IGNOU MHI 110 Urbanization in India-1: Assignment, Question Papers and Study Blocks

Part of IGNOU Study Material: IGNOU Study Material 2026: How to Check Book Status and Download eSLM PDF?

MHI 110 Urbanization in India-1 at a glance

MHI 110 subject name and where it sits in IGNOU MAHI

MHI 110 is named Urbanization in India-1. It is a 6-credit theory course, requiring 180 hours of learner study. This course is part of the IGNOU Master of Arts (History) (MAHI) programme, specifically in the II Year (Fourth Semester). The School of Social Sciences (SOSS) offers this programme in both English and Hindi mediums.

In the same MAHI term, students also study MHI 108 Environmental Histories of the Indian Subcontinent, which carries 8 credits, and MHI 111 Urbanization in India-2, another 6-credit course. MHI 110 is listed in the course table for the MAHI programme; other IGNOU programmes may also carry MHI 110.

The whole programme: IGNOU MAHI syllabus and IGNOU MAHI fees, eligibility and admission.

MHI 110 syllabus: the 5 study blocks on eGyanKosh

MHI 110 study material is available on eGyanKosh, covering ‘Urbanisation in India-1 From the Earliest Times to c.1300’. The course has 6 credits and is a Theory type. The syllabus is structured into five study blocks, starting with an introduction to urban history. This foundational block prepares learners for the subsequent exploration of specific historical periods and regions.

The course then progresses through the earliest cities in the subcontinent in Block 2, followed by early historic cities in North India in Block 3. Blocks 4 and 5 build on this, examining early historic cities in Deccan and South India, and then patterns of early medieval urbanisation. This sequence allows learners to understand the evolution of urbanisation across different geographical and chronological contexts within India.

The 5 blocks hold 24 units between them:

1. Block 1: Introduction to Urban History
   • Unit 1: Understanding Urban History?
   • Unit 2: Approaches to the Study of Ancient Cities
2. Block 2: The Earlest Cities in the Subcontinent
   • Unit 3: An Introduction to Early Urbanism
   • Unit 4: Distribution and Morphology of Harappan Settlements
   • Unit 5: Harappan Economy and Occupations
   • Unit 6: Harappan Urban Societies
   • Unit 7: Case Study of a Major Urban Centre: Mohenjodaro
3. Block 3: Early Historic Cities: North India
   • Unit 8: Archaeology of the Early Historic Urban Centres in North India: Emergence and Characteristics
   • Unit 9: Urban Centres and Other Types of Spaces
   • Unit 10: Cities in Texts
   • Unit 11: Early Historic Cities in the Taxila Valley: Archaeological Perspectives
   • Unit 12: Case Study: Pataliputra
   • Unit 13: Case Study: Mathura
4. Block 4: Early Historic Cities: Deccan and South India
   • Unit 15: Case Study: Nagarjunakonda
   • Unit 16: Case Study : Amaravati
   • Unit 17: Case Study : Kanchipuram and Tondaimandalam
   • Unit 18: Case Study: Kaveripattanam/ Puhar
5. Block 5: Patterns of Early Medieval Urbanisation
   • Unit 19: Urbanisation in Post-Gupta Period: Archaeological Evidence
   • Unit 20: Early Medieval Urbanisation From Epigraphy and Texts
   • Unit 21: Kannauj
   • Unit 22: Pratishthan
   • Unit 23: Port town : Chandraketugarh
   • Unit 24: Case Study: Sisupalgarh
   • Unit 25: Case Study: Brahmanabad/ Al-Mansurah

Getting the printed books and e-books: IGNOU study material.

MHI 110 assignment: download, submission and marks

Assignments for the current session are put on the website for download.

Assignments are compulsory and must be written before taking the Term-End Examination (July 2026).

A failed assignment must be re-submitted. Once an assignment is passed, it cannot be re-submitted to improve the grade.

MHI 110 assignment questions: July 2025 and January 2026 sessions

Assignment MHI-110/AST/TMA/ July 2025- January 2026 has 10 questions. Together they carry 200 marks. The instruction on the file: “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.”

Questions as printed in IGNOU’s file: MHI 110 assignment PDF. Check the Assignments page before you write, since IGNOU replaces the file each year.

Assignment rules that apply to every IGNOU course: front page format, paper and margin rules, binding and envelope and checking assignment status.

MHI 110 question papers and the term-end exam

IGNOU posts previous term-end question papers for MHI 110 on its Previous Question Papers page, arranged by programme and course. The term-end examination sessions are held twice a year, in June and December, throughout the country. For example, the December 2026 TEE has two daily exam sessions: 10 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 5 PM.

The examination fee for MHI 110 is Rs. 200 per theory course (December 2026 TEE). Learners may write the exam in Hindi even if registered in English medium, except for language programmes (December 2026 TEE). Hall tickets are uploaded on the University website and are not sent by post (July 2026).

Only term-end theory exams can be re-evaluated; projects, practicals, workshops, assignments, or seminars cannot. A copy of the answer script costs Rs. 100 per course (January 2026). Bachelor’s and Master’s students who fall short of 2% marks for a 2nd or 1st division may improve their division, with one opportunity only (January 2026). Early declaration of results costs Rs. 1000 per course for Indian students, only with proof of selection for a post or further studies (January 2026).

MHI 110 previous year question papers

The last 3 term-end papers on IGNOU’s question paper site:

MHI 110 exam pattern

The June 2026 paper runs 3 hours and carries 100 marks. The instruction at the top reads: “(i) Attempt any five questions in about 500 words each. Attempt at least two question from each Section (ii) All questions carry equal marks.”

MHI 110 topics asked in more than one exam

Read across the 3 papers, these subjects came back:

How the questions in these papers spread over the blocks (24 of 30 questions match a unit):

For the exam itself: previous year question papers by programme, the exam form, the date sheet and results and grade card.

Official IGNOU links for MHI 110

• eGyanKosh: MHI-110 Urbanisation in India-1 From the Earliest Times to c.1300
• IGNOU previous term-end question papers
• IGNOU assignments page

Common IGNOU Questions