UPESSC Assistant Professor History syllabus

1Medieval Indian History · I. Sources

• Graphic and numismatic materials, monuments and other Archaeological Evidences.
• Literary sources- Persian, Sanskrit and Regional languages.
• Foreign traveller's accounts.

2Medieval Indian History · II. Political Developments

• The Sultanate - the Ghorids, the Turks, the Khaljis, the Tughlaqs, the Sayyids and the Lodis.
• Foundation of the Mughal Empire and its resistance - Babur, Humayun and the Suris; expansion from Akbar to Aurangzeb. The resistance of Rana Sanga, Hemu, Maha Rana Pratap, Naga Sansyasis etc.
• Challenges to the Mughal Power & its decline political, administrative, economic & cultural causes, Challenges by Ahoms, Bundelas, Sikhs and Jats, Later Mughals and disintegration of the Mughal empire.
• The Vijayanagara and the Bahmanis - rise, expansion and disintegration. The Maratha movement, the foundation of Swaraj and Hindu Pad Padshahi by Shivaji; its expansion under the Peshwas; Maratha Confederacy-causes of decline.

3Medieval Indian History · III. Administration

• Administration under the Sultanate - civil, judicial, revenue, fiscal and military.
• Sher Shah's administrative reforms; Mughal administration - land revenue and other sources of income; Mansabdari and Jagirdari. (with special reference to its naval power)
• Administrative and military system in the Deccan - the Vijayanagara, the Bahmanis and the Marathas (with special reference to its Naval Power)

4Medieval Indian History · IV. Economic Aspects

• Agricultural production - village economy; peasantry.
• Urban centers and population.
• Industries - cotton textiles, handicrafts, agro - based industries, organization, factories, Science and technology; (with special reference to Indian knowledge system)
• Trade and commerce - State policies, internal and external trade; European trade, trade centers and ports, transport and communication.
• Financing trade, commerce and industries; Hundi (Bills of Exchange) and Insurance.
• Currency.

5Medieval Indian History · V. Society and Culture

• The Sufis - their orders (silsilas), beliefs, practices, activities and their interaction with Siddihas and Yogis.
• India Knowledge system and Bhakti movement - Shaivism and its branches; Vaishnavism and its branches.
• The Saints of the medieval period - north and south - their impact on socio - political and religious life.
• The Sikh movement - Guru Nanak Dev and his teachings and practices, Adi Granth; the Khalsa.
• Classification ruling class, major religious groups, the mercantile and professional classes.
• Rural society petty chieftains, village officials, cultivators and non cultivating classes, artisans.
• Position of women and the Harem in Medieval India.
• Educational Systems and their motivations.
• Literature; Sankrit, Persian and regional languages.
• Fine Arts - Major schools of painting; music.
• Decay and destruction of Ancient monuments and development of new architecture in North and Soth India; Indo - Islamic architecture.

6History of Modern India · I. Advent of Europeans and Rise of British Power

• European traders in India in the 16th and 18th centuries – Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British, The cultural & economic base of Colonialism and early native. resistance against them.
• The establishment and expansion of British dominion in India.
• British relations with and subjugation of the principal Indian Powers - Bengal, Oudh, Hyderabad, Mysore, Marathas and the Sikhs.
• Evolution of central and provincial structure under the East India Company, 1773 1853.
• Paramountcy, Civil Service, Judiciary, Police and the Army under the Company and Crown.
• Local Self-Government.
• Constitutional changes, 1909-1935.

7History of Modern India · II. Economy and Society

• Changing composition, volume and direction of trade; the forms of Trubutes to Raj. Expansion and commercialisation of agriculture, land rights, land settlements, rural indebtedness, landless labour.
• Decline of industries and Modernization Myth; changing socio – economic conditions of artisans; De - industrialisation.
• British Industrial Policy; major modern industries; nature of factory legislation; labour and trade union movements.
• Monetary policy, banking, currency and exchange, Railways and Road Transport.
• Growth of new urban centres; and monuments.
• Famines, and epidemics during British Rule.
• Economic Thought - English Utilitarians; the Drain theory.
• Contact with Christianity - the Missionaries- construction of the myth - Bharat a Pagan society, critique of Indian Socio-Religious and Cultural practices; Educational and other activities.
• Colonial Education -Content, Structure and Objectives
• Nationalist initiatives in education with special reference to Arya Samaj, Madan Mohan Malviya, M.K. Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar.
• Socio-religious reforms: Reforms breaking away from tradition and socio-religious reforms in defense of tradition; emergence of middle class; caste associations and caste mobility.
• Women's Question: Nationalist Discourse; Women's Organisations; British legislations concerning women; Constitutional position.
• Development of the Press:Pro Imperialist and Nationalist, Measures by colonial Government to subjugate the Nationalist expression-Press Laws
• Vernacular literature and its literary forms - reorientation in painting, music and performing arts, revival of folk arts during Swadeshi movement.

8History of Modern India · III. National Movement

• Different interpretations of Indian Nationalism, Rise of Indian nationalism, Resistance to Colonial Milieu - social, cultural and economic bases of nationalism.
• First War of Independence: 1857 participation of different social classes, Geographical extent of 1857
• Resistance by Tribals and peasants to the Colonial Government
• Ideologies and programmes of the Indian National Congress, 1885 - 1920, with special reference to Tilak's idea of Swaraj, Gokhale's vision of India and Sri Arbindo's political philosophy, Home Rule movement.
• Ideology of Swadeshi and trends in the Swadeshi movement, Government response to Swadeshi movement
• Ideologies and programs of Indian revolutionaries in India and abroad with special refrence to V.S. Savarkar, Lala Hardayal, HRA and HSRA
• So called Indian trials: Nasik conspiracy case, Chauri Chaura Trial, Meerut conspiracy case, Lahore conspiracy case.
• Gandhian Mass Movements.
• Subhash Chand Bose-fallout with Congress and INA
• Ideology and program of the Justice Party.
• Left Wing Politics- The Communist ideology and politics in the national movement;
• Role of Congress Socialist Party
• Movement of the Depressed classes.
• Communal politics and genesis of Pakistan.
• Towards Independence and Partition.

9History of Modern India · IV. India after Independence (1947-1964)

• Question of Refugees and Rehabilitation after Partition.
• Integration of the Indian States; The Kashmir Question, the Hyderabad Question and Sardar Patel
• The making of the Indian Constitution.
• The structure of Bureaucracy and the Policy.
• The demographic trends.
• Debates on the question on Development; Economic policies and the planning process.
• Linguistic reorganisation of States.
• Foreign policy initiatives.

10History of Modern India · V. World History: Concepts, Ideas and Terms & Researches in History

• Feudalism
• Non - alignment
• Parliamentary Democracy
• Nazism
• Commonwealth
• Colonialism
• Neo-colonialism
• Mercantilism
• Imperialism
• Capitalism
• Socialism
• Balance of Power
• Apartheid
• Rights of Man
• Cold War
• Post - modernism
• Globalization
• Scope and value of History
• Objectivity and Bias in History
• History and its auxiliary sciences
• Emerging trends in Indian history writings; some eminent historians; R.K. Mukherjee, Vasudeo Sharan Agrawal, Dharampal, A.S. Altekar, K.P. Jaiswal, R.C. Majumdar, jadunath Sarkar etc.

General Knowledge — common to every subject

1Current Affairs

• A. Major events & Current Affairs : National/International
• B. Personalities in News
• C. Sports News
• D. Current Research in the field of Science.

2Teaching and Research Aptitude

• A. Teaching : Nature, Objectives, Need, Methods Evaluation and Factor Affecting Teaching
• B. Research : Meaning and Methods
• C. Data : Source, Collection and Analysis
• D. Role of UGC in Qualitative Development in Higher Education.

3Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

• A. ICT : Meaning, Advantages and Disadvantages
• B. Basics of Internet & E-mailing
• C. General Abbreviation and Terminology.

4People and Environment

• A. People & Environment Interaction
• B. Environmental Depredation : cause & Solution
• C. National and International affairs for better Environment
• D. Environmental Control.

5Indian History and Geography

• A. Salient Features of Indian Culture
• B. Indian National Movement (1857-1950)
• C. Origin of Universe and Solar System
• D. Indian Geography (General).

6Indian Constitution and Economy

• A. Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
• B. Indian political system : Legislative Executive and Judiciary
• C. Election Commission and Public Service Commission
• D. Population, Poverty, Unemployment; Planning and Development; Income Tax
• E. Agriculture, Industry, Trade; Money, Currency, Banking and Capital Market.

UPESSC Assistant Professor syllabus, History (Subject Code-30), Syllabus/upessc_2026/History_en.pdf — transcribed from the scanned pages, wording as printed. The syllabus has two parts (1: Medieval Indian History, 2: History of Modern India) of five sections each; Ancient History is a separate UPESSC subject.