Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas: Polity and administration, Economic conditions, Coinage of the Guptas, Land grants, Decline of urban centres, Indian feudalism, Caste system, Position of women

Themes in Early Indian Cultural History: Languages and texts, Major stages in the evolution of art and architecture, Major philosophical thinkers and schools, Ideas in Science and Mathematics

“Indian Feudalism”: Agrarian economy and urban settlements. Trade and commerce. Society: the status of the Brahman and the new social order. Condition of women. Indian science and technology.

Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate: The Ghurian invasions – factors behind Ghurian success. Economic, Social and cultural consequences. Foundation of Delhi Sultanate and early Turkish Sultans. Consolidation: The rule of Iltutmish and Balban.

16. The Fourteenth Century:

“The Khalji Revolution”. Alauddin Khalji: Conquests and territorial expansion, agrarian and economic measure.

Regional cultures specificities. Literary traditions. Provincial architectural. Society, culture, literature, and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.

Akbar: Conquests and consolidation of empire. Establishment of jagir and mansab systems. Rajput policy.

Nature of the Mughal State. Late Seventeenth Century crisis and the revolts. The Ahom kingdom. Shivaji and the early Maratha Kingdom

Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries:  Population Agricultural and craft production. Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies: a trade revolution.

Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire. The regional principalities: Nizam’s Deccan, Bengal, Awadh. Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas. The Maratha fiscal and financial system. Emergence of Afghan power Battle of Panipat, 1761. State of, political, cultural, and economic, on eve of the British conquest.

The Early European Settlements; The Portuguese and the Dutch; The English and the French East India Companies; Their struggle for supremacy; Carnatic Wars; Bengal-The conflict between the English and the Nawabs of Bengal; Siraj and the English; The Battle of Plassey; Significance of Plassey.

British Expansion in India:

Bengal-Mir Jafar and Mir Kasim; The Battle of Buxar; Mysore; The Marathas; The three Anglo-Maratha Wars; The Punjab.

(b) Dislocation of traditional trade and commerce; De-industrialisation; Decline of traditional crafts; Drain of wealth; Economic transformation of India; Railroad and communication network including telegraph and postal services; Famine and poverty in the rural interior; European business enterprise and its limitations.

Social and Cultural Developments:

The state of indigenous education, its dislocation; Orientalist-Anglicist controversy, The introduction of western education in India; The rise of press, literature, and public opinion; The rise of modern vernacular literature; Progress of Science; Christian missionary activities in India.

The Great Revolt of 1857 —Origin, character, casuses of failure, the consequences; The shift in the character of peasant uprisings in the post-1857 period; the peasant movements of the 1920s and 1930s.

Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism; Politics of Association; The Foundation of the Indian National Congress; The Safety-valve thesis relating to the birth of the Congress; Programme and objectives of Early Congress; the social composition of early Congress leadership; the Moderates and Extremists; The Partition of Bengal (1905); The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal; the economic and political aspects of Swadeshi Movement; The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.

Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.

Ecology and environmental policy in post-colonial India; Progress of Science.

Nation-State System: (i) Rise of Nationalism in 19th century.  (ii) Nationalism: State-building in Germany and Italy.  (iii) Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World.