History Notes for UPSC Exam 2023

NCERT History Notes for UPSC Exam: History is one of the important subjects that UPSC put stress on in their Prelims and Mains exams. History is the knowledge of and study of the past and it’s utmost need to understand what went in the past to create the future. Every year, the UPSC conducts Civil Service exams to select candidates for various Civil Services of the Government of India. The study of Indian history is crucial for these selected individuals in order to comprehend the nature of the past and the challenges that India as a nation may face.

This is why the UPSC Prelims and Mains exams stress on the history subject. If you want to ace your UPSC exam, you need to strengthen your history basics first by covering NCERT History Notes. GeeksforGeeks‘ Important Topics of History is curated with all the important topics of history for UPSC that will help you in the UPSC Prelims.

Important History Notes for UPSC 2023 Exams

You can find the important topics of ancient history for UPSC, important topics of medieval history for UPSC, and important topics of modern history for UPSC – everything in the below list for your easy read:

1. Distinct Between Indus Valley Civilization and its Contemporary Civilization
2. Town Planning and Drainage System of Harappan Civilization
3. Amri – A Pre-Harappan Site in Sindh
4. Sinauli – A Harappan Site
5. The Smallest Harappan Site
6. Chanhudaro- A Harappan Site
7. Mohenjo-Daro- A Harappan Site
8. Jainism and its Council
9. Central Teachings of Jainism
10. Sikhism: History, Practices
11. Role of Sikh Gurus in Sikhism
12. Hinayana and Mahayana of Buddhism
13. Impact of Buddhism on Indian Culture
14. Historical Importance of Nalanda University
15. Salient Features of Mahajanapadas
16. Central and Provincial Administration System of the Maurya Empire
17. Kanheri Caves
18. The Paintings Of Bagh Caves
19. Role of Theosophical Society, Self-Respect Movement, and Prarthana Samaj
20. Brihadeshwara Temple: A World Heritage
21. Ajanta And Ellora Caves
22. Mongol Invasion of India
23. Role of Lord Wellesley
24. Importance of the Poona Pact
25. Role of Lord Ripon
26. Literature During The Mughal Empire
27. Jyotiba Phule: Facts and Social Reforms
28. Orientalist-Anglicist Controversy
29. Battle of Buxar (1764)
30. Anglo-Gorkha War of Nepal and the East India Company
31. Mansabdari System
32. Various Peasants Movement And Uprisings After 1857
33. Carnatic Wars and Their Importance
34. The Philosopher-Saint Ramanujacharya
35. Social and Cultural Life of the Vijayanagar Empire
36. Birsa Munda and His Contribution to Indian History
37. Causes For the Decline of Portuguese Power In India
38. Anglo-Mysore Wars and Their Importances
39. Conquest And Expansion of Samudragupta
40. Important Leaders Associated With The Revolt Of 1857
41. Ghadar Movement
42. Hunter Commission
43. East India Company and British State
44. Political Associations Before Indian National Congress
45. Battle of Plassey
46. Annie Besant and Theosophical Society
47. Development of Indian Press During British Rule in India
48. Syed Ahmad Khan – Aligarh Movement
49. Role of Swami Vivekananda in Social Reform – Ramakrishna Mission
50. Administrative System of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
51. Swaraj Party: Its Objectives and Works
52. Anti-Rowlatt Satyagraha Movement
53. Charter Act of 1853
54. Partition of Bengal (1905)
55. All India Muslim League
56. Vaikom Satyagraha
57. Stalinism and Collectivization in The Soviet Union
58. Major Issues and Debates Concerning Indian Women of the 19th Century
59. Constructive Programmes of Mahatma Gandhi During Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement
60. Changes Introduced By Napoleon in the Administrative System
61. French Revolution – Causes and its Impact on the World
62. Role of Print Culture to Grow Nationalism in British-India
63. Major Beliefs and Practices of Sufism
64. Land Revenue Systems in British India
65. Russian Revolution – Causes and Effect
66. Role of Several Foreigners in Indian Freedom Struggle
67. Evaluate The Policies of Lord Curzon
68. Causes of Failure of the Revolt of 1857
69. Significance of Santhal Rebellion (1855-56)
70. Role of Ahrar Movement and Ahmadiya Movement in Muslim Reform
71. Role of Faraizi Movement and Wahabi Movement
72. Cause and Impact of Peasant Movements on the Nationalist Phase
73. Strengthened and Enriched of the Gandhian Phase
74. Role of Mahatma Gandhi in the National Movement
75. Simon Commission
76. Chittagong Armoury Raid (1930)
77. Khilafat Movement
78. Local Bodies Reforms By Lord Ripon
79. Purna Swaraj Resolution And Its Significance
80. Difference Between Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement
81. Nehru’s Report – Gulf Between Congress and Muslim League
82. Dandi March – History and Significance
83. Importance of Round Table Conferences
84. Ideological Differences Between Gandhi and Ambedkar
85. Role of British Imperial Power in Complicating the Process of Transfer of Power During the 1940s
86. Cripps Mission – Objectives & Failure
87. Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference
88. Royal Indian Navy Rebellion – Causes and Significance
89. Role of Subhash Chandra Bose in the Struggle for Freedom
90. Amendments Passed During Emergency (1975–77)
91. Relevance of Gandhian Principles in the 21st Century
92. Religion of Indus Valley Civilization
93. Unification of Italy
94. British Forest Policy in India
95. Gupta Period: Art and Culture
96. Mauryan Art and Culture
97. Role of Sri Aurobindo in Freedom Struggle
98. Role of Foreign Trade during Medieval Indian History
99. Role of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in India’s Freedom Struggle
100. Fall of the Mauryan Empire
101. Role of Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj and Satyashodhak Samaj
102. Dayananda Saraswati: A Social Reformer of India
103. Indian Independence Act 1947
104. Discuss the Economic Reforms by Moderates
105. Daimabad – Indus Valley Civilisation
106. Sangam Age: Polity and Administration
107. Ashoka Foreign Relations
108. Role of Theosophical Society, Self-Respect Movement and Prarthana Samaj

History Notes for UPSC Exams:

The history syllabus for UPSC Exam can be divided into:

1. History of Ancient India
2. History of Medieval India
3. History of Modern India

In the below table, you can check the UPSC Prelims History syllabus:

Indian Heritage & Culture	Indian Art Forms	Indian Paintings Classical Dance Forms Folk Dance Forms Classical Music Puppetry Pottery Drama/Theatre Martial Arts
	Literature	Ancient Indian Literature Classical Sanskrit Literature Literature in Pali and Prakrit Early Dravidian Literature Medieval Literature Women Poets of Bhakti Trends in Medieval Literature Modern Indian Literature
	Architecture	Harappan Architecture Temple Architecture Cave Architecture Indo-Islamic Architecture Medieval Architecture Modern Architecture Contribution of Buddhism & Jainism to the Development of Indian Architecture Rock-Cut Architecture Colonial Architecture & the Modern Period
Modern Indian History	Middle of the Eighteenth Centurytillthe Present	Socio-economic Condition of the People European Penetration of India British Conquest of India Socio-economic Condition of the People European Penetration of India British Conquest of India
The Freedom Struggle	The Revolt of 1857
	Growth of Nationalism in India (1858–1905)	Political, Economic & Administrative Unification of the Country Role of Western Education Role of the Press Rediscovery of India’s Past Early Political Movements Formation of INC Era of Moderates
	Growth of Militant Nationalism & Revolutionary Activities (1905–18)	Swadeshi & Boycott Movement Surat Split International Influence Morley-Minto Reforms Growth of Communalism
	Beginning of Mass Nationalism (1919–39)	Mahatma Gandhi – His Ideas & Leadership Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms Rowlatt Act, Satyagraha, and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Non-Cooperation & Khilafat Movements Swarajists & No-Changers Emergence of New Forces – Socialistic Ideas, Youth & Trade Unionism Revolutionary Activities Simon Commission & Nehru Report Civil Disobedience Movement Round Table Conferences Communal Award & Poona Pact Participation in Elections to Central Legislature (1934) & Provincial Assemblies (1937) Government of India Act, 1935
	Towards Freedom & Partition (1939–47)	National Movement during World War II August Offer Individual Satyagraha Growth of Communalism Peasant Movements State People’s Struggle Cripps Mission Quit India Movement Wavell Plan INA & Subhash Chandra Bose Cabinet Mission Nationalist Upsurge Post-World War II Independence with Partition
Post-Independence Consolidation	Nation Building	Partition and its Aftermath Integration of Princely States Reorganization of States Issue of Official Language Tribal Consolidation Regional Aspirations
	Foreign Policy	Non-Aligned Movement Panchsheel Wars with Pakistan & China Nuclear Policy
	Economy	Planned Development Green Revolution Operation Flood & Cooperatives Agrarian & Land Reforms Industrial Reforms LPG Reforms
	Polity	The Era of One-Party Dominance The Emergence of Opposition Parties Emergency: Crisis of Democratic Order Rise of Regional Parties Coalition Era
	Social	Popular Movements Communalism Indian Women since Independence Naxalism
History of the World	The outbreakIndustrial Revolution	Renaissance Discovery of Sea Routes Reformation Counter-Reformation European Nations Settle North America Rise of the Slave Trade American War of Independence French Revolution Nationalism in Europe Rise of Capitalism, Colonialism, and Imperialism
	World War I	Causes of the War Scope & Course of the War Russian Revolution End of the War, and Peace Treaties Consequences of the War League of Nations
	World Between the Two Wars	Europe After the War – Fascism & Nazism The Great Depression Emergence of the Soviet Union Nationalist Movements in Asia & Africa The US as a Strong Power
	World War II	Fascist Aggression & Response of Western Democracies Outbreak of the War Theatres of the War US Entry into the War Global Nature of the War The Holocaust Resistance Movements After-effects of the War
	Decolonization & Redrawing of National Boundaries	Europe after World War II The Cold War Rise of Asia & Africa Developments in West Asia & North Africa Spread of Communism The Korean War The Vietnam War The Cuban Crisis The Collapse of the Soviet Union
	Concept, Types, and Social Impact of Political Philosophies	Communism Capitalism Socialism

Note:

• Importance Notes related to History for UPSC 2023
• Importance Notes related to Geography for UPSC 2023
• Importance Notes related to Polity for UPSC 2023
• Importance Notes related to Economics for UPSC 2023
• Importance Notes related to Science & Technology for UPSC 2023

Since a substantial portion of the subject overlaps between Prelims and Mains, it is best to learn the UPSC history syllabus comprehensively. Make sure to keep these 2 points in your mind while preparing for the UPSC History exam:

1. To create a solid foundation in History, read NCERTs from Classes VIII to XII. Reading NIOS/IGNOU notes can help you improve your knowledge. The material presented in little boxes in the NCERTs must also be read because direct questions from those snippets are asked in the Prelims.
2. It is necessary to study the events of history in order; thus, cover them chronologically. Maintain a strict commitment to the syllabus, especially on this topic. Even while perusing reference materials, it is critical to study just the portions pertinent to the UPSC CSE curriculum. Because the UPSC history syllabus is so broad, it must be taught exactly according to the syllabus offered for the Mains test.