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BA (Prog.) - History Syllabus (CBCS), Sem. I
BA (Prog.) - History Syllabus (CBCS), Sem. I
BA (Prog.) - History Syllabus (CBCS), Sem. I
Unit 1
Sources for the reconstruction of early Indian history (literary & archaeological)
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India up to 6th Century BCE, lesson 1
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 1, Reconstructing ancient Indian history (sections
1.3.1.1, 1.3.1.2, 1.3.2 & 1.3.3)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Ch. 2
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 1, pp. 1331, 3138, 4257
Unit 2
Stone age cultures
o Palaeolithic: geographical distribution of sites; chief characteristics (tool technology and its role in subsistence)
o Mesolithic: geographical distribution of sites; chief characteristics (tool technology and its role in subsistence)
o Neolithic: geographical distribution of sites & their characteristic features (special reference: Mehrgarh);
general characteristics of Neolithic cultures (tool technology, food production, animal domestication, other
changes in daily life)
o Rock art
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India up to 6th Century BCE, lesson 3, 4
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 1: Environment and Early Patterns of Adaptation, Units 3, 4
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 2, Prehistoric hunter-gatherers (sections 2.2 & 2.3); Ch. 3,
The advent of food production (units 3.1 & 3.2)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Chs 7, 8
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 2, pp. 59, 6465, 6793; Ch. 3, pp.
9598, 10131
Unit 3
Harappan civlization: origins; chronology; geographical distribution of sites; town-planning/urbanization/features of
urban life; political, social and economic structures; religion; script; art; decline; late Harappan cultures
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India up to 6th Century BCE, lesson 5
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 2: Harappan Civilization, Units 59
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 4, Harappan civilization (sections 4.1 & 4.2)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Ch. 10
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 4, pp. 133, 13773, 17681
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 1, pp. 1835
D. N. Jha, Ancient India in Historical Outline, Ch. 2, pp. 3040.
Unit 4
Vedic culture: Aryan problem; social, economic, political and religious conditions in the Early/Rig-Vedic (1500-1000
BCE) and Later Vedic (1000-600 BCE) periods
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India up to 6th Century BCE, lesson 7
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 3: Evolution of Early Indian Society, Units 12, 13
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 5, Cultures in Transition (section 5.1); Ch. 9, Religion,
Philosophy and Society (section 9.2, pp. 1423)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Chs 11, 12, 13
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 5, pp. 184210
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 2, pp. 4273
D. N. Jha, Ancient India in Historical Outline, Ch. 3, pp. 4161.
Archaeological cultures of iron age: Painted Grey Ware (PGW) culture; Megalithic culture
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India up to 6th Century BCE, lesson 8
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 3: Evolution of Early Indian Society, Unit 10, section 10.5; Unit 11 (section
11.4)
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 5, Cultures in Transition (sections 5.2, pp. 1523,
2529; 5.3, pp. 3745)
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 5, pp. 24044, 24548, 25054
Noboru Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India, Ch. 1, pp. 1525 (on Megalithic culture
in south India)
Unit 5
(6th-4th century BCE)
Regional states/ Mahajanapadas and the rise of Magadha: factors for the rise of Mahajanapadas; factors for the
success of Magadha; socio-economic conditions (especially second urbanization and its causal factors) (special
reference: ganasanghas/republics)
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India (600 BCE to 750 CE), Lessons 2, 3 (‘Rise of
Magadha’)
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 4: India, 6th to 4th Century BC, Unit 14 (section 14.7), 15, 16; Block 5:
Polity, Society, Economy, 320 BC to 200 BC, Unit 18 (sections 18.2, 18.4)
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 6, Economy and Society (circa 600 BC to AD 300)
(sections 6.1, pp. 49); Ch. 7, Changing Political Formations (section 7.1, pp. 417)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Chs 15, 17
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 6, pp. 26073, 27576,
27879, 287300
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 3, pp. 7889, 92109
D. N. Jha, Ancient India in Historical Outline, Ch. 5, pp. 7884, 8691
Unit 6
Unit 7
Mauryan period (325—187 BCE): sources (literary and archaeological); special reference: Arthashastra, Indica,
Ashokan edicts); administration and nature of state; Ashoka’s dhamma policy; social and economic conditions; art and
architecture; factors for the decline of the empire
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India (600 BCE to 750 CE), Lessons 4, 5
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 4: India, 6th to 4th Century BC, Units 18 (section 18.618.7), 19, 20, 21, 22
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 7, Changing Political Formations (section 7.2.1, 7.2.2,
pp. 1833, 3541)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Chs 18, 19
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch.7, pp. 32133, 33967
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 4, pp. 11765
D. N. Jha, Ancient India in Historical Outline, Ch. 6, pp. 92110
Unit 8
Post-Mauryan period (200 BCE—300 CE):
Sources (literary & archaeological)
Political conditions:
o Invasions and rule of Indo-Greeks, Shakas, Parthians and Kushanas in north and north-west India;
o Rule of Shungas, Kanvas and Mitras in north India;
o Rule of Mahameghavahanas/Chedis in Kalinga (eastern and coastal Orissa);
o Rule of Shaka Mahakshatrapas in western and central India;
o Rule of Satavahanas in Deccan;
o Rule of other monarchical (e.g., Nagas) and non-monarchical (e.g., Arjunayanas, Malavas, Yaudheyas) in
other parts of India
Socio-economic conditions:
o Agricultural expansion
o Urbanization
o Trade (especially Indo-Roman trade)
o Coinage
o Craft production
o Evolution of caste/varna system, condition of women
Religious conditions: spread of and changes in Buddhism and Jainism; evolution of Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta cults
Art and architecture (especially Gandhara and Mathura schools)
Special reference: contribution of Kushanas and Satavahanas in the administration, religion, art and economy;
Kanishka; Satavahanas (especially Gautamiputra Shatakarni); Indo-Greeks
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India (600 BCE to 750 CE), Lessons 6, 7
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 6: India, 200 BC to 300 AD, Units 23, 24 (sections 24.424.7), 25 (sections
25.125.7), 26 (sections 26.126.5); Block 7: State and Society in South India, 200 BC to 300 AD,
Units 27 (sections 27.6, 27.827.9)
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 6, Economy and Society (circa 600 BC to AD 300)
(sections 6.26.3, pp. 1019, 2629); 7, Changing Political Formations (sections 7.3, pp. 4351)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Chs 20, 21, 23
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 8, pp. 36984, 38899,
40322, 42945, 46165
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 5, pp. 16787, 189214, 21625
D. N. Jha, Ancient India in Historical Outline, Ch. 7, pp. 111119, 12145
Noboru Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India, Ch. 2, pp. 4043 (on Satavahanas in
Deccan)
Unit 9
The age of Tamil Sangam literature in the South: nature of Sangam literature; social, political, economic and cultural
life reflected in the Sangam literature
School of Open Learning (SOL), Early India (600 BCE to 750 CE), Lesson 8
IGNOU, EHI-02, Block 7: State and Society in South India, 200 BC to 300 AD, Units 28 (sections
28.128.5), 29 (sections 29.2, 29.3.1, 29.5.229.5.3, 29.6.1), 30 (sections 30.130.9), 31 (sections
31.131.5)
Institute of Life Long Learning (ILLL), Ch. 5, Cultures in Transition (section 5.4, pp. 4552,
5764)
R. S. Sharma, India’s Ancient Past, Ch. 22
Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch. 1, pp. 2729; Ch. 8, pp.
38488, 399403, 42225
Ranabir Chakrabarti, Exploring Early India, Ch. 5, pp. 18788
Noboru Karashima (ed.), A Concise History of South India, Ch. 2, pp. 4355