The
National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct
CUET 2026 for admission to various undergraduate courses at central, state, and deemed universities across India. If you are a student fascinated with the world around you, Geography is the right subject to pursue for undergraduate studies through this exam. For this, you must know the
CUET 2026 Geography syllabus thoroughly.This article provides all the important details about the
CUET 2026 syllabus for Geography. It also includes the official PDF for the syllabus.The syllabus for
CUET 2026 for Geology is the same as the Geography syllabus. Therefore, the official website also mentions it as the
CUET Geography/Geology syllabus.
CUET 2026 Geography Syllabus
NTA will release the CUET 2026 Geography/Geology syllabus in the first week of March 2026 along with the exam notification. Meanwhile, candidates can go through all the important details related to the syllabus based on the previous year’s data.The
CUET 2026 Geography syllabus is based on the
Class 12 NCERT curriculum. It covers topics from the two Class 12 Geography textbooks:
"Fundamentals of Human Geography" and "India: People and Economy". The topics are listed as follows:
| Units | Topics |
| A. Fundamentals of Human Geography |
| Unit I – Human Geography: Nature and Scope | Human Geography – Nature and Scope |
| Unit II – People | - Population of the world: distribution, density and growth
- Population change: spatial patterns and structure, determinants of population change
- Human development: concept, selected indicators, international comparisons
|
| Unit III – Human Activities | - Primary activities: concept and changing trends; gathering, pastoral, mining, subsistence agriculture, modern agriculture; people engaged in agriculture and allied activities (examples from selected countries)
- Secondary activities: concept; manufacturing; agro-processing, household, small scale, large scale industries
- Tertiary activities: examples from selected countries
- Quaternary activities: concept; knowledge-based industries; people engaged in quaternary activities (examples from selected countries)
|
| Unit IV – Transport, Communication and Trade | - Land transport: roads, railways, trans-continental railways
- Water transport: inland waterways, major ocean routes
- Air transport: intercontinental air routes
- Oil and gas pipelines
- Satellite communication and cyberspace
- International trade: basis and changing patterns, ports as gateways, role of WTO
|
| B. India: People and Economy |
| Unit I – People | - Population: distribution, density, and growth; composition of population: linguistic, religious, rural–urban population change through time, regional variations, occupation
|
| Unit II – Human Settlements | - Rural settlements: types and distribution
- Urban settlements: types, distribution, functional classification
|
| Unit III – Resources and Development | - Land resources: general land use, agricultural land use, major crops, agricultural development and problems, common property resources
- Water resources: availability and utilization – irrigation, domestic, industrial, and other uses; scarcity of water; conservation methods – rainwater harvesting, watershed management
- Mineral and energy resources: metallic and non-metallic minerals (distribution); conventional and non-conventional energy sources - Planning in India: target area planning, idea of sustainable development
|
| Unit IV – Transport, Communication and International Trade | - Transport and communication: roads, railways, waterways, airways, oil and gas pipelines, communication networks – radio, television, satellite, internet
- International trade: changing patterns of India’s foreign trade; seaports and their hinterland; airports
|
| Unit V – Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems | - Environmental pollution - Urban waste disposal
- Urbanization and rural–urban migration
- Problems of slums
- Land degradation
|
Also Read: CUET 2026 Geography Syllabus PDF
SciAstra will make the PDF of the CUET 2026 Geography syllabus once it is released. Meanwhile, candidates can check the previous year’s exam syllabus PDF.
CUET 2026 Exam Pattern
The CUET exam is a Computer-Based Test (CBT). The exam question paper contains Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). For the Geography domain subject, candidates can find the
CUET exam pattern 2026 below:
| Features | Details |
| Exam Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Mode of Examination | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Frequency of the examination | Once a Year |
| Syllabus Download Website | Yet to be released |
| Medium of the examination | 13 languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Questions | 50 (all compulsory) |
| Exam Duration | 60 minutes |
| Total Marks per Subject | 250 |
| Marking Scheme | +5 for each correct answer; -1 for each incorrect answer |
| Mapping for Courses | - BA (Hons) in Geography
- BA in Environmental Studies
- BA in Tourism and Travel Management
- BA in Geopolitics
- BA in Geology
|
CUET 2026 Geography Recommended Books
The NCERT Class 12 Geography textbooks are the most fundamental and important resources for preparing for the CUET Geography exam. The syllabus is based entirely on the NCERT Class 12 Geography textbooks: "Fundamentals of Human Geography" and "India: People and Economy". Therefore, candidates should master the concepts mentioned in these books as a priority.In addition to NCERT books, they can use other books covering the same concepts to boost their preparation. These books are listed as follows:
| Book Title | Author / Publisher |
| NCERT Class XII Geography Textbook | NCERT |
| Objective Geography | Abhishek Dubey – Oswaal |
| Geography: A Comprehensive Study Guide | Mahesh Kumar Barnwal |
| Go To Guide for CUET (UG) Geography/Geology | Disha Publication |
| Indian and World Geography | R. C. Mukherjee |
| CUET Geography Book 2026 (Questions & Solutions) | Supergrads |
| CUET UG Geography PYQ Book (2022-2024) with 10 Mock Tests & Detailed Solutions | IFAS Publications |
CUET 2026 Previous Years’ Question Paper
Solving CUET previous years’ question papers (PYQs) can help candidates significantly in preparing for the exam by allowing them to understand the exam pattern and the types of questions asked, and the difficulty level. The CUET previous years’ question papers for Geography are available below.
CUET 2026 Geography Preparation Tips
To prepare for the CUET 2026 Geography exam, candidates can use the following preparation tips:
- Thoroughly check every unit and topic in the CUET Geography syllabus. This will help candidates understand the important topics for the exam.
- Make a timetable for the exam preparation. Allocate dedicated time slots for each unit and topic. This will help you cover the entire syllabus.
- Start with the NCERT Geography textbooks as the syllabus is based on them. Make sure to understand the concepts from these books before moving on to other resources.
- A significant portion of the Geography paper includes map-related questions. Practice locating and identifying important geographical features, countries, and cities on maps.
- Regularly attempt CUET mock tests and previous years' papers of Geography. This will get you familiarised with the real exam conditions and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
CUET Previous Years’ Question Papers
Candidates can also check the CUET previous years' question papers below:
Conclusion
Preparing for the CUET 2026 Geography exam requires a systematic approach. For this, candidates first need to understand the CUET 2026 Geography syllabus, which is based on the NCERT Class 12 Geography textbooks. Along with referring to these textbooks, they can also use the recommended Geography books to strengthen their understanding of the syllabus topics. Solving PYQs and mock tests can also help boost their exam preparation and improve scores.
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