GS Paper 1 at a Glance

Indian Heritage & Culture — Detailed Syllabus

Indian Culture: Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

A. Architecture & Built Heritage

• Prehistoric structures; Indus-Valley town planning; rock-cut, cave, megaliths
• Buddhist: stupas, chaityas, viharas (Sanchi, Bharhut, Ajanta)
• Jain & Hindu: Nagara, Dravida, Vesara; temple typology (shikhara, vimana, gopuram)
• Indo-Islamic: arches, domes, minarets; imperial styles (Sultanate, Mughal), provincial styles
• Colonial & modern: Indo-Saracenic, Lutyens’ Delhi, post-Independence modernism
• Conservation: ASI, heritage laws, UNESCO World Heritage (India)

B. Visual Arts

• Prehistoric art, Harappan seals; mural traditions (Ajanta, Bagh, Sittanavasal)
• Schools of painting: Pala, Jain, Chola bronzes; Mughal, Rajput, Pahari, Deccan; Company school
• Modern Indian art: Bengal School, Progressive Artists’ Group; public art & crafts

C. Performing Arts

• Classical music (Hindustani & Carnatic): gharanas, ragas, instruments
• Classical dance forms (SNA eight) & regional dance-dramas
• Theatre: Sanskrit tradition (Natyashastra), folk theatre, modern Indian theatre
• Folk music/dance; intangible cultural heritage; festivals

D. Literature, Philosophy & Religion

• Vedic & post-Vedic literature; epics; Sangam; classical Sanskrit & Prakrit
• Bhakti-Sufi movements; vernacular literature; printing & modern Indian languages
• Philosophical schools: Astika/Nastika, Vedanta; social reform & renaissance

E. Science, Technology & Institutions in Culture

• Ancient science & mathematics; medicine (Ayurveda), metallurgy, town planning
• Cultural institutions: Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Sahitya Akademi, IGNCA, museums

History of India — Detailed Syllabus

Modern Indian History from about the middle of the 18th century until the present — significant events, personalities, issues; The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.

A. Modern Indian History (c. 1750–1947)

• Decline of Mughal empire; rise of regional powers; advent & expansion of Europeans; British conquest
• Administrative & economic impacts: revenue systems, deindustrialization, transport, education, press
• Socio-religious reform: Brahmo, Prarthana, Arya Samaj, Aligarh, Ramakrishna-Vivekananda; reformers
• Peasant, tribal & workers’ movements; early resistance (Sanyasis, Fakirs, Waghers, Santhals, Mappilas, Deccan riots)
• Constitutional evolution: Regulating Act to 1935; councils, dominion status debates
• Personalities: Raja Rammohan Roy to Subhas Bose — spectrum of strategies

B. The Freedom Struggle (Phases & Currents)

• 1857—nature & significance; moderation vs extremism; Swadeshi–Boycott; Home Rule
• Gandhian era: Champaran, Kheda, Rowlatt, Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Dandi, Poona Pact
• Left, revolutionary & socialist currents; trade unionism; peasant movements (Kisan Sabhas)
• Communal politics, separate electorates; Round Table Conferences; Lahore 1929; August Offer; Cripps; Quit India
• INA & Azad Hind; role of women and marginalized communities
• Partition & Independence — causes, consequences, refugee/rehabilitation issues

Post-Independence Consolidation & Reorganization

Post-Independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

• Integration of princely states; accession & reorganization (States Reorganisation Commission)
• Political consolidation: institutions, electoral politics, major movements (JP, linguistic, regional)
• Socio-economic transformation: land reforms, Green Revolution, White Revolution; poverty alleviation
• Internal security challenges; Emergency (overview from societal angle); social justice & empowerment themes
• Nation-building debates: identity, language, secularism, federalism (societal perspective)

History of the World — Detailed Syllabus

History of the world will include events from 18th century such as Industrial revolution, world wars, re-drawing of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.

• Industrial Revolution: causes, spread, technological & social impacts; second industrial revolution
• Age of Imperialism: scramble for Africa/Asia; colonization & resistance
• Political ideologies & revolutions: American, French, Latin American; 1848; nationalism; unification of Italy/Germany
• World War I: causes, course, consequences; League of Nations; inter-war economy (Great Depression)
• World War II: rise of fascism & Nazism; course & outcomes; UN & post-war order
• Cold War & decolonization; Non-Aligned Movement; Arab–Israeli conflict; apartheid & its end; collapse of USSR
• Globalization’s early phases; welfare state; neo-liberal turn—social effects

Indian Society — Detailed Syllabus

Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India; Role of women and women’s organization; population and associated issues; poverty and developmental issues; urbanization, their problems and their remedies; Effects of globalization on Indian society; Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

A. Structure & Diversity

• Salient features of Indian society; unity in diversity; regional, linguistic, religious, ethnic diversity
• Caste, class, tribe; kinship, family, marriage; rural–urban continuum; social change & mobility

B. Women & Gender

• Role of women & women’s organizations; SHGs; gender budgeting; gender gaps and indices
• Issues: education, health, work participation, safety, property rights, representation

C. Demography & Development

• Population dynamics: growth, age structure, migration, fertility, morbidity
• Poverty & inequality; human development; inclusive growth—community participation
• Urbanization: trends, slums, housing, transport, pollution; urban governance & remedies

D. Globalization & Social Challenges

• Effects of globalization on Indian society: culture, family, work, youth, media
• Social empowerment: SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, PwDs; affirmative action (societal angle)
• Communalism, regionalism & secularism—concepts, causes, impact, mitigation

Geography of the World & India — Detailed Syllabus

Salient features of world’s physical geography; Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India); Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their location—changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

A. Physical Geography (World & India)

• Earth’s interior; plate tectonics; mountain building; volcanoes; earthquakes; tsunamis
• Geomorphology: weathering, erosion, mass-wasting; fluvial, glacial, aeolian, coastal landforms
• Climatology: atmosphere, heat budget, winds, jet streams, monsoons, air masses, fronts; cyclones (tropical/extratropical)
• Oceanography: ocean relief, circulation (currents, tides, waves), El Niño/La Niña; marine resources
• Biogeography: ecosystem, biodiversity, biomes; environmental changes; conservation

B. Economic & Human Geography

• Resources: minerals, energy, water, forest, fisheries — distribution & significance (world & India)
• Agriculture: types, cropping patterns, Green Revolution, allied activities; issues & reforms
• Industries: factors of location (raw materials, power, market, transport, labor); industrial regions (world & India)
• Transport, trade & communication corridors; urban systems; migration & settlements

C. Environmental Geography & Critical Changes

• Climate change signals; desertification; deforestation; melting ice-caps; shrinking water bodies
• Natural hazards & disasters; risk, vulnerability & basic mitigation (geographical perspective)
• Mapwork & diagram practice (India & world); regional geography of India—physiography, rivers, climate, soils, vegetation

Pillars:
Indian Culture
Modern & World History
Post-Independence
Indian Society
Geography (World & India)

Total: 250 Marks

Culture
• Architecture & Heritage
• Visual & Performing Arts
• Literature & Philosophy
• ICH & Festivals

History
• Modern India (1750–1947)
• Freedom Struggle (phases)
• World History (1750+)

Post-Independence & Society
• Consolidation & Reorganization
• Women, Population, Urbanization
• Globalization, Empowerment
• Communalism, Regionalism, Secularism

Geography
• Physical: Geo, Climate, Oceans
• Resources & Industries
• Human & Economic Geo
• Disasters & Environmental change
• India Mapwork & Regions

c.1757–1800
British foothold & reforms
1800–1857
Admin & socio-religious reform
1857
Uprising & aftermath
1885–1915
INC, Moderate–Extremist
1915–1935
Gandhian mass movements
1935–1947
War, INA, towards freedom

Infographic-2: A minimal timeline to anchor events, phases and personalities in answers.

Geography
Physical · Resources · Industries · Disasters · Environmental change · Mapwork

Mind Map: Use this as a one-page dashboard for planning and last-minute revision.

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