BHIC 103 key facts: June 2026
- Course code: BHIC 103 (printed BHIC-103)
- Subject: History of India-II
- Programme: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) History (BAHIH); BA Four Year Undergraduate Programme Major History (BAFHI)
- Credits: 6
- Blocks and units: 4 blocks, 18 units
- Maximum marks: 100 (term-end exam 70 per cent, assignments 30 per cent)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 8 in two sections; attempt any 5, at least 2 from each section
- Expected length: about 400 words per 20-mark answer, 200 words per short note
- Sample answers shown here: 2 (Q3 and Q7); all 8 in the paid file, including every short-note option
BHIC 103 History of India-II is a 6-credit core course of IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) History programme, covering Indian history from c. 200 BCE into the early medieval period.
1. What the June 2026 Solved Paper Covers
BHIC 103 Solved Question Paper for June 2026 gives you written answers to every question in the official IGNOU term-end paper. Our subject experts took the June 2026 paper, studied earlier BHIC 103 papers and wrote answers in the length and order examiners expect, from the Sungas to Prakrit and Pali.
The paper moves from post-Mauryan trade and the Gupta decline in Section A to crafts, Bhakti, art and early Indian science in Section B. On this page you can read 2 complete answers and see the other 6 questions exactly as printed.
2. Two Answers Solved in Full, Six Held Back
Below are two complete answers from the June 2026 paper: Question 3 from Section A and Question 7 from Section B.
Read them to judge the depth and structure of the file. Each answer opens with context, moves through clear numbered points with named inscriptions, rulers and sites, and closes with a short conclusion, which is the shape that earns marks in a 20-mark history answer.
Factors behind the decline of the Gupta Empire
Question 3: Explain various factors for the decline of the Gupta Empire. (20)
The Gupta Empire rose in the early 4th century CE and reached its height under Samudragupta, Chandragupta II and Kumaragupta I. After Skandagupta died around 467 CE, its hold over north India loosened, and by the middle of the 6th century it had shrunk to a regional power. Historians agree that no single cause explains this. The decline came from several factors working together.
- Weak successors and disputed succession. Skandagupta himself seems to have fought for the throne. After him, a string of rulers including Purugupta, Kumaragupta II, Budhagupta and Narasimhagupta Baladitya ruled for short spells, and their coins and seals point to rival claims within the family. Budhagupta (c. 476 to 495 CE) was the last ruler to control a wide territory.
- The Huna invasions. Skandagupta's Bhitari pillar inscription records his victory over the Hunas, but the war drained the treasury. In the late 5th and early 6th centuries, the Huna chiefs Toramana and Mihirakula took the Punjab, Rajasthan and Malwa. Toramana's rule over Malwa is attested by the Eran boar inscription. Mihirakula was later defeated, but Gupta power in the west did not recover.
- Rise of feudatories and regional dynasties. Gupta rule rested on subordinate rulers (samantas) who paid tribute. As the centre weakened, they broke away: the Maukharis at Kanauj, the Later Guptas in Magadha, the Maitrakas at Valabhi and new rulers in Bengal. Yashodharman of Mandasor, whose inscription claims victory over Mihirakula, boasted of lands even the Guptas had never held.
- Land grants and decentralisation. Gupta kings and officials granted villages to brahmanas and religious bodies, often with revenue and administrative rights. This created local power holders who owed little to the king. Copper plates from Damodarpur in north Bengal show provincial governors and district boards handling land sales on their own authority, a sign of how far power had spread from the centre.
- Economic strain. Long-distance trade with the Roman world had weakened, and the collapse of the western Roman Empire in 476 CE hit the luxury trade further. Skandagupta's gold coins follow a heavier standard but contain less pure gold, and later Gupta coins are fewer and more debased. Falling revenue meant less money to pay armies and reward loyal officials.
- Other views. Some scholars link the Buddhist leanings of later rulers, such as Narasimhagupta Baladitya's association with Nalanda, to a weaker military outlook, though this view is debated. The sheer size of the empire and slow communications also made firm control from Pataliputra difficult.
Conclusion. Vishnugupta, ruling around the middle of the 6th century, is usually treated as the last known Gupta king. The decline shows how an empire built on tributary alliances could not survive when foreign invasion, weak succession and growing local power struck at the same time.
Schools of art of the post-Mauryan period
Question 7: Briefly discuss the different schools of art which emerged during the post-Mauryan period. (20)
The period between c. 200 BCE and 300 CE saw some of the most creative art in early India. Patronage came from the Sungas, Satavahanas and Kushanas, but also from merchants, guilds, monks and nuns, whose donations are recorded on railings and pillars. Alongside the early stupa art of Bharhut and Sanchi, three regional schools stand out: Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati.
Bharhut and Sanchi
The railings of the Bharhut stupa (c. 2nd century BCE) carry labelled scenes from the Jatakas and figures of yakshas and yakshis. The four gateways (toranas) of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, carved around the 1st century BCE, are crowded with stories of the Buddha's life; one inscription credits the ivory carvers of Vidisha. In both, the Buddha is shown through symbols such as the Bodhi tree, footprints, an empty throne or a stupa, never in human form.
Gandhara school
This school grew in the north-west, in the Peshawar valley, Taxila and Swat, and flourished under the Kushanas. Artists worked in grey-blue schist and later in stucco. Influenced by Hellenistic and Roman art, they gave the Buddha wavy hair, a halo, a realistic body and a heavy robe with deep folds. Bodhisattvas appear richly dressed and jewelled. The focus was on physical form rather than inner calm.
Mathura school
Mathura developed an indigenous style in spotted red sandstone. Its early Buddha and Bodhisattva figures, such as the Katra image, have a shaven head with a spiral top-knot, a smiling face, broad shoulders and a thin robe over the left shoulder, with the right hand raised in abhaya mudra. Mathura also produced Jain tirthankaras, yakshas and yakshis, and royal portrait statues of Kushana kings at Mat, including the headless statue of Kanishka.
Amaravati school
In the lower Krishna valley of Andhra, under the Satavahanas and later the Ikshvakus at Nagarjunakonda, artists carved greenish-white limestone casing slabs and railings for stupas. The reliefs are full of movement, with slender figures, dense crowds and lively narrative scenes. Early panels show the Buddha through symbols, while later ones show him in human form.
Significance
These schools gave India its first images of the Buddha in human form, whether Gandhara or Mathura came first. They show how foreign and local traditions met under Kushana rule, and how trade wealth paid for religious art. Their ideas fed directly into the classical sculpture of the Gupta period, especially at Sarnath.
3. Questions Answered Only in the Full File
These 6 questions from the June 2026 paper are printed here exactly as they appear on the official paper. Their answers are in the full file only.
Section A
Question 1: Discuss the nature of trade and commercial organisation in India between c. 200 BCE and c. 300 CE. (20)
Question 2: Write in brief the political developments in North India during the 5th and 6th centuries CE. (20)
Question 4: Write short notes on any two of the following in about 200 words each. (10 + 10)
(a) The Sungas
(b) Agrarian system in Tamilakam
(c) The Tripartite Struggle
(d) Samudragupta
Section B
Question 5: Discuss craft production in North India in the early medieval period. (20)
Question 6: Write a note on the Bhakti movement. (20)
Question 8: Write short notes on any two of the following in about 200 words each. (10 + 10)
(a) Temple architecture
(b) Aryabhata-I
(c) Environmental concern as depicted in ancient Indian texts
(d) Prakrit and Pali
Question 1 asks for the nature of commercial organisation, not only a list of trade routes, and Question 2 needs the post-Gupta map of North India in the right order. Getting those framings right is where many students lose marks.
4. Syllabus by Block and Unit
BHIC 103 has 4 blocks and 18 units, running from the Sungas and Kushanas in Unit 1 to environment, forests and water resources in Unit 18.
Use the table to see which units feed which exam questions. If you want the unit-wise notes themselves, our BHIC 103 Study Material follows the same block order.
| Block | Unit | Topics to know for the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1: India 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 1: The Sungas and Kushanas | Pushyamitra Sunga's rise after the Mauryas; Kanishka and Kushana expansion; Indo-Greek and Saka rulers in the north-west |
| Block 1: India 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 2: Emergence of Regional Powers | Kharavela of Kalinga and the Hathigumpha inscription; Western Kshatrapas; Rudradaman's Junagadh inscription |
| Block 1: India 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 3: Early State Formation in Deccan and Tamilakam | Satavahanas and Gautamiputra Satakarni; Chera, Chola and Pandya chiefdoms; Sangam poems as sources |
| Block 1: India 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 4: Agrarian Settlements and Agrarian Societies: Peninsular India | The tinai (eco-zone) concept; wet-rice farming in the river valleys; land and labour relations in Tamilakam |
| Block 1: India 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 5: Trade Networks and Urbanisation | Indo-Roman trade and ports like Arikamedu; guilds (shrenis) and merchants; overland routes such as the Uttarapatha |
| Block 2: Guptas and Post-Gupta State and Society | Unit 6: Rise of Guptas: Economy, Society and Polity | Samudragupta's Prayaga prashasti; Gupta administration and land grants; Gupta coinage |
| Block 2: Guptas and Post-Gupta State and Society | Unit 7: Post-Gupta Kingdoms in North India | Maukharis of Kanauj and Later Guptas of Magadha; Huna rulers Toramana and Mihirakula; Yashodharman of Mandasor |
| Block 2: Guptas and Post-Gupta State and Society | Unit 8: Harsha and the Rise of Kanauj | Harshavardhana's reign and Banabhatta's Harshacharita; Xuanzang's account; Harsha's defeat by Pulakeshin II |
| Block 2: Guptas and Post-Gupta State and Society | Unit 9: Kingdoms in the Deccan and South | Chalukyas of Badami; Pallavas of Kanchi; Pandyas and their rivalries |
| Block 3: Transition to Early Medieval India | Unit 10: Trade and Urbanisation | The debate on urban decay; revival of trade after the 10th century; markets (mandapikas) and merchant groups |
| Block 3: Transition to Early Medieval India | Unit 11: Status of Women | Marriage and stridhana; property rights and widowhood; ganikas and women donors in inscriptions |
| Block 3: Transition to Early Medieval India | Unit 12: Crafts and Craftpersons | Rural versus urban craft production; artisan guilds and jatis; textiles and metal crafts |
| Block 3: Transition to Early Medieval India | Unit 13: Religions and Religious Practices | Puranic Hinduism; Bhakti of the Alvars and Nayanars; Tantra in Buddhism, Shaivism and Shaktism |
| Block 4: Cultural Developments | Unit 14: Languages and Literature | Prakrit and Pali texts; classical Sanskrit kavya; Sangam Tamil literature |
| Block 4: Cultural Developments | Unit 15: Sculpture and Architecture | Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati schools; Nagara and Dravida temple styles; rock-cut caves |
| Block 4: Cultural Developments | Unit 16: Science and Technology | Aryabhata-I and the Aryabhatiya; Brahmagupta and Varahamihira; metallurgy such as the Mehrauli iron pillar |
| Block 4: Cultural Developments | Unit 17: Economy and Trade | Post-Mauryan trade boom; the feudalism debate for the Gupta and post-Gupta period; money economy and coin shortage |
| Block 4: Cultural Developments | Unit 18: Environment, Forests and Water Resources | Forests in early texts and state policy; tanks, dams and irrigation such as Sudarshana lake; ideas of nature in ancient texts |
Unit titles follow IGNOU's own course material on eGyanKosh. Block 4 carries 5 units, so cultural history alone can supply three or four answers in Section B.
5. Question Paper Pattern and Marks
The June 2026 paper has 8 questions of 20 marks each, split into Section A and Section B, and you answer any 5 in 3 hours.
You must take at least two questions from each section. Questions 4 and 8 are short-note questions where you choose two of four options at 10 marks each. The same layout appears in the December 2022 and December 2023 papers.
| Section | Question | Theme in June 2026 | Type | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Q1 | Trade and commercial organisation, 200 BCE to 300 CE | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| A | Q2 | North Indian politics in the 5th and 6th centuries | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| A | Q3 | Decline of the Gupta Empire | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| A | Q4 | Sungas, Tamilakam farming, Tripartite Struggle, Samudragupta | Two short notes, about 200 words each | 10 + 10 |
| B | Q5 | Craft production in early medieval North India | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| B | Q6 | The Bhakti movement | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| B | Q7 | Post-Mauryan schools of art | Long answer, about 400 words | 20 |
| B | Q8 | Temple architecture, Aryabhata-I, environment in texts, Prakrit and Pali | Two short notes, about 200 words each | 10 + 10 |
Want to practise on older papers first? Our IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper section collects earlier term-end papers by course code.
6. Topics That Keep Returning
Four BHIC 103 topics appeared in all three official papers we checked: Prakrit and Pali, Gupta polity, Tamilakam society, and early Indian science.
We compared the official IGNOU papers for December 2022, December 2023 and June 2026. Other sessions were not counted here, so treat the numbers as a three-paper sample, not a five-year record.
| Topic | Unit | Dec 2022 | Dec 2023 | Jun 2026 | Papers (of 3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prakrit and Pali | Unit 14 | Q8(b) | Q8(b) | Q8(d) | 3 |
| Gupta polity: administration, expansion, Samudragupta | Unit 6 | Q3 | Q3 | Q4(d) | 3 |
| Tamilakam economy, society and the tinai concept | Units 3 and 4 | Q2 | Q4(a) | Q4(b) | 3 |
| Early Indian science: Aryabhata-I and astronomy | Unit 16 | Q7 | Q8(d) | Q8(b) | 3 |
| Trade and commercial organisation, 200 BCE to 300 CE | Unit 5 | — | Q2, Q4(c) | Q1 | 2 |
| Decline of the Guptas | Units 6 and 7 | Q4(d) | — | Q3 (Sample 1) | 2 |
| Craft production in the early medieval period | Unit 12 | — | Q7 | Q5 | 2 |
| Bhakti movement | Unit 13 | Q6 | — | Q6 | 2 |
| Sungas | Unit 1 | — | Q4(b) | Q4(a) | 2 |
| Post-Mauryan art schools | Unit 15 | — | Q8(c) | Q7 (Sample 2) | 2 |
| Early medieval trade and urbanisation | Unit 10 | Q5 | Q5 | — | 2 |
Prakrit and Pali came as a short note in every paper, so it is close to a sure 10 marks. For a wider shortlist across courses, see our IGNOU Solved Guess Paper page.
7. How Our Answers Are Researched and Checked
Each BHIC 103 answer is written from the IGNOU course units, then checked for dates, names and word length before it goes into the file.
The writer first maps each question to its unit, then builds the answer around the evidence IGNOU examiners expect in a history paper: inscriptions such as the Junagadh, Bhitari and Mandasor records, travellers like Xuanzang, and named sites.
The review checks every date against the course material, removes padding, and keeps long answers near 400 words and short notes near 200. Where historians disagree, as on whether Gandhara or Mathura made the first Buddha image, the answer says so instead of picking a side.
We also compare each question with earlier papers, so the file notes when a June 2026 question repeats an older one. Our BAHIH Question Paper pages use the same method for other BA History courses.
8. Solved File Index
All 8 questions of the June 2026 paper are in the solved file; 2 are answered on this page and 6 are in the full file only.
BHIC 103 is a theory course with no practical or record work, so this index lists every question, the unit it draws on, and where you can read its answer.
| Question | Topic | Unit | Where the answer is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Trade and commercial organisation, c. 200 BCE to c. 300 CE | Unit 5 | Full file |
| Q2 | Political developments in North India, 5th and 6th centuries CE | Units 6 and 7 | Full file |
| Q3 | Factors for the decline of the Gupta Empire | Units 6 and 7 | Sample 1 above |
| Q4 | Short notes: Sungas; agrarian system in Tamilakam; Tripartite Struggle; Samudragupta | Units 1, 4, 8 and 6 | Full file |
| Q5 | Craft production in North India, early medieval period | Unit 12 | Full file |
| Q6 | The Bhakti movement | Unit 13 | Full file |
| Q7 | Schools of art in the post-Mauryan period | Unit 15 | Sample 2 above |
| Q8 | Short notes: temple architecture; Aryabhata-I; environmental concern in ancient texts; Prakrit and Pali | Units 15, 16, 18 and 14 | Full file |
For the short-note questions, the file answers all four options of Q4 and all four of Q8, so you have eight short notes ready even though the exam asks you to write only two from each.
9. Programmes That Include BHIC 103
BHIC 103 is a core course in two IGNOU programmes: BAHIH and the four-year BAFHI.
It is part of the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (Honours) History programme (BAHIH), where it follows BHIC 101 History of India-I and picks up from the end of the Mauryan period.
It is also taken in the Bachelor of Arts Four Year Undergraduate Programme with History as the major (BAFHI). Both programmes use the same course material and the same term-end paper, so this solved paper fits students of either.
10. How to Get the Full Solved Question Paper
Message WhatsApp 9899436384 with "BHIC 103 June 2026" and we will send the complete solved PDF with all 8 answers.
The file covers the 2 answers shown above plus the 6 questions listed as text only, with every short-note option answered.
It suits students revising for the December 2026 term-end exam who want to see how a full BHIC 103 paper is answered within the word limits, and those who simply want reliable points on topics like Bhakti, crafts and the Tripartite Struggle.
11. BHIC 103 History of India-II FAQs
Quick answers to the questions BHIC 103 students ask us most about this solved paper.
What is in the Solved Question Paper June 2026?
It contains complete answers to all 8 questions of the official IGNOU June 2026 BHIC 103 paper. Long questions are answered in about 400 words and the short notes in about 200 words, as the paper asks. Both short-note questions, Q4 and Q8, are answered for all four options, so you can pick whichever two you know best in the exam.
How do I get the full solved file on WhatsApp?
Send a message to WhatsApp 9899436384 with the course code BHIC 103 and the session June 2026. Our team will share the price and send the PDF once you confirm. The file has answers to all 8 questions: the 2 shown on this page and the 6 that are listed here as question text only, including every short-note option.
Which questions are answered on this page?
Two questions are answered in full on this page. Q3 covers the factors behind the decline of the Gupta Empire, and Q7 covers the schools of art of the post-Mauryan period, including Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati. The remaining 6 questions are listed exactly as printed, but their answers are kept for the full file.
How many questions must I attempt in the BHIC 103 exam?
You must attempt any five questions out of eight, and at least two must come from each section. Section A has questions 1 to 4 and Section B has questions 5 to 8. All questions carry 20 marks, so the paper totals 100 marks in 3 hours. Questions 4 and 8 ask for two short notes of 10 marks each.
Which BHIC 103 topics repeat most often in the term-end exam?
In the three official papers we checked, December 2022, December 2023 and June 2026, four topics came up every time: Prakrit and Pali, Gupta polity, Tamilakam society and economy, and early Indian science led by Aryabhata-I. Trade before 300 CE, the Gupta decline, craft production, Bhakti, the Sungas and art schools each appeared twice in those papers.
Is BHIC 103 a 6-credit course?
Yes. IGNOU's own assignment booklet describes BHIC 103 as a six-credit core course, which is why students submit three tutor-marked assignments for it. The study material is split into 4 blocks and 18 units, starting with the Sungas and Kushanas and ending with environment, forests and water resources. Assignments carry 30 per cent weightage and the term-end exam carries 70 per cent.
Can BAFHI students use this solved paper?
Yes. IGNOU lists BHIC 103 for both the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) History programme and the Four Year Undergraduate Programme Major in History. Both groups sit the same BHIC 103 term-end paper, so the June 2026 answers suit students of either programme. Check your own hall ticket to confirm the course code before you plan your revision.
How long should BHIC 103 answers be in the exam?
The June 2026 paper asks for about 400 words for each 20-mark question and about 200 words for each 10-mark short note. Our answers follow these limits, with an introduction, clear points and a short conclusion. Writing far beyond the limit wastes time across five answers in three hours, so practise keeping each answer to the stated length.
12. Who Wrote and Checked the BHIC 103 Answers
The BHIC 103 answers were written by Prateek Talwar and reviewed by Sheetal Kirola.
Prateek Talwar, founder of Unnati Educations, leads the IGNOU solved-paper series and prepares answers from the course blocks and the official term-end paper. Sheetal Kirola, Academic Head (M.Ed.), checks every date, ruler's name, inscription and site against the course material before release.