MAHI

M.A History

Assignment
For July 2023 and January 2024
Sessions

MHI-106

FACULTY OF HISTORY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY
MAIDAN GARHI, NEW DELHI – 110 068
 Assignment
MHI-106
SOCIAL STRUCTUREAS IN INDIA
THROUGH THE AGES
For July 2023 and January 2024
Dear Student,

As explained in the Programme Guide for M.A. in History you will have to do one assignment in
each course. The assignments are compulsory. Each assignment covers the whole course.

It is important that you write the answers to all the assignment questions in your own words.
Your answers should be within the approximate range of the word-limit set for a particular
question.

The assignment should be submitted to the Coordinator of your Study Centre. You must
obtain a receipt from the Study Centre for the assignment submitted and retain it. If possible,
keep a photocopy of the submitted assignment with you.

The Study Centre will have to return the assignment to you after evaluation. Please insist on
this. The Study Centre in turn will send the marks to the Student Evaluation Division at
IGNOU, New Delhi. These will be entered in your grade card.

Submission of Assignment

You should note that the submission of assignment is compulsory before taking up Term-end
Examination. It is therefore suggested that you do assignment within time. We have given you
a lot of time to do the assignment but we advise you to do assignment one by one along with
your study of the particular course and submit on time so that you may get back the marks and
comments of the Counsellor with evaluated assignment. With a proper planning you will be able
to do your assignment for each course within the stipulated period. Please do not wait for the
last date to submit all the assignments because it would be difficult to do all of them in one go.
Specific dates for the submission are given below.

Last Date of Submission of Assignment

July 2023 Session Students 30 thApril 2024

January 2024 Session Students 31 st October 2024

Where to submit the assignments: the Coordinator of your Study Centre

Before attempting the assignment please read the detailed instructions provided in the
Programme Guide sent to you separately.

Now read the guidelines carefully before answering the questions:

GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENTS

The assignment has two types of questions:

1) Essay Type Questions which you have to answer in about 500 words each and they carry
20 marks each.

2) Short notes to be answered in about 250 words each and they carry 10 marks each.

You will find it useful to keep the following points in mind:

a) Planning: Read the assignment carefully. Go through the units on which they are based. Make
some points regarding each question and then re-arrange these in a logical order in your own
words.

b) Organisation: Be a little more selective and analytical before drawing up a rough outline
of your answer. In an essay-type question, give adequate attention to your introduction and
conclusion. The introduction must offer your brief interpretation of the question and how
you propose to develop it. The conclusion must summarise your response to the question.

Make sure that your answer:

o is logical and coherent;

o has clear connections between sentences and paragraphs;
o is written correctly giving adequate consideration to your expression, style and
presentation;
o does not exceed the number of words indicated in your question.

a) Presentation: Once you are satisfied with your answers, you can write down the final version for
submission, writing each answer neatly and underlining the points you wish to emphasis.

b) Interpretation: Interpretation is a constant process in history writing. It is already reflected in your

planning and selection. Explanatory comments with phrases like may be, because, could be, etc.,
immediately introduce an element of interpretation in writing itself. Here you have to be careful
that these comments can be supported by the material you have in the answer.

Wishing you all the best,

Faculty of History
 MHI-106: SOCIAL STRUCTUREAS IN INDIA
THROUGH THE AGES
Course Code: MHI-106
Assignment Code: MHI-106/AST/
TMA/July23 and January 2024
Total Marks: 100

Note: Attempt any five questions. The assignment is divided into two Sections 'A' and 'B'. You
have to attempt at least two questions from each section in about 500 words each. All
questions carry equal marks.
SECTION A

1. Discuss the role of objectivity and interpretation in writing the history of ancient India. 20

2. Comment on the nature of the society in the Neolithic period 20

3. What do rituals reveal about the nature of society in the Vedic period? Elaborate. 20

4. Comment on the socio-religious and intellectual ferment that marked the rise of
Buddhism and Jainism. 20

5. Discuss what is meant by the early medieval society. 20

SECTION B

6. Comment on the nature of rural society in the peninsular India. 20

7. Discuss the origin and rise of the Rajputs with reference to the researches of
B.D. Chattopadhyaya and N. Zeigler. 20

8. How do you study tribes under colonialism? Discuss. 20

9. Did colonialism shape the perceptions of caste? Discuss. 20

10. Comment on the nature of social structures of the North East India under the
colonial rule. 20