• 59/10, Kalkaji Extension, Kalkaji-110019, New Delhi

Study period: 6 July to 31 July 2026 (4 Weeks)

NCI has an agreement with the University of Hyderabad that enables NCI member university students to have a four-week-long intensive summer course on “Contemporary India” at the University of Hyderabad. This program provides international students with a multidisciplinary overview of India’s social, cultural, political, and economic diversities. The course captures the transformations underway in India, highlighting the interplay between tradition and modernity, continuity and change, and how these dynamics shape Indian society, polity, and economy today. Students will explore defining features of India such as caste, religion, and socio-cultural stratification from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Lectures and academic activities will also cover political thought, popular culture, media, development, literature, art, foreign policy, gender debates, and environmental policies.

The program includes interactive sessions, field trips, audio-visual presentations, films, documentaries, and sightseeing tours to provide experiential learning and cultural immersion.

More Details about the Course
  • Course name: Contemporary India
  • Educational Institution: University of Hyderabad, India
  • Course credits: 7.5/10 ECTS
  • Language of instruction: English
  • Study period: 6 July to 31 July 2026
  • Rate of studies: Full-time
  • Admission: Minimum 2 years of university studies with grades equivalent to 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale or grade C according to ECTS.

The course will be for 7.5/10 ECTS depending on the requirement of the student.

At the end of the course, students should be able to:
  • Critically analyze India’s social, cultural, political, and economic diversities.
  • Understand the historical roots of caste, religion, and socio-cultural stratification and their contemporary relevance.
  • Evaluate India’s transformation in South Asia through lenses of modernity and tradition.
  • Engage with debates on gender, development, environment, and foreign policy.
  • Apply multidisciplinary perspectives to interpret contemporary Indian society.

Upon successful completion of the summer course, the students receive a grade transcript from the University of Hyderabad and a certificate along with supplementary documents from the Nordic Centre in India that can award them 7.5 ECTS at their respective home university. For students who wish pursue 10 ECTS it is also possible to do additional assignments during the same period of time. Since the course is designed to suit students from Nordic universities with European and national credit systems, students are requested to consult the international offices for information about how to translate and register the course credits at their home university.

The course is divided into thematic modules:
  • Module 1: Historical perspectives on caste, religion, and socio-cultural stratification.
  • Module 2: Contemporary issues in Indian society, polity, and economy.
  • Module 3: Political thought, popular culture, and media in modern India.
  • Module 4: Development, literature, art, gender debates, and environmental policies.
Teaching and Evaluation

Teaching methods: Lectures, interactive sessions, field trips, films, documentaries, and sightseeing tours.
Evaluation: Based on participation, assignments, and presentations.

Besides the boarding/dining charges, which is payable in actual to the caterer directly by the students, the amount mentioned on the table covers all local costs, including the course fee, lodging at International Students Hostel (ISH), shorter field and study trips, the use of medical facilities and the library at University of Hyderabad. Most of the reading material is also provided in photo copies or from the library.

Cost breakup - currency converter

Course fee

Single occupancy with attached bathroom

Total-INR

105825/-

17925/-

123750/-

Course fee

Twin sharing room with common/shared bathroom

Total-INR

105825/-

11050/-

116875/-

*Boarding fee

Actual charges are payable to the caterer

Click on download for more information about the fee structure and related information. 

Kindly note that the cost does not include expenses for travels to and from Hyderabad, visa fees, or medical and travel insurance: students need to pay by themselves.

Students apply to the summer course at University of Hyderabad by submitting an application to the International office at their university. If directly applying to NCI, then the application should include the following documents:

  • A motivation letter including contact information.
  • A certificate of previous studies and a proof of the current registration at the university (a copy of the student card or any other documentation).
  • A CV or other related material to support the application. The admission procedure is conducted by nomination, i.e. after the International offices have received and reviewed the applications they will nominate students qualified for the summer course to the Nordic Centre in India (NCI). The final selection of students is made by University of Hyderabad. The students admitted to the course will be given a letter of admission from University of Hyderabad and can apply for study visa through the Indian embassy in their home country.

Information regarding the University, your stay, and other practical matters can be found here.

Coordinator at University of Hyderabad

Dr. S. Shaji
sshajihcu@gmail.com,
shajiss@uohyd.ac.in
Associate Professor
Department of Political science
University of Hyderabad.

Coordinator at the Nordic Centre in India

Ms Christabel Royan
christabel.royan@nordiccentreindia.com
+91-9985146729
Nordic Centre in India