The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the Civil Services Examination every year in two parts, i.e. Preliminary Test and Main Examination; the Main Examination comprises a written Test and a Personality Test. The Question paper of the IAS Main History Paper I -1996 is given as below:
HISTORY
PAPER –I-1996
Time Allowed: Three Hours
Maximum Marks: 300
Candidate should attempt Q. 1 and 5 which are compulsory and any THREE of the remaining question, selecting at least ONE question from each Section. All questions carry equal marks.
SECTION A
1. Write short essays of not more than 200 words each on any three of the following topics:
(a) The Religion of the Indus Civilization
(b) Social and economic conditions of North India during the Pre-Mauryan period (600-325 B.C.)
(c) Mauryan municipal administration
(d) Factors that led to the Rise and Fall of the Gupta Empire
2. “Of all the events that had a singular being on the history of India, Harsha’s death in 647 A.D. is significant.” Why? Explain.
3. “Ancient Indians had no taste for historiography; their scholars cared more for religious, spiritual and philosophical studies. Indian historiography is essentially an Islamic heritage…” Comment upon this statement with special reference to the contemporary writers and their works which help us in the reconstruction of history of the early medieval period of Indian history.
4. Give a account of the Society in Northern and Central India since the death of Harsha to the Muslim conquest of North India.
Section B
5. Mark and fifteen of the following places on the map supplied to you. And write brief notes on the places marked on the map:
(i) Ajmer
(ii) Attock
(iii) Benares
(iv) Bhatner
(v) Champaner
(iv) Cutch
(vii) Daulatabad
(viii) Delhi
(ix) Devagiri
(x) Diu
(xi) Ellichpur
(xii) Ellora
(xiii) Ghazni
(xiv) Ghor
(xv) Gwalior
(xvi) Hampi
(xvii) Hissar
(xviii) Jodhpur
(xix) Kabul
(xx) Katni
(xxi) Khyber Pass
(xxii) Lahore
(xxiii) Peshawar
(xxiv) Rameswaram
(xxvii) Ranthambore
(xxvi) Sialkot
(xxix) Uttaramerur
(xxx) Warangal
6. Give an estimate of Ghiasuddin Balban.
7. Asses the importance of the Cholas in the history of South India.
8. Shivaji rise to power cannot be treated as an isolated phenomenon in Maratha history. It was as much the result of his personal daring and heroism as of the peculiar geographical situation of the Deccan country and the unifying religious influences that were animating the people with new hopes and aspirations in the 15th and 16th centuries. Explain.
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