What should I read for optional history in UPSC?

History optional Strategy (booklist)

• History of Modern India – Bipan Chandra.
• India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra.
• India’s Ancient Past – RS Sharma.
• The Wonder that was India – Al Basham.
• Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas – Romila Thapar.
• Medieval India: From Sultanate to Mughals – 1 – Satish Chandra.

Is history easy for UPSC optional?

History is a popular optional subject chosen by candidates in the IAS mains exam. It is a very important subject in the UPSC scheme of things because history is included in the IAS prelims exam and in the IAS mains general studies papers as well. If you are an IAS aspirant you cannot get by without studying history.

Which book is best for History in UPSC?

5 Books to Study History for IAS Prelims Exam

1. India’s Ancient Past by R. S. Sharma.
2. History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra.
3. History of Modern India by Bipan Chandra.
4. India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipan Chandra.
5. Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania.

Which book is best for history optional?

Book list for History Optional

• 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.

Should I study history as an optional for the UPSC Mains?

In GS paper I of the UPSC Mains exam, Indian art and culture, ancient, medieval and modern history, freedom struggle and world history form a good chunk of the syllabus. So, studying history as an optional will help you cover a great deal in the GS papers.

Is history a good optional subject for the IAS exam?

It is a very important subject in the UPSC scheme of things because history is included in the IAS prelims exam and in the IAS mains general studies papers as well. If you are an IAS aspirant you cannot get by without studying history. Now the question is, ‘is it a good optional subject for the IAS mains?’

How can I ace history in the UPSC?

A good memory is required to ace history. A lot of things are subject to interpretation, unlike the sciences. So, your marks may vary from expectations in this subject. A subject like public administration or geography might help you as administrators in the future. The UPSC syllabus for history is vast.

How do I prepare for the history optional?

Particularly, notes making is very helpful in History optional because when you make notes, you can revise it very easily, you can remember the fact, event and this gives you confidence in exam. Do practice more and more with last years questions because History is a static subject so there are many concepts which will be repeated.