Ancient History for UPSC – Topics, Ancient History of India UPSC PDF
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
Ancient History for UPSC is one of the most important topics for the Civil Services Exam. Although it is a big topic, India’s ancient past is extremely fascinating. The majority of the key themes are covered in this Ancient History for UPSC notes up until the beginning of the Middle Ages. To study the whole UPSC syllabus for Ancient Indian History, candidates should utilize these notes together with the NCERT books.
To prepare for the Ancient History for UPSC Exam, candidates should go through the article to understand the complete Ancient History Syllabus, along with the best books to prepare. Candidates should also go through the Tips to Prepare Ancient Indian Notes so that they can complete the segment well within the time for the UPSC Exam.
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Ancient History for UPSC
The UPSC history syllabus includes a significant section on ancient history. Both the UPSC Prelims and main exam contain questions on this particular topic. The applicants’ ability to analyze the chronology of the event will be aided by their understanding of the themes. The ancient civilizations’ histories are covered in the syllabus of Ancient History for UPSC, including
- Mauryan Empire
- Early State and Society in Deccan, South India, and Eastern India.
- Regional States during Gupta Era
- Vakatakas, Vardhanas, and Guptas
- Post‐Mauryan Period (Western Kshatrapas, Sakas, Indo‐Greeks, Kushanas)
- Pre‐history and Proto‐history
- Period of Mahajanapadas
- Indus Valley Civilization
- Themes in Early Indian Cultural History
- Aryans and Vedic Period
- Megalithic Cultures
For UPSC Mains, candidates need to study the above topics in detail as the mains exam is descriptive in nature.
Books on Ancient History of India UPSC
The study of ancient history covers historical occurrences from the dawn of writing and documented human history up until the early Middle Ages. Here are some of the top books on ancient history for UPSC candidates to study. This list includes every type of book, from very simple reads to popular readings.
- NCERT Class XI Ancient India
- NCERT Class XII Theme in Indian History- I
- Tamil Nadu Board History Books
- The Wonder That Was India by A.L. Basham
- India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma
Notes on Ancient History for UPSC
In-depth knowledge of the subjects, as well as linkage, are required for the preparation of lengthy and difficult Ancient History Notes. In order to prepare for Indian history, it is crucial to have notes on ancient history. All significant historical occurrences in ancient India, from prehistory to 700 AD, are covered in the Ancient History Notes for UPSC.
Both the UPSC Prelims and Mains examinations frequently involve questions about India’s ancient history. To increase your chances of clearing the UPSC cut-off, it is essential to thoroughly cover all Ancient History Notes. The topic-specific Ancient Indian History Notes PDF listed below was put up following research and examination of the question papers from the previous year.
Ancient History of India PDF for UPSC
The topics included in the Ancient History Notes for UPSC should be studied for the upcoming IAS Exam.
Ancient History for UPSC Prelims
Ancient History notes are crucial for the UPSC Prelims since they cover the Art and Culture curriculum as well. Candidates must concurrently prepare for both subjects because certain topics may overlap. Candidates should create handwritten notes on all significant dates, people, and events in the Ancient History of India in order to avoid confusion while answering questions in the preliminary exams, which have objective-type questions.
Ancient History for UPSC Mains
Covering both the UPSC Prelims and Mains Syllabus at once is the best way to learn Ancient History for UPSC. One must study the topics in-depth for UPSC Mains. Every topic has to be critically studied. To attempt the questions pertaining to ancient history in both the UPSC Prelims and Mains, one needs to thoroughly read the UPSC Notes on ancient history.
RS Sharma Ancient History
This textbook dealing with a historical survey of ancient India was prepared by Professor R S Sharma and was first published in 1977. Download the PDF given below and read more about Ancient History by RS Sharma.
Tips to Prepare Ancient History for UPSC
Ancient History Notes can be used as a source to prepare for the UPSC Exam. Keep in mind these straightforward guidelines, which will be useful while you revise.
- Check the UPSC exam pattern and the most recent UPSC Syllabus.
- List every topic that is covered in the Ancient History section.
- Utilize the direct links provided on this page to read the Ancient History UPSC Notes for each topic.
- When writing your Ancient History notes, list all the information related to each subtopic in bullet points.
- Use flowcharts or mnemonics to help you recall the facts and rules in the correct order.
