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The Commission prescribed the IAS History syllabus in the UPSC notification online. History optional syllabus is released separately for paper 1 and paper 2 of the UPSC CSE mains exam. The UPSC IAS syllabus 2024 for History is released by the Commission together in PDF format.
Download - UPSC IAS History syllabus pdf
With the help of UPSC History question papers, candidates can know about the important topics, difficulty level, and chapters asked in the UPSC CSE 2024 mains exam. UPSC optional History syllabus comprises 500 marks for Paper 1 and Paper 2 of UPSC IAS exam. Along with the IAS History syllabus for mains exam, candidates must also check UPSC IAS exam pattern for their preparations. For more details about IAS History syllabus 2024, candidates must read the article below.
Relevant Articles:
Subject | Topics |
Sources |
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Pre-history and Proto-history |
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Indus Valley Civilization | Origin date, extent, characteristics-decline, survival and significance, art and architecture |
Megalithic Cultures |
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Aryans and Vedic Period |
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Period of Mahajanapadas |
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Mauryan Empire |
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Post-Mauryan Period |
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Early State and Society in Eastern India, Deccan and South India |
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Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas |
Land grants
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Regional States during Gupta Era |
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Themes in Early Indian Cultural History |
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Early Medieval India, 750-1200 |
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Cultural Traditions in India, 750-1200 |
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The Thirteenth Century |
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The Fourteenth Century |
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Society, Culture and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries |
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The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century-Political Developments and Economy |
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The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- Society and culture |
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Akbar |
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Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century |
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Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries |
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Culture during Mughal Empire |
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The Eighteenth Century |
|
UPSC Subject-wise Questions for various Subjects
Subject | Topics |
European Penetration into India | The Early European Settlements The English and the French East India Companies Siraj and the English The Battle of Plassey Significance of Plassey Their struggle for supremacy Carnatic Wars; Bengal-The conflict between the English and the Nawabs of Bengal The Portuguese and the Dutch |
British Expansion in India | The three Anglo-Maratha Wars The Punjab Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim The Battle of Buxar; Mysore The Marathas |
Early Structure of the British Raj | The Pitt's India Act (1784) The Charter Act (1833) The Voice of free trade and the changing The English utilitarian and India The Early administrative structure From diarchy to direct control The Regulating Act (1773) character of British colonial rule |
Economic Impact of British Colonial Rule | 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 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. |
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 Islamic revivalism-the Feraizi and Wahabi Movements. The Brahmo Movement The Young Bengal Movement Dayanada Saraswati The social reform movements in India including Sati, widow remarriage, child marriage etc. Devendranath Tagore Iswarchandra Vidyasagar The contribution of Indian renaissance to the growth of modern India |
Enlightenment and Modern ideas | Major Ideas of Enlightenment : Kant, Rousseau. Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies. |
Origins of Modern Politics | American Revolution and the Constitution. British Democratic politics, 1815-1850 : Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists. French Revolution and Aftermath, 1789-1815. American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery. European States System. |
Industrialization | English Industrial Revolution : Causes and Impact on Society. Industrialization in other countries : USA, Germany, Russia, Japan. Industrialization and Globalization. |
Nation-State System | Rise of Nationalism in the 19th century. Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World. Nationalism : State-building in Germany and Italy. |
Imperialism and Colonialism | South and South-East Asia. Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism Latin America and South Africa. Australia. |
Revolution and Counter-Revolution | Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany. 19th Century European revolutions. The Chinese Revolution of 1949. The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921. |
World Wars | World War I : Causes and Consequences. 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars : Societal implications. World War II : Causes and Consequences |
The World after World War II | Emergence of the Third World and non-alignment. Emergence of Two power blocs. UNO and the global disputes. |
Liberation from Colonial Rule | Latin America-Bolivar. Arab World-Egypt. Africa-Apartheid to Democracy. South-East Asia-Vietnam. |
Decolonization and Underdevelopment | Factors constraining Development ; Latin America, Africa |
Unification of Europe | Post War Foundations ; NATO and European Community. European Union Consolidation and Expansion of European Community |
Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World | Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and Soviet Union, 1985-1991 End of the Cold War and US Ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower. Political Changes in East Europe 1989-2001. |
Quick Links: UPSC Mock Tests Series for UPSC
Candidates preparing for UPSC IAS 2024 must check the preparation tips and tricks mentioned below.
Make UPSC study plan before starting the preparations
Go through the UPSC IAS syllabus and exam pattern
Make short notes for last minute revision
Study from UPSC IAS preparation books
Practice UPSC IAS question papers for effective preparations
Books | Authors |
NCERT Books for History | NCERT |
The Wonder that was India by A.L Basham for Ancient History | A.L Basham |
Medieval India | Satish Chandra |
Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India all three volumes | J.L Mehta |
India's Ancient Past | R.S. Sharma |
History of Modern India | Bipan Chandra |
India's Struggle for Independence: 1857-1947 | Bipan Chandra |
History of the World | Arjun Dev and Indira Arjun Dev |
Also read: Complete guide for UPSC CSE exam preparation
Candidates must refer to the Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India by J.L Mehta for their preparations.
Candidates will be able to download UPSC IAS admit card 2024 through their registration number and date of birth.
Candidates can download IAS question papers 2024 from the official website of UPSC.
The minimum age to apply for IAS exam is 21 years.
Others:28 January,2025 - 31 May,2025
Others:18 February,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Date:07 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Application Date:13 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Others:30 April,2025 - 31 May,2025
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
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