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I see that some students are asking for PYQ answer book for History Optional. We have discussed it earlier but let me reiterate.

1. There is no model answer for any question. This is a social science.
2. Even if there is, there is no such good model answer book in the market.
3. Even if there is, pinning your preparation around such a PYQ book is a disaster. It doesnot help in preparation.

We had recently uploaded a video of a speech by Romila Thapar. It was on the impact of Sufis and Nathpanthi Yogis on Punjab during 10th-12th centuries, and how Punjab's religious demography changed during the medieval time.

Although it was a very scholarly video, it received massive views in 3-4 days and then a huge amount of abuse and hate from random people. I know that I personally do not agree with a lot of what Romila Thapar claims, and on some points, I stand diametrically opposite to her viewpoint. (not that I am a historian or something). But that does not mean that people can go on abusing scholars. A scholar must be defended/opposed in scholarly fashion. With debates, discussions, arguments and books. Not with trolling which is really not correct.

I hope that our students here, and aspirants in general, are not involved in such avoidable online abuse. We will continue uploading video clips of eminent historians, known as well as unknown, from left-right-and-centre, the entire spectrum. These vides would not be primarily on the syllabus point directly, but on connected issues. As a student of history for UPSC CSE, you would be aware of something related to the topics, and these videos would provide alternative view or some peripheral analysis or some deeper perspective. It will be fun. But please keep it civil.

A very interesting clip is going to be published today evening. Its a short clip of less than 2 mins, but the content is very interesting, to say the least.

I had never imagined personally ki aise bhi kuchh huwa hoga. Personally, it is both shocking and very rational at the same time.

Stay tuned.

Some questions are quite good from this paper, especially more so in Paper I than in Paper II. Paper I questions are more analytical while Paper II questions are more factual and direct.

If you want to discuss some questions, that would be a more constructive use of this platform here.

I have received this query a few times in the past. Will there be coverage of Art and Culture on Youtube?

Response:
There is no separate subject called Art and Culture in History Optional. The foundation course on Youtube is only for History Optional, not for GS. By and large it is sufficient for General studies also.

However, Art and Culture in GS is a slightly different thing. It needs more facts, more aspects, and deeper understanding, than what we need in Optional. So, for GS, we have to do more of AnC than what we do for optional.

That additional aspect we cover in our GS courses - either Foundation course or Prelims crash course (PMP). Those courses are not for Youtube as the specific YT channel was started for History Optional in a dedicated fashion. Its objective is very specific and not generic.

https://www.news18.com/india/activist-dilip-mandal-claims-he-created-fictitious-character-fatima-sheikh-indias-first-muslim-teacher-whats-the-truth-9183659.html

If it is true it is really a very weird story. And that's why historians matter. Those who read primary sources and follow primary sources.

This is the first 10 days schedule for HOT500 - Modern India section.

Over and above these questions, we also add about 1-2 questions every day in the class for discussion. These additional questions are generally totally new, and challenge the boundaries of traditional understanding of the students.

Moreover, our main focus is on historiography of the questions, and how to develop perspective and insight into the demand of the questions. Students often mistake GS for Optional in Modern India and dont understand how it is more analytical. That is something we try to learn in the classes.

In a 2.5-hours lecture, we are able to cover the detailed discussion of about 9-10 questions every day. For Modern India, there will be about 23 lectures, in which we are trying to cover about 230-240 questions in class.

We are sure it will be immensely beneficial to students.