Your roadmap · आपका रोडमैप
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Admission & first meetingप्रवेश और पहली मुलाकातEnquire at your nearest NDSS centre, meet the teacher, fix the batch time and get your study material.
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Part 1 of the syllabusपाठ्यक्रम भाग 1Unit-wise coaching with notes and doubt classes.
Unit 1: Sources and Prehistoric IndiaUnit 2: Harappan Civilisation and Vedic AgeUnit 3: Mahajanapadas, Buddhism and Jainism
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Part 2 of the syllabusपाठ्यक्रम भाग 2Unit-wise coaching with notes and doubt classes.
Unit 4: The Mauryan EmpireUnit 5: Post-Mauryan and Gupta PeriodUnit 6: Early Medieval India (600-1206 AD)
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Unit tests & assignmentsयूनिट टेस्टRegular tests in the university / board pattern.
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Semester 1 exam (university / board)विश्वविद्यालय / बोर्ड परीक्षाPrevious papers and full revision before the exam.
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Online tests & resultऑनलाइन टेस्ट और रिज़ल्टTake the tests online; your marks and result show in your student login and at the centre.
Syllabus · पाठ्यक्रम
1 subject · 6 chapters · 31 topics
01Unit 1: Sources and Prehistoric India
5 topics+
- Literary sources - Vedic, Buddhist, Jain and secular texts
- Foreign accounts - Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang
- Archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic sources
- Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic cultures
- Chalcolithic cultures of India
02Unit 2: Harappan Civilisation and Vedic Age
5 topics+
- Origin, extent and important sites of the Harappan civilisation
- Town planning, economy, religion and decline
- Early Vedic polity, society and religion
- Later Vedic age - changes in polity, varna and economy
- Upanishadic thought
03Unit 3: Mahajanapadas, Buddhism and Jainism
5 topics+
- Sixteen Mahajanapadas and rise of Magadha
- Haryanka, Shishunaga and Nanda dynasties
- Life and teachings of Mahavira
- Life and teachings of Gautama Buddha
- Persian and Macedonian invasions
04Unit 4: The Mauryan Empire
5 topics+
- Chandragupta Maurya and Bindusara
- Ashoka - Kalinga war, Dhamma and inscriptions
- Mauryan administration and Arthashastra
- Mauryan art and economy
- Decline of the Mauryas
05Unit 5: Post-Mauryan and Gupta Period
5 topics+
- Shungas, Satavahanas and Indo-Greeks
- Kushanas - Kanishka and Gandhara art
- Sangam age in South India
- Gupta empire - Samudragupta and Chandragupta II
- Gupta administration, society, literature and science - the 'Classical Age'
06Unit 6: Early Medieval India (600-1206 AD)
6 topics+
- Harshavardhana and his times
- Pallavas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas
- Tripartite struggle - Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas
- Cholas - administration and local self-government
- Rajput kingdoms, Arab and Turkish invasions (Mahmud of Ghazni, Muhammad Ghori)
- Feudalism debate and early medieval society
About this course
You will be able to
- Explain the sources of ancient Indian history - literary, archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic
- Describe the prehistoric cultures and the Harappan civilisation with their main sites and features
- Trace the Vedic age, the rise of Mahajanapadas, Buddhism and Jainism
- Explain the administration, economy and culture of the Mauryan and Gupta empires
- Discuss the post-Gupta kingdoms, Harsha, the Rajputs and the tripartite struggle up to 1206 AD
- Write answers on ancient Indian society, economy and culture for university examinations
Who it is for
- B.A History students of Semester 1 (UP state universities, NEP 2020 syllabus)
- Students preparing History for UPSC / UPPSC and other competitive exams
- Anyone wanting a structured course on early Indian history
What you need
- Intermediate (10+2) pass in any stream
- Interest in reading and writing descriptive answers
Online tests & result
Practice and unit tests online; marks and result show in your student login and at the centre.
Student login →
Questions
Which syllabus is followed?
The NEP 2020 common minimum syllabus of UP state universities (MGKVP, VBSPU, Lucknow University and others). Where your university's syllabus differs, the centre follows your own university syllabus.
Is this course useful for competitive exams?
Yes. Ancient India is a core part of UPSC, UPPSC, TGT/PGT and other exams, and the MCQ practice helps directly.
How are students evaluated?
Through unit-wise MCQ tests, a final paper and practice in writing long and short answers.
Do I need a history background?
No. The course starts from sources and basics, so students from any stream can join.
