🚨Attention History Optional aspirants!

Attend FREE History Optional workshop by Nikhil sir and Vishal sir

26th Sept | 5 pm

Register here: https://bit.ly/History_LevelUp

This FREE workshop is a part of HOT 500 program in which we will cover full History Optional syllabus through 500 questions.

Topic of Workshop: How to cover History Optional syllabus through questions and answers? Detailed Strategy

Online | Offline (at LevelUp IAS center)

Dear students,

Due to an unexpected health issue faced by Nikhil Sir, today’s UPSC WORKSHOP DAY 5 that was to be conducted at 6 pm, has been postponed.

Topic- Detailed strategy for UPSC GS History for UPSC 2025 aspirants
Date and time - to be announced

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. The session will be rescheduled for next week, and we will inform you 3 days prior with the updated details.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Best regards,
Team LevelUp IAS

First Reaction.

(Will write in detail later. Not feeling well. Still...)

First look may cause some worry, but after first 2-3 mins, it becomes possible to tackle the paper.

1. Some very traditional questions some very outliers.
2. More questions from culture and religion than usual.
3. Some applied questions, which require writing practice and conceptual clarity.
4. As expected, some compulsory 10 markers are unexpected.

First Reaction for Paper 2

Both Modern India and World History were doable. Along predictable lines with some surprises. Most of the questions were doable based on crash course/test series.

Although I was surprised to see that they have now introduced post 1949 policies of Mao. It was necessary but not done earlier. Except for that, I think almost every question was doable.

In Modern India, again our focus has been extremely right. Pre Gandhian and non Gandhian history.

Many questions are coming directly from historiography, ideology etc. Just basic facts would do. You don't need to memorize a lot. Basic facts and right amount of conceptual clarity.

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