CUET 2026 History Syllabus: History is not only a subject of stories; it also paves the way for some excellent career options, including historians, archaeologists, History professors, museum curators, and archivists.
To pursue one of these careers, you must start with earning a bachelor’s degree in History. CUET 2026 can help you secure admission to undergraduate History courses offered at prestigious CUET 2026 participating institutes. For this, you need to prepare for the exam according to the CUET 2026 History syllabus.
The exam syllabus is based on three themes or eras of Indian History: Prehistoric and Ancient History Era, Mediaeval Indian History, and Modern Indian History. Check out all the topics included in the CUET History syllabus 2026, along with the syllabus PDF, PYQs, preparation tips, and recommended books in this article.
Note: Candidates need to note that the details in this article are based on the previous year’s CUET data. If the CUET History syllabus changes in 2026, the content of this article will be updated accordingly.
CUET 2026 Exam Pattern for History
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the CUET UG 2026 exam in May-June 2026 (tentative). The application process for the exam is likely to start in the first week of March 2026 at cuet.nta.ac.in. Candidates who aspire to take CUET 2026 must understand the exam pattern, as it provides an overview of the question paper by outlining the types and number of questions asked, exam mode, medium, and duration.
The CUET 2026 History exam pattern is below:
| Section | Number of Questions | Duration | Question Types |
| Section IA & IB – Language | 50 Questions | 60 minutes (for each chosen language) | Reading Comprehension based on different types of passages – Factual, Literary, and Narrative. Includes testing of Literary Aptitude and Vocabulary. |
| Section II – Domain Subjects | 50 Questions | 60 minutes | MCQs based on the Class 12 NCERT syllabus. Input text may be provided for certain questions. |
| Section III – General Test | 50 Questions | 60 minutes | MCQs based on:
|
| Subject Mapping for BA in History | Section I: English
Section II: History + Any 2 domain subjects Section III: General Aptitude Test |
||
Also Read:
CUET 2026 History Syllabus
The CUET 2026 syllabus for History includes three types of History topics (themes) or three eras of Indian History: Prehistoric and Ancient History Eras, Mediaeval Indian History, and Modern Indian History.
Themes in Indian History Part – I
The first part of the syllabus is Indian History Part I, which focuses on the Prehistoric Era and Ancient Indian History and includes topics such as Harappan Archaeology and the Indus Valley Civilisation. This section also covers political and economic systems of the era, including monarchy, dynasties, and Mahajanapadas. The Vedic Civilisation, epics like the Mahabharata, the architecture of the Mauryan Period, and Buddhism are also important topics for this part.
Themes in Indian History Part – II
The second part of the syllabus is Indian History Part II, which is Mediaeval Indian History. It primarily includes topics such as the life and reign of Emperor Akbar and his biography, Ain-i-Akbari, by Abu Fazl. Other topics in Part II include the Bhakti and Sufi movements, as well as historical accounts from travellers like Al-Biruni, Ibn Battuta, Niccolò de’ Conti, Athanasius Nikitin, Abdul Razzaq, and François Bernier, and Mediaeval architecture.
Themes in Indian History Part – III
The third part of the syllabus is focused on Modern Indian History, covering topics such as Colonialism, the Freedom Struggle (especially the Revolt of 1857), Mahatma Gandhi, and the series of events leading to the making of the Indian Constitution.
| Part | Topics |
| Themes in Indian History Part – I | The Story of the First Cities: Harappan Archeology |
| Political and Economic History: How Inscriptions tell a story | |
| Social Histories: Using the Mahabharata | |
| A History of Buddhism: Sanchi Stupa | |
| Themes in Indian History Part – II | Agrarian Relation: The Ain-i-Akbari |
| New Architecture: Hampi | |
| Religious History: The Bhakti-Sufi Tradition | |
| Medieval Society through Traveller’s Accounts | |
| Themes in Indian History Part – III | Colonialism and Rural Society: Evidence from Official Reports |
| Representation of 1857 | |
| Mahatma Gandhi through Contemporary Eyes | |
| The Making of the Constitution |
CUET 2026 History Syllabus PDF
The CUET 2026 History syllabus will be released along with the CUET 2026 Notification in the first week of March 2026 (tentative). SciAstra will provide the official PDF once it is released:
| CUET 2026 History Syllabus PDF (Official) | To be released |
Also Read:
CUET Previous Year’s History Syllabus PDF
To start their CUET UG 2026 History exam preparation, candidates can refer to the previous year’s syllabus for the exam. The syllabus PDF is available below:
| CUET 2025 History Syllabus PDF (Official) | CUET 2025 History Syllabus PDF |
Also Read:
- CUET 2026 notification
- CUET 2026 English Syllabus
- CUET 2026 Biology Syllabus
- CUET 2026 Economics Syllabus
- CUET 2026 Physics Syllabus
CUET 2026 Recommended Books for History
The best books for CUET UG 2026 History exam preparation can help candidates learn all the important concepts mentioned in the exam syllabus. The criteria to identify these books are: 1. They must be based on the exam syllabus, and 2. They must be from credible authors or publishers. Based on these criteria, the recommended books for exam preparation are the following:
| Book | Author/Publisher |
| Themes in Indian History – Part I, II & III (Class XI & XII) | NCERT |
| India’s Ancient Past | R.S. Sharma |
| Medieval India | Satish Chandra |
| Modern India | Bipan Chandra |
| History of Modern India | B.L. Grover & Alka Mehta |
| Facets of Indian Culture | Spectrum |
| Mastering Modern World History | Norman Lowe |
| CUET UG History Guide | Arihant Publications |
| CUET History Question Bank | Oswaal Books |
| CUET History Previous Years’ Papers | MTG Editorial Board |
Also Read:
CUET History Previous Year Question Papers PDF
CUET History PYQs can significantly guide candidates in their exam preparation. They help identify the most important questions and topics for the exam. To assist you with this, SciAstra has provided PDFs of CUET History previous years’ question papers as follows:
| CUET 2025 History Question Paper | CUET 2025 History Question Paper |
| CUET 2024 History Question Paper | CUET 2024 History Question Paper |
| CUET 2023 History Question Paper | CUET 2023 History Question Paper |
| CUET 2022 History Question Paper | CUET 2022 History Question Paper |
CUET 2026 Preparation Tips for History
To score well in the CUET 2026 History, candidates can use the following tips:
- Study NCERT Class 11 and Class 12 History textbooks, as the syllabus is based on concepts from these books.
- Make separate notes of important dates and events related to the Prehistoric Era, Ancient Indian History, Mediaeval History, and Modern History. Revise these notes every weekend.
- Consider topics as stories because stories make learning easier.
- Solve previous years’ question papers and take mock tests.
- Use online applications to take History quizzes.
- Join social media groups dedicated to History preparation for entrance exams. This will help you connect with people who share the same goals and can help you learn important concepts.
Conclusion
CUET 2026 History syllabus covers three eras: Prehistoric and Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern Indian History. It guides admission to undergraduate History courses through CUET UG exam preparation. The article includes exam patterns, syllabus details, recommended books, previous year question papers, and preparation tips like studying NCERT books, making notes, and practicing mock tests.
Read More:
