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New Delhi: The University of Delhi has removed a specialised paper on the Delhi Sultanate from its newly notified postgraduate History syllabus, according to a report. The course, titled “The Delhi Sultanate: Structures of Authority in Medieval North India (13th-14th Centuries),” was earlier offered in Semester III. 

The change has attracted attention because the paper dealt specifically with a major phase of medieval Indian history and had reportedly been taught as an important core course for several decades. The revised syllabus is part of the postgraduate programme under PGCF 2024 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and will be applicable from July 2026.

Delhi Sultanate Paper Removed From Semester III 

The postgraduate paper provided students with a focused study of the political and social developments associated with the Delhi Sultanate. It covered the emergence of the medieval state, different forms of political authority and the manner in which power operated across medieval North India. 

The course also explored political, religious, and cultural developments during the 13th and 14th centuries. Its removal from the newly notified Semester III syllabus has therefore drawn attention, particularly because of its specialised approach to Medieval India. 

A History professor quoted in the report also pointed out that the postgraduate course should not be viewed in the same way as the Delhi Sultanate-related paper taught at the undergraduate level. 

The undergraduate course provides a broader survey of Indian history, while the postgraduate paper was designed as a more detailed thematic and historical examination of the period. 

Professor Questions Decision to Drop History Papers 

Professor Maya John, a member of DU's Academic Council, criticised the decision and described it as an "infringement of the autonomy of the History Department." 

She argued that the History Department has the necessary academic expertise to design its own syllabus. She also questioned the role of the committee that recommended removing entire papers from the programme. 

According to her, the reasons for the decision "appear political and not academic in nature." 

The criticism comes amid wider changes to the postgraduate History syllabus, with several other proposed courses also absent from the final Semester III notification. 

Several Other History Papers Also Omitted 

The Delhi Sultanate paper is not the only course missing from the revised Semester III syllabus. Another postgraduate paper, “History of North India, c. 1400-1550,” has also been left out. 

Other papers that do not appear in the final Semester III syllabus include “Gender and Women in Early India: 1500 BCE to 1000 CE,” “Political Processes and Structure of Polities in Ancient India,” and “Religion and Society in Ancient Indian Literature.” 

The changes therefore extend beyond the study of medieval India and include courses covering ancient Indian history, gender and women, political structures and religion. 

DU Proposed 38 DSE Papers, 16 Included 

According to the report, the DU's History Department had proposed 38 Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) papers for the programme. However, only 16 papers were included in the final Semester III syllabus notified by the university. 

This means 22 of the proposed DSE papers were not part of the final notification. 

Some of the proposed courses also continue to appear in university records with the status “Under Discussion” or “Undiscussed”, indicating that they have not been included in the final notified structure. 

Revised Syllabus Effective From July 2026 

The university's syllabus document states that the revised postgraduate History programme has been prepared under PGCF 2024, in line with NEP 2020. The revised structure is effective from July 2026. 

The final syllabus notification was issued on August 7. With several proposed courses absent from the final Semester III structure, the changes are likely to remain a point of discussion among History faculty and students. 

For postgraduate History students, the revised syllabus will determine the papers available to them under the Semester III programme, while the removal of several specialised courses marks a significant change from the department's earlier proposal.