UPSC History Syllabus 2020 - UPSC has released the syllabus of UPSC History 2020 along with notification. Candidates preparing for exams should have the complete details of UPSC History 2020 syllabus. History is one of the Optional Subjects with 2 papers (Optional Paper 1 and Paper 2). UPSC History Syllabus 2020 is of graduate level. UPSC syllabus for History comprises topics on Prehistory, Indus Valley Civilization, Aryans, Vedic Period, Guptas, Mouryans, Cultural Traditions and much more. To help candidates, we have shared the detailed UPSC IAS History syllabus 2020. Following the same helps in preparing better for the IAS exam. UPSC CSE exam will be held in July 2020. Along with the syllabus, candidates must check the IAS exam pattern and books. The detailed UPSC History 2020 Syllabus is mentioned below:

UPSC History Syllabus 2020 for Paper 1

The UPSC History 2020 syllabus is a vast one, and with vast we mean that it has to be read in complete details giving equal importance to major and minor historical events. Below, we have shared the UPSC IAS History Syllabus 2020 for Paper 1 and 2.

1. Sources - Literary Sources:

Indigenous: Primary and secondary; scientific literature, literature, poetry, literature in regional languages, religious literature.

Foreign account: Greek, Chinese and Arab writers.

Archaeological sources: Epigraphy, Numismatics, Exploration, Excavation, monuments.

2. Pre-history and Proto-history:

Geographical factors; Beginning of agriculture (neolithic and chalcolithic) and hunting and gathering (palaeolithic and mesolithic).

3. Indus Valley Civilization: Its Origin, Important dates, extent, survival and significance, characteristics-decline as well as the art and architecture.

4. Megalithic Cultures: Development of community life, Development of agriculture, Pottery, Crafts, and Iron industry. Distribution of pastoral and farming cultures outside the Indus and Settlements.

5. Aryans and Vedic Period: Expansions of the Aryans in India: Vedic Period: Transformation from Rig Vedic period to the

later Vedic period; Religious and philosophic literature; Political, social and economical life; Evolution of

Monarchy and Varna system; Significance of the Vedic Age.

6. Period of Mahajanapadas: Formation of States (Mahajanapada): Rise of urban centres; Trade routes; Republics and monarchies; Economic growth; Spread of Jainism and Buddhism; Introduction of coinage; Rise of Magadha and Nandas. Iranian and Macedonian invasions and their impact.

7. Mauryan Empire: The foundation of the Mauryan Empire, Concept of Dharma; Edicts; Polity, Administration, Economy; Art, architecture and sculpture; External

contacts; Religion; Spread of religion; Literature. Chandragupta, Kautilya and Arthashastra; Ashoka; Disintegration of the empire; sungas and Kanvas.

8. Post-Mauryan Period (Sakas, Kushanas, Indo-Greeks, Western Kshatrapas): Contact with the outside world; economy, coinage, growth of urban centres, development of religions,

Mahayana, art, architecture, social conditions, culture, literature and science.

9. Early State and Society in Eastern India, Deccan and South India: Kharavela, the Tamil States of the Sangam Age; The Satavahanas; Economy, land

grants, Administration, coinage, trade guilds and urban centres; Buddhist centres; Sangam literature and culture; Art and architecture.

10. Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas: Economic conditions, Polity and administration, Land grants, Decline of urban centres, Coinage of the Guptas, Indian feudalism, Caste system, Education and educational institutions; Nalanda, Position of women, Vikramshila and Vallabhi, Literature, scientific literature, art and

architecture.

11. The regional States during the 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.

12. Themes in Early Indian Cultural History: Languages and texts, major stages in the evolution of art and architecture, major philosophical thinkers and schools, ideas in Science and Mathematics.

13. Early Medieval India, 750-1200:

• Polity: Major political developments in Northern India and the peninsula, The origin and

• rise of Rajputs.

• The Cholas: village economy and society “Indian Feudalism” and the Administration.

• Agrarian economy and urban settlements.

• Trade and commerce.

• Society: the status of the Brahman and the new social order.

• Condition of women during that time.

• Indian science and technology.

14. Cultural Traditions in India, 750-1200:

• Philosophy: Ramanuja and Vishishtadvaita, Shankaracharya and Vedanta, Madhva and Brahma-Mimansa.

• Religion: Tamil devotional cult, growth of Bhakti, Forms and features of religion, Sufism, Islam and its arrival in India.

• Literature: Growth of Tamil literature, literature in the newly developing languages, Literature in Sanskrit, Kalhan's Rajtarangini, Alberuni's India.

• Art and Architecture: Sculpture, painting, temple architecture.

15. The Thirteenth Century:

• Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate: The Ghurian invasions - factors behind Ghurian success.

• Social, Economic, and cultural consequences.

• The Early Turkish Sultans and the Foundation of Delhi Sultanate.

• Consolidation: The rule of Iltutmish and Balban.

16. The Fourteenth Century:— “The Khalji Revolution”

• Alauddin Khalji: Agrarian and economic measure as well as the conquests and his territorial expansion.

• Muhammad Tughluq: Agrarian measures, the bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq and Major projects.

• Firuz Tugluq: Agrarian measures, a decline of the Sultanate, achievements in civil engineering and public works, foreign contacts and Ibn Battuta's account.

17. Society, Culture and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries:

• Society: ruling classes, women, religious town dwellers, the composition of rural society,

• Bhakti movement, Sufi movement, classes, caste and slavery under the Sultanate.

• Culture: Literature in the regional languages of North India, Persian literature, literature in

• the languages of South India, painting, Sultanate architecture and new structural forms, the evolution of a composite culture.

• Economy: Rise of urban economy and non-agricultural production, trade and commerce and Agricultural Production.

18. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century-Political Developments and Economy:

• Rise of Provincial Dynasties: Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Bengal, Gujarat.

• Lodis.

• The Vijayanagara Empire.

• Malwa, Bahmanids.

• The Sur Empire: Sher Shah’s administration.

• Mughal Empire, First phase: Babur, Humayun.

• Portuguese colonial enterprise, Bhakti and Sufi Movements.

19. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- Society and culture:

• Regional cultures specificities.

• Society, culture, literature and the arts in the Vijayanagara Empire.

• Literary traditions.

• Provincial architecture.

20. Akbar:

• Conquests and consolidation of empire.

• Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sulh-i-kul and religious policy.

• Rajput policy.

• Establishment of jagir and mansab systems.

• Court patronage of art and technology.

21. Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century:

• Major administrative policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

• Religious policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

• The Empire and the Zamindars.

• Nature of the Mughal State.

• Shivaji and the early Maratha Kingdom.

• The Ahom kingdom.

• Late Seventeenth-Century crisis and the revolts.

22. Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries:

• Population Agricultural and craft production.

• Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth.

• Conditions of peasants, Condition of Women.

• Indian mercantile classes. Banking, insurance and credit systems.

• Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies: a trade

revolution.

23. Culture during Mughal Empire:

• Persian histories and other literature.

• Mughal architecture.

• Hindi and religious literature.

• Provincial architecture and painting.

• Classical music.

• Mughal painting.

• Science and technology.

24. The Eighteenth Century:

• Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire.

• The emergence of Afghan power Battle of Panipat, 1761.

• The regional principalities: Nizam’s Deccan, Bengal, Awadh.

• The Maratha fiscal and financial system.

• Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas.

• State of, political, cultural and economic, on eve of the British conquest.

UPSC History Syllabus 2020 for Paper 2

The UPSC History 2020 syllabus including the topics and subtopics for paper 2, is mentioned below:

1. European Penetration into India:

The Portuguese and the Dutch; The Early European Settlements; The English and the French

East India Companies; Their struggle for supremacy; Carnatic Wars; Bengal-The conflict

between the English and the Nawabs of Bengal; Siraj and the English; The Battle of Plassey;

Significance of Plassey.

2. British Expansion in India:

Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three

Anglo-Maratha Wars; Punjab.

3. Early Structure of the British Raj:

The Early administrative structure; From diarchy to direct control; The Regulating Act (1773);

The Pitt's India Act (1784); The Charter Act (1833); The English utilitarian and India; The Voice of free trade and the changing. The character of British colonial rule.

4. Economic Impact of British Colonial Rule:

(a) Land revenue settlements in British India; Ryotwari Settlement; The Permanent Settlement;

Mahalwari Settlement; Commercialization of

Agriculture; Impoverishment of the rural society; Economic impact of the revenue arrangements; Rise of landless agrarian labourers.

(b) Dislocation of traditional trade and commerce; De-industrialisation; Decline of traditional

crafts; Economic transformation of India; Drain of wealth; Famine and poverty in the rural interior; Railroad and communication a network including telegraph and postal services; European business enterprise and its limitations.

5. Social and Cultural Developments:

The state of indigenous education, its dislocation; The rise of press, literature and public opinion; The rise of modern vernacular literature; Progress of science; Christian missionary activities in India; Orientalist-Anglicist controversy, The introduction of western education in India;

6. Social and Religious Reform Movements in Bengal and Other Areas:

Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath Tagore; Iswarchandra Vidyasagar;

The Young Bengal Movement; Dayananda Saraswati; The social reform movements in India

including Sati, widow remarriage, child marriage etc.; The contribution of Indian renaissance

to the growth of modern India; Islamic revivalism-the Feraizi and Wahabi Movements.

7. Indian Response to British Rule:

Peasant 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.

8. Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism; Politics of Association; The Foundation of

the Indian National Congress; Programme and objectives of Early Congress; The Safety-valve thesis relating to the birth of the Congress; the social composition of early Congress leadership; The Partition of Bengal (1905); the Moderates and Extremists; the economic and political aspects of Swadeshi Movement; The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal; The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.

9. The character of Gandhian nationalism; Rise of Gandhi; Gandhi's popular appeal; Rowlatt

Satyagraha; the Non-cooperation Movement; the Khilafat Movement; National politics from

the end of the Non-cooperation movement to the beginning of the Civil Disobedience

Movement; The Nehru Report; the Round Table Conferences; the two phases of the Civil Disobedience Movement; Simon Commission; Nationalism and the Peasant Movements; Nationalism and Working-class movements; Women and Indian youth and students in Indian

politics (1885-1947); the election of 1937 and the formation of ministries; Cripps Mission; the Quit India Movement; the Wavell Plan; The Cabinet Mission.

10. Constitutional Developments in Colonial India between 1858 and 1935.

11. Other strands in the National Movement.

The Revolutionaries: Bengal, the Punjab, Maharashtra, U.P. the Madras Presidency, Outside

India. The Left; The Left within the Congress: Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, the Congress

Socialist Party; the Communist Party of India, other left parties.

12. Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the

politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.

13. Consolidation as a Nation; Nehru's Foreign Policy; India and her neighbours (1947-1964);

The linguistic reorganisation of States (1935-1947); Regionalism and regional inequality;

Integration of Princely States; Princes in electoral politics; the Question of National Language.

14. Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward Castes and Tribes in post-colonial electoral politics; Dalit movements.

15. Economic development and political change; Land reforms; the politics of planning and rural reconstruction; Ecology and environmental policy in post-colonial India; Progress of Science.

16. Enlightenment and Modern ideas:

(i) Major Ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau.

(ii) Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism.

(iii) Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies.

17. Origins of Modern Politics :

(i) French Revolution and Aftermath, 1789-1815.

(ii) American Revolution and the Constitution.

(iii) American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery.

(iv) European States System.

(v) British Democratic politics, 1815-1850: Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists.

18. Industrialization :

(i) Industrialization and Globalization.

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

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

19. Nation-State System :

(i) The disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World.

(ii) Nationalism: State-building in Germany and Italy.

(iii) Rise of Nationalism in the 19th century.

20. Imperialism and Colonialism :

(i) Australia.

(ii) Latin America and South Africa.

(iii) South and South-East Asia.

(iv) Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.

21. Revolution and Counter-Revolution :

(i) Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany.

(ii) The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921.

(iii) The Chinese Revolution of 1949.

(iv) 19th Century European revolutions.

22. World Wars :

(i) 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications.

(ii) World War I: Causes and Consequences.

(iii) World War II: Causes and Consequences.

23. The World after World War II:

(i) The emergence of Two power blocs.

(ii) UNO and global disputes.

(iii) The emergence of the Third World and non-alignment.

24. Liberation from Colonial Rule :

(i) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy.

(ii) Arab World-Egypt.

(iii) South-East Asia-Vietnam.

(iv) Latin America-Bolivar.

25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment :

(i) Factors constraining Development; Latin America, Africa.

26. Unification of Europe :

(i) European Union.

(ii) Consolidation and Expansion of European Community

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

27. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World :

(i) Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and the Soviet Union, 1985-1991.

(ii) Political Changes in East Europe 1989-2001.

(iii) End of the Cold War and US Ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.

UPSC History Syllabus 2020 - Preparation Tips

To crack one of India's biggest competitive exams, candidates must have the best UPSC IAS preparation strategy. A better strategy helps in covering the UPSC History Syllabus 2020 and sections etc and helps to score well. Here are some quick tips to help score better in the exam.

• It is always advised to Refer to the best History NCERT books.

• To score well it is always advised to work in a planned manner and prepare a perfect IAS study plan.

• UPSC CSE History requires deep analysis of the subject matter, due to the vast syllabus, events and dates hence candidates must start the preparations early.

• Candidates must solve previous year questions papers for better preparations. Also, look for UPSC IAS question papers for History and give mocks available online.

• Do self evaluation of the exam as well as your personal performance. It is better to do the UPSC IAS exam analysis, to know about the question paper trends and difficulty level of the exam.

UPSC History Syllabus 2020 - Best Books

In the following table candidates can check the best books for UPSC IAS for History. Of all the study materials available in the market, it is advisable to refer to only the selected few and reliable sources.

Best Books for History Optional Syllabus

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