HCS mains indian history optional syllabus

HCS mains indian history optional syllabus

HCS Syllabus: Indian History HCS Mains Optional Syllabus

HPSC HCS mains optional subject syllabus

Part-I

History of India (Down to AD 750)

1. The Indus Civilisation: Origin and extent . Characteristic features. Major cities. Trade and contacts. Causes of decline. Survival and continuity.

2. The Vedic Age: Vedic literature. Differences and similarities between Indus Civilisation and Vedic culture. Political, social and economic patterns. Major religious ideas and rituals.

3. The Pre-Maurya Period: Religious movements (Jainism, Buddhism and other sects). Social and economic conditions. Republics and growth of Magadha imperialism.

4. The Maurya Empire: Alexander‘s invasion and its effects. Source, rise, extent and fall of Maurya empire. Administration. Social and economic conditions. Ashoka's policy and reforms. Art.

5. The Post-Maurya Period (200 B.C. –300 A.D.): Rule of Indo-Greeks. The Sakas and the Kushanas. Principal dynasties in Northern and Southern India. Economy of society. Sanskrit, Prakrit and Tamil. Religion (rise of Mahayana and theistic cults). Art (Gandhara, Mathura and other schools). Contacts with Central Asia.

6. The Gupta Age: Rise and fall of the Gupta Empire. The Vakatakas. Administration, society, economy, literature, art and religion. Contacts with South East Asia. General review of education and learning.

7. Post-Gupta Period (B.C. 500–750A.D.): Pushyabhutis. The Muakharis. The later Guptas. Harshvardhana and his times. Chalukyas of Badami. The Pallavas. Society, administration and art. The Arab conquest. Rise of Cholas and their administration.

Medieval India (750 A.D. to 1765 A.D.)

India : (750 A.D. to 1200 A.D.)

1. Political and social conditions. The Rajputs–their policy and social structure. Land structure and its impacts on society. Growth of feudalism in north India. Turkish invasion.

2. Trade and commerce.

3. Maritime Activities: Contacts with the Arabs, Mutual, cultural impacts.

4. Rashtrakutas, their role in history – Contribution to art and culture. The Chola Empire. Local Self Government, features of the Indian village system. Society, economy, art and learning in the South.

5. Indian Society on the eve of Mahmud of Ghazni's campaigns.

India: 1200 AD –1765 AD

6. Foundation of the Delhi Sultanate in Northern India. Causes and circumstances. Its impact on the Indian society. Economic experience of Allauddin Khilji.

7. Khilji imperialism – significance and implications, administrative and economic regulations and their impact on state and the people.

8. New Orientation of state policies and administrative principles under Muhammed bin Tughluq. Religious policy and public works of Firoz Shah. Scheme of Muhamed Tughluq.Administration of Firoz Shah.

9. Disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate – causes and its effects on the Indian polity and society. Nature and character of State, political ideas and institutions. Agrarian structure and relations, trade and commerce, condition of artisans and peasants.

10. Influence of Islam on Indian Culture. Muslim mystic movements. Nature and significance of Bhakti saints. Cultural interaction between Hindus and Muslims.

11. The Vijaynagar Empire: Its origin and growth. Contributioin to art, literature and culture. Social and economic conditions. System of administration. Break-up of the Vijaynagar Empire. The Bahmani Kingdom.

12. Sources of History: Important chronicles, inscriptions and travellers‘ accounts.

13. Establishment of Mughal Empire in northern India. Political and social conditions in Hindustan on the eve of Babur's invasion. Babur and Humayun. Establishment of the Portuguese control in the Indian ocean, its political and economic consequences.

14. Sur Administration–political, revenue and military administration.

15. Expansion of the Mughal Empire under Akbar, political unification, new concept of monarchy under Akbar, Akbar's religio-political outlook. Relations with the non Muslims. Akbar conquest. Rajput policy. Religios policy.

16. Growth of regional languages and literature during the medieval period. Development of art and architecture.

17. Political ideas and institutions: Nature of the Mughal state, Mughal administration, land revenue administrations (the Mansabdari and the Jagirdari systems, the landed structure and the role of the Zamindars, agrarian relations), the military organisations. Deccan and NW Frontier policy of Mughals. Social, cultural and economic conditions during the Mughal period.

18. Aurangzeb's religious policy. Expansion of the Mughal Empire in Decan. Revolts against Aurangzeb– character and consequences. Aurangzeb and break up of Mughal empire.

19. Growth of urban centres. Industrial economy–urban and rural. Foreign trade and commerce. The Mughals and the European trading companies.

20. Socio–religious relations of Hindu–Muslim during 16 to 18th centuries and growth of composite culture.

21. Rise of Shivaji, his conflict with the Mughals. Administration of Shivaji. Expansion of the Maratha power under the Peshwas (1707–1761). Maratha political structure under the First Three Peshwas. Chauth and Sardeshmukhi. Third Battle of Panipat, causes and effect. Emergence of the Maratha confederacy, its structure and role.

22. Disintegration of the Mughal Empire. Emergence of the new Regional States.

Part-II

Modern India and Freedom Struggle (1757 AD–1947 AD)

1. Coming of European powers. Historical forces and factors which led to the British conquest of India. British occupation of Bengal. Growth of British power during Warren Hastings, Wellesley, William Bentick, Dalhousi with special reference to Bengal, Marathas, Sind, Punjab and Oudh. Resistence of Indian powers and causes of their failure. Civil rebillions and Revolt of 1857.

2. Evolution of British paramountcy over princely states.

3. Administrative structure and policies – revenue, judicial, social and educational and their linkages with British colonial interests.

4. British economic policies and their impact. Commercialisation of agriculture. Rural indebtedness. Growth of agriculture labour. Destruction of handicraft industries. Drain of wealth. Growth of modern industry and rise of a capitalist class. Activities of the Christian Missions.

5. Socio-religious movements. Social, religious, political and economic ideas of the reformers and their vision of future. Nature and limitation of 19th Century ?Renaissance?. Caste movements in general with special reference to South India and Maharashtra. Tribal revolts, specially in Central and Eastern India. Peasant revolts with special reference to indigo revolt, deccan riots and Mapplia uprising.

6. Rise and growth of Indian National Movement. Social basis of Indian nationalism. Foundation of INC. Programmes of the early nationalists (moderates) and extremist. Militant revolutionary groups. Rise and growth of communalism. Emergence of Gandhiji in Indian politics and his techniques of mass mobilisation. Khilafat Movement. Non-Cooperation. Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movement. Trade union and peasant movements. State (s) people movements. The Congress socialists and communists. British official response to National Movement.Constitutional developments during British period (Acts of 1909, 1919, 1935). Indian National Army. Navy Mutiny of 1946. Muslim League. The Partition of India . India‘s Independence.