GS 1

History strategy

1. Parts
A: Modern history

B: Ancient and medieval

C: Art and culture
D: World history
E: Post independence consolidation
A. Ancient and medieval
1.Sources:Lucent + old or new ncert(he advises generally, new ncert is better for
prelims)
2.make own notes from these , such that it covers half or one page for every topic

**also collect solutions of past 2 year mains test series of any one coaching(can get on
amazon)**

**Aditya (air – 1 ): took forum ias test series for gs and essay (he didn’t find it useful)and
mains masterstroke by Sachin arora for dialy answer writing.**

B. Modern History

1.

C.Medieval History

D.post Independence

1.post independence consolation – vision ias notes (search on telegram)

F.world history- Shryansh kumar sir notes or shivin notes

G. Art and Culture.

1.source: nitin singhania and fine arts ncert 11th class

Ancient India mains pyq focus areas :

1. 2023-Explain the role of geographical factors towards the

development of Ancient India.(there is a chapter on it directly rs
sharma)

--Geographical factors towards development of ancient India (there is a

chapter for it )

2. 2023- What are the main features of Vedic society and

religion? Do you think some of the features are still
prevailing in Indian society?

-- features of vedic society and religion (similar topics Harappan society,

Jainism and buddism, mauryas period, satavahana, Gupta , )

3. Discuss the main contributions of Gupta period and Chola period to Indian heritage and
culture.(2022) (repeated in 2013)

(Similar topics—maurya period,satavahana , Magadha period)

--contributions of Jainism and buddism, Mauryas, satavahana and other dynasties.

4. Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti literature and its contribution to Indian culture.(2021)

(sufi literature, buddism and Jainism literature and other

types of literatures)

5. The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of
early Indian art and history. Discuss.(2020)
 6. Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate.
(2020)
7. Indian philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the
monuments and their art in India. Discuss.(2020)
8. Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment.(2020)
9. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco -Bactrian elements in Gandhara art.(2019)
10. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss.(2018)
11. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the
reconstruction of the history of India.(2018)
12. The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of sri
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss.(2018)
13. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of Gupta numismatic art is
not at all noticeable in later times?(2017)

14. Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar
himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss.(2016)

15. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully
expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.(2016)

16. The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt,
Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a
breakdown to the present day. Comment. – 2015

--Indus civilization

17. Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the
times but also a tine aesthetic sense comparable to modem painting. Critically evaluate this
comment.(2015)

18. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided
inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss.(2014)

--Indus civilization

(chapter 1: nitin)

19. Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain.(2014)
(chapter 3: nitin)

20. Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated
a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location
caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the
modern sense. Discuss.(2014)

21. Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or
the outward structure of Hindu / Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.
(2014)

Chapter 18:nitin(bhakti and sufi)

22. Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India,
the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with
remarkable vividness. Comment.(2013)
(literature chapter in nitin: chapter 20)
23. Discuss the Tandava dance as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions. (2013)
24. Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture.
Discuss.(2013)

Prelims

1. ON average you get 5 to 7 questions.

2.archaelogical sites and locations

3.cities with imp architecture structures such as dams, resrvoirs, citadels etc.

4.social life, religion, agricultural practises,crops gorwn

5.metals known and used in periods, articles made from them

6.aliases and other names of famous people

7.authors—books

8.scriptures – period, location , art on them

9. features of dynasties period , society and religion.

10. Learn about figures in art and architrectutre used.

11.Contributions of every dynasty/movements to art and cluture.

Dr. shivin says

1.read old ncerts for an idea , lucents general knowledge book has the
summary and imp topics of those ,just revise lucent at the end ,
simultaneously read nitin singania chapters fo that specifi period art anc
culture
2.bhakti / sufi – read new ncert
3.vijayanagar, new ncert and google
4. make answers for the questions which are behind the chpaters of old
ncerts for mains(mostly questions will be similar to the in mains)
5.vision ias neeraj rao sir notes get it
6. he says for first reading take 1 month,then 1 week , then 3 days
7.he read lucent 6 7 times

Dr . apala Mishra
1.ias baba tlp free answer wirting , read answers there for an idea
2.forum ias content buiding book 2 for post independence
Or vision ias post independence material

Jagrat aswathi
1.art and culture nitin singhania hand written notes and fine arts
ncert ,boxes and gloassary is imp

Prelims
1. Dynasties and their time period
2. kingdoms and their regions(for post gupta kingdoms especially)
3. specific terms and their meanings(officer names, plans or schemes, doctrines)
4. Famous authors and their works
5.

Budddism and Jainism for prelims

1.other names/titles of persons like Buddha , mahavira and others

2. Locations attributes to which reliogions
3.architecture / monument and associated location or religion
4.Buddisms/jainism sects and subsects and associations and also same for
schools and their principles.
5. persons belonging to particular schools and associated religion
5.specific terms like paramitas etc
6.Authors and their works
Mauryas for prelims
1.locations of asokan stupas or inscriptions and content in them like titles
or specific words
2.kautilya arthasastra contents

History weightage for mains

2023-90
2022-75
2021-75
2020-75
2019-75
2018-60
2017-85
2016-55
2015-75
2104-100
2013-140

Avg weightage=75

Ancient india-20+40+25+5+10+35+10+50+10+40+40
Avg=25

Art and Culture

IN literature similar topisc might be asked are , Sanskrit literature, Sufi
literature, Vedic literature , prakrit and pali , buddist and jain, make notes
of all these .

Other pyqs apart from above topics :

#Akhil Buddhi

1.Nitin singhania
2.ncert fine arts both class 11 and 12(boxes are more imp)

1.ncerts are more imp for mains, in that boxes and pictures are more imp.
2.read those ncerts 3 4 times
3. Imp chapters in Nitin singhania
a. Architecture, sculpture, pottery
b.Paintings(more imp for mains)
c.Philosophical schools(9 schools)
d.Bhakti and sufi movements
less imp chapters
e.music , dance, puppetry and religion(buddism, Jainism, sikkism)
and science and technology.

#Manuj Jindal
1.architecture, paintings, sculpture, pottery, handicrafts, music ,dance,
theatre, puppetry,martial arts, languages, religion, literature, science and
tech , india through eyes of foreign travellers, bhakti and sufi movements.
----cover these from nitin singhania art and cultures.