Civil Service Exam Syllabus for IAS Main Exam – Malayalam

Paper-I

Answers must be written in Malayalam.

Section-A

Unit 1-Early phase of Malayalam Language:

  1. Various theories: origin from proto Dravidian, Tamil, Sanskrit.
  2. Relation between Tamil and Malayalam: Six nayas of A.R. Rajarajavarma.
  3. Pattu school-definition, Ramacharitam, later pattu works-Niranam works and Krishnagatha.

Unit 2-Linguistic features of :

  1. Manipravalam-definition. Language of early manipravala works-Champu, Sandesakavya, Chandrotsava, minor works. Later Manipravala works-medieval Champu and Attakkatha.
  1. Folklore-Southern and Northern ballads, Mappila songs.
  2. Early Malayalam prose-Bhashakautaliyam, Brahmandapuranam, Attaprakaram, Kramadipika and Nambiantamil.

Unit 3-Satandardisation of Malayalam

  1. Peculairities of the language of Pana, Kilippattu and Tullal.
  2. Contributions of indigenous and European missionaries to Malayalam.
  3. Characteristics of contemporary Malayalam : Malayalam as administravie language. Language of scientific and technical literature-media language.

Section-B

Literary History

Unit-4 Ancient and Medieval Literature:

  1. Pattu-Ramacharitam, Niranam works and Krishnagatha.
  2. Manipravalam-early and medieval manipravala works including attakkatha and champu.
  3. Folk literature.
  4. Kilippattu, Tullal and Mahakavya.

Unit 5- Modern Literature-Poerty

  1. Venmani poets and contemporaries.
  2. The advent of Romanticism-Poerty of Kavitraya i.e., Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol
  3. Poetry after Kavitraya.
  4. Modernism in Malayalam poetry.

Unit 6- Modern Literature-Prose

  1. Drama
  2. Novel
  3. Short story
  4. Biography, travelogue, essay and criticism.

Paper-II

Answers must be written in Malayalam.

This paper will requre first hand reading of the texts prescribed and is designed to test the candidate’s critical ability.

Section-A

Unit 1

  1. Ramacharitam-Patalam 1.
  2. Kannassaramayanam-Balakandam first 25 stanzas.
  3. Unnunilisandesam-Purvabhagam 25 slokas including Prastavana
  4. Mahabharatham Kilippattu-Bhishmaparvam.,

Unit 2

  1. Kumaran Asan-Chintavisthayaya Sita.
  2. Vailoppilli-Kutiyozhikkal.
  3. G. Sankara Kurup-Perunthachan.
  4. N.V. Krishna Variar-Tivandiyile Pattu.

Unit 3

  1. ONV -Bhumikkoru Charamagitam
  2. Ayyappa Panicker-Kurukshetram.
  3. Akkittam-Paudatha Messanthi
  4. Attur Ravivarma-Megharupan.

Section-B

Unit 4

  1. Chanthu Menon-Indulekha
  2. Thakazhy-Chemmin.
  3. O V Vijayan-Khasakkinte Ithihasam.

Unit 5

  1. MT Vasudevan Nair-Vanaprastham (Collection).
  2. N S Madhavan-Higvitta (Collection).
  3. C J. Thomas-1128-il Crime 27.

Unit 6

  1. Kuttikrishna Marar-Bharataparyatanam
  2. M. K Sanu-Nakshatrangalute snehabhajanam
  3. V.T. Bhattathirippad-Kannirum Kinavum.

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