–      Evolution of the study of Ancient History – Different Schools of Historiography

–      Historical consciousness

–      Mesolithic Age – Age of Transition

–      Neolithic revolution – Beginning of sedentary community life.

–      Megalithic communities in South India

–      Beginning, evolution, maturing and decline

–      Trade contacts, subsistence base, belief system, script, art and culture

–      Geographical spread of the Aryans in the Indian subcontinent

–      Vedic culture, religion, polity, society, economy

–      Evolution of concept of social hierarchy

–      Vedic literature and philosophy

–      Iron revolution – second urbanisation, craft proliferation, craft institutionalisation

–      Political revolution – rise of mahajanapadas and republics.

–      Magadha’s prominence – Seat of power in north India

–      Intellectual revolution – rise of heterodox sects.

–      Beginning of script, coinage, new trade routes

–      Age of foreign invasions

–      Achaemenid empire and India

–      Alexander’s invasion and impact

–      Contact with the Greco-Roman world

–      Political condition in India on the eve of establishment of Mauryan empire

–      New orientation to statecraft – Arthashastra

–        Mauryan centralisation, elaborate bureaucracy, the role of the state in the economy

–      Mauryan society and belief system

–      Megasthenes account

–      Ashoka – Paternal despotism, Inscriptions, Dhamma, foreign contacts

–      Mauryan art and crafts

–      Decline of Mauryas

–      Regional kingdoms – Sungas and Kanvas

–      Arrival of Indo Greeks, their conquests, influences

–      Mercantile age – rise of guilds, monetised economy, prosperous trade.

–      Assimilative art and culture

–      Conflict with Western Kashatrapas, politico-admin

–      Religion, society, art and culture

–      Begnning of the system of Land Grants

–      Inscriptions and coins as primary sources

–      Politico – admin

–      Golden age, Classical age

–      Crystallisation of Hinduism, Social orthodoxy

–      Hindu philosophy, law schools, Nagara art

–      Gupta – Vakataka politics

–      Fa-hein and Itsing’s account

–      Decline of Guptas

–      Kharvela (1st century BC) – Patronage of Jainism, administration

–      Chalukyas of Badami – politico admin, religion

–      Chalukyas of Badami – two-front conflict with Pallavas and Pushyabhutis

–      Sangam age – literature, polity, economy, society, belief system

–       Pallavas – Politico-administration, religion, art, society

–      Maukharis and rise of Pushyabhutis

–      Harsha confederate polity, patronage to buddhism, welfarism

–      Was Harsha the last great king in the north?

–      Hiuen Tsang and Banabhatta’s account

–      Development of tantrism, Tamil Bhakti

–      Miscellaneous themes in ancient India – Slavery, Banking, Coinage, money lending

–      Evolution and development of different streams of philosophy

–      Development of scientific know how and its applications.

–       Indian feudalism

–       Feudalism – urbanisation incompatibility, monetary anaemia

–       Decline and revival of trade

–       Changes in social structure – Caste proliferation, Rajputisation, Mahttaras, Kayastha

–      Rise of clan-based Rajput polity, Rajput society

–      Rise of imperial Cholas – polity, imperialism, democratic village assemblies, art and culture

–       Islam and its arrival in India, Sufism

–      Development of regional literature – Arabic literature, Biographies, Jaina literature, Bardic literature

–      Kalhan’s Rajtarangini, Alberuni’s India

–      Central Asian politics and arrival of Turks

–      Turkish – Rajput rivalry

–      Establishment of Delhi Sultanate – nature, kingship,

–      Mamluk dynasty – Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultana, Balban

–       Tughluq dynasty – Muhammad Bin Tughluq, Firuz Tughlug

–       Beginning of decline of Delhi sultanate

–       Land revenue system during sultanate

–       Development of education

–       Indo – Islamic art

–       Composition of rural society, ruling classes, town dwellers, women, religious classes, caste and slavery.

–       Economy: Agricultural production, the rise of urban economy and non-agricultural production, trade and commerce

–       Persian literature, regional literature, Bhakti literature

–       Foreign travellers account

–       Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat, Malwa

–       Lodi dynasty – Sikandar Lodi. Ibrahim Lodi

–       Bahmani kingdom – Polity, Ethnic strife and split into successor states, art.

–       Central Asian politics and arrival of Babur

–       Babur’s account of India

–       Establishment, expansion, and consolidation of the empire

–       Humayun

–       Jahangir, Shahjahan – Administration, Religion, Rajput Policy, Art

–       Land revenue system

–       Nobility

–       Decline of Mughals

–       Mughal’s Foreign Policy

–       Mughals and Europeans

–       Population, Agricultural production, Craft production; Towns

–       Patronage and development of Persian literature

–       Rise of Maratha polity – Role of Shivaji

–       Shivaji – Administration, Land Revenue System, Religion

–       Ahom Kingdom

–       Development of scientific know how and it’s applications

–      Decline of Mughals and Rise of Fragmented Polity

–      Successor States, Rebel States, Autonomous States

–      Society, economy, and culture in 18th century

–        Portuguese, Dutch, British, Danish, French

–        Nature of Asiatic trade vs Mediterranean trade

–        Political aspirations of European trade companies and war with native states

Cultural Divide and European Supremacy

–        Evolution of British from traders to political entity

–        British supremacy over other European trade entities

–        War with Native states and establishment of British Paramountcy

–        Trojan horse tactics, Doctrine of lapse

Court of Directors guidelines

–        Different phases of economic exploitation

–        Modes of plunder – tribute, mercantilism, home charges, council bills, rupee sterling ratio manipulation, finance capitalism

–        Ecological Imperialism

–        Response of Indian Nationalists – Drain of Wealth Theory

–        British response to economic critique – nightwatchman, white man’s burden

–        Land Revenue System

–        Deindustrialisation

–        Commercialisation of agriculture

Famines and British response

–        Nature of company – Court of directors, Court of proprietors, relation with the crown

–        From diarchy to direct control; The Regulating Act(1773); The Pitt’s India Act(1784); The Charter Act(1833)

–        The voice of free trade and the changing character of British colonial rule

Role of Ideology in justifying British rule and policy formulation – English utilitarianism, Orientalists, Evangelicals, Anglicists, Liberals

–        British Cultural Imperialism and Indian Response – Reformism And Revivalism

–        Ram Mohan Roy, The Brahmo Movement; Devendranath Tagore; Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, The Young Bengal Movement

–        Dayanada Saraswati and Arya Samaj movement

–        Agenda of social reform –  Sati Abolition, Widow Remarriage, Child Marriage Regulation etc.

–        Movements in various communities – Muslim, Sikhs, Parsis

–        Religious Revivalism and Growing Orthodoxy

–        Caste movements in south India and Maharashtra

–        Self-Respect Movements, Temple Entry Movements

–        Dalit Emancipation and Empowerment – Jyotiba Phule, Sri Narayan Guru, Periyar, Ambedkar

–        Contribution of Indian Renaissance to the Growth of Modern India

–        Peasant Movements and Tribal Uprisings in the 18th and 19th Centuries

–        The Great Revolt of 1857 – Origin, character, causes of failure, the consequences;

–        The shift in the character of peasant uprisings in the post-1857 period; the peasant movements of the 1920s and 1930s

–        Nationalism – Historiography, various dimensions, causative factors, different  interpretations by nationalists

–        Rise of political associations from the 1830s culminating in the formation of Indian national congress

–        Indian national congress – different theories related to its formation, evolving social composition, ideology, objectives

British early response to the formation of Indian national congress – Wait and watch – selective cooperation – criticism – repression – conciliation – suppression

–        Moderates and Extremists – ideology, program of action, limitations

–        The Partition of Bengal (1905) and Swadeshi movement

–        Surat split (1907)

–        Beginning of Revolutionary Extremism in India

–        Role of Indians in WWI

–        British Protectionism and spurt to Indigenous Industrial Growth

–        Revolutionary extremism outside India – Ghadr movement, Hindu – German conspiracy, Afghanistan, Paris, February Mutiny

Home Rule Movement

–        Gandhi before India – South African Experiment, Evolution of Satyagraha, Gandhian Ashrams

–        Arrival of Gandhi in India – Champaran satyagraha, Ahmedabad mill strike, Kheda satyagraha, Rowlatt satyagraha

–        Gandhian ideology – Means-Ends Approach, Trusteeship, S-T-S, Pressure – compromise, Satyagraha, Hindu-Muslim Unity, Sarvodaya, Gram Swaraj, Wardha Model of Education

–        Gandhi – Ambedkar, Gandhi – Tagore, Gandhi – Nehru, Gandhi – Subhash

–        Gandhi’s subaltern politics

–         -Rise of Communists and Trade Unionism

–        Communist – Congress relationship

–        Swarajists program, Achievements and Decline

–        Revival of Revolutionary Extremism – Ideological Dimension

–        Arrival of Simon commission – Nehru report – Lahore session

–        Revolutionaries, Women, Capitalists, Anglo Indians, Peasants, Tribals

–        Rise of Left – Left within Congress: Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Congress Socialist Party

–        WWII and British response – August Offer, Cripps proposal

–        Beginning of transfer of power – Wavell plan, Cabinet mission, Atlee’s declaration, Dickiebird plan, Mountbatten plan

–        Challenges in the transfer of power – League’s demand for a separate state

–        Attempts towards reconciliation – Rajaji formula, Desai Liaquat talks, Wavell plan.

–        Partition – Historiography, Impact

–        Communalism and the politics of partition

–      Kant, Rousseau, Voltaire, Max Weber, John Locke, Thomas Moore

–      Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies

–      Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx)

–      Spread of Marxian Socialism

–      Different strands of socialism – Marxism, Fabian Socialism, Leninism, Maoism, Nehru’s Socialism

–      Modern political ideologies – Imperialism, Colonialism, Neo-imperialism, Neo-colonialism

–      British Democratic Politics, 1815- 1850; Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists

–      American Civil War and the Abolition of Slavery

–      Napoleonic era (1789- 1815)

–      July Revolution 1830, February Revolution 1848

–      English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society

–      Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, China, Japan

–      Industrialization and Globalization

–      Rise of Nationalism in 19th century

–      Nationalism: state-building in Germany and Italy

–      Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the world

–      Eastern Question and Balkan conundrum

–      South and South-East Asia

–      Latin America and South Africa

–      Australia

–      Imperialism and free trade

Rise of neo-imperialism

–      Unification of Italy and Germany

–       The Chinese Revolution of 1949

–      Between World Wars – Efforts towards establishment of peace – league of nations, treaties and conventions, policy of appeasement, great depression and its impact

–      Rise of an international world order – United Nations, GATT, World Bank, IMF, European Union

–      Declaration of human rights, 1948

–       UNO and the global disputes resolution

–      Latin America-Bolivar

–      Arab World-Egypt

–      Africa-Apartheid to Democracy

–      South-East Asia-Vietnam

–      Decolonization and Underdevelopment

–      Factors constraining development – Latin America, Africa

–      Consolidation and Expansion of European Community

–      European Union

–      Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World