CUET History Syllabus 2026 PDF - Section-Wise Important Topics

Overview: Your CUET preparation process is much easier with a definite set of topics to study. Pursuing a bachelor's in History requires you to be thorough with the CUET History Syllabus 2026. The article explores all the units and subtopics you can expect in the exam.

If you wish to study courses like B.A.(Hons.) History or BA Optional History at top universities like DU, AMU, JMI, etc., knowing the CUET Syllabus thoroughly will be your best guide to preparing well

• The updated CUET History syllabus 2026 has been released and covers 12 units instead of 15.
• It includes important topics like Harappan Archaeology, Political and economic history, Social Histories, the History of Buddhism, Religious Histories, Medieval society through Travellers, and more.
• Units like the Mughal Court, Colonialism & Indian Towns, and Partition, as Reported by Oral Sources, have been removed from the 2026 history CUET syllabus.

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CUET History Syllabus 2026 Highlights

Section II of the Common University Entrance Test curriculum includes 29 domain-specific topics, one of which is history.

• The CUET exam history syllabus covers a wide range of topics taught in your classes 11 and 12. Covering the syllabus from NCERT textbooks will suffice your preparations. 
• Since not many colleges offer UG programs with History specialisations, competition is usually very high; therefore, plan your preparations accordingly. 
• The National Testing Agency (NTA) has published the history syllabus for CUET, which is based on topics of the 12th class.
• There will be one paper with 50 questions; you must answer all 50.
• The highest possible score is 250, and you will lose one mark for every incorrect answer.
• The examination will last for a total of 60 minutes and will consist of objective multiple-choice questions.

Link to Download History CUET Syllabus PDF 2026

Download CUET History Syllabus PDF in English

Once the CUET UG History syllabus PDF download is complete, check them thoroughly. Review the syllabus carefully and plan your CUET preparation schedule for each unit. 

CUET 2026 History Syllabus (Unit-Wise)

As per the CUET History syllabus, 12 Units are divided into 3 themes. The main topics with their sub-topics for the syllabus for the CUET History question paper are listed below: 

Themes in Indian History Part - I

Unit I: The Story of the First Cities Harappan Archaeology

• Broad overview: Early urban centres.
• Story of discovery: Harappan civilization.
• Excerpt: Archaeological report on a major site.
• Discussion: How it has been utilized by archaeologists/ historians

Unit II: Political and Economic History: The Narrative Function of Inscriptions

• Broad overview: Political and economic history from the Mauryan through the Gupta periods in India.
• Story of discovery: Inscriptions and the decipherment of the script comprise the discovery narrative & changing perspectives on political and economic history.
• Excerpt: Asokan inscription and Gupta period grant of land.
• Discussion: Discussion over historians' interpretation of inscriptions.

Read: How to Prepare for CUET History Syllabus 2026

Unit III: Mahabharata-based Social History

• Broad overview: A survey of social history topics, including caste, class, kinship, and gender.
• Story of discovery: The transmission and printing of the Mahabharata constitute the discovery's history.
• Excerpt: This excerpt from the Mahabharata demonstrates its use by historians.

While preparing for CUET History syllabus, don't forget to check the CUET cut-off trends for previous years to set realistic targets for yourself. 

Unit IV: Buddhist History: Sanchi Stupa

• Broad overview:
• (a) A quick outline of the religious histories of the Vedic religion, Jainism, Vaishnavism, and Saivism.
• (b) Concentrate on Buddhism.
• Story of discovery: The discovery of the Sanchi stupa.
• Excerpt: Reproductions of sculptures found in Sanchi. Historical interpretations of sculpture and other sources for recreating the history of Buddhism are discussed..

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Themes in Indian History Part - II

The CUET syllabus history general overview for the topics and subtopics included in the 2nd theme are mentioned below: 

Unit V: Agrarian Relations: Ain-i- Akbari

The broad overview of this unit in the CUET History syllabus includes:

• (a) Structure of agrarian interactions throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
• (b) Change patterns across the period.
• Story of Discovery: Account of the compilation and translation of the Ain-i-Akbari text.
• Excerpt: From the Ain-i-Akbari 
• Dialogue: How historians have utilized the book to recreate history.

Unit VI: Religious Histories: The Bhakti-Sufi Tradition

• (a) Summary of religious advancements throughout this period.
• (b) The doctrines and practices of Bhakti-Sufi saints.
• Story of Transmission: How Bhakti-Sufi compositions have been transmitted and preserved.
• Excerpt: A selection of excerpts from Bhakti Sufi literature.
• Discussion: Discussion over how historians have interpreted these.

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Unit VII: New Construction: Hampi

• Broad Overview:
• (a) Outline of new buildings constructed during the Vijayanagar period, including temples, forts, and irrigation systems.
• (b) Relationship between the political system and architecture.
• Story of Discovery: The account of the discovery of Hampi.
• Excerpt: Images of Hampi's architectural structures.
• Discussion: The subject of this discussion is how historians have analyzed and interpreted these structures.

Unit Vlll: Medieval civilization through the eyes of Travellers

• General Overview: A summary of social and cultural life as travellers describe.
• The context of their writings: Where they travelled, why they travelled, what they wrote, and for whom they wrote are discussed.
• Excerpts: from Alberuni, Ibn Battuta, Bernier. 
• Discussion: What these trip narratives can tell us and how historians have interpreted them are discussed

Themes in Indian History Part - IIl

The CUET History syllabus is vast. In 2024, most of the questions were from ancient and modern history, and around 20 were fact-based. Review the CUET previous year question papers to understand important topics from CUET syllabus for history and improve your speed and accuracy.

Unit lX: Colonialism and Rural Society: Official Reports as Evidence

• General overview:
• (a) Description of the lifestyles of zamindars, peasants, and artisans in the late 18th century.
• (b) East India Company, tax settlements, and surveys.
• (c) Changes throughout the nineteenth century
• Narrative of official documents: A description of why official investigations of rural societies were conducted and the generated documents and reports.
• Excerpts: Firminger's Fifth Report, Francis Buchanan-Accounts, Hamilton's and the Deccan Riots Report.
• Discussion: What the official records reveal and do not, and how historians have utilized them.

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Choose the right CUET Preparation Books to prepare well and cover each topic in detail. Unit 10 covered the highest number of questions last year, making it one of the most important units in the history syllabus CUET.

Unit X: 1857 Representations

• Broad Overview:
• (a) The events of 1857 to 1858.
• b) How these occurrences were recorded and narrated.
• Emphasis: Lucknow
• Excerpts: Photographs from 1857. Extracts from current accounts.
• Discussion: How the photographs of 1857 influenced British perceptions of the events.

Unit XI: Mahatma Gandhi in Contemporary Perspective

• Broad Overview:
• (a) The nationalist movement from 1918 to 1948
• (b) The character of Gandhian politics and leadership.
• Focus: Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 is the focus.
• Excerpts: Reports from English and Indian newspapers and other contemporary works are included.
• Discussion: How newspapers can be a source of historical information.

Download CUET History Syllabus Based Sample Papers

The History CUET Syllabus will include several in-depth and event-based questions. Review each aspect of the syllabus to pass the cut-off for the maximum number of participating CUET universities. 

Unit Xll: The Constitution's Formation

• Broad Overview:
• (a) Independence and the new nation-state
• (b) The Constitution's creation. Focus: Constitutional Assembly deliberations
• Focus: The following are excerpts from the debates.
• Excerpts: What such debates convey
• Discussion: How they might be analyzed is discussed.

How to Prepare for CUET History Syllabus 2026

• Around 70-80% of the CUET history question paper is NCERT-based. Focus on timelines, causes & consequences and key events and figures. 
• Divide your study time for each section: Ancient, Medieval and Modern, and practice making short notes for each topic clearly. 
• Paragraph-based or chronology-based questions are time-consuming, so practice solving source-based questions thoroughly.
• Use flashcards, timelines, and flowcharts to revise key dates and transitions.
• Practice 30+ MCQs every day or CUET History Important Questions from each chapter to improve speed and understanding. 
• Aim to solve 10-15 full-length mock tests and PYPs before the exam. 
• A wrong answer fetches -1 mark. So, attempt only what you’re confident about.
• Do a systematic revision: 20% New revision topics, 50% MCQ practice, 30% revisiting your mistakes.

Best Preparation Books for CUET History Syllabus 2026

The expert-recommended books for History exam preparation are:

• CUET (UG) Comprehensive series by SuperGrads
• NCERT Themes in Indian History – I
• NCERT Themes in Indian History – II
• NCERT Themes in Indian History – III

Prepare with: Supergrads CUET Online Coaching

Key Takeaways

• The above CUET History syllabus clearly briefs on how and what sub-topics must be focused on for exam preparations.
• Although several books are available, focusing more on NCERT books will enhance your preparations. 
• Since History is a memory-based subject, revise all the topics regularly during preparation.
• As soon as you finish a chapter, solve CUET History mock tests to improve your speed and accuracy in the exam.