Department of History

Distinguished by an emphasis on the study of peoples and regions with particular reference to social, cultural and economic developments in North East India, the department's objectives are (1) to provide at the Master's level a broad knowledge of human history and particularly of the areas and themes of special concern to the department and modern approaches to its study through a suitably structured and balanced syllabus, and (2) to promote historical research in hitherto unexplored areas, especially in North Eastern region through the Ph.D. programmes and faculty members' research. The department's major achievements have been in the areas of syllabi innovation and promotion of North East India studies. New grounds have been broken in regional history and in the history of the bordering areas or countries. Through the researches of its faculty, its Ph.D. programmes and through the North-East India History Association, which it helped to establish and nurture since its foundation in 1979, the department has played a crucial role in laying the foundation of regional studies in the region. It is now recognized as the leading centre for historical studies of North Eastern region. In 1994 it was brought under Special Assistance Programme (SAP) of the UGC with North East India Studies as the thrust area and in 2001-02 the programme has been renewed by the UGC for another five years (till 2005-2006).

The Department is now recognised as the leading centre in the country for historical studies of North-Eastern Region, the thrust area of its research.