Subject pillar · 72 pieces
Ancient Indian History
UPSC GS-I: Indus Valley to early medieval — Vedic age, Mahajanapadas, Mauryas, Guptas, dynasties of South India. Prelims — Paper I History of India and Indian National Movement. In Mains, ancient India is examined through GS…
About this pillar
What's covered
UPSC GS-I: Indus Valley to early medieval — Vedic age, Mahajanapadas, Mauryas, Guptas, dynasties of South India.
Official UPSC CSE syllabus
UPSC Syllabus for Ancient Indian History
Prelims — Paper I
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
In Mains, ancient India is examined through GS Paper I — Indian culture: salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. (Mains GS-I narrative history begins from about the middle of the eighteenth century.)
Source: Official UPSC Civil Services Examination notification — Preliminary & Main Examination syllabus.
Editor's picks
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The newest pieces on Ancient Indian History. Start here if this pillar is new to you.
Foundations · Ancient Indian History
Notes & guides at a glance
Side-by-side: the most recent revision-ready Study Notes and the deeper Study Guides on Ancient Indian History. Numbered so you can scan in seconds.
Study Notes
All study notes →- 01Pala Empire: Gopala’s Election, the Fight for Kannauj and Pala Art
- 02Vikramshila University: Dharmapala’s Mahavihara, Its Gate Scholars and Atisha
- 03Sirpur: Lakshmana Brick Temple, Buddhist Viharas and the Kosala Capital
- 04Takshashila (Taxila): Its Teachers, Three Cities and the University Question
- 05Elephanta Caves: The Maheshmurti, the Dating Debate and the Stone Elephant
- 06Nalanda University: The Gupta Mahavihara, What Xuanzang Saw and How It Fell
- 07Mahabalipuram Monuments: Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas and Arjuna’s Penance
- 08Pattadakal: Chalukya Coronation Town, Virupaksha Temple and Two Temple Styles
- 09Gwalior Fort: Gopachal’s Temples, Man Singh’s Palace and the Zero Inscription
- 10Purana Qila: Humayun’s Dinpanah, Sher Shah’s Shergarh and the ASI Excavations
News in Ancient Indian History
Latest current affairs
The 8 newest Why-in-News pieces filed under Ancient Indian History, each with GS mapping and a practice question.
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Everything in Ancient Indian History
All Ancient Indian History pieces
The complete index of all 72 pieces filed under Ancient Indian History, newest first. It includes the highlights above.
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