UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) General Knowledge: History and Polity (Paper II) Syllabus

Who founded the Vijayanagara Empire and in which year?

Harihara and Bukka (the Sangama brothers) founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336 CE on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.

Which battle in 1565 led to the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire?

The Battle of Talikota (1565), where a confederacy of Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara, sacking its capital Hampi.

Who was the greatest ruler of Vijayanagara, known as a patron of literature and the arts?

Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509–1529) of the Tuluva dynasty, author of 'Amuktamalyada' and patron of the Telugu 'Ashtadiggajas'.

Which European power was the first to establish a trading post in India, and where did Vasco da Gama land in 1498?

The Portuguese were first. Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut (Kozhikode) on the Malabar coast in 1498.

Which battle in 1757 marked the beginning of British political dominance in India?

The Battle of Plassey (1757), where Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal.

Which 1764 battle gave the British the Diwani (revenue collection rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa?

The Battle of Buxar (1764), after which the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) granted the East India Company the Diwani rights.

What was the Subsidiary Alliance system and who introduced it?

A policy by Lord Wellesley where Indian rulers accepted British troops, paid for their maintenance, and lost control of foreign affairs — effectively bringing states under British control without annexation.

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

Lord Dalhousie's policy under which a princely state without a natural male heir would be annexed by the British, disallowing adopted heirs from succeeding.

At which place did the Revolt of 1857 begin, and on what date?

It began at Meerut on 10 May 1857, sparked by the sepoys' refusal to use the greased Enfield rifle cartridges.

Who was proclaimed the symbolic leader of the Revolt of 1857?

Bahadur Shah Zafar II, the last Mughal emperor, was proclaimed the symbolic leader (Emperor of Hindustan) by the rebels in Delhi.

What major administrative change resulted from the Revolt of 1857?

The Government of India Act 1858 transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown, ending Company rule and beginning direct Crown rule (the Raj).

Who founded the Brahmo Samaj and in what year?

Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 in Calcutta. He is regarded as the 'Father of the Indian Renaissance.'

Who founded the Arya Samaj and what was its key slogan?

Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj in 1875, with the slogan 'Back to the Vedas' and a campaign against idolatry and caste rigidity.

What major social reform is Raja Ram Mohan Roy credited with achieving in 1829?

The abolition of Sati, achieved through the Bengal Sati Regulation Act of 1829 under Lord William Bentinck, following his sustained campaign.

Who led the Ramakrishna Mission and in what year was it founded?

Swami Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, based on the teachings of his guru Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

In which year was the Indian National Congress founded and by whom?

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

What triggered the Partition of Bengal in 1905 and which movement did it spark?

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

Where and when did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occur, and who ordered the firing?

At Amritsar on 13 April 1919. General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to fire on an unarmed gathering, killing hundreds.

In which year did Gandhi launch the Non-Cooperation Movement, and why was it called off?

1920. It was called off in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, where a mob burned a police station killing 22 policemen.

What was the significance of the Dandi March (Salt March) of 1930?

Led by Gandhi from Sabarmati to Dandi (March–April 1930), it broke the salt law by making salt from seawater, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.

What did Gandhi demand in the Quit India Movement of 1942, and what was its famous slogan?

He demanded an immediate end to British rule. The slogan was 'Do or Die' (Karo ya Maro), given at the Bombay session of the AICC in August 1942.

Who gave the slogan 'Give me blood and I will give you freedom,' and which army did he lead?

Subhas Chandra Bose, who led the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj).

Which 1940 resolution formally demanded a separate Muslim state, and who presided?

The Lahore Resolution (Pakistan Resolution) of 1940 of the Muslim League, presided over by Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

What was the Mountbatten Plan (3 June 1947) and what did it lead to?

It proposed the partition of British India into two independent dominions — India and Pakistan — leading to the Indian Independence Act 1947.

Who chaired the body that demarcated the India–Pakistan boundary at Partition?

Sir Cyril Radcliffe chaired the Boundary Commission; the dividing line is known as the Radcliffe Line.

Who proposed the demand for a Constituent Assembly of India, and under which plan was it eventually set up?

M.N. Roy first proposed the idea (1934). The Constituent Assembly was formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.

Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution?

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, often called the 'Father of the Indian Constitution.'

When was the Indian Constitution adopted and when did it come into force?

Adopted on 26 November 1949 (celebrated as Constitution Day) and came into force on 26 January 1950 (Republic Day).

From which countries did India borrow Fundamental Rights and the parliamentary system of government?

Fundamental Rights from the USA; the parliamentary system of government from the United Kingdom.

What four words were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Amendment of 1976?

'Socialist,' 'Secular,' and 'Integrity' were added — making it 'SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC' and adding 'unity and integrity of the Nation.'

Which Article guarantees the Right to Constitutional Remedies, and what did Dr. Ambedkar call it?

Article 32. Dr. Ambedkar called it the 'heart and soul of the Constitution' because it empowers citizens to move the Supreme Court to enforce Fundamental Rights.