Urdu Literature Syllabus – UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam

The Urdu Literature optional in the UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam is divided into two papers, with each paper carrying 250 marks. This brings the total marks allotted for the optional subject to 500.

Urdu Literature Syllabus – UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam

Urdu Literature Optional PAPER-I Syllabus

(Answers must be written in Urdu)

Section-A

Development of Urdu Language

a) Development of Indo-Aryan (i) Old IndoAryan (ii) Middle Indo Aryan (iii) New Indo Aryan

b) Western Hindi and its dialects Brij Bhasha Khadi Boli, Haryanavi Kannauji, Bundeli-Theories about the origin of Urdu Language

c) Dakhani Urdu-Origin and development, its significant linguistic features.

d) Social and Cultural roots of Urdu language-and its distinctive features.

Script, Phonology, Morphology, Vocabulary.

Section-B

a) Genres and their development : (i) Poetry : Ghazal, Masnavi, Qasida, Marsia, Rubai, Jadid Nazm,

(ii) Prose : Novel, Short Story, Dastan, Drama, Inshaiya, Khutoot, Biography.

b) Significant features of : (i) Deccani, Delhi and Lucknow schools (ii) Sir Syed movement, Romantic movement, Progressive movement, Modernism.

c) Literary Criticism and its development with reference to Hali, Shibli, Kaleemuddin Ahmad, Ehtisham Hussain, Ale-Ahmad Suroor.

d) Essay writing (covering literary and imaginative topics)

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PAPER-II

(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

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

Section-B

1. Mir Intikhab-e-Kalam-e-Mir (Ed. Abdul Haq.)
2. Mir Hasan Sahrul Bayan
3. Ghalib Diwan-e-Ghalib
4. Iqbal Bal-e-Jibrail
5. Firaq Gul-e-Naghma
6. Faiz Dast-e-Saba
7. Akhtruliman Bint-e-Lamhat