UPSC Syllabus: History Optional

History is a popular optional subject for UPSC Civil Services Examination. The syllabus for history optional is vast and covers ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, as well as world history. The exam tests the candidates' understanding of historical events, their causes and effects, and the ability to analyze and interpret historical sources.

The history optional paper consists of two parts:
Paper I: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History
Paper II: World History

Books to refer for history optional:

1. Ancient India:

- Ancient India by RS Sharma
- The Wonder That Was India by AL Basham
- India's Ancient Past by RS Sharma
- Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar

2. Medieval India:

- Medieval India by Satish Chandra
- History of Medieval India by VN Jha
- Medieval History of India by HGL Srivastava
- The Delhi Sultanate by RS Sharma

3. Modern India:

- India's Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
- Modern India by Bipan Chandra
- From Plassey to Partition by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
- India Since Independence by Bipan Chandra

4. World History:

- A History of the World by JM Roberts
- The Penguin History of the World by JM Roberts
- The Age of Revolution by Eric Hobsbawm
- The Age of Capital by Eric Hobsbawm

5. Additional readings:

- India After Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha
- The Story of Civilization by Will Durant
- The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes
- The Origins of the Second World War by AJP Taylor

In conclusion, the history optional syllabus is vast and requires extensive reading and analysis. The books listed above are some of the highly recommended ones by experts and toppers. Candidates are advised to read them thoroughly and make notes to prepare well for the exam.

Best History Optional Booklist for UPSC IAS - Vajiram and Ravi
Book list for History Optional
Ancient Indian History

A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: from the Stone Age to the 12th Century by Upinder Singh
Medieval Indian History

Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - 1 by Satish Chandra
Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals- Mughal Empire (1526-1748) - 2 by Satish Chandra
Medieval India : The Study Of A Civlization by Irfan Habib
Modern Indian History

From Plassey to Partition and After A History of Modern India by Sekhar Bandyopadhyay
India's Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
India since Independence by Bipan Chandra
World History

A History of the Modern World: An Outline by Ranjan Chakrabarti
Mastering Modern World History (Palgrave Master Series) by Norman Lowe
Map for History Optional

Ensemble- History Through Maps