HISTORY

 

PAPER I :

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1. Sources:

Archaeological sources : Exploration, excavation, epigraphy, numismatics, monuments.

Literary sources:

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2. Pre-history and Proto-history :

Geographical factors; hunting and gathering (paleolithic and mesolithic); Beginning of agriculture (Neolithic and chalcolithic).

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3. Indus Valley Civilization :

Origin, date, extent, characteristics-decline, survival and significance, art and architecture.

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4. Megalithic Cultures :

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

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5. 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.

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6. 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 Mecedonian invasions and their impact.

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7. 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.

 

8.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.

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9. 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.

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10. 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.

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11. Regional States during Gupta Era:

The Kadambas, Pallavas, Chalukyas of Badami; Polity and Administration, Trade guilds, Literature; growth of Vaishnava and Saiva religions. Tamil Bhakit 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.

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13. 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.

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14. 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.

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15. 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.

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16. 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.

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17. 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 nonagricultural production, trade and commerce.

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18. 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.

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19. 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.

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20. 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.

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21. 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.

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22. 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.

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23. 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.

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24. 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.

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PAPER II :

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1. 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.

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2. British Expansion in India:

Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three Anglo-Maratha Wars; The Punjab.

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3. Early Structure of the British Raj:

The Early administrative structure; From diarchy to direct contol; 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.

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4. 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.

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5. 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.

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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; 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.

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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, casuses 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.

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8. 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.

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9. 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 Non-cooperation 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.

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

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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.

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12. Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.

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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.

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

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

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16. 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.

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17. 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.

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18. Industrialization :

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

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

(iii) Industrialization and Globalization.

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19. 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.

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20. 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.

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21. 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.

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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.

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23. 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.

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24. Liberation from Colonial Rule :

(i) Latin America-Bolivar.

(ii) Arab World-Egypt.

(iii) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy.

(iv) South-East Asia-Vietnam.

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25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment :

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

 

26. Unification of Europe :

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

(ii) Consolidation and Expansion of European Community

(iii) European Union.

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27. 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.