Top News

DU PG History Syllabus: A major change has been made to the postgraduate (PG) history syllabus at Delhi University. The new syllabus excludes a significant elective paper on the Delhi Sultanate—a paper that had been a crucial part of medieval Indian history studies for decades. Additionally, other long-standing papers covering ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history have also been omitted from the new syllabus. Records and available information indicate that these changes occurred during the syllabus review and restructuring process mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The university states that certain syllabus modifications were made at the departmental level before being submitted to an expert committee for review.

Which Delhi Sultanate paper was removed?
The paper titled "The Delhi Sultanate: Structures of Authority in Medieval North India (13th–14th Centuries)," previously taught in the third semester of the PG history program at Delhi University, is missing from the new syllabus. This paper went beyond merely covering the rulers or wars of the Delhi Sultanate; it examined topics such as state formation, the exercise of power and administration, and the evolution of political, religious, and cultural life during that era. It was classified as a DSE (Discipline-Specific Elective) paper. DSE courses allow students to pursue specialized studies in specific areas or topics aligned with their interests.

What was taught in the Delhi Sultanate paper?
The scope of this paper on the Delhi Sultanate was quite extensive. According to documents related to the PG syllabus, the course involved studying various historiographical interpretations concerning the 13th and 14th centuries. One of its objectives was to understand how the Delhi Sultanate era should be viewed within the broader context of Indian history. The curriculum covered the formation of the Delhi Sultanate, the political culture of the 13th and 14th centuries, and the spiritual and religious traditions of that period.

Which other papers are missing from the new syllabus?

Apart from the Delhi Sultanate paper, several other courses are absent from the newly notified third-semester syllabus. These include papers such as "History of North India (c. 1400–1550)," "Gender and Women in Early India (1500 BCE to 1000 CE)," "Political Processes and Structures of Polities in Ancient India," and "Religion and Society in Ancient Indian Literature."

What was taught in the "History of North India" paper?

The "History of North India" paper sought to understand the period spanning the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate and the rise of the Mughal Empire. It covered topics such as Afghan political cultures, the distribution of political power under various administrative systems, patronage, and literary cultures. Additionally, Sufism and the Bhakti movement were examined as forms of social and political power. Issues related to state formation, Islamization, social transformation, and intellectual activities were also part of the curriculum. According to faculty members, both these papers were present in the old syllabus and had been part of the curriculum during the 2019–20 academic session; they had been taught in the department for several years. A paper related to women and gender has also been dropped.
'Gender and Women in Early India' is among the papers excluded from the new syllabus. This paper examined the status and roles of women in early Indian society within the context of various religious and social traditions. It involved studying the position of women across Brahmanical, Buddhist, Jaina, and Tantric traditions. In addition to topics such as marriage, family, property, and *Stridhana* (women's property), the curriculum also explored women's roles as rulers, patrons, and workers. It further addressed the question of whether women's own distinct voices—or the 'female voice'—could be discerned through literary and epigraphic sources.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.