Delhi University drops Delhi Sultanate from PG syllabus
What's the story
The Delhi University (DU) has removed the course on the Delhi Sultanate from its postgraduate History syllabus. The course, "The Delhi Sultanate: Structures of Authority in Medieval North India (13th-14th Centuries)," was previously taught in Semester III. Other courses that have been dropped include "History of North India, c. 1400-1550," "Gender and Women in Early India: 1500 BCE to 1000 CE," and "Political Processes and Structure of Polities in Ancient India."
Curriculum overhaul
Changes part of NEP restructuring
These changes are part of the restructuring under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The postgraduate syllabus revision follows similar changes in DU's undergraduate program since 2022-23.
Notably, both "Delhi Sultanate" and "History of North India" courses have similarities with an undergraduate paper, but a faculty member clarified that they aren't comparable.
They said the postgraduate paper on the sultanate has been "a core medieval India paper for....decades," unlike the undergraduate version, which is a "survey course" on Indian history.
Approval process
Syllabus revision process at DU
The syllabus change process at DU involves multiple stages, including discussions and approvals from various committees.
According to the Indian Express, DU's Dean of Academic Affairs K Ratnabali said all courses were taken to the Academic Council for review by an Expert Committee.
Sources familiar with the Expert Committee's review told the paper the "review was aimed at making the syllabus more representative of different regions and periods of Indian history" while also ensuring it was aligned with NEP objectives.
Notification delay
DU History Department proposed 38 DSE papers
Now students pursuing a postgraduate degree in History will no longer have the option to choose a course on the Delhi Sultanate, which examines how the medieval state was formed, how political, religious and cultural life evolved.
According to official documents, the DU History Department proposed 38 Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) papers. However, only 16 were included in the Semester III syllabus that was notified on August 7.
Several courses remain listed in university records as "under discussion" or "undiscussed."