Delhi University Revises PG History Syllabus, Drops Delhi Sultanate Paper
DU removes specialised Delhi Sultanate paper from revised postgraduate History curriculum.
The University of Delhi has revised its postgraduate History syllabus, removing a specialised paper on the Delhi Sultanate from Semester III of the newly notified programme. The paper, titled “The Delhi Sultanate: Structures of Authority in Medieval North India (13th-14th Centuries),” had been taught as a core Medieval India course for several decades. The revised syllabus was notified on August 7 and is effective from July 2026 under the Postgraduate Curriculum Framework (PGCF) 2024 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The postgraduate paper focused on the formation of the medieval state, structures of political authority and the exercise of power across medieval North India. It also examined political, religious and cultural developments during the 13th and 14th centuries. A History professor cited in the report noted that the postgraduate course should not be equated with the Delhi Sultanate-related paper offered at the undergraduate level, which provides a broader survey of Indian history rather than a specialised thematic study.
Professor Maya John, a member of DU’s Academic Council, criticised the removal of the paper and described it as an infringement of the autonomy of the History Department. She questioned the role of the committee involved in recommending the removal of entire papers, arguing that the department has the academic expertise required to frame its curriculum. She also contended that the reasons behind the changes appear political rather than academic in nature.
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The syllabus revision also affects other areas of Medieval and Ancient Indian history. The postgraduate paper “History of North India, c. 1400-1550” has been omitted from the Semester III syllabus, along with courses including “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 removal of these courses represents a broader reduction in the number of specialised papers proposed for the semester.
According to the details provided in the university records, DU’s History Department had proposed 38 Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) papers for the programme, but only 16 were included in the final Semester III syllabus. This leaves 22 proposed DSE papers outside the final notification. Several other courses continue to appear in university records with the status “Under Discussion” or “Undiscussed,” indicating that the curriculum process for some proposed papers remains unresolved.
The revised syllabus forms part of DU’s implementation of the PGCF 2024 framework under NEP 2020. The changes have prompted discussion over the academic scope of postgraduate History education at the university, particularly regarding the balance between broad survey courses and specialised studies of individual periods. The removal of the Delhi Sultanate paper has drawn particular attention because of its long-standing role in the study of medieval Indian political and social history at the postgraduate level.
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