There are two Optional Papers which are 250 marks each and a total of 500 marks each. And you get 3 hours for each paper. The syllabus is wide and hence, you must prepare for the same accordingly by having a perfect strategy to complete the syllabus on time and also do the revisions.
The History optional Syllabus is broadly divided into 4 main categories to simplify the same, they are:
1. |
Sources: |
i) Archaeological sources:
ii) Literary sources:
iii) Foreign accounts:
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2. |
Pre-history and Proto-history: |
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3. |
Indus Valley Civilization: |
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4. |
Megalithic Cultures: |
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5. |
Aryans and Vedic Period: |
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6. |
Period of Mahajanapadas: |
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7. |
Mauryan Empire: |
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8. |
Post - Mauryan Period (Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas, Western Kshatrapas): |
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9. |
Early State and Society in Eastern India, Deccan, and South India: |
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10. |
Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas: |
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11. |
The regional States during Gupta Era: |
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12. |
Themes in Early Indian Cultural History: |
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13. |
Early Medieval India, 750-1200: |
i) Polity:
ii) Society:
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14. |
Cultural Traditions in India, 750- 1200: |
i) Philosophy:
ii) Religion:
iii) Literature:
iv) Art and Architecture:
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15. |
The Thirteenth Century: |
i) Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate:
ii) Foundation of Delhi Sultanate and early Turkish Sultans
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16. |
The Fourteenth Century: |
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17. |
Society, Culture, and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries: |
i) Society:
ii) Culture:
iii) Economy:
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18. |
The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century |
i) Political Developments and Economy:
ii) The First phase:
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19. |
The Fifteenth and early Sixteenth Century |
i) Society and Culture:
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20. |
Akbar: |
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21. |
Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century: |
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22. |
Economy and Society in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: |
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23. |
Culture in the Mughal Empire: |
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24. |
The Eighteenth Century: |
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1. |
European Penetration into India: |
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2. |
British Expansion in India: |
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3. |
Early Structure of the British Raj: |
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4. |
Economic Impact of British Colonial Rule: |
(a) Land revenue settlements in British India;
(b) Dislocation of traditional trade and commerce;
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5. |
Social and Cultural Developments: |
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6. |
Social and Religious Reform movements in Bengal and Other Areas: |
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7. |
Indian Response to British Rule: |
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8. |
Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism |
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9. |
Rise of Gandhi; |
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10. |
Constitutional Developments in Colonial India between 1858 and 1935 |
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11. |
Other strands in the National Movement The Revolutionaries: |
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12. |
Politics of Separatism; |
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13. |
Consolidation as a Nation; |
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14. |
Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; |
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15. |
Economic development and political change; |
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16. |
Enlightenment and Modern ideas: |
(i) Major ideas of Enlightenment:
(ii) Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies (iii) Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx);
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17. |
Origins of Modern Politics: |
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18. |
Industrialization: |
(i) English Industrial Revolution:
(ii) Industrialization in other countries:
(iii) Industrialization and Globalization. |
19. |
Nation-State System: |
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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. |
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 |
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 consequence |
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. |
24. |
Liberation from Colonial Rule: |
(i) Latin America-Bolivar (ii) Arab World-Egypt (iii) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy (iv) South-East Asia-Vietnam |
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. |
27. |
The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World: |
(i) Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet communism and the Soviet Union, 1985-1991 (ii) Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001. (iii) End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower. |
That’s all about Syllabus for History Optional. Hope this reading will worth you.
Thank you
Happy Reading.
Strategy & Books to Prepare for the History Optional