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Choosing History as an optional topic for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) provides an advantage to those who are deeply interested in the past and its effect on the present and future. The study of history covers the ancient, medieval, and contemporary eras and looks at how society, culture, the economy, and politics have changed throughout time. This course provides an understanding of the complex nature of historical transition as well as continuity through studying all aspects of subjects, from the development of human civilizations to important events that have affected the present world.
History is one of the most popular and highest-scoring optional courses for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025. It is a topic that not only helps you comprehend the past, but also throws light on the present and future. Everything from ancient civilizations to current global events is covered in the interesting subject of history. Everything you need to know about history optional will be covered in this post, including the syllabus, book lists, notes, previous year’s question papers (PYQs), topper approaches, and more.
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam 2025 offers History as an optional subject, consisting of two papers: Paper I and Paper II. The History syllabus covers a wide array of topics spanning ancient, medieval, and modern periods of Indian history, as well as world history, encompassing cultural, social, economic, and political aspects. This extensive coverage ensures a deep understanding of historical developments, movements, philosophies, and their impacts on contemporary society. Studying History as an optional subject is particularly beneficial for gaining insights into human progress, conflicts, and the evolution of societies, which is valuable for addressing current societal issues, understanding governance, and policy-making.
The UPSC Mains exam, including the History Optional paper, is scheduled to begin on August 22, 2025. Each of the History optional papers in the UPSC CSE exam 2025 carries 250 marks, totaling 500 marks for the optional subject. The syllabus for the History Optional in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) covers a wide range of topics across various periods of history, emphasising the subject’s broad and detailed scope. Below is a broad outline of the syllabus:
The Table below contains the syllabus of History Optional for the UPSC Optional Paper I:
Topic | Subtopics |
1. Sources |
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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 |
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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. 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 |
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14. Cultural Traditions in India, 750-1200 |
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15. The Thirteenth Century |
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16. The Fourteenth Century |
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17. Society, Culture, and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries |
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18. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century |
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19. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- 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 16th and 17th Centuries |
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23. Culture during Mughal Empire |
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24. The Eighteenth Century |
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The Table below contains the syllabus of History Optional for the UPSC Optional Paper II:
Topic | Subtopics |
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 |
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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 the Colonial India between 1858 and 1935 |
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11. Other strands in the National Movement |
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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 |
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17. Origins of Modern Politics |
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18. Industrialization |
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19. Nation-State System |
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20. Imperialism and Colonialism |
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21. Revolution and Counter-Revolution |
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22. World Wars |
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23. The World after World War II |
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24. Liberation from Colonial Rule |
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25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment |
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26. Unification of Europe |
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27. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World |
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The exam pattern for the History Optional in the UPSC Mains Exam is organised in the following manner:
Paper | Marks | Number of Questions | Compulsory Questions | Choice Questions | Duration |
Paper I | 250 | 5 | Questions 1 and 5 | Choose 3 out of the remaining | 3 Hours |
Paper II | 250 | 5 | Questions 1 and 5 | Choose 3 out of the remaining | 3 Hours |
For aspirants choosing History as an optional subject for the UPSC exam, selecting appropriate study materials is crucial for a detailed understanding of various historical periods and effective coverage of the syllabus. The History optional, covering vast timelines from ancient to modern periods across the world, requires a comprehensive set of books to ensure thorough preparation. Here is a curated list of essential books for History Optional Paper I and Paper II:
1. India’s Ancient Past | R.S Sharma |
2. History of Ancient and Early Medieval India | Upinder Singh |
3. The Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 | Romila Thapar |
4. Ancient Indian Social History-Some Interpretations | Romila Thapar |
5. A Cultural History of India | A. L. Basham |
The table below contains the list of books for Mediaeval History for History Optional:
Book Title | Author |
1. A History of South India | K.A. Nilkantha Sastri |
2. The Agrarian System of Mughal India 1556-1707 | Irfan Habib |
3. Ashoka & Decline of the Maurya | Romila Thapar |
4. The Mughal Empire | J.F. Richards |
5. Indian Feudalism | R.S. Sharma |
6. The Wonder That was India (Volume.2) | S.A.A. Rizvi |
7. Material culture & Social Formation in Ancient India | R.S. Sharma |
8. Urban Dynamics | H.C. Verma |
9. Medieval India (Macmillan) | Satish Chandra |
10. Medieval India (NCERT) | Satish Chandra |
The table below contains the list of books for Modern History for History Optional:
Book Title | Author |
1. Anatomy of the Raj (PPH) | Suhash Chakravarty |
2. Peasant Movements in India | D.N. Dhanagare |
3. Freedom Struggle (NbT) | Bipan Chandra & others |
4. The Raj Syndrome (Penguins) | Suhash Chakravarty |
5. Gandhi | B.R. Nanda |
6. VAID’s Fundamentals of History Series | |
7. Gandhi | Judith Brown |
8. Constitutional History | Pravin Kumar |
9. India’s Struggle for Independence | Bipan Chandra |
10. Freedom Struggle | Pravin Kumar |
11. Modern India (Macmillan) | Sumit Sarkar |
12. Administrative History | Pravin Kumar |
13. Modern India (NCERT) | Bipan Chandra |
14. Social History | Pravin Kumar |
The table below contains the list of books for World History for History Optional:
World History Books for History Optional | |
Book Title | Author |
1. Age of Capital | E.J. Hobsbawm |
2. Age of Empires | E.J. Hobsbawm |
3. Age of Revolution | E.J. Hobsbawm |
4. Contemporary World History (NCERT) | Arjun Dev |
5. Europe Since 1815 | W.C. Craig |
6. Europe Since 1870 | James Joll |
7. Europe Since Napoleon | David Thompson |
8. Industry & Empire | E.J. Hobsbawm |
9. The social basis of Democracy & Dictatorship | B.J. Moore |
10. The story of Civilization, Vol. 2 (NCERT) | Arjun Dev |
To excel in the History optional for the UPSC CSE, a strategic and in-depth preparation approach is essential due to the extensive nature of the syllabus. Below are strategies and tips specifically tailored for aspirants choosing History as their optional subject:
The table below contains the direct PDF links of the Previous Year Question Papers of History Optional Paper I and Paper II:
UPSC CSE History Optional PYQ 2024 | |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper I (2024) |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper II (2024) |
UPSC CSE History Optional PYQ 2023 | |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper I (2023) | UPSC CSE History Optional Paper II (2023) |
UPSC CSE History Optional PYQ 2022 | |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper I (2022) | UPSC CSE History Optional Paper II (2022) |
UPSC CSE History Optional PYQ 2021 | |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper I (2021) | UPSC CSE History Optional Paper II (2021) |
UPSC CSE History Optional PYQ 2020 | |
UPSC CSE History Optional Paper I (2020) | UPSC CSE History Optional Paper II (2020) |
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