CUET Chemistry syllabus 2026: Check Detailed Syllabus Topics

Overview: Do you know that NTA has reduced the units in the CUET Chemistry syllabus from 16 to 10? Since Chemistry is one of the most popular domain subjects in CUET 2026, knowing the entire syllabus including, all the chapters, topics, and sub-topics is essential to score 250/250 if you take the Chemistry test. 

Chemistry is mandatory for admission to over 50 Science and Engineering UG courses offered by 280+ universities. In 2024, over 5,61,719 students appeared for the test paper, which will likely increase in 2026.  Understanding the Chemistry CUET syllabus is important because:

• There will be one Chemistry question paper with 50 questions, of which all 50 questions are compulsory.
• The syllabus includes 10 units based on the Class 12 syllabus.

Download Free Study Material for CUET 2026 by Supergrads

CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026 Overview

For the CUET exam, half of the board exam syllabus, or the chapters and subjects covered in Class 12, are included in the syllabus for CUET Chemistry question paper. 

• Unlike NEET and JEE Mains, the Class 11 syllabus is not included in the CUET syllabus.
• Although the exam's difficulty level is lower than these tests, it requires thorough preparation due to intense competition. 
• You must review past years' question papers to gain further insights into the exam's topics, patterns, question types, and high-weightage topics.

CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026 PDF Download Link

The chemistry syllabus for CUET 2026 has been released. Unlike the previous year's syllabus, the CUET exam chemistry syllabus 2026 has been reduced from 16 units to 10 units. 

Download complete CUET 2026 Chemistry Syllabus PDF

CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026 (Unit-Wise)

Here's the detailed distribution: 

Unit 1: Solutions

• Solid solutions, colligative properties – the relative reduction of vapour pressure
• Types of solutions, expression of concentration of solutions of solids in liquids, solubility of gases in liquids, solid solutions,
• Raoult's law, elevation of B.P
• Depression of freezing point, osmotic pressure
• determination of molecular masses utilizing colligative qualities
• Aberrant molecular mass, the Vant Hoff factor

Unit 2: Electrochemistry

• Redox reactions; conductance in electrolytic solutions
• Specific and molar conductivity, conductivity variations with concentration
• Kohlrausch's Law, electrolysis and laws of electrolysis (basic concept)
• Dry cell – electrolytic cells and Galvanic cells; lead accumulator; EMF of a cell; standard electrode potential; Nernst equation and its application to chemical cells
• Relationship between Gibbs energy change and a cell's electromotive force (EMF); corrosion

Unit 3: Chemical Kinetics

• Rate of a reaction (average and instantaneous), elements affecting rates of reaction: concentration, temperature, catalyst
• Order and molecularity of a reaction; rate law and particular rate constant
• Integrated rate equations and half-life (only for zero- and first-order processes)
• Collision theory (elementary idea, no mathematical treatment)
• Activation energy, Arrhenius Equation

Get CUET Chemistry Syllabus based sample papers HERE

While preparing, focus more on Physical and Organic Chemistry from the syllabus of CUET Chemistry. Check the CUET cut-off trends for past years to set achievable targets for yourself.

Unit 4: d and f Block Elements

• General introduction, electronic configuration, occurrence and properties of transition metals
• General trends in first-row transition metals - metallic character, ionization enthalpy, oxidation states, ionic radii, colour, catalytic property, magnetic property, interstitial compounds, alloy formation.
• The synthesis and physical characteristics of K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4
• Lanthanoids — electronic structure, oxidation states, chemical reactivity, and lanthanoid contraction and its effects
• Actinoids –Electronic configuration, oxidation states, and comparison with lanthanoids for actinoids

Unit 5: Coordination Compounds

• Importance of coordination compounds: Introduction, ligands, coordination number, color, magnetic characteristics and forms
• IUPAC nomenclature of mononuclear coordination compounds, bonding
• Werner's theory VBT, CFT; isomerism (structural and stereo) (in qualitative analysis, extraction of metals and biological systems)

Once the CUET Chemistry syllabus pdf download is complete, don't get overwhelmed with more units. Review the syllabus carefully and divide your CUET preparation schedule to cover each unit. 

Attempt FREE CUET Chemistry Mock Tests 2026 NOW!

The CUET Chemistry syllabus is vast. In 2024, around 6 questions were included from these units, making it one of the most important topics to focus on during preparation. Go through the CUET previous year question papers to get a hold of this topic and improve speed and accuracy.

Unit 6: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

• Haloalkanes: Nomenclature, nature of the C-X bond, physical and chemical properties, substitution reaction process. The optical rotation of light.
• Haloarenes: C-X bond nature and substitution reactions (directive influence of halogen for monosubstituted compounds only).
• Uses and environmental consequences of dichloromethane, trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, iodoform, freons, and DDT.

Unit 7: Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers

• Alcohols: Nomenclature, methods of synthesis, physical and chemical properties (of primary alcohols only);
• Identification of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols; dehydration mechanism, applications, with particular reference to methanol and ethanol
• Phenols: Nomenclature, preparation methods, physical and chemical properties, the acidity of phenol, electrophilic substitution processes, and applications
• Ethers: Nomenclature, preparation methods, physical and chemical properties, and application

Unit 8: Aldehydes, Ketones, and Carboxylic Acids

• Aldehydes and Ketones: Nomenclature, nature of carbonyl group, techniques of manufacture, physical and chemical properties,
• The process of nucleophilic addition, alpha hydrogen's reactivity in aldehydes; applications
• Carboxylic Acids: Nomenclature, acidity, synthesis methods, physical and chemical properties, and applications

Take Free CUET Chemistry 2026 Preparation Demo Class!

The last 2 units of the CUET Chemistry Syllabus are short, yet two of the important units. To be eligible for maximum universities, solve as many CUET Chemistry sample papers as possible to improve your accuracy and speed.

Unit 9: Amines

• Amines: Nomenclature, classification, structure, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses, identification of primary, secondary and tertiary amines.
• Diazonium salts: Preparation, chemical reactions and importance in synthetic organic chemistry.

Unit 10: Biomolecules

• Carbohydrates – Classification (aldoses and ketoses), monosaccharide (glucose and fructose), D-L configuration, oligosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose), polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen) and significance
• Proteins - Basic concept of a-amino acids, peptide bonds, polypeptides, proteins, primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure, quaternary structure (qualitative concept only), denaturation of proteins, and enzymes.
• Hormones –Basic understanding (excluding structure)
• Vitamins – Classification and functions of vitamins
• Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA are Nucleic Acids

The CUET Chemistry Syllabus and question paper will test you heavily on application, concept, and case study-based questions. Review each aspect of the syllabus to clear the cut-off for maximum CUET universities for UG courses. 

CUET Chemistry Paper Pattern 2026 

• The CUET syllabus for Chemistry includes 10 units to be covered.
• The CUET Chemistry question paper will have 50 questions, out of which all 50 must be attempted.
• You must go through the CUET exam analysis for Chemistry for 2025 to know how the paper may look in 2026, what type of questions were asked, and the difficulty level.

Best Preparation Books for CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026

For preparing the important CUET Chemistry chapter-wise weightage topics, here are the top books suggested by toppers and experts:

Books	Author
A Textbook of Physical Chemistry	Dr RK Gupta
A Textbook of Organic Chemistry	Dr OP Tandon
A Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry	Dr OP Tandon
Concise Inorganic Chemistry	J D Lee
Organic Chemistry	Morrison and Boyd
Chemistry Textbooks for Class 12	NCERT

How to prepare for CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026

• Read your NCERT books and prepare good notes for revision. 
• Take regular quizzes and solve practice questions in your CUET preparation books for Chemistry regularly.
• Prioritize Physical Chemistry and cover topics such as Chemical Kinetics, Surface Chemistry, Solutions, and Electrochemistry. 
• For Organic Chemistry, focus on chapters such as Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Biomolecules, Aldehydes, Ketones, Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Phenols, Ethers, Polymers, and Chemistry in Everyday Life. 
• Inorganic chemistry is a challenging topic because it requires memorizing, as highlighted in the CUET Chemistry Syllabus. Study using a mind map and making notes.
• Focus on P-block elements, Coordination Compounds, General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements, and d- and f-block Elements. For this, you can use flashcards, write the formulae on paper, and paste them on your study table so you can take a glance often.
• Solve 10-15 mocks monthly to check your performance and improvement over the months.

CUET Eligibility for Science Courses 2026

• Most colleges require you to have studied Chemistry in classes 11 and 12. Visit the official websites of the respective colleges you desire to study at. 
• To be eligible to apply for the UG courses, you must also have a minimum valid score in chemistry in Class 12th. 
• Relaxation applies to SC/ST/OBC/PWD/EWS category students.

Once you satisfy the eligibility requirements, complete the CUET application form 2026. 

Prepare CUET Exam Chemistry Syllabus 2026 with Experts

Key Takeaways

• Understand the exam pattern- Firstly, know the question paper structure to decide on the preparation strategy for chemistry CUET syllabus.
• Focus on Fundamentals- Complete all the fundamentals of 10 CUET Chemistry Syllabus 2026 units from your NCERT books. 
• Choose the right books- Select the latest and updated books with 30-40 chapter-wise practice questions.
• Practice from mock tests and previous year's question papers- Take weekly and monthly tests to analyse your score and improve your weaknesses.
• Analyse your Performance- Only taking tests is not enough. Get your mocks analysed by teachers or experts to improve accuracy and your score.
• Join Marathon Classes- You can join Supergrads CUET online coaching 2026 for marathon sessions for your performance evaluation and expert guidance.