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UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus 2024: The UPSC Civil Services Exam is a prestigious examination conducted in three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interviews. Aspirants are required to choose one optional subject for the Mains exam, which significantly impacts their ranking in the IAS Exam. Recent trends indicate a soaring success rate for candidates opting for Literature subjects. You can check the detailed UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus in this article and download UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus PDF.
UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus 2024
The UPSC Sanskrit Literature optional syllabus for the civil services examination is designed for candidates with a strong foundation in the language. As it is not widely used, only those who have studied Sanskrit as part of their curriculum should consider choosing it as their optional subject. Unlike other optional literature subjects, UPSC specifies which questions to answer in Sanskrit and which to answer in the medium selected by the candidate for Mains. All answers in Sanskrit must be written in the Devanagari script.
UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus 2024 for Optional Paper 1
The Sanskrit Literature optional subject in UPSC Mains comprises two papers, each offering an in-depth understanding of various aspects of the Sanskrit language, literature, and Indian culture. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the syllabus:
Section-A | Section-B |
---|---|
Significant features of grammar | Essentials of Indian Culture |
Main characteristics of Vedic Sanskrit | Purusarthas, Samskaras, Varnasramavyavastha, Arts, Fine Arts, Technical Sciences |
Prominent features of classical Sanskrit | Trends of Indian Philosophy |
Contribution of Sanskrit to linguistic studies | Mimansa, Vedanta, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Sankhya, Yoga, Bauddha, Jaina, Carvaka |
General knowledge of literary history | Short Essay (in Sanskrit) |
Principal directions of literary criticism | Unseen passage with questions (to be answered in Sanskrit) |
Ramayana | |
Mahabharata | |
Origin and development of literary genres | |
(Mahakavya, Rupaka, Katha, Akhyayika, Campu, Khandakavya, Muktaka Kavya) |
UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus 2024 for Optional Paper 2
UPSC Sanskrit Literature Syllabus 2024 for Paper 2 is divided into two sections. You can check the syllabus below.
Section-A: General Study of Literary Works
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 |
---|---|---|---|
Raghuvamsam – Kalidasa | Isavasyopanisad | Svapnavasavadattam – Bhasa | Meghadutam – Kalidasa |
Kumarasambhavam – Kalidasa | Bhagavadgita | Abhijnanasakuntalam – Kalidasa | Nitisatakam – Bhartrhari |
Kiratarjuniyam – Bharavi | Sundarakanda of Valmiki’s Ramayana | Mrcchakatikam – Sudraka | Panchtantra |
Sisupalavadham – Magha | Arthasastra of Kautilya | Mudraraksasam – Visakhadatta | Rajatarangini – Kalhana |
Naisadhiyacaritam – Sriharsa | Uttararamacaritam – Bhavabhuti | Harsacaritam – Banabhatta | |
Kadambari – Banabhatta | Ratnavali – Sriharshavardhana | Amarukasatakam – Amaruka | |
Dasakumaracaritam – Dandin | Venisamharam – Bhattanarayana | Gitagovindam – Jayadeva | |
Sivarajyodayam – S.B. Varnekar |
Section-B: Selected Texts for First-hand Reading
Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 |
---|---|---|---|
Raghuvansam – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10 | Isavasyopanisad – Verses 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 15, and 18 | Meghadutam – Verses 1 to 10 | Svapnavasavadattam – Act VI |
Kumarasambhavam – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10 | Bhagavadgita – II chapter, Verses 13 to 25 | Nitisatakam – Verses 1 to 10 | Abhijnansakuntalam – Act IV, Verses 15 to 30 |
Kiratarjuniyam – Canto I, Verses 1 to 10 | Sundarakandam of Valmiki – Canto 15, Verses 15 to 30 | Kadambari – Sukanasopadesa (only) | Uttararamacaritam – Act 1, Verses 31 to 47 |
Sanskrit- The Oldest Language of India
Sanskrit holds the distinction of being the oldest language used in India, boasting a rich literature and illustrious history of scientific works, epics, fiction, and philosophy. While its usage is limited to a few villages in modern-day India, it continues to be included in the UPSC Mains optional subjects list due to its status as a classical language.
Advantages of Choosing Sanskrit Literature
Opting for Sanskrit Literature as an optional subject can be advantageous due to its relatively low competition, with only a few candidates choosing it. To excel in this subject, candidates should practice solving questions from previous years’ UPSC question papers and take mock tests to understand the question pattern. Mastering Sanskrit grammar and delving into various epics of India are essential for scoring well in the Sanskrit Literature paper.
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