BHMCT 103 Question Paper December 2025 is the paper to practise while you build your grounding in Hindustani music theory. It moves from Shrutis, Swaras and the old Gram and Murchhana system to Thaat and Raga classification and the musicologists who shaped the tradition, so it shows exactly how IGNOU tests the fundamentals.
What is the BHMCT-103 December 2025 Question Paper?
The BHMCT 103 December 2025 question paper is the official IGNOU Term-End Examination for Fundamentals of Hindustani Music in the BAPFHMH programme, carrying 100 marks over three hours across four compulsory questions. It tests theory, musicology and Raga classification. As the most recent live paper, it is the closest thing to the questions in your own hall.
About the IGNOU BHMCT-103 Course
BHMCT-103 is the foundational theory paper in the IGNOU B.A. (Hons.) Performing Arts Hindustani Music programme (BAPFHMH). It builds the vocabulary every music student needs before deeper practical and performance work.
You study the concept of Shruti and Swara, the ancient Gram and Murchhana system, the idea of Jati, the growth of Raga and the later Thaat classification, Taala and Theka, the kinds of gaan such as Anibaddha Gaan, and the contributions of texts and musicologists from the Natyashastra and Sharangdev's Sangeet Ratnakar to Bhatkhande, Paluskar and Sourindra Mohun Thakur.
This page is prepared by the Unnati Educations academic team, with the question text checked by our music and performing-arts content reviewers and study notes by Prateek Talwar. It is anchored to the IGNOU Term-End Examination of December 2025 and was last updated in June 2026.
BHMCT-103 Question Paper December 2025 Exam Pattern and Marks
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Medium | Bilingual, English and Hindi |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Question structure | Four questions, all compulsory |
| Question 1 | Fill in the blanks, ten items, 2 marks each, 20 marks |
| Question 2 | Match the following, ten pairs, 1 mark each, 10 marks |
| Question 3 | Short notes on any five of eight, 6 marks each, 30 marks |
| Question 4 | Long answers on any two of four, 20 marks each, 40 marks |
| Language of answers | English or Hindi, your choice |
The Full BHMCT-103 December 2025 Question Paper
No. of Printed Pages : 10
BHMCT–103
B. A. (HONS.) (PERFORMING ARTS) HINDUSTANI MUSIC (BAPFHMH)
Term-End Examination
December, 2025
BHMCT-103 : FUNDAMENTALS OF HINDUSTANI MUSIC
Time : 3 Hours Maximum Marks : 100
Note : All questions are compulsory.
1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the options given below : 2×10=20
(Options : Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Sangeet Parijat, Shuddha Gandhar, Kafi, Margi, Sharangdev, Sourindra Mohun Thakur, Shadj-Pancham Bhava, Kakali Nishad, Sangeet Ratnakar)
- ............. music was sung following some special rules and it was dear to God.
- In ancient times there were only two Vikrita Swaras, Antar Gandhara and ............. ............. .
- The distance between two notes having an interval of 13 Shruti was called ............. .
- By the time of Natyashastra, ............. Gram had become obsolete.
- The author of 'Sangeet Ratnakar' is ............. .
- The name of an instrument called Jalyantra, similar to the modern Jaltarang, is first mentioned in the medieval text ............. ............. .
- The medieval ten-fold Raga classification system is mentioned in the book ............. ............. .
- The efforts of ............. ............. ............. in introducing the harmonium instrument to the common people are noteworthy.
- The ticket system for watching a performance of classical music was first introduced by ............. ............. ............. .
- Raga Desh is a Raga of ............. Thaat.
2. Match the followings : 1×10=10
| (i) Sourindra Mohun Thakur | (a) Sangeet Parijat |
| (ii) William Jones | (b) The Music of Hindustan |
| (iii) Fox Strangeways | (c) On the Musical Modes of Hindus |
| (iv) Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande | (d) A Treatise on the Music of India |
| (v) Parshvadev | (e) The Music of India |
| (vi) Pt. Ahobal | (f) Introduction to the Study of Indian Music |
| (vii) E. Clements | (g) Kramik Pustak Malika |
| (viii) Vishnu Digambar Paluskar | (h) The Universal History of World Music |
| (ix) Captain Willard | (i) Sangeet Samay Saar |
| (x) H. A. Pople | (j) Sangeet Baal Prakash |
3. Write short notes on any five of the following : 5×6=30
- Anibaddha Gaan
- Ten characteristics of Jati
- Purvang Vadi Raga
- Moorchchhanas of Madhyam Gram
- Shadj Gramin Shruti System by Bharat
- Description and Theka of any Taala of your syllabus
- According to Krishna Mat, six main Ragas and their Raginis.
- Features of Raag Alhaiya Bilawal
4. Answer any two of the following questions : 2×20=40
- Describing the Sarana Chatushtaya process introduced by Bharat, explain in detail which theory he tried to clarify.
- Briefly describe Sangeet Ratnakar.
- Describe the Thaat-Raaga classification introduced by Pt. Bhatkhande.
- Describe in detail the role of Raja Sourindra Mohun Thakur in the revival of Indian music.
Topics and Themes in the BHMCT-103 Paper
- Margi music and its sacred character
- The Vikrita Swaras, including Antar Gandhar and Kakali Nishad
- The concept of Shruti and the Shadj-Pancham Bhava
- The Gram and Murchhana system and its decline by the time of the Natyashastra
- Sharangdev and the Sangeet Ratnakar
- Medieval instruments such as the Jalyantra and the Jaltarang
- The medieval tenfold Raga classification
- Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and the spread of the harmonium
- Sourindra Mohun Thakur, the ticket system and the revival of Indian music
- Raga Desh and the Kafi Thaat
- Musicologists and their texts, from William Jones to Bhatkhande
- Anibaddha Gaan and the ten characteristics of Jati
- The Sarana Chatushtaya process introduced by Bharat
- The Thaat and Raga classification of Bhatkhande
- Taala, Theka and the features of Raag Alhaiya Bilawal
How to Practise BHMCT-103 December 2025 Paper for the 2026 Exam
Start with the objective parts, because they are the easy marks. Question one and question two together carry 30 marks, and they test exact recall of names, texts and terms like Shadj-Pancham Bhava. Make a one-page list of names, books and definitions and revise it daily.
Remember every question is compulsory, so you cannot skip a whole part. Your only choice is inside the short notes, where you pick any five of eight, and inside the long answers, where you pick any two of four.
For the 6-mark short notes, give a crisp definition and two or three points. For a 20-mark long answer on a topic like the Thaat and Raga classification, plan a clear structure before you write. The same theory themes return year after year, so solid notes on Shruti, Gram, Jati and Thaat pay off against the December 2025 pattern you will face.
How to Build a High-Scoring Long Answer
Take question four, part three, describe the Thaat and Raga classification introduced by Pandit Bhatkhande. Here is the shape of a full-marks answer, not the answer itself.
Open by saying who Bhatkhande was and why he needed a new system. Then build your points: the idea of grouping Ragas under ten parent Thaats, the criteria he used such as the set of Swaras in each Thaat, and how this replaced older and less practical classifications.
Add one worked example, naming a Thaat and the Ragas that sit under it, then close on why this system became the standard for modern Hindustani music. Definition, points, example, conclusion is what earns the full 20 marks.
Frequently Asked Questions about the BHMCT-103 Question Paper December 2025
Is this the official IGNOU BHMCT-103 paper?
Yes, this is the genuine IGNOU Term-End paper for BHMCT-103 from December 2025. The questions are reproduced exactly as they appeared in the official examination for the BAPFHMH programme, with nothing reworded, renumbered or simplified. You are reading the same fill in the blanks, matching, short note and long answer questions that real students sat, which is why it works so well as honest practice.
Is BHMCT 103 useful for the 2026 exam?
Very much. The Fundamentals of Hindustani Music syllabus for BHMCT-103 is stable, and the four-part structure barely changes between sessions. Theory themes like Shruti, the Gram and Murchhana system, Jati and the Thaat and Raga classification reappear regularly, so this paper is one of the most reliable mocks you can use for your 2026 Term-End Examination.
Can I get BHMCT 103 Solved Question Paper?
Yes. A BHMCT 103 Solved Question Paper with model answers for each part is available, written to the same four-question structure the exam uses. The solved set is especially useful for the objective parts, where one missed name or text can cost easy marks. Just message us on WhatsApp and we will share the details with you.
Does BHMCT-103 paper help with the assignment?
It helps a lot. The assignment and the exam draw on the same music theory syllabus, so practising these questions strengthens your assignment answers on the same topics, whether that is the Gram and Murchhana system, Jati or the work of Bhatkhande. Many students prepare both together to save time, since strong notes serve double duty across the paper and the assignment.
How quickly is BHMCT 103 material shared?
Delivery is quick. Once you message us on WhatsApp and confirm what you need, the material is shared with you in a short time, usually the same day. There is no long wait, which matters when your exam date is close and every study hour counts. Reach out and we will guide you through it directly.
What BHMCT-103 support do you offer?
You get direct help over WhatsApp from our team, so if a term or a topic is unclear you can simply ask. We can point you to the matching solved paper, the assignment help and the guess sets for BHMCT-103, and answer practical doubts about the four-part pattern and marks. The aim is to make your Hindustani music preparation simpler.
Unnati Educations is an independent IGNOU study-resource platform that helps students prepare with past papers, solved material and study guidance.
Disclaimer: Unnati Educations is an independent academic support service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or associated with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The original question paper is the property of IGNOU and is provided here only as a reference for student practice.
If you want to go wider, you can browse the full IGNOU previous year question papers archive, pick up the matching BHMCT-103 solved assignment, and add the IGNOU guess paper set to your revision. For the solved paper or any help with BHMCT-103, message us on WhatsApp at 9899436384.