Syllabus for Urdu Literature Optional

UPSC IAS Mains optional includes two optional papers of 250 marks each. Urdu is one of the 22 official languages according to the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution. UPSC offers Urdu literature as one of the optional literature subjects for the UPSC IAS Mains exams. Urdu has a rich and growing body of literary works including poetry, prose, and other literature, and was widely used as the lingua franca in large parts of the country till recently.

Section-A

• Development of Urdu Language
  • Development of Indo-Aryan
    • Old Indo-Aryan
    • Middle Indo Aryan
    • 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 :
  • Poetry: Ghazal, Masnavi, Qasida, Marsia, Rubai, Jadid Nazm,
  • Prose: Novel, Short Story, Dastan, Drama, Inshaiya, Khutoot, Biography.
• Significant features of:
  • Deccani, Delhi, and Lucknow schools
  • 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)

Section-A

• Mir Amman Bagho-Babar
• Ghalib Intikhab-e-Khutoot-e Ghalib
• Mohd. Husain Nairang-e-Khayal Azad
• 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