UPSC Mains Exam Syllabus - Urdu Optional

PAPER-I:

(Answers must be written in Urdu)

Section-A:

Development of Urdu Language

a) Development of Indo-Aryan
(i) Old Indo- Aryan
(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)

IAS Mains General Studies Study Kit

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 Nairang-e-Khayal Azad
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