UPSC Civil Services Examination

Urdu Literature Syllabus

Complete UPSC CSE Optional Subject syllabus for Urdu Literature, covering Paper I and Paper II.

Optional Subject

Urdu Literature

The UPSC Civil Services Examination optional subject consists of two papers. Each paper covers specific topics prescribed under the Urdu Literature syllabus.

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Optional Subject

Paper I

Syllabus

  • (Answers must be written in Urdu) Section-A
  • Development of Indo-Aryan (i) Old IndoAryan (ii) Middle Indo Aryan (iii) New Indo Aryan
  • Western Hindi and its dialects Brij Bhasha Khadi Boli, Haryanavi Kannauji, Bundeli-Theories about the origin of Urdu Language
  • Dakhani Urdu-Origin and development, its significant linguistic features.
  • Social and Cultural roots of Urdu language-and its distinctive features. Script, Phonology, Morphology, Vocabulary.

Section-B

  • Genres and their development : (i) Poetry : Ghazal, Masnavi, Qasida, Marsia, Rubai, Jadid Nazm,
  • (ii) Prose : Novel, Short Story, Dastan, Drama, Inshaiya, Khutoot, Biography.
  • Significant features of : (i) Deccani, Delhi and Lucknow schools (ii) Sir Syed movement, Romantic movement, Progressive movement, Modernism.
  • Literary Criticism and its development with reference to Hali, Shibli, Kaleemuddin Ahmad, Ehtisham Hussain, Ale-Ahmad Suroor.
  • Essay writing (covering literary and imaginative topics)

Optional Subject

Paper II

Syllabus

  • (Answers must be written in Urdu)
  • This paper will require first hand reading of the texts prescribed and will be designed to test the candidate's critical ability.

Section-A

  • Mir Amman Bagho-Babar
  • Ghalib Intikhab-e-Khutoot-e-Ghalib
  • Mohd. Husain Azad Nairang-e-Khayal
  • Prem Chand Godan
  • Rajendra Singh Apne Dukh Mujhe Bedi Dedo
  • Abul Kalam Azad Ghubar-e-Khatir

Section-B

  • Mir Intikhab-e-Kalam-e-Mir (Ed. Abdul Haq.)
  • Mir Hasan Sahrul Bayan
  • Ghalib Diwan-e-Ghalib
  • Iqbal Bal-e-Jibrail
  • Firaq Gul-e-Naghma
  • Faiz Dast-e-Saba
  • Akhtruliman Bint-e-Lamhat