Drishti IAS Coaching in Delhi, Online IAS Test

Series & Study Material

drishtiias.com/printpdf/general-studies-I

General Studies-I
(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern
times.
Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present-
significant events, personalities, issues.
The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from
different parts of the country.
Post-independence Consolidation and Reorganization within the country.
History of the World will include events from 18th century such as Industrial Revolution, world
wars, Redrawal of National Boundaries, Colonization, Decolonization, political philosophies like
Communism, Capitalism, Socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Role of Women and Women’s Organization, Population and Associated Issues, Poverty and
Developmental issues, Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Effects of Globalization on Indian society.
Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism.
Salient features of World’s Physical Geography.
Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-
continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector
industries in various parts of the world (including India).
Important Geophysical Phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including
water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

History

Indian Heritage & Culture

Indian Art Forms
1/8
Indian Art Forms

Indian Paintings Medieval Literature

Women Poets of Bhakti
Classical Dance Forms
Folk Dance Forms Trends in Medieval Literature
Modern Indian Literature
Classical Music
Puppetry Architecture
Pottery
Drama/Theatre Harappan Architecture
Martial Arts Temple Architecture
Cave Architecture
Literature Indo-Islamic Architecture
Ancient Indian Medieval Architecture
Modern Architecture
Literature
Classical Sanskrit Contribution of Buddhism & Jainism to the Development of Indian
Literature Architecture
Rock Cut Architecture
Literature in Pali and
Prakrit Colonial Architecture & the Modern Period
Early Dravidian
Literature

Modern Indian History

Middle of the Eighteenth Century
Until The Present British Policies & Their Impact – Economic,
Socio-economic Condition of Administrative & Socio-cultural
Socio-cultural Reform Movements
People
European Penetration of India Uprisings Against British Pre-1857
British Conquest of India

The Freedom Struggle

Revolt of 1857

Growth of Nationalism in India (1858- Swarajists & No-Changers

1905) Emergence of New Forces – Socialistic Ideas,
Youth & Trade Unionism
Political, Economic & Administrative
Revolutionary Activity
Unification of the Country
Simon Commission & Nehru Report
Role of Western Education
Civil Disobedience Movement
Role of Press
Round Table Conferences
Rediscovery of India’s Past
Communal Award & Poona Pact
Early Political Movements
Participation in Elections to Central Legislature
Formation of INC
(1934) & Provincial Assemblies (1937)
Era of Moderates
Government of India Act, 1935
Growth of Militant Nationalism &
Towards Freedom & Partition (1939-1947)
Revolutionary Activities (1905-1918)
National Movement During World War II
Swadeshi & Boycott Movement
August Offer
Surat Split
Individual Satyagraha
2/8
 International Influence Growth of Communalism
Morley – Minto Reforms Peasant Movements
Growth of Communalism State People’s Struggle
Cripps Mission
Beginning of Mass Nationalism (1919- Quit India Movement
1939) Wavell Plan
INA & Subhash Chandra Bose
Mahatma Gandhi – His Ideas & Cabinet Mission
Leadership Nationalist Upsurge Post-World War II
Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms Independence with Partition
Rowlatt Act, Satyagrah and Jallianwala
Bagh Massacre
Non-cooperation & Khilafat Movement
Post-independence Consolidation
Nation Building

Partition and Its Aftermath Agrarian & Land Reforms

Integration of Princely States Industrial Reforms
LPG Reforms
Reorganisation of States
Issue of Official Language Polity
Tribal Consolidation
Regional Aspirations Era of One-Party Dominance
Emergence of Opposition Parties
Foreign Policy Emergency: Crisis of Democratic Order
Non-Aligned Movement Rise of Regional Parties
Panchsheel Coalition Era
Wars with Pakistan & China
Social
Nuclear Policy
Popular Movements
Economy
Communalism
Indian Women Since Independence
Planned Development
Green Revolution, Operation Flood & Naxalism
Cooperatives

History of the World

Industrial Revolution World War II

Renaissance Fascist Aggression & Response of Western

Discovery of Sea Routes Democracies
Reformation Outbreak of the War
Counter Reformation Theatres of the War
European Nations Settle North America US Entry into the War
Rise of Slave Trade Global Nature of the War
American War of Independence The Holocaust
French Revolution Resistance Movements
Nationalism in Europe After-effects of the War
Rise of Capitalism, Colonialism &
Imperialism Decolonialisation & Redrawal of National
Boundaries
3/8
World War I Europe after World War II
Cold War
Causes of the War Rise of Asia & Africa
Scope & Course of the War Developments in West Asia & North Africa
Russian Revolution Spread of Communism
End of the War & Peace Treaties Korean War
Consequences of the War Vietnam War
League of Nations Cuban Crisis
Collapse of Soviet Union
World Between the Two Wars
Concept, Types & Social Impact of Political
Europe After the War – Fascism & Philosophies
Nazism
The Great Depression Communism
Emergence of Soviet Union Capitalism
Nationalist Movements in Asia & Africa Socialism
US as a Strong Power

Indian Society

Salient Features of Indian Society

Unity in Diversity
Diversity (Types – caste, linguistic, social and religious, race, tribe and
Inequality and
ethnicity, culture)
Exclusion
Challenges posed by Diversity
Family System
Unity
Examples of
Pluralism
above.

Role of Women and Women's Organization

Resurgence of Women's Movement
Women's Organisations – Empowerment through in the 70s: (1) Emergence of New
Action Organisations, (2) Approaches and
Issues
19th Century Social Reform Movements and Early Contemporary Women's Issues &
Women's Organisations – (1) Agrarian Struggles Organisation Response
and Revolt, (2) Participation in Freedom Struggle Women's Organisations and SHGs
Women's Organisations Post – 1947 Challenges faced by Women's
Organisations

Population and Associated Issues

Changing Age Structure of Indian
Basic Demography of India
Population
Population Trends in India and their
Demogarphic Dividend: Boon or Bane for
Implications
India
Causes and Effects of Over Population
Population Aging in India
Challenges of Population Explosion
India's Population Policy & Initiatives

Poverty and Developmental

4/8
Issues
Concept of Development
and Poverty
Types of Poverty
Measurement of Poverty
– Poverty Line
Causes of Poverty
Poverty as a Social Problem of Rising Urban Poverty
Problem Poverty Alleviation Initiatives
Socio-economic Spread Policy shift from “Trickle Down” Economics to Inclusive or
of Poverty Pro-poor Development to Reduce Poverty
Consequences of Poverty Relation between Poverty Reduction and Development: Poverty-
– Inequality-Development Nexus
Inequality
Continuation of
Vicious Cycle
Who are worst
affected by
poverty?

Urbanization
Social Consequences of
Urbanisation
Urbanisation Trends in India and Their Implications - Impact of Urbanisation in Rural
Demographic and Social Dimensions Areas
Factors Driving Urbanisation Urban Planning and Role of Urban
State of Service Delivery and Challeges posed by Local Bodies (ULBs)
Urbanisation Reforms Required and
Problems of Urban Areas Government Initiatives Taken So
Far
Problems of Slums

Effects of Globalization on Indian

Society
Understanding Globalisation – Its
Globalisation & India
Different Dimensions
Impact of Globalisation on India - Socio-cultural,
Globalisation & Culture -
economic, on women, agrarian sector etc.
Homogenisation vs. Glocalisation
Does Globalisation cause Poverty?
Factors Driving Globalisation

Social Empowerment
Which are the Socially Disadvantaged
Government Initiatives to Aide Social
Groups?
Empowerment
Dimensions of Social Empowerment

Communalism
Communalism – Its Characteristics
Consequences of Communalism
Communalism in India in the Past
Measures to Control & Eradicate Communalism
Communalism in Contemporqary India
5/8
 Causes of Communalism Secularism as an Antidote to Communalism

Regionalism
Concept of Region & Regionalism Consequences of Regionalism
Different Forms of Regionalism Federalism & Regionalism
Regionalism in India Role of Regional Parties
Causes of Regionalism Measures to Contain Regionalism
Concept of 'Sons of Soil' Regionalism in the International Sphere

Secularism
Concept of Secularism
Uniform Civil Code
Indian Model of Secularism
Challenges faced by Secularism in India
Secularism in India
Measures to Make India Truly Secular
Nature & Practice of Secularism in India

Geography

Salient Features of World's Physical Geography

Temperature & Salinity of Oceans
Movement of Oceans – Waves, Tides,
Geomorphology Currents

Origin & Evolution of Earth Climatology

Interior of the Earth
Distribution of Continents & Oceans Earth’s Atmosphere – Composition &
Plate Tectonic Theory Structure
Distribution of Earthquakes & Volcanoes Solar Radiation, Heat Budget &
Rocks & Rock Cycle Temperature
Geomorphic Processes – Endogenic & Atmospheric Circulation & Weather
Exogenic Systems
Landforms & their Evolution World Climate (examples)

Oceanography Soil Geography

Hydrological Cycle Soil & Soil Contents

Seafloor Spreading Process of Soil Formation
Ocean Floor Configuration Soil Forming Factors
Types of Soils (examples)
Soil Erosion & Conservation

Distribution of Key Natural Resources

Across the World
Types of Resources

On the Basis of Origin, Ownership, Integrated Water Resources Management

Exhaustability etc.
Agricultural Resources
Land Resources
6/8
 Land Utilisation Types of Farming
Land Use Pattern Cropping Patterns
Land Degradation & Conservation Contribution to Economy, Employment & Output
Food Security
Forest Resources
Mineral & Energy Resources
Types & Distribution – Grasslands,
Forests etc. Classification of Minerals – Ferrous & Non-
Causes of Depletion Ferrous
Conservation of Forests Occurrence of Minerals
Conservation of Minerals
Water Resources Classification of Energy Resources – Conventional
& Non-Conventional
Marine & Freshwater Occurrence of Energy Resources
Water Scarcity & Need For Conservation of Energy Resources
Conservation

Factors Responsible for the Location of

Industries
Classification of Industries

Location & Distribution of the Industries on Power

the Basis of Transport
Water
Raw Material Communication
Labour
Distribution of Major Industries – Iron & Steel, IT,
Market
Capital Cotton Textile
Land Agglomeration & Footloose Industries
Grants & Financial Incentives

Important Geophysical Phenomena

Earthquakes

Why Does Earth Shake? Volcanoes

Earthquake Waves
Types of Volcanoes
Shadow Zone
What Causes Volcanoes?
Types of Earthquake
Volcanic Landforms
Measuring Earthquake
Effects of Earthquake Cyclone
Tsunami Tropical Cyclones
Anti-Cyclone
What Causes Tsunami
Extra Tropical Cyclones
Effect of Tsunami
Mitigating the Impact of Tsunami

Geographical Features and their Location

Factors Causing Changes in Critical Geographical Features Impact of Changing

7/8
Factors Causing Changes in Critical Geographical Features Impact of Changing
Examples of Changing Geographicl Features - Mealting of Geographical Features
Ice Sheets, Desertification etc.

8/8