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Wednesday, 7 October 2026 · New Delhi

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UPSC CSE Mains · Optional Subject

Urdu Literature

The Urdu language and its literature — history, criticism and prescribed texts.

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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

Answer must be written in Urdu

Section A: Development of Urdu Language

  1. (a) Development of Indo-Aryan
  2. (i) Old Indo-Aryan
  3. (ii) Middle Indo-Aryan
  4. (iii) New Indo-Aryan.
  5. (b) Western Hindi and its dialects Brij Bhasha Khadi Boli, Haryanavi, Kannauji, Bundeli—Theories about the origin of Urdu language.
  6. (c) Dakhani Urdu—origin and development, its significant linguistic features.
  7. (d) Social and Cultural roots of Urdu language— and its distinctive features.
  8. Script, Phonology, Morphology, Vocabulary.

Section B

  1. (a) Genres and their development :
  2. (i) Poetry: Ghazal, Masnavi, Qasida, Marsia, Rubai Jadid Nazm.
  3. (ii) Prose : Novel, Short Story, Dastan, Drama, Inshaiya, Khutoot, Biography.
  4. (b) Significant features of : (i) Deccani, Delhi and Lucknow schools, (ii) Sir Syed movement, Romantic movement, Progressive movement, Modernism.
  5. (c) Literary Criticism and its development with reference to Hali, Shibli, Kaleemuddin Ahmad, Ehtisham Hussain, Ale-Ahmad Suroor.
  6. (d) Essay writing (covering literary and imaginativetopics).

Paper II syllabus

250 marks · 3 hours

Answer must be written in Urdu This paper will require first hand reading of the texts prescribed and will be designed to test the candidate's critical ability.

Section A

  1. 1. Mir Amman Bagho-Babar
  2. 2. Ghalib Intikhab-e-Khutoot-e Ghalib
  3. 3. Mohd. Husain Azad Nairang-e-Khayal
  4. 4. Prem Chand Godan
  5. 5. Rajendra Singh Bedi Apne Dukh Mujhe Dedo
  6. 6. Abul Kalam Azad Ghubar-e-Khatir

Section B

  1. 1. Mir Intikhab-e-Kalam-e-Mir (Ed. Abdul Haq.)
  2. 2. Mir Hasan Sahrul Bayan
  3. 3. Ghalib Diwan-e-Ghalib
  4. 4. Iqbal Bal-e-Jibrail
  5. 5. Firaq Gul-e-Naghma
  6. 6. Faiz Dast-e-Saba
  7. 7. Akhtruliman Bint-e-Lamhat

Syllabus as per the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination notification. Topic-wise study notes for Urdu Literature are being added — check back soon.

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