UPSC CSE Mains · Optional Subject
Assamese Literature
The Assamese language and its literature — from the Charyapadas and the Vaishnavite age to modern writing.
Paper I
250marks
3 hours each
Paper II
250marks
3 hours each
Optional total
500marks
Counts toward the Mains merit
Paper I syllabus
250 marks · 3 hours
[Answers must be written in Assamese]
Section A: Language
- (a) History of the origin and development of the Assamese Language —its position amongthe Indo-Aryan language—periods in its history. (b) Development of Assamese prose. (c) Vowels and consonants of the Assamese Language—Rules of phonetic changes with stress on Assamese coming down from Old Indo-Aryan. (d) Assamese vocabulary—and its sources. (e) Morphology of the language—conjugation—enclitic definitives and pleonastic suffixes.
- (f) Dilectical divergences—the Standard colloquial and the Kamrupi dialect in particular. (g) Assamese script—its evolution through the ages till 19th century A.D.
Section B: Literary Criticism and Literary History
- (a) Principles of literary criticism up to New criticism. (b) Different literary genres. (c) Development of literary forms in Assamese.
- (d) Development of literary criticism in Assamese. (e) Periods of the literary history of Assam from the earliest beginnings, i.e. from the period of the charyyageeta with their socio-cultural background : the proto Assamese Pre-Sankaradeva— Sankaradeva—Post-Sankaradeva—Modern period (from the coming of the Britishers)—Post- Independence period. Special emphasis is to be given on the Vaisnavite period, the gonaki and the post-independence periods.
Paper II syllabus
250 marks · 3 hours
This paper will require first-hand reading of the texts prescribed and will be designed to test the candidate’s critical ability. [Answers must be written in Assamese]
Section A: Râmâyana (Ayodhyâ Kânda —by Madhava Kandali only)
- Pârijât-Harana —by Sankaradeva.
- Râsakrîdâ —by Sankaradeva (From Kirtana Ghosa)
- Bârgeet —by Madhavadeva.
- Râjasûya —by Madhavadeva.
- Kathâ-Bhâgavata(Books I and II) —by Baikurthanath Bhattacharyya.
- Gurucarit-Kathâ (Sankaradeva’s Part only) —ed. by Maheswar Neog.
SECTION B
- Mor Jeevan Soñwaran —by Lakshminath Bezbaroa.
- Kripâbar BorbaruârKakatar Topola —by Lakshminath Bezbaroa.
- Pratimâ —by Chandra KumarAgarwalla.
- Gâonburhâ —by Padmanath GohainBarua.
- Manomatî —by Rajanikanta Bordoloi.
- Purani Asamîyâ Sâhitya —by Banikanta Kakati.
- Kârengar Ligirî —by Jyotiprasad Agarwalla
- Jeevanar Bâtat —by Bina Barva(BirinchiKumar Barua)
- Mrityunjoy —by Birendrakumar Bhattacharyya
- Samrât —by Navakanta Barua
Syllabus as per the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination notification. Topic-wise study notes for Assamese Literature are being added — check back soon.