INDIAN HISTORY Syllabus.
1. Prehistoric cultures in India
2. Indus Civilization. Origins. The Mature Phase: extent, society, economy and culture.
Contacts with other cultures. Problems of decline.
3. Geographical distribution and characteristics of pastoral and farming communities
outside the Indus region, from the neolithic to early iron phases.
4. Vedic society. The Vedic texts; change from Rigvedic to later Vedic phases. Religion;
Upanishadic thought. Political and social organisation; the evolution of monarchy and
the varna system.
5. State formation and urbanization, from the Mahajanapadas to the Nandas. Jainism
and Buddhism. Factors for the spread of Buddhism.
6. The Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta; Megasthenes. Asoka and his inscriptions; his
dhamma, administration, culture and art. The Arthasastra.
7. Post-Mauryan India, BC 200- AD 300. Society: Evolution of jatis. The Satavahanas
and state formation in Peninsula. Sangam texts and society. Indo-Greeks, Sakas,
Parthians, Kushanas; Kanishka. Contacts with the outside world. Religion: Saivism,
8. The Guptas and their successors (to c. 750 AD). Changes in the political organisation
of empires. Economy and society. Literature and science. Arts.
Section-B
9. Early Medieval India. Major dynasties; the Chola Empire. Agrarian and political
structures. The Rajaputras. Extent of social mobility. Position of women. The Arabs in
Sind and the Ghaznavids.
10. Cultural trends, 750-1200, Religious conditions: the importance of temples and
monastic institutions; Sankaracharya; Islam; Sufism. Literature and Science. Alberuni’s
“India”. Art and architecture.
11. Thirteenth and fourteenth Centuries: Ghorian invasions causes and
consequences. Delhi Sultanate under the “Slave” Rulers. Alauddin Khalji: Conquests;
administrative, agrarian and economic measures. Muhammad Tughlaq’s innovations.
12. Firuz Tughluq and the decline of the Delhi Sultanate. Growth of commerce and
urbanization. Mystic movements in Hinduism and Islam. Literature. Architecture,
Technological changes.
13. The fifteenth and early 16th Century: major Provincial dynasties; Vijayanagara
Empire. The Lodis, First phase of the Mughal Empire: Babur, Humayun. The Sur empire
and administration. The Portuguese. Monotheistic movements: Kabir; Guru Nanak and
Sikhism; Bhakti. Growth of regional literatures. Art and Culture.
14. (14-15) The Mughal Empire, 1556-1707. Akbar: conquests, administrative
measures, jagir and mansab systems; policy of sulh-i-kul. Jahangir, Shahjahan and
Aurangzeb: expansion in the Deccan; religious policies. Shivaji. Culture: Persian and
regional literatures. Religious thought: Abul Fazl; Maharashtra dharma. Painting.
Architecture. Economy: conditions of peasants and artisans, growth in trade; commerce
with Europe. Social stratification and status of women.
16. The decline of the Mughal Empire, 1707-61. Causes behind decline. Maratha
power ounder the Peshwas. Regional states. The Afghans. Major elements of
composite culture. Sawai Jai Singh, astronomer. Rise of Urdu language.
Section-c
17. British expansion: The Carnatic Wars, Conquest of Bengal. Mysore and its
resistance to British expansion: The three Anglo-Maratha Wars. Early structure of
British raj: Regulating and Pitt’s India Acts.
18. Economic Impact of the British Raj: Drain of Wealth (Tribute); land revenue
settlements (zamindari, ryotwari, mahalwari); Deindustrialisation; Railways and
commercialisation of agriculture; Growth of landless labour.
19. Cultural encounter and social changes: Introduction of western education and
modern ideas. Indian Renaissance, social and religious reform movements; growth of
Indian middle class; The press and its impact: the rise of modern literature in Indian
languages. Social reforms measures before 1857.
20. Resistance to British rule: Early uprisings; The 1857 Revolt- causes, nature, course
and consequences.
21. Indian Freedom struggle-the the first phase: Growth of national consciousness;
Formation of Associations; Establishment of the Indian National Congress and its
Moderate phase;- Economic Nationalism; Swadeshi Movement; The growth of
“Extremism” and the 1907 split in Congress; The Act of 1909 – the policy of Divide and
Rule; Congress-League Pact of 1916.
22. Gandhi and his thought; Gandhian techniques of mass mobilisation- Khilafat and
Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movement; Other
strands in the National Movement-Revolutionaries, the Left, Subhas Chandra Bose and
the Indian National Army.
23. Separatist Trends in Indian nationalist politics- the Muslim League and the Hindu
Mahasabha; The post -1945 developments; Partition and Independence.
24. Indian independence to 1964. A parliamentary, secular, democratic (republic the
1950 Constitution). Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of a developed, socialist society. Planning
and state-controlled industrialization. Agrarian reforms. The foreign policy of Non-
alignment. Border conflict with China and Chinese aggression.
