90 days study plan for History for UPSC CSE Prelims | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

History is an important part of the UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus. Every year on average, 15-20 questions are asked from this topic in the IAS prelims exam. In the prelims, 12-13 questions are asked from history and art & culture.

• The history syllabus for UPSC must be strategically covered so as to ensure you reap maximum benefits from your preparation.
• The entire history syllabus of the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) can be covered in 3 months (90 days). Students should dedicate at least 6 to 8 hours daily for preparation.

In this document, a 3-month (90 days), daily study plan is discussed, which will help you cover the entire syllabus of History for the UPSC CSE exam.

Why did we make this 90 days plan? 

• UPSC syllabus is vast. And it is easy to get lost in it all if one doesn't have a plan. 
• And EduRev experts saw a lot of students get lost in History, and wanted to get things right with EduRev's mission of "Study What Matters". 
• We realized that by simply having a systematic plan, it is easy to cover History for UPSC in a deeply exhaustive way and in under 90 days! 
• We made this plan for you so that you can cover History correctly, effectively, and in a TIMELY manner. 

 90 Days Daily Study Plan for History

Week 1: Syllabus, PYQs & Class 6 to 8 NCERTs 

1. Day 1: UPSC Syllabus 
2. Day 2: Previous year questions
3. Day 3 & 4: Class 6th NCERT - Class 6 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past)
4. Day 4 & 5: Class 7th NCERT - Class 7 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past I)
5. Day 5 & 6: Class 8th NCERT - Class 8 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past II)
6. Day 7: Class wise 6 to 8th NCERT tests

You should attempt the chapter-wise tests as well after reading the textbook of that chapter. EduRev gives you NCERT based tests for every chapter you read.

Week 2: Class 9 to 11 NCERTs

1. Day 1 & 2: Class 9th NCERT - Class 9 NCERT Textbook (India & the Contemporary World - I)
2. Day 3 & 4: Class 10th NCERT - Class 10 NCERT Textbook (India & the Contemporary World - II)
3. Day 5 & 6: Class 11th NCERT - Class 11(Theme in World History)
4. Day 7: Class wise 9 to 11th NCERT tests

Week 3: Class 12 NCERTs

1. Day 1 to 7: Class 12th NEW NCERT - Themes in Indian History I, II and III - Class 12 (Themes in Indian History - I, II & III)

Week 4: Class 12 NCERTs and Class wise tests

1. Day 1 to 3: 12th standard OLD NCERT for Ancient history by RS Sharma - Old NCERT RS Sharma: Ancient India
2. Day 4 to 6: 12th standard OLD NCERT for Medieval History by Satish Chandra - Old NCERT Satish Chandra: Medieval India
3. Day 7: Chapter wise 12th NCERT tests

Week 5: NCERT Summaries and Spectrum for Modern History

1. Day 1 & 2: NCERT summaries - NCERT Summary
2. Day 3 to 7: Spectrum for Modern History: Summary & Tests 
   • Day 3: Sources and Approaches
   • Day 3: Advent of Europeans And Consolidation of British Power in India 
   • Day 4: Rising Resentment Against Company Rule
   • Day 4: Reform Movements
   • Day 4: The Struggle Begins
   • Day 5: National Movement (1905-1918)
   • Day 5: Era of Mass Nationalism Begins (1919-1939)
   • Day 6: Towards Freedom and Partition (1939-1947)
   • Day 6: India Under British Rule: Governance and Other Aspects
   • Day 7: Independence and After

Week 6: Spectrum Tests and Nitin Singhania: Indian Art & Culture

1. Day 1 & 2: Spectrum Tests 
   
2. Day 2 to 7: Nitin Singhania: Indian Art & Culture (Summary & Tests)
   • Day 2: Indian Architecture, Sculpture and Pottery
   • Day 2: Indian Paintings & Handicrafts
   • Day 3: Indian Music 
   • Day 3: Indian Dance Forms 
   • Day 4: Indian Puppetry 
   • Day 4: UNESCO’s List of Tangible & Intangible Cultural Heritage
   • Day 4: Indian Languages, Literature & Religions 
   • Day 5 & 6: Additional Topics: Nitin Singhania
   • Day 6 & 7: Nitin Singhania Tests

Understand and learn from Videos and notes in Nitin Singhania: Indian Art & Culture course and then attempt tests also to test yourself.

Week 7: Mock-Test based learning

Mock test-based learning: UPSC CSE Prelims 2021 Mock Test Series

Once you've completed your preparation for History. We recommend you to start attempting mock tests of History, available under the UPSC Prelims Mock Test Series by clicking here.

Week 8: Topic-wise Ancient History

1. Day 1: Indus Valley Civilisation
2. Day 2: Prehistoric Period & Sources of Ancient History
3. Day 2: Vedic Period
4. Day 3: The Sangam Age
5. Day 3: Territorial States & First Magadha Empire
6. Day 4: Buddhism & Jainism
7. Day 5: The Mauryan Empire
8. Day 5 & 6: Religious Movements
9. Day 6: Bhagavatism and Brahmanism
10. Day 6 & 7: The Gupta Period
11. Day 7: Additional Topics of Ancient India 

Week 9: Topic-wise Medieval History

1. Day 1: Chronology - Medieval History
2. Day 1: Political And Social Conditions (800-1200 A.D) 
3. Day 2: The Delhi Sultanate
4. Day 3: The Mughal Empire & Sher Shah Suri
5. Day 3: South India And The Cholas (800-1200 A.D.)
6. Day 4: Provincial Dynasties of North India & Deccan
7. Day 4: The Vijayanagar Empire
8. Day 5: The Religious Movements in The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries: Bhakti & Sufi Movements
9. Day 5: Shivaji and Maratha Nationalism
10. Day 6: The Spread of Indian Culture in Other Asian Countries
11. Day 7: Beginning of European Commerce

Week 10: Topic-wise Modern History

1. Day 1: Introduction to Modern India
2. Day 1:The Advent of Europeans in India
3. Day 2: The East India Company And The Bengal Nawabs 
4. Day 2:The Decline of Mughal Empire And The Rise of Autonomous States
5. Day 3: Expansion & Consolidation of British Power in India
6. Day 3: The Revolt of 1857
7. Day 4: The Economic Impact of British Rule in India 
8. Day 4: Reform Movement
9. Day 5: The Freedom Struggle
10. Day 5: Social And Cultural Awakening, The Lower Caste, Trade Union And Peasants Movements
11. Day 6: Modern Nationalism in India (1858 - 1905)
12. Day 6: Nationalist Movement (1905-1947)
13. Day 7:India under British Rule: Governance & other Aspects

Week 11: Revision through Notes and Summaries 

1. Day 1 & 2: Revision Notes
2. Day 3 to 7: Second reading of NCERTs class 6 to 8 - 
   • Day 3: Class 6th NCERT - Class 6 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past)
   • Day 4 & 5: Class 7th NCERT - Class 7 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past I)
   • Day 6 & 7: Class 8th NCERT - Class 8 NCERT Textbook (History - Our Past II)

Week 12: Revision through Summary Notes and Videos and Mock Tests

Second reading of NCERTs class 9 to 12

1. Day 1: Class 9th NCERT - Class 9 NCERT Textbook (India & the Contemporary World - I)
2. Day 2 & 3: Class 10th NCERT - Class 10 NCERT Textbook (India & the Contemporary World - II)
3. Day 3 & 4: Class 11th NCERT - Class 11(Theme in World History)
4. Day 5 & 6: Class 12th OLD or NEW depends on the student
5. Mock test-based learning: UPSC CSE Prelims 2021 Mock Test Series - Day 6 - 7

With our timetable keep your progress tracked and study what matters.

Other Important Links:

1. Overall Understanding of Exam.

We have also similarly created a structured syllabus & even a stepwise guide to help to crack for UPSC CSE which you can check from the links below:

• UPSC Syllabus for Prelims & Mains Exam
• UPSC Bible: 15 steps to clear UPSC exam

2. Prepare with Study plan for each subject:

• 90 Days Study plan for Indian Polity for UPSC CSE Prelims
• 90 Days Study plan for Geography for UPSC CSE Prelims

You can find the subject-wise strategy to study each subject efficiently for UPSC CSE along with their detailed syllabus and much more in the course How To Study For UPSC.

We hope this helps you in covering History for UPSC CSE effectively and quickly. We recommend you to save/bookmark this article and refer to it daily during your 90-day journey for covering History.