BHIC 132 Question Paper December 2025 is the sharpest practice set for History of India from C.E. 300 to 1206. It shows how IGNOU frames the rise of the Guptas, the Golden Age debate, Pallava-Pandya architecture and the Turkish conquest. If your BAG exam is in 2026, start here.
What is the BHIC-132 December 2025 Question Paper?
The BHIC 132 December 2025 question paper is the official IGNOU Term-End Examination paper for History of India from roughly C.E. 300 to 1206. It is bilingual in English and Hindi, set for 100 marks across 3 hours, split into Section A and Section B in the BAG programme.
The paper holds eight questions, four in each Section. You answer any five, with at least two from each Section, and every question carries 20 marks. The range runs from the emergence of the Guptas and Pallava-Pandya architecture to the Golden Age debate, agrarian relations, the Turkish success against the Rajputs, and sources like the Chachanama.
About IGNOU BHIC-132 History of India (C.E. 300 to 1206)
BHIC-132 is the ancient and early-medieval course in the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) History (BAG) programme. It studies the period from about C.E. 300 to 1206, opening with the rise of the Gupta empire and the long debate over whether the Gupta age truly deserves the label of a Golden Age.
From there it covers the craft and architecture of the Pallava and Pandya periods, the debate on the origin of the Rajputs, and the changing structure of early-medieval society, including the proliferation of castes between C.E. 700 and 1200. The course also examines agrarian relations in that period, the causes of the Turkish success against the Rajputs, regional powers such as the Rashtrakutas, rulers like Harsha, and historical sources such as the Chachanama.
This page was prepared by Prateek Talwar and reviewed by the Unnati Educations academic team with Indian history and ancient and early-medieval history content reviewers. It is anchored to the IGNOU Term-End Examination, December 2025. Last updated June 2026.
BHIC-132 Question Paper December 2025 Exam Pattern and Marks
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Medium | Bilingual, English and Hindi |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Paper structure | Two Sections, Section A and Section B, four questions each |
| Total questions in the paper | 8 |
| Questions to attempt | Any five, with at least two from each Section |
| Marks per question | 20 each, all questions carry equal marks |
| Word guidance | About 400 words per main answer and about 200 words per short note |
| Question type | Long descriptive essays plus short-note clusters worth 20 |
| Language of answers | English or Hindi |
All Questions in the BHIC-132 December 2025 Paper
ENGLISH VERSION
BHIC-132 : HISTORY OF INDIA (FROM C.E. 300 TO 1206)
Time : 3 Hours Maximum Marks : 100
Note : (i) Answer any five questions in about 400 words each.
(ii) Attempt at least two questions from each Section.
(iii) All questions carry equal marks.
Section—A
Trace the process of the emergence of the Gupta Kingdom. 20
Write an essay on the craft and architecture of the Pallava and Pandya periods. 20
Review the debate on the origin of the Rajputs. 20
Discuss various features of Indian society with special reference to the proliferation of castes during C-700-1200 C.E. 20
Section—B
"Gupta period has often been referred to as Golden Age due to its cultural heritage." Comment. 20
Describe the agrarian relations between C-700-1200 C.E. 20
Discuss the causes of the success of the Turks against the Rajputs. 20
Write short notes on any two of the following in about 200 words each : 10×2=20
(a) Chachanama as a historical source
(b) Language and literature during the Gupta period
(c) The Rashtrakuta Empire
(d) Harsha
HINDI VERSION
बी.एच.आई.सी.-132 : भारत का इतिहास (लगभग 300 सी. ई. से 1206 तक)
समय : 3 घण्टे अधिकतम अंक : 100
नोट : (i) किन्हीं पाँच प्रश्नों के उत्तर लगभग 400 शब्दों (प्रत्येक) में दीजिए।
(ii) प्रत्येक भाग में से कम-से-कम दो प्रश्नों का चयन कीजिए।
(iii) सभी प्रश्नों के अंक समान हैं।
भाग—क
गुप्त साम्राज्य के उद्भव की प्रक्रिया का अनुरेखण कीजिए। 20
पल्लव व पाण्ड्य समयावधियों के शिल्प एवं स्थापत्य कला पर एक निबंध लिखिए। 20
राजपूतों की उत्पत्ति पर वाद-विवाद की समीक्षा कीजिए। 20
लगभग 700-1200 सी. ई. के दौरान जातियों के प्रसार के विशेष संदर्भ में भारतीय समाज की विभिन्न विशेषताओं पर चर्चा कीजिए। 20
भाग—ख
"अपनी सांस्कृतिक विरासत के कारण गुप्त काल को 'स्वर्ण युग' कहा जाता है।" टिप्पणी कीजिए। 20
लगभग 700-1200 सी. ई. के बीच कृषक सम्बन्धों का वर्णन कीजिए। 20
राजपूतों के विरुद्ध तुर्कों की सफलता के कारणों पर चर्चा कीजिए। 20
निम्नलिखित में से किन्हीं दो पर लगभग 200 शब्दों (प्रत्येक) में संक्षिप्त टिप्पणियाँ लिखिए : 2×10=20
(क) एक ऐतिहासिक स्रोत के रूप में चचनामा
(ख) गुप्त काल के दौरान भाषा व साहित्य
(ग) राष्ट्रकूट साम्राज्य
(घ) हर्ष
Topics Covered in the BHIC-132 Paper
The process of the emergence of the Gupta Kingdom
The craft and architecture of the Pallava and Pandya periods
The debate on the origin of the Rajputs
The features of Indian society and the proliferation of castes during C.E. 700 to 1200
The Gupta period and the Golden Age debate
Agrarian relations between C.E. 700 and 1200
The causes of the success of the Turks against the Rajputs
The Chachanama as a historical source
Language and literature during the Gupta period
The Rashtrakuta empire
Harsha
Section-wise Theme Map of the BHIC-132 Paper
| Section | Main long questions | Short-note options |
|---|---|---|
| Section A (political emergence, art and society) | The emergence of the Gupta Kingdom, Pallava and Pandya craft and architecture, the debate on Rajput origins, society and the proliferation of castes c. 700 to 1200 | None, all four are full 20-mark questions |
| Section B (interpretation, economy, conquest and sources) | The Gupta Golden Age debate, agrarian relations c. 700 to 1200, the Turkish success against the Rajputs | The Chachanama as a source, Gupta language and literature, the Rashtrakuta empire, Harsha |
How to Use BHIC-132 December 2025 Paper Score in the 2026 Exam
Decide your spread before writing. Because at least two answers must come from each Section, don't prepare only the Gupta and art material in Section A or only the early-medieval economy and conquest questions in Section B. Lock in two safe options on each side first.
The "comment" and "review the debate" questions are not narration questions. For the Golden Age comment, set the cultural achievements against the counter-arguments about social inequality and agrarian distress, then judge. For the Rajput-origins question, lay out the competing theories rather than backing one. Most students notice that showing more than one viewpoint scores higher than a single descriptive account.
The IGNOU December 2025 TEE gives steady weight to the Gupta period, the origin of the Rajputs and the Turkish conquest, so balance those against the agrarian and architecture questions when you revise.
Sample Answer Approach (not a full answer)
Take Q7, the causes of the success of the Turks against the Rajputs. Here is the shape of a 20-mark answer, not the answer itself.
Context: open by placing the Turkish raids and conquests against the political fragmentation of northern India.
Points to cover: Rajput political disunity and rivalry, differences in military organisation and cavalry tactics, the Turks' superior mobility and command structure, the absence of a unified Rajput response, and the economic and strategic motives behind the invasions.
Worked example: use the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan at the second battle of Tarain in 1192 as your concrete anchor.
Conclusion: a short analytical line on why disunity proved decisive.
Four or five developed points with one dated example is what earns the full twenty.
Frequently Asked Questions about the BHIC-132 Question Paper December 2025
Is this the authentic BHIC-132 Question Paper?
It is the real BHIC-132 Question Paper December 2025 for the IGNOU Term-End Examination, shown exactly as IGNOU printed it. Both Sections, the three-part Note line, every 20-mark value, the short-note cluster and all sub-parts from the Chachanama to Harsha are intact. Nothing has been reworded, so the BHIC-132 questions you rehearse on the Gupta emergence and the Turkish conquest are the genuine ones.
Does this BHIC-132 Question Paper come in both English and Hindi?
Yes, both. This BHIC-132 Question Paper is bilingual, and the page reproduces the questions in English (Section A and Section B) and in Hindi (भाग क and भाग ख) exactly as IGNOU set them. Whichever medium you write your exam in, you can practise from the version matching your answer language without translating the Gupta or Rajput questions yourself.
Will this BHIC-132 Question Paper help my 2026 BAG exam?
Considerably. As the latest official BAG paper, it mirrors what you are likely to face next on the Golden Age debate, Pallava-Pandya architecture and agrarian relations. IGNOU keeps emphasising the Gupta period, Rajput origins and the Turkish success, so working this set under the two-Section rule sharpens both your topic depth and your selection strategy.
Is a solved BHIC-132 Question Paper available?
A solved BHIC-132 Question Paper with structured model answers can be arranged on request. The answers handle the essays on the Gupta emergence and the Turkish conquest at roughly 400 words, and short notes such as the Rashtrakuta empire or Harsha at around 200. Message the desk on WhatsApp to request it for this December 2025 paper.
Can this BHIC-132 Question Paper help with the assignment too?
It does, indirectly. Themes here, including the Golden Age debate, the origin of the Rajputs and agrarian relations c. 700 to 1200, overlap closely with common BHIC-132 assignment questions. Drilling these exam questions reinforces the same material your tutor-marked assignment tests, so one focused study session strengthens both your exam and your assignment.
What help can I get for the BHIC-132 Question Paper?
Direct, personal help over WhatsApp for any doubt on this paper, whether it is the two-Section rule or how to handle the Golden Age comment question with balance. If a topic like the Chachanama as a source or the Rashtrakuta empire feels unclear, the team responds itself and guides your approach rather than sending an automated reply.
Unnati Educations is an independent IGNOU study-resource platform that prepares previous-year papers, solved assignments and guess papers for student practice.
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.
To revise more widely, browse the IGNOU previous year question papers archive for further ancient and early-medieval sets, pair this with the matching BHIC-132 solved assignment to write the same themes out in full, and add the IGNOU guess paper set to anticipate likely 2026 questions. For the solved version or any quick doubt, message us on WhatsApp at 9899436384.