Subject pillar · 312 pieces
Indian History
Indian History covers ancient, medieval and modern India, the freedom struggle, and post-Independence consolidation. It carries real weight in Prelims and General Studies Paper I, and it is the section where the syllabus is least explicit…
About this pillar
What's covered
Indian History covers ancient, medieval and modern India, the freedom struggle, and post-Independence consolidation. It carries real weight in Prelims and General Studies Paper I, and it is the section where the syllabus is least explicit about limits.
The practical response is to prepare it by era with different tools. Ancient and medieval reward sources, art and institutions. Modern India rewards chronology and causation — who wanted what, and why a movement succeeded or collapsed. Post-Independence rewards knowing how the present arrangement was argued into existence.
Ancient, medieval, modern and post-Independence India are covered here, alongside the monuments, movements and personalities that anchor them.
Official UPSC CSE syllabus
UPSC Syllabus for Indian History
Prelims — Paper I
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
Mains — General Studies Paper I (Indian History)
- Indian culture — salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
- Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present — significant events, personalities, issues.
- The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors / contributions from different parts of the country.
- Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
Source: Official UPSC Civil Services Examination notification — Preliminary & Main Examination syllabus.
Editor's picks
Start with these
The newest pieces on Indian History. Start here if this pillar is new to you.
Foundations · Indian History
Notes & guides at a glance
Side-by-side: the most recent revision-ready Study Notes and the deeper Study Guides on Indian History. Numbered so you can scan in seconds.
Study Notes
All study notes →- 01Muthuramalinga Thevar: Criminal Tribes Act, Forward Bloc and Guru Puja
- 02Kandukuri Veeresalingam: Widow Remarriage, Telugu Prose and Rajahmundry
- 03Mahadev Govind Ranade: Prarthana Samaj, Social Conference and Indian Economics
- 04C. Rajagopalachari: Last Governor-General, CR Formula and Swatantra Party
- 05Maharaja Surajmal: Bharatpur, Lohagarh and the Jat State After Panipat
- 06Basaveshwara (Basavanna): Vachanas, Kayaka and the Crisis at Kalyana
- 07V.O. Chidambaram Pillai: Swadeshi Ships, the Tuticorin Strike and Prison
- 08Veer Surendra Sai: Sambalpur’s Revolt, 1857 and Asirgarh Fort
- 09Vasudev Balwant Phadke: The 1879 Revolt, the Ramoshis and Death in Aden
- 10Matangini Hazra: Gandhi Buri, Tamluk 1942 and the Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar
Study Guides
All study guides →- 01Upinder Singh Ancient History for UPSC: When and How to Read It
- 02India Since Independence for UPSC
- 03Satish Chandra Medieval History for UPSC: How to Read It
- 04R.S. Sharma Ancient History for UPSC: A Reading Guide
- 05Bipan Chandra History of Modern India: Edition, Chapter Map and How It Differs from India’s Struggle for Independence
- 06Spectrum Modern History by Rajiv Ahir: Which Edition, What to Read and How to Finish It
- 07Lucent GK: Which Edition to Buy, What to Read and What to Skip for UPSC and State PSC
News in Indian History
Latest current affairs
The 10 newest Why-in-News pieces filed under Indian History, each with GS mapping and a practice question.
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Everything in Indian History
All Indian History pieces
The complete index of all 312 pieces filed under Indian History, newest first. It includes the highlights above.
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