The Union Public Service Commission conducts the prestigious Civil Services Exam every year. These NCERT notes on the History of Modern India from the middle of the 18th century to India’s independence in 1947 are recommended for both, UPSC Prelims 2023 and the UPSC Mains 2023.
While these notes are as per the UPSC Prelims syllabus and the UPSC Mains syllabus, IAS aspirants should remember that style of revision has to adapt depending on the objective (Prelims) or the subjective (Mains) nature of questions.
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NCERT Notes on History of Modern India – UPSC 2023
The following topics are considered after analyzing the previous years’ questions that have been asked from the IAS Syllabus of the history subject.
| Battle of Plassey | Third Battle of Panipat |
| The First and Second Anglo-Mysore Wars | The Third and Fourth Anglo-Mysore Wars |
| Warren Hastings | First Anglo-Maratha War |
| Second Anglo-Maratha War | Third Anglo-Maratha War |
| Pitt’s India Act, 1784 | The Permanent Settlement of Bengal |
| The Bengal Famine of 1770 | The Regulating Act of 1773 |
| Ryotwari and Mahalwari Systems of Land Revenue | Raja Ram Mohan Roy – Indian Social Reformer |
| Swami Vivekananda | Subsidiary Alliance |
| Charter Act of 1793 | Charter Act of 1813 |
| Education System in India during British Rule | Charter Act of 1833 |
| The First Anglo-Sikh War | The Second Anglo-Sikh War |
| Vellore Mutiny, 1806 | India’s Struggle for Independence – Nana Saheb |
| Doctrine of Lapse | Rani Laxmibai – The Rani of Jhansi |
| Robert Clive | The First Carnatic War |
| The Second Carnatic War | The Third Carnatic War |
| Revolt of 1857 – First War of Independence Against British | Legislations in British India – List of Acts Passed in British India |
| Causes of the Rise of Indian National Movement | Indian Nationalism – The Moderate Phase |
| The Charter Act 1853 | Government of India Act 1858 |
| Indian Councils Act 1861 | Indian Councils Act 1892 |
| Morley-Minto Reforms | Partition of Bengal 1905 |
| Indian National Movement – Extremist Period | Bal Gangadhar Tilak |
| Important Indian Freedom Fighters – Lala Lajpat Rai | Revolutionaries in the Indian Freedom Movement |
| The Government of India Act 1919 | The Rise of Gandhi in Indian Freedom Struggle |
| The Rowlatt Act and the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre | The Lucknow Pact, 1916 |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | Home Rule Movement |
| Salt Satyagraha | Popular Uprisings in the 18th and 19th Centuries – Politico-Religious Movements |
| Moplah Rebellion of 1921 | Popular Uprisings Against British by Deposed Chieftains and Landlords |
| Tribal Uprisings in the 18th and 19th Centuries | Peasant Movements in the 19th Century – Indigo Rebellion |
| Peasant Movements in the 19th Century – Deccan Riots of 1875 | Peasant Movements in the 19th Century – Rangpur Dhing |
| Simon Commission | Swaraj Party |
| Bardoli Satyagraha | Vaikom Satyagraha |
| Gandhi-Irwin Pact | First Round Table Conference 1930 |
| Second and Third Round Table Conferences | Government of India Act 1935 |
| Poona Pact | Cripps Mission |
| Subhas Chandra Bose | Dr. B R Ambedkar |
| Quit India Movement | Nehru Report |
| Indian National Congress Sessions | C R Formula or Rajaji Formula (1944) |
| August Offer | Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference |
| Cabinet Mission | Historical Background of the Constitution of India |
| Constituent Assembly of India | Indian Independence Act 1947 |
| Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan – Early Years, Partition, Arrest and Exile | List of Viceroys in India |
| Bhagat Singh – Background, Contributions, Execution | Indian National Army (INA)/Azad Hind Fauj |
| Battle of Buxar | The Coming of Europeans |
| Marathas and Other Provincial Kingdoms |
How to make the best use of NCERT notes on Modern History of India?
- Check UPSC Syllabus
- Refer UPSC previous year question papers
- NCERT notes on other topics in history, geography, art and culture should also be studied along with the notes above
- Download UPSC Prelims Modern History Questions PDF from the linked article. This comprises 2013-2020 questions asked in prelims from the Modern History segment. It will help candidates in the revision.
- Revise! Revise! Revise!
Important Queries Regarding UPSC Preparation
- Which NCERT books to read for IAS?
- NCERT books are a must-read for UPSC preparation They are important in both UPSC Prelims and Mains. NCERT books on History, Geography, and Economics are particularly important.
Refer to this list Of NCERT books for IAS Preparation for subject and class wise information.
- Which is the best book for geography for IAS?
- Best books for geography preparation in UPSC exam:
- NCERT books – 6th to 12th standard
- Any decent Atlas
- Geography of India – Majid Hussain
- Is the UPSC exam tough?
- Yes and No. Every year, lakhs of IAS aspirants attempt the prestigious UPSC Civil Services exam making it extremely competitive. However, with the right preparation strategy, candidates can clear it in their first attempt itself.
- What is the success rate of optional subjects in UPSC?
- From the available data (2015, 2016), the success rate for a few Literature papers in the IAS mains exam appears to be the highest. However, considering the low number of total candidates who opted for those optionals in UPSC mains, these success rates should be taken with a pinch of salt.
To know the success rate of optional subjects in UPSC mains exam in detail, please click here.
- Is 1 year sufficient for IAS preparation?
- Yes, one year dedicated and efficient preparation is enough. However, it depends on the individual. Here are a few tips on how to start IAS preparation at home.
- How many subjects do we have to choose for IAS exam?
- Since the change in the pattern by the UPSC, IAS aspirants only have to choose one optional subject for UPSC Mains. The other subjects in the Civil Services Exam (Prelims and Mains) are mandatorily same for all candidates.