The debate has intensified regarding the removal of an important paper related to the Delhi Sultanate from the postgraduate history syllabus of Delhi University. Or rather, there has been an uproar in the academic circle. Academics have their own arguments regarding this. But if we look at the new syllabus, the story is not limited to the removal of just one paper. The real question is that out of the 38 Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) papers proposed by the History Department, why only 16 made it to the final syllabus and what happened to the remaining 22?
Was only the Delhi Sultanate paper left out of the syllabus?
“The Delhi Sultanate: Structures of Authority in Medieval North India (13th-14th Century)” has been excluded from Semester III of the new Postgraduate History syllabus. This paper focused on questions like formation of state and power, political institutions and use of power in medieval North India.
Besides this, History of North India 1400-1550 also does not appear in the final syllabus. That means the scope of change is not limited only to Delhi Sultanate.
Why was the Delhi Sultanate paper so important?
This was not an ordinary history-survey paper. At PG level, its emphasis was on understanding one period in depth. For example, how power was formed during the Sultanate, how political authority worked and what changes took place in the socio-political structure of North India.
Even in the old PG documents of DU, Structures of Authority related to Delhi Sultanate has been described as a part of the study of Medieval India.
Will Delhi Sultanate be taught in UG?
It is important to understand an important difference here. The objective of studying Delhi Sultanate in UG and PG is not the same. DU's UG History syllabus includes topics like the establishment, expansion and consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate, Khilji-Tughlaq reforms, aristocracy of the Sultanate and the Iqta system. That is, at UG level it is taught as a part of broader Indian history.
Whereas the removed paper of PG level provided an opportunity to see this period from a more specific and analytical perspective.
Were the papers of ancient India also removed along with medieval history?
Change does not appear to be limited to medieval history alone. The proposed/previous papers of Semester III also included subjects like 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, which could not reach the final list.
This makes the question bigger – is it just the selection of some specific papers or is the entire elective structure of PG History being prepared afresh?
Then where have the 22 papers out of 38 proposed DSE gone?
This is the most important question of this entire matter. 38 DSE papers were proposed by the History Department. But only 16 papers were included in the final notified syllabus of Semester III. That means 22 proposed papers could not reach the final notification.
However, this does not necessarily mean that these 22 papers have been abolished forever. University records state that some proposed courses are still under discussion or review.
This is why the distinction between “removed” and “not yet notified” is important at this time.
Is the decision still pending on these 22 papers?
According to the clarification given by DU, the matter was not only about stopping the papers. Dean of Academic Affairs K. According to Ratnabali, all the proposed courses were placed before the Academic Council.
After this, the Vice-Chancellor was allowed to form an expert committee to review those courses which required reconsideration. Apart from three external experts, the committee included the Head of the Department and two members of the Academic Council. According to DU, some more papers are expected to be notified further after review.
Why was there a need to re-review the syllabus?
According to DU's explanation, the problem arose when changes were made in some syllabus at the departmental level after getting approval from the Standing Committee.
These changes included things like addition or deletion of papers, change in units and amendments in the reading list. According to the university, for this reason there was a need to reconsider the already approved syllabus.
That is, an important part of the controversy is that what should be the extent of changes in the syllabus after approval and at what level the final decision should be taken.
What is the process of finalizing syllabus in DU?
The journey of a new course does not directly reach the final notification from the department. The Committee of Courses of the department considers the proposal. After this the matter goes to the Standing Committee and then to the Academic Council. After the approval of the Academic Council, the syllabus goes to the Executive Council for final approval.
Looking at this entire process, the question of going from 38 to 16 DSE becomes not just a question of academic choice but also of the process of preparing and approving the syllabus.
Is this change happening under NEP 2020?
According to the DU syllabus document, the revised PG program is based on PGCF 2024 under NEP 2020 and is set to be implemented from July 2026.
Therefore, the change in syllabus is also being seen in the context of changes in the broader PG structure and not just the removal of papers from one historical period.
What does the notification of August 7 tell?
The final syllabus notification was released on 7th August. But all the proposed courses are not in the same status in the available records. Some courses are in the final list, some are not and some are still under review or discussion.
This is what makes this whole matter interesting – because at the moment it is too early to say that this is the complete list of 22 papers that have been finally removed.
What does this mean for DSE students?
The purpose of DSE i.e. Discipline Specific Elective is to give students the option to choose a particular area or theme within their subject.
Therefore, reducing the number of options can have a direct impact on the choice of students. Especially at a level like PG, where students want to do further study and research in a particular period, area or subject.
In such a situation, the question is not only which paper has been removed, but also how many options the students will have to choose specialization.
What was taught in the papers of Delhi Sultanate?
The paper on Delhi Sultanate was not limited to just the timeline of rulers and wars. Its focus was on the structure of power and the creation of medieval society.
That is, the question was how power was established in Delhi, how relations were formed between the Sultans and the political elite, how administration and political authority worked and what changes came with power in North Indian society in the 13th-14th centuries.
Delhi Sultanate: Complete Timeline from 1206 to 1526
1. Slave Dynasty – 1206 to 1290
Qutubuddin Aibak – 1206-1210: Early ruler of the Delhi Sultanate and founder of the Mamluk dynasty. The beginning of the construction of Qutub Minar is attributed to his time.
Iltutmish – 1211-1236: Major rulers who strengthened the Sultanate. Famous for the development of currency system and administrative structure like Tanka and Jital.
Razia Sultan – 1236-1240: The first and only prominent female Sultan of Delhi. Relations between the monarchy and the Turkish elite remained important during his rule.
Balban – 1266-1287: Strengthened central authority and adopted strict state protocols to enhance the prestige of the royal court.
2. Khilji Dynasty – 1290 to 1320
Jalaluddin Khilji – 1290-1296: Founder of Khilji dynasty. Known for relatively liberal political policy.
Alauddin Khilji – 1296-1316: Famous for empire expansion, market control, military reforms and administrative centralization. Military campaigns up to South India greatly increased the influence of the Sultanate.
3. Tughlaq Dynasty – 1320 to 1414
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq – 1320-1325: Established the Tughlaq dynasty and strengthened the administrative-military system.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq – 1325-1351: Among the most famous Sultans due to his experiments like change of capital and token currency.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq – 1351-1388: Emphasis on canals, cities and public works. Many changes took place in the administration and revenue system during his rule.
4. Syed Dynasty-1414 to 1451
Khizr Khan – 1414-1421: Founder of Syed dynasty. Took over power in Delhi after Taimur's invasion.
Mubarak Shah – 1421-1434: The Syed dynasty is considered to be a relatively capable ruler and construction activities took place around Delhi during his time.
Muhammad Shah – 1434-1445: Governance in the era of weakening Sultanate power.
Alauddin Alam Shah – 1445-1451: The last ruler of the Syed dynasty. After him the Lodi dynasty came to power.
5. Lodi Dynasty – 1451 to 1526
Bahlol Lodi – 1451-1489: Founder of the Lodi dynasty and prominent among the first Afghan Sultans of Delhi.
Sikandar Lodi – 1489-1517: Strengthened the administration and developed Agra as an important political centre.
Ibrahim Lodi – 1517-1526: Last Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. After the defeat by Babur in the first battle of Panipat in 1526, the Lodi rule of Delhi Sultanate ended and the Mughal power began.
Did the study of Delhi Sultanate end in DU?
At present it would not be right to say so. Topics related to Delhi Sultanate are still present in the syllabus at UG level. The issue at PG level is the exclusion of a particular DSE paper from the final syllabus and reduction in the number of DSE papers offered broadly. Also, according to DU, some other papers can be notified further after the completion of the review.
Therefore, the biggest question of this entire controversy is perhaps not why the Delhi Sultanate was removed but rather which subjects will get a place for specialization in the new structure of PG History and which have been kept out for the time being?