Backbone of all competitive exams

All competitive examinations today have one essential component — general studies/ knowledge — and one needs to master this before taking any exam. From UPSC Civil Services to a Group C clerical exam, this paper forms the basis of each and every competitive exam. When one enters into the competitive exam arena, one basic question asked by every aspirant is how to prepare for general studies?

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General studies/knowledge is a discipline that includes facts of almost all subjects such as geography, Indian polity, history, science, sports, current affairs, economy and many other miscellaneous topics. It is one discipline that makes us understand all the subjects.

However, history is the backbone of general studies/knowledge paper as most of the questions are from this subject. It tests a candidate’s ability to grasp facts and understand concepts related to the past. Though it is considered a vast subject, it can be dissected and simplified to make it easy to answer every question asked by the paper-setter. If you are not intimidated by its vastness, this subject has a number of advantages: information is static, easier to grasp and there is plenty of study material easily available, both online and offline.

Mother of all subjects

Historians often call it mother of all subjects. The reason: Every subject has a history. You pick any subject and you need to read origin and development of that subject to understand it fully. For instance, to understand the Constitution of India, we need to first understand making of the Constitution. We can say this about other subjects like sociology and economics too.

History is spread over many branches: political, social, economic, cultural and administrative. Earlier, the examiners focused more on the political perspective and most of the questions revolved around rulers and dynasties. However, the approach has undergone a change now with more emphasis on other branches of the subject. Here lies the catch: One can’t understand other perspectives unless one is done with the political part.

The vastness of this subject can be judged from the fact that it is divided into different periods and includes virtually every area under the sky. From competitive exam point of view, one needs to master Indian history – ancient India, medieval India, modern India, India’s freedom struggle and contemporary India. However, a general read of world history with special emphasis on events that changed the world do need a deep look by the aspirants. And if you are appearing for a state exam, you need to add history of that particular state to your armour.

History is defined in simple words as the study of the past. But how far back do we need to explore our past? An aspirant needs to start from pre-historic times: The period for which we do not have written records and entire info is reconstructed on the basis of material remains. The best example of this period is Stone Age. So every aspirant has to cover journey from the Stone Age to the present to get ready for every challenge. In simple words, today’s current events will be history tomorrow.

History & culture: The perfect bond

Culture is a way of life. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the language we speak and the God we worship – all are aspects of culture. It is also the things that we have inherited as members of society. All achievements of human beings can also be called culture. Art, music, literature, architecture, sculpture, philosophy, religion and science, too, are seen as aspects of culture. It also includes the customs, traditions, festivals, ways of living and one’s outlook on various issues of life.

To understand the cultural aspect, we need to study history. The amalgamation of both is called cultural history and it is one of the most important branches from the examination point of view. Cultural history studies and interprets the record of human societies by denoting the various distinctive ways of living built up by a group of people under consideration. It involves the aggregate of past cultural activity such as ceremonies and the interaction with locales.

You won’t find any general studies exam that does not have questions from this portion. Art and architecture, religion and literature are favourite topics of paper-setters. So, you need to focus on all the above topics with special emphasis on Vedic literature, Buddhism and Jainism, various schools of paintings and all forms of architecture, both from structural and thematic point of view.

Success ladder:

Principle of 3Ps

To take on history questions in competitive exams, you must rely on your strengths and combat skills. Though you are aware of the vast syllabus and the pattern, unaware of the exact way to cover everything, accumulate and retain the facts and concepts of history.

Retention is extremely important in competitive exams because history has a vast syllabus to cover and retaining everything you learn can be tough. Break a chapter into core keywords to remember it easily and keep on revising a topic consistently. You can use colourful highlighting in your notes for better output.

In addition to this, don’t forget the map work. Historical maps are a great resource to help learn about a place at a particular point in time. Be it the Indus Valley Civilisation sites or chief centres of the 1857 revolt, all are easy to memorise with the help of a map. These also help us in studying regional history in a planned way.

To master history, one needs to follow the principle of 3Ps – plan, prioritise and practice. Plan the preparation of the respective exam’s syllabus; prioritise the topics as per your knowledge and grasp over them; and practice every topic consistently to keep it in your long-term memory.

All the best!

Important reads

The journey must begin from the NCERT trio – Ancient India by RS Sharma, Medieval India by Satish Chandra and modern India by Bipin Chandra.

This must be supplemented by India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra and Modern Indian History by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum). India after Independence by Bipin Chandra will surely help you to understand how Indian polity, economy and society took new shape after we attained Independence.

For world history, NCERTs are enough to understand big events like Renaissance, Reformation, major revolutions (American, French, Russian) and both World Wars.

For culture, NIOS notes are a must as they cover all aspects from examination point of view – from language to literature, painting to architecture etc. of all three periods of history (ancient, medieval and modern). If you are aiming for the Civil Services and also taking history as an optional subject, never forget to read BA notes of IGNOU apart from big names in the subject – Romila Thapar, AL Basham and Sumit Sarkar.

How to attain proficiency

Most of the students, especially those who have never read this subject after Class X, believe that preparation for history section of the exam involves memorising dates and names. They need to follow a well-planned approach to master this subject.

1. Chronology is the backbone of history

Chronology is important because the exact order in which events occur helps us understand the cause and the effect of those events, and thereby allows us to step back and view the ‘big picture’ of history – how and why events unfold in the way they do and how these are related. So, always make notes in chronological order when you study history. This will enable quicker and easier revision.

2. Read it from story perspective

History is basically just a story, albeit a long one. If you treat history textbooks as non-fiction novels, the subject won’t seem so scary. Focus on the characters and the unfolding plots. Be curious to know more about your own country’s past and you will appreciate how the past has shaped the present. This will also help you remember things easily.

3. Repetition is key

It helps in shifting a skill/info from the conscious to the subconscious mind. When we read a particular section for the second time, preferably from a different source, we get a different line of thought on the same topic. This process of layering makes our concepts more clear and it becomes easy for us to dig out the required info at the right time.

4. Have a panoramic view

Subjectivity is inherent in this subject. Most of the history is written by rulers. So, understanding the other side of the story is a must. Move beyond political developments and focus on a variety of perspectives such as cultural, educational and administrative. This will serve the twin purpose of giving a holistic view to your thought and also give you fresh ideas to write answers in other subjects such as polity, social issues and economics.

5. Link the past with the present

The present is shaped by the past. This is the technique that makes history most relevant and interesting. The present socio-political situation of the world is a direct consequence of what happened in the past. We must understand that we are creating history as we live. We are a part of it. For instance: Why is there rural poverty today in the country? The answer lies in the economic policies of the British.

6. Move beyond facts

The subjects have innumerable facts and figures, be it different dynasties, their founders, their capitals or various battles, wars and revolts. Just memorising these facts won’t take you anywhere. You need to understand the concept and make your own thought over the topic. For instance: When did the Non-Cooperation Movement happen and who was its leader? It is very easy to answer. But on the same topic, an opinion-based question can be asked: Was the Non-Cooperation Movement a success?