss the experimentations with art and architecture during the Gupta-Vakataka period.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). “The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in India”. Elaborate,

b). Discuss evidence on slavery provided by Ibn Batuta with special reference to female slaves.

c). Discuss the advancement made in Textile Technology under the Delhi Sultans.

d). “Akbar wished to assert his Strong belief in God, but his concept of the way God is to be worshipped was independent of either orthodox, Islam or Hinduism”.

e). Discuss the literature written in Hindi in Mughal India.
Answer the following:

a). Critically analyze the changing nature of caste and gender relations during the early medieval period.

b). “An important feature of agriculture in Mughal India has been the large number of crops raised by the peasants” Illustrate by giving examples.

c). “The policy of creating heterogeneous nobility by Muhammad Tudhluq started the process of disintegration of Delhi Sultanate”. Explain.
Answer the following:

a). DO you agree that convergence of political vacuum and impact of Islamicate culture and polity in peninsular India has much to do with the growth of Vijayanagara kingdom?

b). Describe the new architectural features added by successive Sultans in the construction Of Tombs in India,

c). What was the role Of Sufi Folk literature in the diffusion of Islam in India if general and in Deccan in particular.
Answer the following:

a). Discuss the working Of Zamindari System under the Mughal rulers. Also, describe the role played by the Zamiodars in the agrarian economy Of Mughal India-

b). “The art of building Carried to the highest degree of perfection under Shahjahan”. Illustrate by giving architectural details of two of his most celebrated buildings.

c). The Afghan invasions in the Eighteenth Century not only signified the military irrelevance of the MughaI Empire but also hastened its decline”. Explain.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following:

a). The Battle of Plassey (1757) thus marked the beginning of political supremacy of the English East India Company in India,

b). “The passing of the land from the hands of the peasant proprietors into the hands of non-cultivating landlords brought about increasing polarization of classes in agrarian areas.”

c). “Faced with the challenge of the intrusion of colonial culture and ideology, an attempt to reinvigorate traditional Institutions and to realize the potential of traditional culture developed during the nineteenth century.

d). “An ideology of paternalistic benevolence, occasionally combined with talk of trusteeship and training towards self-government. thinly veiled the realities of a Raj uncompromisingly white and despotic.”

e). “States’ reorganization did not, Of course. resolve all the problems relating to linguistic conflicts,”
Answer the following:

a). Wax the Moplah Rebellion in Malabar an expression of anti-landlord and anti-foreign discontent? Discuss,

b). Analyse various trends in Dalit Movements in various parts of post-independent India.

c). Could Dyarchy (1919) satisfy the national sentiments of the Indians?
Answer the following:

a). Underline the growth of various forms of Socialist ideologies in the Indian National Movement between World Wars and ll.

b). Trace the development of land reforms in India between 1947 and the early 1960s.

c). What was the significance of the Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy in nineteenth-century India? Analyze.
Answer the following:

a). Do you consider the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement an emotional calamity”?

b). Critically examine the turns and twists in the politics of partition in the 1930s and 1940s.

c). Can the methods and policies of the moderates be referred to as ‘political mendicancy’?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). “With the writings of Karl Marx, Socialism assumed the form of scientific socialism.

b). The American War of Independence transformed Europe as well as America”.

c). “The Industrial revolution put mobility in the place of stability.”

d). At the end of the Battle of Sedan (1870),” Europe lost a mistress and gained a master”.

e). “Until December 1941, the battlefield of the Second World War was exclusively European and Atlantic; thereafter it became also Asiatic and Pacific,’
Answer the following:

a). Explain the major ideas of Enlightenment. Discuss the contribution of Rousseau in Enlightenment.

b). Discuss how Japan industrialized after the eon sequences for its neighbours?

c). Explain the features of apartheid in South Africa,
Answer the following:

a). Examine the role of Bismarck in state-building in Germany,

b). Discuss the factors constraining the development of Africa after decolonization.

c). Outline the circumstances leading to the adoption of the Marshall Plan.
Answer the following:

a). In the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the elements of communism and nationalism were discernible. Explain the statement in the light of Mao’s strategy which was different from that of Lenin.

b). Discuss how far the United Nations has been successful in resolving global disputes from the year 1946 to 1991.

c). Review the policy of Glasnost adopted by Gorbachev.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Identify the föllowing places marked on the map supplied to you and write a short note of about 30 words on each of them in your Question-cam-Answer Booklet- Locational hints for each of the places marked on the map are given belowseriatim.

(i) A Prehistoric cave paintings site

(ii) A Neolithic-Chalcolithic site

(iii) An Early Harappan site

(iv) A Harappan site

(v) An ancient capital city

(vi) A Painted grey ware site

(vii) A Neolithic site

(viii) A site of Ashokan inscriptions

(ix) An ancient port and trade center

(x) A Harappan site

(xi) A Chalcolithic site

(xii) An ancient capital city

(xiii) A Rock-cut cave site

(xiv) An early fortified city

(xv) A Rock-cut temple site

(xvi) An ancient temple sites

(xvii) An ancient capital city

(xviii) An ancient temple site

(xix) A Paleolithic site

(xx) An ancient capital city

Map question: Use the map supplied with the original UPSC question paper. The locational hints are reproduced below.

Answer the following:

a). Art and culture are reflected to a far greater extent than political history in the epigraphic sources. Comment.

b). The second urbanization gave rise to the organized corporate activities that reached their zenith during the Gupta period. Discuss.

c). The emergence of Non-Harappan Chalcolithic cultures in Central India and the Deccan mark a change not only in the subsistence pattern of people but an overall transition from pre to proto-historic period. Critically analyze.
Answer the following:

a). Critically examine various views regarding the Vedic-Harappan relationship in light of the latest discoveries.

b). “The concept of Ashoka’s Dhamma as found through his inscriptions had its roots in Vedic-Upanishadic literature.” Discuss

c). The period of Indian History from 3rd century B.C.E. to 5th century C.E. was a period of innovation and interaction. How will you react?
Answer the following:

a). Trace the origin and development of temple architecture in India with reference to regional styles and variations.

b). Buddhism and Jainism were social movements under the umbrella of religion. Comment.

c). The accurate picture of the complex socio-cultural milieu of Peninsular India is presented in the early Sangam literature. Delineate.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). The 11 — 12th centuries C.E. saw eventful progression in the cultural history of India. Discuss.

b). Evaluate the accounts of foreign travelers about the Vijayanagar Empire.

c). Critically examine the ‘blood and iron’ policy of Balban.

d). Do you consider the Rajatarangini of Kalhana to be a reliable source of the political history of Kashmir? Why?

e). The religion of the Sikhs was the main force of their unity. Comment.
Answer the following:

a). To what extent was the Caliphate the source and sanction to the legal authority of the Sultans of Delhi?

b). “Bhakti and Sufi movements served the same social purpose.” Discuss.

c). Delineate non-agricultural production and the urban economy in the 13th and 14th centuries C.E.
Answer the following:

a). Do you agree that the schemes of Muhammad bin Tughluq were correctly conceived, badly executed, and disastrously abandoned? Discuss.

b). Do you think that Akbar’s Rajput policy was a conscious attempt to incorporate the Indian ruling elite with the Mughal Imperial System?

c). “The political disintegration was responsible for the socio-economic decline in India during the 18th century.” Comment.
Answer the following:

a). “Mughal paintings reflect social harmony in contemporary society.” Discuss

b). Assess the condition of the peasantry during the 13th to 17th centuries C.E.

c). How will you view the Maratha policy of expansion? Delineate.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following:

a). “The Maratha polity disintegrated through internal stress.”

b). “The chief value of Raja’s (Raja Rammohan Roy) labours seems to lie in his fight against the forces of medievalism in India.”

c). “The British railway construction policy in India benefitted the British economy in the nineteenth century.”

d). “The Arya Samaj may quite logically be pronounced as the outcome of conditions imported into India from the West.”

e). “Sri Narayana Guru’s was a major intervention in the social reform movement from a subaltern perspective.”
Answer the following:

a). Explain the factors responsible for the recurrence of famines in the nineteenth century. What remedial measures were adopted by the British Indian Government?

b). Assess the role of the press in arousing awareness on important social issues in the second half of the nineteenth century.

c). Underline the major considerations of the British imperial power that led to the annexation of Punjab.
Answer the following:

a). Trace the origin of the Ghadar movement and discuss its impact on the revolutionaries in India.

b). Explain why the efforts at finding solution to India’s constitutional impasse failed during 1942—1946.

c). Discuss the nature of peasant movements under the Kisan Sabhas during 1920—1940.
Answer the following:

a). Discuss how the Satyagrahas of Gandhi removed the spell of fear among Indians and thus knocked off an important pillar of imperialism.

b). How far did the developments in science and technology in the post-Independence period put India on the path of modernity?

c). Throw light on the nature of the ‘Instrument of Accession’ and ‘Standstill Agreement’ signed by the Princely States with the Indian Union.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following:

a). “Kant’s redefinition of reason and his rehabilitation of conscience marked a high point in the intellectual reaction against dominant rationalism of the Enlightenment.”

b). “The spirit behind the great reforms of Napoleon’s Consulate at home was the transference of the methods of Bonaparte the general to the task of Bonaparte the statesman.”

c). “The roots of the Chartist movement in Great Britain were partly political and partly economic.”

d). “18 January 1871 had been a day of triumph for the strength and pride of Germany and 28 June 1919 was the day of chastisement.”

e). “The collapse of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 brought new meaning to the idea of cooperation in Europe.”
Answer the following:

a). Explain why England became the harbinger of the Industrial Revolution. Also, throw light on its social consequences.

b). Why was the First World War termed as the first ‘total’ war in modern history?

c). Discuss how the agrarian crisis accompanied by severe industrial depression triggered the Revolutions of 1848.
Answer the following:

a). What determinant factors, along with diplomatic, shaped the process of German Unification?

b). Examine the statement that “the danger of ‘Bolshevism’ dominated not only the history of the years immediately following the Russian Revolution of 1917 but the entire history of the world since that date”.

c). Explain why Bolivar’s efforts failed to fructify in bringing about united stand of the Latin Americans.
Answer the following:

a). Examine the circumstances which led to the overthrow of democracy and the establishment of the Fascist dictatorship in Italy.

b). “By 1980s, the Communist System of Soviet Union was incapable of maintaining the country’s role as a Superpower.” Substantiate.

c). Examine the nature of Dutch imperialism in Indonesia.

Clear Answers

History Optional FAQs

How many marks does History Optional carry in UPSC Mains?

History Optional has two descriptive papers of 250 marks each, making 500 marks in total.

What is covered in History Optional Paper I?

Paper I covers ancient and medieval Indian history, including sources, political formations, society, economy, religion, art, architecture and major historical debates.

What is covered in History Optional Paper II?

Paper II covers modern Indian history, the national movement, post-independence consolidation and major themes in world history.

Are previous year questions important for History Optional?

Yes. PYQs reveal recurring themes, the wording of analytical questions and the level of factual and interpretive depth UPSC expects.

Should I use historians’ views in every answer?

Use them when they strengthen a specific argument or explain a debate. A relevant view with a clear connection is more useful than a list of names.

How should maps be used in History Optional?

Practise clear outline maps for archaeological sites, empires, trade routes, centres of culture, important battles and world-history changes. Add a map only when it supports the answer.

Prepare History Optional with a Fixed Plan

Use guided syllabus coverage, structured notes, answer-writing practice and regular revision.

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History Optional for UPSC: Syllabus, Notes & PYQs

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UPSC History Optional Syllabus

History Optional Notes by Period

Ancient India

Early Medieval & Medieval India

Modern India

World History

How to Prepare History Optional

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Write and Revise

UPSC History Optional Previous Year Questions

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History Optional FAQs

Prepare History Optional with a Fixed Plan