SSC CGL - Detailed Guide 2025
Self-Paced Course
Language and Literature
Reference: NCERT Class 9-12, Lucent GK
1. Classical Languages of India
Recognized by the Government of India based on antiquity, rich literary tradition, and continuity.
| Language | Recognized Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil | 2004 | Oldest living language; Sangam literature; Dravidian origin |
| Sanskrit | 2005 | Root of many Indian languages; Vedic texts and epics |
| Telugu | 2008 | Known as "Italian of the East"; rich poetry and court literature |
| Kannada | 2008 | Extensive classical and devotional works (e.g., Vachanas) |
| Malayalam | 2013 | Derived from Tamil and Sanskrit; classical poetry and prose |
| Odia | 2014 | Oldest literature among modern Indo-Aryan languages; Charya literature |
Note: These languages must be over 1500 years old with a significant literary corpus to qualify as classical.
2. Literature Through the Ages
Vedic Literature
| Category | Key Texts & Notes |
|---|---|
| Vedas | Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda — composed in Sanskrit |
| Brahmanas | Prose texts explaining Vedic rituals |
| Aranyakas | Forest texts, philosophical reflections |
| Upanishads | Philosophical and spiritual treatises (Vedanta) |
| Epics | Ramayana (Valmiki), Mahabharata (Vyasa) — ethical and social guidance |
Note: Mahabharata contains the Bhagavad Gita (a spiritual-philosophical discourse).
Sangam Literature (Tamil)
| Period | 300 BCE - 300 CE (classical Tamil period) |
|---|---|
| Content | Secular poetry on love (Akam) and war (Puram) |
| Notable Works | Ettuthogai (Eight Anthologies), Pathuppattu (Ten Idylls), Tolkappiyam (grammar) |
| Authors | Avvaiyar, Kapilar, Ilango Adigal (Silappadikaram) |
Bhakti Movement Literature
| Poet-Saint | Region | Features & Works |
|---|---|---|
| Kabir | North India | Dohas (couplets); syncretic message beyond religion |
| Tulsidas | Uttar Pradesh | Ramcharitmanas (Awadhi version of Ramayana) |
| Meera Bai | Rajasthan | Devotional songs for Lord Krishna; strong emotional depth |
| Guru Nanak | Punjab | Hymns compiled in Guru Granth Sahib |
Note: Bhakti literature focused on devotion (bhakti) over ritual, often in local languages.
Sufi Literature
| Author | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Amir Khusrau | Persian and Hindavi compositions; ghazals, riddles, Qawwalis; disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya |
Note: Sufi poets emphasized divine love and spiritual longing, often using metaphors and music.
3. Modern Indian Writers
| Writer | Language | Notable Works & Recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Rabindranath Tagore | Bengali | Gitanjali; Nobel Prize in Literature (1913); writer of Indian national anthem |
| Munshi Premchand | Hindi-Urdu | Godaan, Nirmala; realist fiction focused on poverty, rural life |
| R.K. Narayan | English | Malgudi Days, The Guide; pioneer of Indian English fiction |
| Arundhati Roy | English | The God of Small Things; Booker Prize (1997) |
| Kiran Desai | English | The Inheritance of Loss; Booker Prize (2006) |
| Salman Rushdie | English | Midnight's Children; Booker Prize (1981) |
| Vikram Seth | English | A Suitable Boy; known for epic-length narrative in English |
| Jhumpa Lahiri | English | Interpreter of Maladies; Pulitzer Prize (1999) |
Nobel Laureates in Literature (India):
- Rabindranath Tagore (1913) — Bengali
- V.S. Naipaul (2001) — of Indian origin, British citizen
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