We had even discussed this topic here in the group earlier. Just a few days ago.

https://t.me/nikhilhistoryoptional/540

Textual format of History Optional Paper I

2. (a) हड़प्पा कला आध्यात्मिक और आधुनिक जीवन के साथ-साथ उनकी सौंदर्य-संबंधी संवेदनाओं को भी समझने में योगदान करती है। टिप्पणी कीजिए।
Harappan art contributes to our understanding of their aesthetic sensibilities in addition to spiritual and ritualistic life. Comment. (20m)

(b) भारत में विभिन्न प्रकार की महापाषाणिक शवाधान प्रथाओं पर चर्चा कीजिए। इससे प्राप्त पुरातात्विक साक्ष्य हमें धार्मिक मान्यताओं और सांस्कृतिक प्रयासों को जानने में कितनी मदद करते हैं?
Discuss different types of Megalithic burial practices in India. How far does the archaeological evidence from it help us to know the religious beliefs and cultural practices? (15m)

(c) पश्चिमी क्षत्रप अपने सामाजिक-आर्थिक योगदान के लिए जाने जाते हैं, विशेषकर व्यापार, कृषि एवं नगरीकरण में। कथन का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Western Kshatrapas are known for their socio-economic contribution, particularly in trade, agriculture, and urbanization. Examine the statement. (15m)

3. (a) बौद्ध प्रतिष्ठानों, व्यापारियों व शिल्पकर श्रेणियों के बीच सहजीवी संबंधों ने राजकीय सहायताओं के कारण धर्म, अर्थव्यवस्था एवं राजनीति में निकटता पैदा की। मौर्य एवं उत्तर-मौर्य काल में धर्म, अर्थव्यवस्था एवं राजनीति में निकटता पैदा की। कथन का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Symbiotic relationships between Buddhist establishments, traders, artisan guilds, and royal support led to a close proximity of religion, economy, and polity in the Mauryan and post-Mauryan periods. Examine the statement. (20m)

(b) मौर्य साम्राज्य के सामाजिक-धार्मिक परिदृश्य को आकार देने में बौद्ध धर्म की भूमिका पर चर्चा कीजिए।
Discuss the role of Buddhism in shaping the socio-religious landscape of the Mauryan Empire. (15m)

(c) ऋग्वेदिक काल से उत्तरवैदिक काल के बीच राज्य संस्था और कर प्रणाली के उद्विकास की चर्चा कीजिए।
Discuss the evolution of State institution and taxation system from Rigvedic period to later Vedic period. (15m)

4. (a) खगोल विज्ञान और गणित के क्षेत्र में आर्यभट्ट, वराहमिहिर और ब्रह्मगुप्त के योगदानों पर प्रकाश डालिए।
Highlight the contributions of Aryabhatta, Varahamihira, and Brahmagupta in the fields of Astronomy and Mathematics. (20m)

(b) छठी और आठवीं शताब्दी ई. के बीच चालुक्य-पल्लव संघर्ष का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Examine the course of Pallava-Chalukya conflicts between sixth and eighth century CE. (15m)

(c) प्रारंभिक मध्ययुगीन भारत में शिक्षा के प्रसार-प्रचार में अग्रहारों की भूमिका का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Examine the role played by the Agraharas in the promotion of education in early medieval India. (15m)

5. (a) वेसर शैली के मंदिर स्थापत्य की मुख्य विशेषताएँ बताइए।
Illustrate the main features of Vesara style temple architecture. (10m)

(b) फिरोज शाह तुगलक की आर्थिक नीतियों का मूल्यांकन कीजिए।
Evaluate Firuz Shah Tughluq's economic policies. (10m)

(c) मध्यकालीन भारतीय संस्कृति में क़लंदरिया के योगदान का मूल्यांकन कीजिए।
Evaluate the contribution of Qalandariyyah to medieval Indian culture. (10m)

(d) मालवा चित्रकला शैली की मुख्य विशेषताओं की उदाहरण सहित चर्चा कीजिए।
Discuss the main features of Malwa school of painting with examples. (10m)

(e) पुर्तगाली औपनिवेशिक उपक्रम की विशेषताओं पर प्रकाश डालिए।
Highlight the features of Portuguese colonial enterprise. (10m)

6. (a) भारतीय वेदांत में आचार्य-त्रय (आचार्य त्रिमूर्ति) के योगदान का विश्लेषण कीजिए।
Analyze the contributions of Acharya Triumvirate to Indian Vedanta. (20m)

(b) भारत में 13वीं और 14वीं शताब्दी में हिंदू और मुस्लिम महिलाओं की स्थिति की तुलना कीजिए और अंतर बताइए।
Compare and contrast the position of Hindu and Muslim women in 13th and 14th century India. (15m)

(c) औरंगजेब के शासनकाल के दौरान किसानों विद्रोह के कारणों एवं परिणामों का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Examine the causes and consequences of peasants uprising during the reign of Aurangzeb. (15m)

7. (a) "श्रेय दिलाने के बजाय, इबादतखाना ने अकबर की बदनामी बढ़ा दी।" टिप्पणी कीजिए।
"Instead of bringing credit, the Ibadat Khana brought growing discredit to Akbar." Comment. (20m)

(b) मराठा गुरिल्ला युद्ध रणनीति ने बड़ी और अधिक स्थायी सेनाओं के विरुद्ध उनकी सैन्य सफलता में कैसे योगदान दिया?
How did the Maratha guerrilla warfare tactics contribute to their military successes against larger and more established armies? (15m)

(c) हैदराबाद राज्य के राजनीतिक परिवर्तन में आसफ जाही वंश की भूमिका का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Examine the role of Asaf Jahi Dynasty in the political transformation of the State of Hyderabad. (15m)

8. (a) इंडो-इस्लामिक वास्तुकला के विकास में बहमनी सुल्तानों के योगदान की चर्चा कीजिए।
Discuss the contributions of Bahmani Sultans to the development of Indo-Islamic architecture. (20m)

(b) 18वीं सदी के भारत की राजनीतिक अर्थव्यवस्था पर पानीपत के तीसरे युद्ध के प्रभाव का मूल्यांकन कीजिए।
Evaluate the impact of the Third Battle of Panipat on the political economy of 18th century India. (15m)

(c) भारत में यूरोपीय व्यापारिक कंपनियों की स्थापना से उत्पन्न हुई नगरीकरण की प्रक्रिया का परीक्षण कीजिए।
Examine the process of urbanization caused by the establishment of European trading companies in India. (15m)

Students, here is the schedule for Week 14 of History Optional Foundation 2025

We'll be continuing with Early Medieval Indian History in this week.

Watch lectures here - https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC?sub_confirmation=1

Note: Full History Optional program is available for FREE with classes uploaded daily at 9 am on Youtube channel given below.

Enrol here in HOT 500 - https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-through-500-questions/

We have uploaded the updated version of our our PYQ ebook. Now the History Optional questions upto 2024 are included and categorized.

You can download it from here.
https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-pyqs/

Both Vishal sir and I will be coming with the detailed paper discussion. In next 2-3 days, as I am not keeping well right now.

However, meanwhile, this is a good analysis of how many questions in 2024 paper were either directly or indirectly inspired by the PYQs. You will notice that if you do PYQs properly, you would be able to attempt 70-80% of the paper reasonably well. So, that should always be our first priority.

Baki there are some more very interesting trends in 2024 Paper, which we will reveal in the discussion...:) Thoda to suspense banata hai.

An important takeaway is that growing importance of IKS. In Philosophy, the three acharyas and in science the three scholars, both type of questions were asked in the same paper this year.

It is an indication of what kind of preparation we need to do in future. In schools also, NEP has introduced IKS. In colleges, the UGC doing the same. In upsc also, we can expect to see growing role of IKS.

Read this news from yesterday

https://www.news18.com/amp/education-career/from-vedas-and-sutras-to-aryabhata-and-brahmagupta-ugc-to-train-10000-faculty-in-indian-knowledge-system-9068417.html

On 2nd October 2024, read this book Excerpt.

- Nikhil

🔴Join Nikhil sir tomorrow (4th Oct) at 2 pm for UPSC History Optional Mains 2024 Paper 2 discussion.

⚡️https://youtube.com/live/ioMwxyrMc9M?feature=share
Note: Click on NOTIFY ME in the link above.

This will be the most detailed discussion and trend analysis you will find anywhere.

Starting in 3 mins

https://youtube.com/live/ioMwxyrMc9M?feature=share

🔴Cover entire History Optional syllabus through 500 Questions - HOT 500 for UPSC CSE 2025

Starts: 7th Oct 2024

- 70 lectures in 3.5 months
- Topic wise and thematic syllabus coverage
- Master answer writing through 500+ questions
- Get mentored by top History Optional faculty - Nikhil sir and Vishal sir
- 8 tests (sectional and FLTs)

✅Download PDF schedule & enrol here: https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-through-500-questions/

Queries? Call at: 08045248491 / 7041021151

Watch video by Nikhil sir https://youtu.be/XhjpVXmcmYw- The Perfect 500 Question Approach for UPSC History Optional 2025

Students, here is the schedule for Week 15 of History Optional Foundation 2025. We have made a change from this week. We'll keep Sundays off so that you can revise previous 6 day's lectures.

We'll also be starting with Medieval Indian History in this week.

Watch lectures here - https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC?sub_confirmation=1

Note: Full History Optional program is available for FREE with classes uploaded daily at 9 am on Youtube channel given below.

Enrol here in HOT 500 - https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-through-500-questions/

I am preparing for the HOT500 lecture in the morning. It is about Enlightenment. Everytime I read this chapter, newer meanings start unlocking...

Was it really so much of a new thing? Christians said that paganism was darkness and their religion brought light. Reformation said that the Roman Church was the darkness and protestsntism brought light. Enlightenment thinkers said that the entire Christinity was the darkness and philosophy brought light.

Europeans almost always create an enemy. The process has continued. Communism, Political Islam, China etc are few such enemies created by them in the recent time.

However in our syllabus we don't open up these dimensions. So, in the morning lecture, I would stick to the syllabus and discuss the questions-answers one by one.

A sample answer. Just prepared. Fresh out of oven. A 2023 PYQ.

Somehow I have not seen anyone talking about this debate in this way. All the typical answers peddled in the market or discussed in YT videos by various experts/teachers don't even indicate towards such a debate to which this question is specifically referring. Only if they read standard books by standard historians, they would know what to teach about.

I generally don't like to criticize teachers. However, if we as teachers don't decode the demand of the question properly, how to expect upsc to award marks to students properly? If some students don't score well in History, some amount of blame for that should be shared by the teachers as well.

Teachers need to read continuously. Exhaustion of attempts and beginning of teaching don't make them omniscient automatically. They have to keep updating themselves everyday and every year. If they don't, they get ossified, students get sacrificed... UPSC doesn't anyway bother.

UPSC has so far not asked a question on George Washington, in the world history. We have both American revolution and American constitution in our syllabus explicitly mentioned, yet a question on George Washington remains un-asked.

Would you like to write an answer to the following question and upload here in PDF format? Lets see how many students try to pick this up.

George Washington is often referred to as the "Father of the Nation" in the United States of America. To what extent is this title justified?