Department of History
Board of Undergraduate Studies
University of Kalyani
Course details of History for 1st & 2nd Semesters at the UG Level (NEP 2020)
Semester 1
Major Course 1. (Credit 6)
History of Early India, from remote past to the end of the Vedic Polity
Unit-1: Historiography of early India – historical interpretations - imperialist vs. nationalist school -
leftist vs. liberal school - secular vs. religious school.
Unit-2: Evolution from paleolithic to neolithic cultures - chalcolithic societies from Baluchistan to
Gujrat - growth and decline of pre-state non-iron urban culture - the Harappan Civilization - problem
of the Indus script - journey from proto-historic to historic India.
Unit-3: Legacy of the Harappan Culture - the Aryan penetration and the Anglo-
Oriental debate- beginning of iron age and settled agriculture - patterns of settlement
and cultural changes - emergence of caste society, organized religion and state
territoriality - the Vedic literature.
Unit-4: The non-Vedic political economy of the 16 Mahajanapadas - spread of protestant
religions – Ajivikism, Jainism and Buddhism - commercial and urban growth of India - rise
of Magadha as an imperial power.
Minor Course 1. (Credit 4)
To be chosen from subjects other than History
Multidisciplinary Course 1. (Credit 3)
To be chosen from prescribed multidisciplinary subjects.
Skill Enhancement Course 1.(credit 3)
Looking into Indian Heritage through Art & Architecture
Unit-1 : Defining heritage – an overview of cultural and built heritage of India –
notions of art and craft.
Unit-2 : Pre-colonial Indian Art and Architecture – early illustrated manuscripts and
mural painting traditions – mearly medieval sculpture, style and iconography –
numismatic art – miniature painting, Mughal, Rajasthani and Pahari - early Indian
architecture, stupa, cave and temple – the Mughals -Indo-Persian architecture, fort,
palace and mosque.
Unit-3 : The colonial period – western influences on Indian Art and architecture –
changes in the post-colonial period.
Value Added Course 1. (4)
To be chosen from prescribed V. A. Courses.
Semester 2
Major Course 2. (Credit 6)
Social Formation and Cultural pattern of the Ancient and early Medieval World
Unit-1: Pre-historic and proto-historic cultures beyond India – beginning of agriculture
and animal husbandry – searches into the history of Africa, the Aztec Civilization and
the Inca Society.
Unit-2: Bronze Civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and eastern Mediterranean lands.
Unit-3: The Polis and slave society of ancient Greece - rise of ancient Rome – decline of the
Roman Empire – agrarian economy and trade – the Church and the question of religion.
Unit-4: Societies in Central Islamic Lands - spread of Islam – the Ummah, Caliphite
State, Shariah and Sufi culture.
Minor Course 2. (Credit 4)
To be chosen from subjects other than History
Multidisciplinary Course 2. (Credit 3)
To be chosen from prescribed courses.
Ability Enhancement Course 1. (Credit 4)
May be taken up from the specific category course. or
Communicative and Interpretative
English
Unit-1 : Language of Communication - Verbal and Non-verbal (Spoken and Written),
Personal, Social and Business, Barriers and Strategies, Intra-personal, Inter-personal
and Group communication.
Unit-2 : Speaking Skills - Monologue, Dialogue, Group Discussion, Effective
Communication/ Mis- Communication, Interview, Public Speech
Unit-3 : Reading and Understanding Close Reading, Comprehension, Summary
Paraphrasing, Analysis and Interpretation, Translation (from Indian language to English
and vice-versa) Literary/Knowledge Texts
Unit-4 : Writing Skills Documenting, Report Writing, Making notes, Letter writing
Skill Enhancement Course 2. (Credit 3)
Studies in Electronic Communication System
Unit-1 : Technologies and instruments of electronic communication - aspects of
electronic communication.
Unit-2. Introduction to Computer Networks - Data communications, components,
data representation(ASCII,ISO etc.) - direction of data flow(simplex, half duplex, full
duplex); Networks - distributed processing, network criteria, physical structure (type of
connection, topology) - categories of network (LAN, MAN,WAN).
Unit-3 : Internet - brief history, internet today - protocols and standards - reference
models: OSI reference model, TCP/IP reference model, their comparative study.
For students from other Major Subject Groups opting History as a minor subject
Semester 1
Minor Course 1. (Credit 4)
History of India from the Earliest times to the Early Medieval Period
Unit-1 : Sources and interpretation – broad survey of paleolithic, mesolithic and
neolithic cultures – the Harappan Civilisation – journey from the Vedic state to the 16
Mahajanapadas – from the age of the Vedas to the age of Jainism and Buddhism.
Unit-2 : The Maurya rule in Magadha - Asoka’s Dhamma and administration - The
post-Maurya India of the Kushanas, Satavahanas and Tamil powers - splits in Jainism
and Buddhism - Vaishnavism, Saivism
Unit-3: Age of the Guptas - consolidation of the Magadhan empire - debates on golden
age- brahminical revival and growth of feudalism ; decline of the Gupta power and
beginning of political decentralization of India - assessing Harshavardhana as the last
great emperor of ancient India.
Unit-4: From centralized to decentralized India - The Rajputs of North India - Palas and
Senas in Bengal - Kingdoms of the South – The Pallavas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas and
Cholas – changes in Polity, Society, Economy, Religion and Culture - towards
transition.
Semester 2
Minor Course 2. (Credit 4)
History of Medieval India
Unit-1 : Northern India under the Delhi Sultanate - consolidation of the Sultanate from
1206 to 1286 AD - the Khalji Revolution and the omnipotent state under the Khaljis -
The Tughluq period of reforms and counter reforms - decline of the Delhi Sultanate -
the successor states of Bijoynagar, Bahmani and Bengal - society, economy, art,
architecture and literature.
Unit-2: Delhi on the eve of the Mughal ascent - Timur’s invasion - the Sayyids and
Lodis - Babur’s adventure - Babur’s central Asian connection - Humayun’s
misfortune - Sher Shah Sur and Afghan rule in India - Making of the Mughal State from
Akbar to Aurangzeb.
Unit –3 : Agrarian crisis and the decline of the Mughal Empire - regional polity – the
Marathas under Shivaji and the Peshwas ; the Sikh challenge - emergence of successor
states – Bengal, Awadh, Mysore and Hyderabad.
Unit – 4 : Mughal India in retrospect - state and religion - evolution of the administrative
system– mansab and jagir - management of land and agriculture – features of urban
economy, trade and industry - society and culture – religion of the masses - language, music
and literature - art and architecture.
Multidisciplinary Course (History) under Social Sciences (Credit 3)
History
Unit 1.- The lost civilizations of ancient India – the Vedic and post-Vedic Age – Unity
in Diversity – Society and Polity in pre-Gupta and post-Gupta period.
Unit 2.- Growth of Muslim power in India – the Sultanate of Delhi – rise and fall of the
Mughal State – society and culture of pre-colonial India.
Unit 4.- British ascendancy in India – growth of British administration and its impact –
the Revolt of 1857 – the long road to freedom – creating ‘New India’ after 1947.
Value Added Course (Credit 4)
Understanding India
Unit 1.- Discovering immortal India through Vedic and non-Vedic philosophies – wild
life and ethnic communities of rural India.
Unit 2.- Spiritual and Material Culture – Ajivikism, Vaishnavism, Jainism, Buddhism
and Sufism.
Unit 3.- Culture and heritage of India – art & architecture of different ages.
Unit 4.- Evolution of different forms of music and dance as the performing art – (a)
music of north and south Indian varieties – (b) dance of north, south and north-eastern
varieties.
Chairman
Board of Undergraduate Studies in History
University of Kalyani
