Marathi Literature

About this optional

Marathi 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, Marathi 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 Marathi.
• 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 Marathi 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 Marathi Literature Paper I, as printed in the notice (the Commission's own wording, spelling and numbering).

(Answers must be written in Marathi)

Section A: Language and Folk-lore

(a) Nature and Functions of Language (with reference to Marathi)
Language as a signifying system: Langue and Parole; Basic functions; Poetic Language; Standard Language and dialect; Language variations according to social parameters.
Linguistic features of Marathi in thirteenth century and seventeenth century.

(b) Dialects of Marathi
Ahirani; Varhadi; Dangi.

(c) Marathi Grammar
Parts of Speech; Case-system; Prayog-vichar (Voice).

(d) Nature and kinds of Folk-lore (with special reference to Marathi)
Lok-Geet, Lok Katha, Lok Natya.

Section B: History of Literature and Literary Criticism

(a) History of Marathi Literature
1. From beginning to 1818 AD, with special reference to the following: The Mahanubhava writers, the Varkari poets, the Pandit poets, the Shahirs, Bakhar Literature.
2. From 1850 to 1990, with special reference to developments in the following major forms: Poetry, Fiction (Novel and Short Story), Drama; and major literary currents and movements, Romantic, Realist, Modernist, Dalit, Gramin, Feminist.

(b) Literary Criticism
1. Nature and function of Literature;
2. Evaluation of Literature;
3. Nature, Objectives and Methods of Criticism;
4. Literature, Culture and Society.

Paper II

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

(Answer must be written in Marathi)

Textual study of prescribed literary works.

The paper will require first-hand reading of the texts prescribed and will be designed to test the candidate's critical ability.

Section A (Prose)

(1) ‘Smritisthala’
(2) Mahatma Jotiba Phule: ‘Shetkaryacha Asud’; ‘Sarvajanik Satyadharma’
(3) S.V. Ketkar: ‘Brahmankanya’
(4) P.K. Atre: ‘Sashtang Namaskar’
(5) Sharchchandra Muktibodh: ‘Jana Hey Volatu Jethe’
(6) Uddhav Shelke: ‘Shilan’
(7) Baburao Bagul: ‘Jevha Mi Jaat Chorli Hoti’
(8) Gouri Deshpande: ‘Ekek Paan Galavaya’
(9) P.I. Sonkamble: ‘Athavaninche Pakshi’

Section B (Poetry)

(1) ‘Namadevanchi Abhangawani’ Ed: Inamdar, Relekar, Mirajkar; Modern Book Depot, Pune
(2) ‘Painjan’ Ed: M.N. Adwant; Sahitya Prasar Kendra, Nagpur
(3) ‘Damayanti-Swayamvar’ By Raghunath Pandit
(4) ‘Balakvinchi Kavita’ By Balkavi
(5) ‘Vishakha’ By Kusumagraj
(6) ‘Maridgandh’ By Vinda Karandikar
(7) ‘Jahirnama’ By Narayan Surve
(8) ‘Sandhyakalchya Kavita’ By Grace
(9) ‘Ya Sattet Jeev Ramat Nahi’ By Namdev Dhasal

Overlaps with General Studies

• General Studies I: Indian culture includes the salient aspects of literature from ancient to modern times. The Mahanubhava writers and the Varkari poets belong to the story of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra; Mahatma Jotiba Phule's prose (Paper II) is a primary text of nineteenth-century social reform; and the Dalit, Gramin and Feminist movements of Paper I connect with the GS I topics of Indian society, social empowerment and the role of women.
• General Studies II: Marathi is one of the languages of the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution (one of the languages listed since the Constitution came into force); the Schedule and the official-language provisions are part of the polity syllabus.
• Indian Language (qualifying): a candidate who also takes Marathi 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.