About Facet Based Preparations

The Civil Services Aspirants' in general, prepare topics in a general way. This is a conventional way to prepare. This approach to preparation has various limitations. And this does not enable a Civil Services Aspirant to write standard answers.

There is a need to develop what I call a holistic & novel approach. Under this, there is a need to consider various facets of topics in preparation. More often than not' these facets individually or combinedly constitute questions in the examination.

I am putting forward some examples of these facets from different sections of the syllabus. The Civil Services Aspirants should go through them and develop this approach to preparation.

The Civil Services Aspirants' in general, prepare topics in a general way. This is a conventional way to prepare. This approach to preparation has various limitations. And this does not enable a Civil Services Aspirant to write standard answers.

There is a need to develop what I call a holistic & novel approach. Under this, there is a need to consider various facets of topics in preparation. More often than not' these facets individually or combinedly constitute questions in the examination.

I am putting forward some examples of these facets from different sections of the syllabus. The Civil Services Aspirants should go through them and develop this approach to preparation.

TOPIC — HARSHAVARDHANA
FACETS

1. The Maukharis paving way for the glory of Harsha
2. Emphasis given by modern historians to the reign of Harsha as compared to other rulers in India during 7th century AD reflects the bias of Hieuan Tsang
3. Harsha was great, but he was made greater by the writings of Hieun Tsang and Banbhatta
4. Harsha's death as a significant event
5. Harsha's reign as a watershed between Ancient and Medieval India
6. Harsha possessed the qualities of both Ashoka & Samundragupta
7. Harsha's Religious Policy
8. New trends in Harsha's Political System
9. Proto-feudal development during the period of Harsha
10. Harsha distinguished himself almost equally both in the arts of peace & war
11. Nature of Harsha's Polity
12. Harsha's Administration
13. Extent of Harsha's Empire
14. Harsha's Political relations with other powers
15. Harsha's Cultural Policy
16. Harsha's contributions to Art & Culture
17. Harsha and Buddhism
18. Harsha as a great king
19. Harsha as a last great king of Ancient India
20. Harsha as a last great Hindu king of Ancient India
21. Harsha's Broader Political Outlook
22. Significance of the reign of Harsha
23. Description of Hieun Tsang
24. Banbhatta's Harshacharita
25. The Society during the period of Harsha
26. The Economy during the period of Harsha
27. Sources of information for the study of Harshavardhana
28. Significance of Harsha in the History of Ancient India
29. Estimate of Harsha's personality

TOPIC — AKBAR
FACETS

1. Various aspects of Akbar's policy which brought about the integration of northern India
2. Akbar's greatness lies more in his ideals than in his achievements
3. In what respects did Akbar imprint his personality on the age in which he lived?
4. Foundation of the Secular Indian State was Akbar's greatest contribution to the building up a stable empire and a contented people
5. Akbar as a national monarch
6. Akbar's idea was not so much of national as of universal kingship
7. Akbar's greatness as an empire - builder is nowhere better illustrated than his policy towards the Rajputs
8. To what extent radical changes in environments were responsible for the difference in the religious outlook of Akbar and that of Aurangzeb
9. How far Akbar succeeded in maintaining an attitude of religious neutrality in his state policies
10. To what extent it is correct to say that Akbar did not introduce a new Land Revenue System, but took over what he found in operation
11. To what extent the character and personality of Akbar were reflected in his buildings
12. Akbar's Rajput Policy — Background, Nature and Implications
13. Akbar's Deccan Policy — Background, Nature and Impact
14. Akbar's Religious Policy — Nature and Implications
15. Akbar's Deccan Policy — Nature and Implications
16. Akbar's contributions to Art and Culture
17. Akbar's contributions to Mughal administrative system
18. Main features of Akbar's Land Revenue System
19. Akbar's theory of kingship
20. Comparision between the nature of building activities of Akbar & Shahjehan
21. Expansion of Mughal Empire under Akbar
22. Comparision between Akbar and Shershah
23. Estimate of Akbar's personality

TOPIC — GANDHI
FACETS

1. Rise of Gandhi as a national leader — circumstances, forces and factors
2. Gandhian Mass Movement — Nature and Character
3. Gandhian insight into Mass Mind
4. Gandhian restraint on Mass Movement
5. Gandhian Political agitation - how does it fit in the strategy of struggle - truce- struggle
6. Gandhian Political agitation — how does it fit in the strategy of pressure - compromise - pressure
7. Gandhian Constructive Programme - elements & relevance
8. Rise of Gandhi conceived in the circumstances of political void
9. Rise of Gandhi as a high-level political game
10. Gandhian responsive cooperation to the British turning into non-cooperation
11. Explanation of suspension of non-cooperation movement by Gandhi
12. South African Political experiments of Gandhi constituting the background of rise of Gandhi as a national leader
13. Role of Early Satyagrahis in the rise of Gandhi as a national leader
14. Gandhi — Political Ideas and methods
15. Gandhian Politics — original ideas
16. Gandhian Political tactics
17. Gandhi's Role in curbing communalism
18. Role of Gandhi in the National Movement during the Second World War
19. Gandhi's views on partition
20. Basis of popularity of Gandhi

TOPIC — NAPOLEON
FACETS

1. Rise of Napoleon — Forces & Factor
2. Napoleon as a child of revolution
3. Explanation of Napoleon's statement "I am Revolution"
4. How did Napoleon reverse the ideas of revolution
5. Napoleon's attempt to heal the wounds inflicted by revolution
6. Contradictions in Napoleonic Policies
7. Explanation and growth of "Bonapartism"
8. How did the wars and empire of Napoleon promote the growth of modern nationalism in Europe
9. How spirit of Nationalism was responsible for Napoleon's downfall
10. Forces of downfall of Napoleon were inherent in the structure of Napoleonic Empire
11. Napoleon's Imperialism
12. Napoleonic Reforms
13. Decline of Napoleon — factors responsible
14. Spanish ulcer ruined Napoleon
15. Continental System and Decline of Napoleon
16. Napoleon as a creator of Modern Germany
17. Napoleon as a creator of Modern Italy
18. Influence of Napoleonic Rule on France & Europe