BHMCT 101 Question Paper December 2025, IGNOU Introduction to Hindustani Music and Its Fundamentals

BHMCT 101 Question Paper December 2025 is your sharpest practice set for the IGNOU Hindustani Music fundamentals paper. It runs from Naada and Swara and the classification of instruments through Dhrupad, Thumri and ragas like Bhairav and Yaman. If your exam falls in 2026, this is the paper to rehearse on, so let's walk through it.

What is the BHMCT-101 December 2025 Question Paper?

The BHMCT 101 December 2025 question paper is the official IGNOU Term-End Examination for Introduction to Hindustani Music and Its Fundamentals, set in English and Hindi, worth 100 marks over 3 hours, where you answer any ten of twelve questions.

In practice it is a single list with no sections. Each question carries ten marks and wants about 500 words, so you choose the ten you can argue best. The spread runs from theory like Naada and Swara to practical work such as writing the Sargam Geet of a raga or the theka of Kaharva and Dadra Taal.

About IGNOU BHMCT-101 Hindustani Music

BHMCT-101 lays the groundwork for the whole degree. It begins with the building blocks, Naada and Swara, the four-fold classification of musical instruments, and the parts of the accompanying instruments used in vocal music. From there it moves into the great vocal forms.

You study Dhrupad and its grave style of singing, the lyrical Thumri form and its evolution, and the elements that go into presenting a Raga. The practical heart includes ragas such as Bhairav, Yaman and Brindavani Sarang, each with its Sargam Geet, plus the lighter Kaharva and Dadra Taal with their theka.

The course also grounds you in history and theory: the music treatises written during the medieval period, the role of Raja Man Singh Tomar in popularising Dhrupad, the importance of the Natyashastra as a source book, and the ten principles of Art.

This page is written by Prateek Talwar and reviewed by the Unnati Educations academic team, including our Performing Arts and Hindustani-music content reviewers. It sits within the BHMCT-101 course of the IGNOU B.A. (Honours) Performing Arts Hindustani Music (BAPFHMH) programme and reflects the official IGNOU Term-End Examination of December 2025. Last updated: June 2026.

BHMCT-101 Question Paper December 2025 Exam Pattern and Marks

How the BHMCT-101 Twelve Questions Spread Across the Syllabus

There are no sections here, just twelve standalone questions, and you pick any ten. Reading them by theme helps you plan. The fundamentals strand holds Naada and Swara, the four-fold classification of instruments, and the elements of presenting a Raga.

The vocal-forms strand covers Dhrupad and its style of singing, the Thumri form and its evolution, and the contribution of Raja Man Singh Tomar. The practical strand is where you write down a Sargam Geet for Bhairav, Yaman or Brindavani Sarang and the theka of Kaharva and Dadra Taal.

Finally, the theory-and-texts strand carries the medieval music treatises, the Natyashastra as a source book, and the ten principles of Art. Here's the part that matters: choosing your ten across these strands lets you lean on your strengths, so a strong practical student can bank the raga and taal answers while still picking up the easier theory marks.

All Questions in the BHMCT-101 December 2025 Paper

Topics Covered in the BHMCT-101 Paper

• Naada and Swara
• The four-fold classification of musical instruments
• The parts of accompanying instruments in vocal music
• The Dhrupad form and its style of singing
• The Thumri form and its evolution
• Brief descriptions of medieval music treatises
• The elements of presenting a Raga
• A brief account of Bhairav, Yaman or Brindavani Sarang with its Sargam Geet
• The role of Raja Man Singh Tomar in popularising Dhrupad
• An introduction to Kaharva and Dadra Taal with theka
• The importance of the Natyashastra as a source book
• The ten principles of Art

Key Terms in the BHMCT-101 Paper Explained

Naada and Swara: Naada is musical sound itself, the vibration that underlies all music, while Swara is a fixed, pleasing musical note. Together they form the very first concept a Hindustani music student must grasp.

Dhrupad: The oldest surviving style of Hindustani vocal music, grave and devotional in mood, built on a structured alap and a fixed composition set to taal.

Thumri: A lighter, romantic semi-classical vocal form that gives the singer freedom to elaborate the words and mood, distinct from the austerity of Dhrupad.

Sargam Geet: A composition sung using the names of the swaras (Sa, Re, Ga and so on), used both for training and performance, which question 8 asks you to write in notation.

Theka: The fixed, basic pattern of bols that defines a taal, such as the theka of Kaharva or Dadra, which marks its rhythmic cycle.

Natyashastra: The ancient treatise attributed to Bharata Muni, treated as a foundational source book for Indian music, dance and drama.

How to Use BHMCT 101 December 2025 Question Paper to Score in the 2026 Exam

Rehearse this December 2025 IGNOU paper against a real 3-hour clock and decide your ten answers before you write. With twelve on offer, drop your two weakest, perhaps the medieval treatises if names slip your memory, and protect the topics you know.

For a 500-word, ten-mark answer, open with a clear definition or context, give four or five features, add a worked example, and close briefly. A raga question on Bhairav or Yaman is not complete without an actual Sargam Geet written in notation, and a taal answer must carry the written theka of Kaharva or Dadra, not just a description.

Specifics earn marks. Naming a real treatise in question 6, or pointing to the Natyashastra as a source for question 11, shows the examiner you know the texts. Themes like Dhrupad and instrument classification recur, so polishing them once pays off.

Sample Answer Approach (not a full answer)

Take question 4, elaborate on Dhrupad and its style of singing. Here is the shape of a full-marks answer, not the answer itself.

Opening: define Dhrupad as the oldest grave style of Hindustani vocal music and set its devotional character.

Key points to cover: its origin and link with the temple and court, the four-part structure of sthayi, antara, sanchari and abhog, the central role of alap, the use of pakhawaj as accompaniment, and the four banis or styles.

Worked example: name Raja Man Singh Tomar and Gwalior as a centre that nurtured Dhrupad, tying back to question 9.

Conclusion: a two-line note on why Dhrupad remains the foundation of Hindustani classical singing.

Frequently Asked Questions about the BHMCT-101 Question Paper December 2025

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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.