UPSC Optional Subject Syllabus- Urdu Language

Paper-I

Answers must be written in Urdu.

Section-A

Development of Urdu Language

• Development of Indo-Aryan
  • Old Indo-Aryan
  • Middle Indo Aryan
  • New Indo Aryan
• Western Hindi and its dialects Brij Bhasha Khadi Boli, Haryanavi Kannauji, Bundeli-Theories about the origin of Urdu Language
• Dakhani Urdu-Origin and development, its significant linguistic features.
• Social and Cultural roots of Urdu language-and its distinctive features.
  • Script, Phonology, Morphology, Vocabulary.

Section-B

• Genres and their development :
  • Poetry : Ghazal, Masnavi, Qasida, Marsia, Rubai, Jadid Nazm,
  • Prose : Novel, Short Story, Dastan, Drama, Inshaiya, Khutoot, Biography.
• Significant features of :
  • Deccani, Delhi and Lucknow schools
  • Sir Syed movement, Romantic movement, Progressive movement, Modernism.
• Literary Criticism and its development with reference to Hali, Shibli, Kaleemuddin Ahmad, Ehtisham Hussain, Ale-Ahmad Suroor.
• Essay writing (covering literary and imaginative topics)

Paper-II

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

Section-B

• Mir                                 Intikhab-e-Kalam-e-Mir (Ed. Abdul Haq.)
• Mir Hasan                      Sahrul Bayan
• Ghalib                            Diwan-e-Ghalib
• Iqbal                              Bal-e-Jibrail
• Firaq                             Gul-e-Naghma
• Faiz                              Dast-e-Saba
• Akhtruliman                   Bint-e-Lamhat