Maithili Literature

About this optional

Maithili Literature is one of the optional subjects of the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination. The Commission's list of optional subjects includes the literature of any one of 23 languages, Maithili among them. A candidate chooses one optional subject, and it is examined in two papers: Paper VI (Optional Subject Paper 1) and Paper VII (Optional Subject Paper 2) of the Main Examination. Both papers are counted for merit. See UPSC Mains: Optional Subject (two papers) for the full list of optional subjects.

• Questions are of the conventional (essay) type.
• The two papers carry 500 of the 1,750 marks of the written part; the written marks and the Personality Test (275 marks) together decide the final ranking.
• The scope of the optional papers is broadly of the honours degree level: higher than the bachelor's degree and lower than the master's degree.

Language of the answers

• The syllabus states, for both papers, that answers must be written in Maithili.
• The notice's general rule for all literature papers: a candidate may be required to answer some or all of the questions in the language concerned, and any question not required to be answered in a specific language is answered in the medium the candidate has chosen for the Essay, General Studies and optional papers.
• In this examination Maithili is written in the Devanagari script.
• The rule that question papers are set in Hindi and English only applies to the other papers, not to the literature papers.

Paper I

The official syllabus of Maithili Literature Paper I, as printed in the notice (the Commission's own wording, spelling and numbering).

HISTORY OF MAITHILI LANGUAGE AND ITS LITERATURE

(Answers must be written in Maithili)

Part A: History of Maithili Language

1. Place of Maithili in Indo-European Language family.
2. Origin and development of Maithili language. (Sanskrit, Prakrit, Avhatt, Maithili)
3. Periodic division of Maithili Language. (Beginning, Middle era, Modern era).
4. Maithili and its different dialects.
5. Relationship between Maithili and other Eastern languages (Bengali, Asamese, Oriya)
6. Origin and Development of Tirhuta Script.
7. Pronouns and Verbs in Maithili Language.

Part B: History of Maithili Literature

1. Background of Maithili Literature (Religious, Economic, Social, Cultural).
2. Periodic division of Maithili literature.
3. Pre-Vidyapati Literature.
4. Vidyapati and his tradition.
5. Medieval Maithili Drama (Kirtaniya Natak, Ankia Nat, Maithili dramas written in Nepal).
6. Maithili Folk Literature (Folk Tales, Folk Drama, Folk Stories, Folk Songs).
7. Development of different literary forms in modern era:
(a) Prabandh-kavya
(b) Muktak-kavya
(c) Novel
(d) Short Story
(e) Drama
(f) Essay
(g) Criticism
(h) Memoirs
(i) Translation
8. Development of Maithili Magazines and Journals.

Paper II

The official syllabus of Maithili Literature Paper II, as printed in the notice (the Commission's own wording, spelling and numbering).

(Answers must be written in Maithili)

The paper will require first-hand reading of the prescribed texts and will test the critical ability of the candidates.

Part A: Poetry

1. Vidyapati Geet-Shati—Publisher: Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi (Lyrics—1 to 50)
2. Govind Das Bhajanavali—Publisher: Maithili Acadamy, Patna (Lyrics—1 to 25)
3. Krishnajanm—Manbodh
4. Mithilabhasha Ramayana—Chanda Jha (only Sunder-Kand)
5. Rameshwar Charit Mithila Ramayan—Lal Das (only Bal-kand)
6. Keechak-Vadh—Tantra Nath Jha.
7. Datta-Vati—Surendra Jah ‘Suman’ (only 1st and 2nd Cantos).
8. Chitra-Yatri
9. Samakaleen Maithili Kavita—Publisher: Sahitaya Akademi, New Delhi.

Part B

10. Varna Ratnakar—Jyotirishwar (only 2nd Kallol)
11. Khattar Kakak Tarang—Hari Mohan Jha
12. Lorik—Vijaya Manipadma
13. Prithvi Putra—Lalit
14. Bhaphait Chahak Jinagi—Sudhanshu ‘Shekhar’ Choudhary
15. Kriti Rajkamlak—Publisher: Maithili Acadamy, Patna (First Ten Stories only)
16. Katha–Sangrah–Publisher: Maithili Acadamy, Patna.

Overlaps with General Studies

• General Studies I: Indian culture includes the salient aspects of literature from ancient to modern times. Vidyapati and his tradition, the medieval drama (Kirtaniya Natak, Ankia Nat and the Maithili plays written in Nepal), the Tirhuta script and Maithili folk literature are all material for answers on the regional languages, Bhakti poetry and performing traditions of eastern India.
• General Studies II: Maithili is one of the languages of the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution (added in 2003 by the Ninety-second Amendment); the Schedule and the official-language provisions are part of the polity syllabus.
• Indian Language (qualifying): a candidate who also takes Maithili as the Paper A language gets daily practice in reading and writing it, though Paper A is only of Matriculation standard and qualifying.
• Essay: wide reading in a literature, and the habit of critical writing, help with essays on culture, society and values.

Source: UPSC Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, 4 February 2026 (Civil Services Examination, 2026), Appendix I, Section III, Part B, PDF. Last checked 11 November 2026.