Current Events of india

Ancient India Chapter 1 - Sources “One of the gravest defects of Indian culture is the aversion of Indians to writing History." Critically analyse the statement in the context of early Indian history writing tradition. Topical Review – Purva Paksha The literary sources for ancient and early medieval India include a large volume and variety of texts.  Initially, these historical/religious texts were opened up for scrutiny using modern techniques of analysis in the colonial context (orientalism and utilitarian context). The itihasa-purana tradition was compared with histories produced in ancient Greece and Rome, and were found wanting. They were found to be especially deficient in terms of spatial and chronological precision, which was regarded as the minimum requirement of a historical work.  Some writers have gone to the extent of maintaining that the people of ancient India had no historical sense in them. Historians like Dr. Keith maintained that despite the abundance of its...

Ancient India Chapter 1 - Sources Even though the Puranic genealogies may not be literally true, they are still important to reconstruct political history of ancient India. Comment. Background discussion In last few years, UPSC has started asking a lot of direct questions based on sources which are of historiographical interest. Specifically, with respect to Purana and Shruti literature, here are a few questions recently asked by UPSC 1.  Evaluate the contribution of the Puranas in disseminating secular knowledge among the masses in ancient India. [2013, 15m] 2.  How far can the ancient Indian Sruti literature be used as historical sources? [2015, 15m] 3.  How did early Indian historical tradition, as reflected in Itihasa-Purana, emerge? What are the distinctive features of this genre? [2018, 20 Marks] Apart from shrutis and smritis in general and itihas-puranas, charitas, prashastis and other suchlike traditional accounts, there are very many sources from which one can g...

Ancient India Chapter 1 - Sources In what ways the travel records of the Chinese Buddhist scholars help in reconstruction of ancient Indian history? Background Discussion This question is from the Sources chapter. As per the latest trend of the questions being asked by the UPSC and also according to the very nature of the subject, Sources is one of the most important parts of the syllabus.  Every year, UPSC asks at least 2/3 questions in the paper I directly coming from the sources chapter and then there are many more questions arising out of historiographical debates. The better the understanding of the nature of the sources, more the answers become informed with it and the marks also increase proportionately. The relevant line in the syllabus regarding this question reads “Foreign accounts: Greek, Chinese and Arab writers”. In so far as the Chinese accounts are concerned, there have been two direct questions asked so far –  1.  Examine the information of Fa Hien about t...

General Knowledge for IAS Exams (Geography of India and The World) Geography: Hall of Fame Largest Continent:  Asia, 17,212,000 square miles Smallest Continent:  Australia, 3,132,000 square miles Highest Mountain:  Mount everest, Himalayan Mountains, Nepal-Tibet, 29,035 feet above sea level Lowest Point on Land:  The Dead Sea, Israel-Jordan, water surface 1,349 feet below sea level Deepest Underwater Trench:  Mariana Trench, 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, 36,198 feet below the ocean surface Largest Sea:  The Mediterranean Sea, 1,144,800 square miles Highest Lake:  The highest navigable lake is Lake Titicaca in Peru, 12,500 feet above sea level Lowest Lake:  The Dead Sea, Israel-Jordan surface, of water 1,349 feet below sea level Largest Lake:  Caspian Sea, 152,239 square miles Largest Freshwater Lake:  Lake Superior, U.S.-Canada, 31,820 square miles Deepest Ocean:  Pacific Ocean, average depth 13,215 feet Largest ...

ssc preparation, important competetion questions, current affairs of india, latest question asked in competetion papers, UPSC Toppers ​​​Optional Subjects Year UPSC Topper Name (Rank 1) Optional Subject Chosen Home State Cadre Service Opted 2018 Kanishak Kataria Mathematics Rajasthan IAS 2017 Anudeep Durishetty Anthropology Telangana IAS 2016 Nandini K. R. Kannada Literature Karnataka IAS 2015 Tina Dabi Political Science Delhi IAS 2014 Ira Singhal           Geography Delhi IAS 2013 Gaurav Aggarwal Economics Rajasthan IAS 2012 Haritha V. Kumar Economics & Malayalam Literature Kerala IAS 2011 Shena Aggarwal Medical Science and Psychology Haryana IAS 2010 S Divyadharshini Public Administration & Law Tamil Nadu IAS 2009 Shah Faesal Public Administration & Urdu Literature Jammu & Kashmir IAS 2008 Shubhra Saxena Psychology & Public Administration Uttar Pradesh IAS 2007 Adapa Karthik Zoology & Psychology Telangana I...

ssc preparation, important competetion questions, current affairs of india, latest question asked in competetion papers, General Knowledge for IAS Exams (Geographical Sobriquets) General Knowledge for IAS Exams (Geography of India and The World) Geographical Sobriquets Sobriquets Primary Names America’s Motor: City Detroit Blue Mountains: Nilgiri Hills (India) Britain of the South: New Zealand Bengal’s Sorrow: Damodar River (India) China’s Sorrow: River Hwang Ho City of Dreaming Spires: Oxford (England) City of Eternal Springs: Quito (South America) City of Flowers: Cape Town (South Africa) City of Golden Gate: San Francisco (USA) City of Golden Temple: Amritsar (India) City of Magnificient Buildings: Washington (USA) City of Palaces: Kolkata (India) City of Quiet: Thoroughfares Venice City of Seven Hills: Rome (Italy) City of Skyscrapers: New York (USA) Cockpit of Europe: Belgium Dark Continent: Africa Emerald Isle: Ireland Empire City: New York Eternal City of Hopes: Rome, Italy Forb...

ssc preparation, important competetion questions, current affairs of india, latest question asked in competetion papers, World History: Important Dates BC 10000–4000:  Development of settlement into cities and development of skills, such as wheel and pottery making and improved methods of cultivation. 5500–3000:  Earliest recorded date of Egyptian calender; first phonetic writing appears; Sumerians develop a city-state civilization. 3000–2000:  Pharaonic rule begins in Egypt; completion of the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza. 3000–1500:  The most ancient civilization on the Indian subcontinent, the sophisticated and extensive Indus Valley Civilization, flourishes in what is today Pakistan. 900–800:  Phoenicians establish Carthage: The Iliad and Odyssey was composed by the Greek poet Homer. 400–300:  Pentateuch-first five Books of the Old Testament evolve in final form. 300–251:  Invention of Mayan calendar in Yucatan-more exact than older cal...