UPSC : Civil Services Exam Paper Pattern (Malayalam)

Note: Answers must be written in Malayalam

Paper I

Section A

Unit 1 - Early phase of Malayalam Language:

• Various theories: origin from proto Dravidian, Tamil, Sanskrit.
• Relation between Tamil and Malayalam: Six nayas of A.R. Rajarajavarma.
• Pattu school-definition, Ramacharitam, later pattu works-Niranam works and Krishnagatha.

Unit 2 - Linguistic of:

• Maniprvalam: definition. Language of early manipravala works- Champu, Sandesakavya, Chandrotsava, minor works. Later Manipravala works- medieval Champu and Attakkatha.
• Folklore: Southern and Northern ballads, Mappila songs.
• Early Malayalam prose: Bhashakautaliyam, Brahmandapuranam, Attaprakaram, Kramadipika and Nambiantamil.

Unit 3 - Satandardisation of Malayalam:

• Peculairities of the language of Pana, Kilippattu and Tullal.
• Contributions of indigenous and European missionaries to Malayalam.
• Characteristics of contemporary Malayalam: Malayalam as administrative language. Language of scientific and technical literature- media language.

Section B: Literary History

Unit 4 - Ancient and Medieval Literature:

• Pattu-Ramacharitam, Niranam works and Krishnagatha.
• Manipravalam-early and medieval manipravala works including attakkatha and champu.
• Folk literature.
• Kilippattu, Tullal and Mahakavya.

Unit 5 - Modern Literature-Poerty:

• Venmani poets and contemporaries.
• The advent of Romanticism-Poerty of Kavitraya i.e., Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol.
• Poetry after Kavitraya.
• Modernism in Malayalam poetry.

Unit 6 - Modern Literature – Prose:

• Drama
• Novel
• Short story
• Biography, travelogue, essay and criticism

Paper II

This paper will require first hand reading of the texts prescribed and is designed to test the candidate's critical ability.

Section A

Unit 1

• Ramacharitam- Patalam 1
• Kannassaramayanam- Balakandam first 25 stanzas
• Unnunilisandesam- Purvabhagam 25 slokas including Prastavana
• Mahabharatham Kilippattu- Bhishmaparvam

Unit 2

• Kumaran Asan- Chintavisthayaya Sita.
• Vailoppilli- Kutiyozhikkal.
• G. Sankara Kurup- Perunthachan.
• N.V. Krishna Variar- Tivandiyile Pattu.

Unit 3

• ONV - Bhumikkoru Charamagitam
• Ayyappa Panicker- Kurukshetram.
• Akkittam- Paudatha Messanthi
• Attur Ravivarma- Megharupan.

Section-B

Unit 4

• O. Chanthu Menon- Indulekha
• Thakazhy- Chemmin.
• O V Vijayan- Khasakkinte Ithihasam.

Unit 5

• MT Vasudevan Nair- Vanaprastham (Collection).
• N S Madhavan- Higvitta (Collection).
• C J. Thomas- 1128-il Crime 27.

Unit 6

• Kuttikrishna Marar- Bharataparyatanam
• M.  K  Sanu- Nakshatrangalute snehabhajanam
• V.T. Bhattathirippad- Kannirum Kinavum.