NDA (National Defence Academy) Exam History, Freedom Movement and Polity (GAT Paper II, Part D) Syllabus

History, Freedom Movement and Polity (GAT Paper II, Part D) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for History, Freedom Movement and Polity (GAT Paper II, Part D) in NDA (National Defence Academy) Exam, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Ancient and Medieval India

   3 topics

   • Indian Civilisation and Culture
     • Indus Valley Civilisation, Vedic age
     • Broad survey of Indian culture and heritage
   • Major Empires and Rulers
     • Mauryan and Gupta empires
     • Delhi Sultanate and Mughal empire
   • Society, Religion and Art
     • Buddhism, Jainism and Bhakti-Sufi movements
     • Architecture, literature and contributions to science
2. 2

   Modern India and Freedom Movement

   3 topics

   • Establishment of British Rule
     • Advent of Europeans, Battle of Plassey and Buxar
     • Revolt of 1857 and its aftermath
   • Indian National Movement
     • Formation of Indian National Congress, moderates and extremists
     • Gandhian movements: Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India
     • Partition and Independence of India
   • Renaissance and Social Reform
     • Socio-religious reform movements
     • Role of leaders and reformers
3. 3

   Indian Constitution and Polity

   3 topics

   • Constitutional Framework
     • Preamble, salient features of the Constitution
     • Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles
   • Union and State Governance
     • Parliament, President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers
     • State legislature, Governor, Chief Minister
   • Administration and Panchayati Raj
     • Five Year Plans and planning in India
     • Panchayati Raj, Community Development, Co-operatives
4. 4

   World History and Forces Shaping the Modern World

   3 topics

   • Major Revolutions and Movements
     • Renaissance, Exploration and Discovery
     • American War of Independence, French Revolution, Russian Revolution
   • Industrial Revolution and World Wars
     • Impact of the Industrial Revolution
     • First and Second World Wars and their effects
   • Post-War World Order
     • United Nations, Panchsheel, Democracy and Socialism
     • Concept of one world, role of India in the modern world

History, Freedom Movement and Polity (GAT Paper II, Part D) flashcards for NDA (National Defence Academy) Exam

20 of 51 cards from the History, Freedom Movement and Polity (GAT Paper II, Part D) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What does the Indus Valley Civilisation's town planning at sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa demonstrate?

   A highly advanced urban culture with grid-pattern streets, standardized baked-brick houses, covered drainage systems, the Great Bath, and granaries, reflecting sophisticated civic planning.

2. Which four Vedas form the foundational texts of Vedic civilisation, and which is the oldest?

   The Rigveda (oldest), Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. The Rigveda is a collection of hymns to deities like Indra and Agni.

3. What are the four Purusharthas (aims of life) in Indian philosophy?

   Dharma (righteousness/duty), Artha (wealth/prosperity), Kama (desire/pleasure), and Moksha (liberation).

4. Who founded the Maurya Empire and in which year did he establish it?

   Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in 322 BCE, with the guidance of his minister Chanakya (Kautilya).

5. After which battle did Emperor Ashoka renounce war and embrace Buddhism?

   The Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE). The bloodshed led Ashoka to adopt Buddhism and spread Dhamma through his rock and pillar edicts.

6. Which Gupta-era ruler is associated with the 'Golden Age' of India and was titled Vikramaditya?

   Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). His reign saw flourishing of art, science, and literature, with figures like Kalidasa and Aryabhata.

7. Who founded the Mughal Empire in India and by winning which battle?

   Babur founded the Mughal Empire by defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526.

8. Which Mughal emperor abolished the jizya tax and promoted the syncretic faith Din-i-Ilahi?

   Akbar (Akbar the Great). He pursued religious tolerance and integration of Hindu nobles into administration.

9. What is the Bhakti movement, and name two key saints associated with it?

   A devotional movement (7th-17th c.) emphasizing personal devotion to a single God over rituals; key saints include Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Tulsidas, and Ramanuja.

10. What is the Sufi movement and what is the term for a Sufi spiritual lodge?

    Sufism is the mystical, devotional tradition of Islam emphasizing love of God; its spiritual lodge/hospice is called a khanqah, and the Chishti order was prominent in India.

11. Which two architectural styles characterize ancient Indian temple architecture in the north and south?

    Nagara style (North India, curvilinear shikhara) and Dravida style (South India, pyramidal vimana with gopurams). The Vesara style is a hybrid in the Deccan.

12. What was the Dual System of Government in Bengal introduced after 1765, and who introduced it?

    Introduced by Robert Clive, it gave the East India Company the Diwani (revenue collection rights) while the Nawab retained nominal administration, leading to exploitation and the 1770 famine.

13. Which battle in 1757 is considered the foundation of British political power in India?

    The Battle of Plassey (1757), where Robert Clive defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah of Bengal, largely through Mir Jafar's betrayal.

14. Which 1764 battle confirmed British supremacy by defeating the combined forces of the Mughal emperor and the Nawabs?

    The Battle of Buxar (1764), where the British defeated Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Awadh, and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, gaining the Diwani of Bengal.

15. What was the Subsidiary Alliance system and who introduced it?

    Introduced by Lord Wellesley (1798), Indian rulers had to keep a British force in their territory and pay for it, surrendering foreign relations to the British, effectively becoming dependents.

16. What was the Doctrine of Lapse and who is associated with it?

    A policy by Lord Dalhousie under which any princely state without a natural male heir would be annexed by the British, ignoring adopted heirs; it caused major resentment.

17. In which year did the Indian National Congress get founded and by whom?

    The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, with W.C. Bonnerjee as its first president.

18. What were the immediate causes and the year of the partition of Bengal that triggered the Swadeshi Movement?

    Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905 ostensibly for administrative ease but to divide Hindus and Muslims; it sparked the Swadeshi (boycott of British goods) Movement.

19. Which event in 1919 saw General Dyer order firing on an unarmed crowd at Amritsar?

    The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919), where General Dyer's troops fired on a peaceful gathering, killing hundreds; it intensified the freedom struggle.

20. What was the Non-Cooperation Movement and when did Gandhi launch it?

    Launched in 1920, it called on Indians to withdraw from British schools, courts, titles, and goods. Gandhi suspended it in 1922 after the violent Chauri Chaura incident.

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