UPSC Civil Services Examination Indian and World History, and Art and Culture Syllabus

In which battle, when, and against whom did the Vijayanagara Empire suffer its decisive defeat?

At the Battle of Talikota in 1565, when the combined Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara, leading to the sacking of Hampi.

Who founded the Mughal Empire and by winning which battle?

Babur founded the Mughal Empire by defeating Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, where he used field artillery and the tulughma tactic.

What was Akbar's revenue system and his religious policy?

Akbar's revenue system was the Zabti/Dahsala system developed by Raja Todar Mal, based on measured land and average produce. His religious policy included Sulh-i-Kul (universal tolerance), abolition of jizya, and the founding of Din-i-Ilahi.

What is the mansabdari system introduced by Akbar?

A military-administrative grading system in which officials (mansabdars) held a rank expressed as zat (personal status/pay) and sawar (number of cavalry to maintain). It organised the nobility and the army.

Which Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal, and which emperor reimposed jizya and expanded into the Deccan?

Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal (for Mumtaz Mahal). Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya tax and undertook prolonged, costly Deccan campaigns.

Which European trading companies arrived in India and in what order?

The Portuguese arrived first (Vasco da Gama, 1498), followed by the Dutch, the English (East India Company, 1600), the Danish, and the French.

Which battle marked the beginning of British political power in India, and which consolidated it?

The Battle of Plassey (1757), where Robert Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daula, marked the beginning. The Battle of Buxar (1764) consolidated it, after which the EIC gained the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

What was the Subsidiary Alliance and who introduced it?

A system introduced by Lord Wellesley under which an Indian ruler accepted British troops, paid for their maintenance, and surrendered control of foreign affairs, becoming a British protectorate while losing real sovereignty.

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

A policy of Lord Dalhousie under which a princely state without a natural male heir was annexed by the British, disallowing adopted heirs. Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur were annexed under it.

What were the main immediate and general causes of the Revolt of 1857?

The immediate cause was the greased Enfield rifle cartridges (rumoured to use cow and pig fat). General causes included political annexations (Doctrine of Lapse), economic exploitation, social/religious interference, and discontent among sepoys.

What were the major administrative consequences of the Revolt of 1857?

The East India Company's rule ended; the British Crown took direct control via the Government of India Act 1858. The Governor-General became Viceroy, and Queen Victoria's Proclamation promised non-interference and equal treatment.

Who founded the Brahmo Samaj and the Arya Samaj, and what did each advocate?

Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj (1828), opposing idolatry, sati, and caste. Swami Dayananda Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj (1875) with the slogan 'Back to the Vedas', opposing idolatry and untouchability.

What role did the Ramakrishna Mission and the Aligarh Movement play in social reform?

The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda (1897), promoted Vedanta, social service, and education. The Aligarh Movement, led by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, promoted modern Western education among Muslims (founding MAO College, later AMU).

When and where was the Indian National Congress founded, and by whom?

The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 in Bombay; A.O. Hume played the key organising role, and W.C. Bonnerjee was its first president.

What were the three main movements led by Mahatma Gandhi and their approximate years?

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34, beginning with the Dandi Salt March), and the Quit India Movement (1942).

What was the Rowlatt Act and what tragic event followed protests against it?

The Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed detention without trial. Protests against it led to the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919) in Amritsar, where General Dyer ordered firing on an unarmed crowd.

What were the key features of the Government of India Act, 1935?

It proposed an All-India Federation, introduced provincial autonomy (ending dyarchy in provinces), extended the franchise, and established a Federal Court. It became a major source for the Indian Constitution.

Who integrated the princely states into the Indian Union after independence, and through what instrument?

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (with V.P. Menon) integrated the princely states, primarily through the Instrument of Accession. Hyderabad was integrated via 'Operation Polo' (1948) and Junagadh via plebiscite.

What was the basis and outcome of the linguistic reorganisation of Indian states?

States were reorganised on a linguistic basis following the agitation in Andhra (and Potti Sriramulu's death). The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, based on the Fazl Ali Commission, created states largely along linguistic lines.

What economic strategy did India follow from 1951, and what major change occurred in 1991?

India followed planned development through Five-Year Plans with a mixed economy emphasising public-sector heavy industry (Mahalanobis model). In 1991 a balance-of-payments crisis led to economic liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation (LPG reforms).

What was Operation Flood and the Green Revolution in post-independence India?

Operation Flood (the White Revolution, led by Verghese Kurien) made India the world's largest milk producer. The Green Revolution (1960s, M.S. Swaminathan/Norman Borlaug) used high-yielding seeds, fertilisers, and irrigation to achieve food-grain self-sufficiency.

Where did the Industrial Revolution begin and what were its key inventions?

It began in Britain in the mid-18th century. Key inventions included the spinning jenny, water frame, power loom, and James Watt's improved steam engine, transforming textile and iron production.

What is the relationship between the Industrial Revolution and colonialism?

Industrialised European powers sought colonies as sources of cheap raw materials and as captive markets for manufactured goods, intensifying imperial expansion and the exploitation of regions like India and Africa.

What were the main causes and ideals of the American Revolution?

Causes included 'no taxation without representation' and British mercantile restrictions. The Declaration of Independence (1776) asserted ideals of liberty, equality, and the right to self-government; it ended with American independence in 1783.

What were the slogan and major outcomes of the French Revolution (1789)?

Its slogan was 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity'. Outcomes included the fall of the monarchy/feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and the spread of nationalism and democratic ideals across Europe.

What were the immediate causes of the First and Second World Wars?

World War I (1914-18) was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo. World War II (1939-45) was triggered by Germany's invasion of Poland under Hitler.

What characterised the inter-war period (1919-1939)?

It saw the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, the Great Depression (1929), and the rise of totalitarian regimes - Fascism in Italy (Mussolini), Nazism in Germany (Hitler), and militarism in Japan.

What was the Cold War and the two opposing blocs?

The Cold War (1945-1991) was a period of ideological and geopolitical rivalry without direct large-scale war between the US-led capitalist bloc (NATO) and the USSR-led communist bloc (Warsaw Pact). It featured the arms race, the Iron Curtain, and proxy wars.

What are the major classical dance forms of India and their states of origin?

Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathak (North India/UP), Kathakali and Mohiniyattam (Kerala), Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Odisha), Manipuri (Manipur), and Sattriya (Assam).

What is the difference between the Hindustani and Carnatic systems of Indian classical music?

Hindustani music is the North Indian tradition (with Persian influence, emphasis on improvisation and gharanas). Carnatic music is the South Indian tradition (more composition-based, with kritis and the Trinity of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri).

Name three Indian cultural sites/traditions inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage or Intangible Heritage list.

Examples include the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Khajuraho temples, and Hampi (World Heritage Sites); and Yoga, Kumbh Mela, and Vedic chanting (Intangible Cultural Heritage). Also Kalbelia folk dance of Rajasthan and Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre.