English
Each of those rules names English outright — no combination of the other papers reaches them. That is the whole case for spending one of five slots on it.
The paper at a glance
English carries the subject code 101. The syllabus described here is the one published for 2026-27.
This is a language paper, and NTA's syllabus for it is short: a cover page and a single page of content. It does not list grammar rules, prescribed texts or vocabulary lists. It names skill areas, and it opens with a caveat: questions will be from the following topics but are not limited to. Treat the headings below as the guaranteed core, not as the outer boundary.
How the syllabus is organised
The document is laid out in two skill areas — Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. The first is about understanding a passage; the second is about handling words and sentences on their own. There are no units within either area, only a short list of item types.
The syllabus itself is a list of skills only. It does not print question counts, marks, negative marking or timing, and it does not say how many questions come from each area. Read it alongside the exam pattern.
Reading Comprehension
The one place where the syllabus becomes specific is here: it fixes the kinds of passage you will read and puts an upper limit on their length. Each passage runs to at most 300 words.
| Skill area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Three types of passages, each of at most 300 words: factual, narrative and literary |
Three passage types are named. A factual passage reports information; a narrative passage tells a sequence of events; a literary passage is drawn from or written in the manner of literature. The syllabus does not say how many passages appear or how many questions follow each.
Verbal Ability
The second area lists four item types. None is explained further in the source; the names are all you get.
| Skill area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | Rearranging the parts; match the following; choosing the correct word; synonyms and antonyms |
Rearranging the parts is about putting jumbled pieces of a sentence or passage into order. Match the following pairs items from two columns. Choosing the correct word is a fill-in-the-blank of the usual kind. Synonyms and antonyms test vocabulary directly. That is the whole of the list, and the opening line of the syllabus reserves the right to go beyond it.
What this syllabus does not tell you
The document is a skills list and nothing more. From it you cannot learn:
- how many questions come from Reading Comprehension and how many from Verbal Ability, or the marks, negative marking and duration — those are on the exam pattern;
- how many passages there are, or how many questions follow each passage; only the word ceiling is given;
- whether grammar, spelling, idioms or usage are tested — the opening caveat leaves the door open, but the syllabus names none of them;
- how difficult the passages or the vocabulary will be;
- which books to use; the syllabus names no textbook and no author;
- how much weight a university gives this paper once you qualify — the programmes that accept it are listed below, but the marks or ranking rule each one applies sits in its own admission bulletin.
For anything about attempt rules or numbers of questions, go to the NTA information bulletin and the exam pattern rather than to this list.
Where this paper can take you
Programmes whose rule can use English, from the 159 universities whose documents we have read. 2,109 of them cannot be reached any other way.
- Galgotias UniversityB.Com (Hons. with Research) · B.Com (Hons. with Research) Applied Finance and Analytics · B.Com (Hons. with Research) Financial Markets · and 215 more218218 only way in
- Amity University (Noida Campus)B.A. (Spanish) (Honours/Honours with Research) · B.Sc. (General) (Honours/Honours with Research) · B.Sc. (Physics) (Engineering Physics / Semiconductor Physics) (Honours/Honours with Research) · and 179 more182181 only way in
- Lovely Professional UniversityB Design (Fashion) [ 2+2 with international credit transfer option] · B Tech (Biotechnology) [ 2+2 with international credit transfer option] · B Tech (CE) [ 2+2 with international credit transfer option] · and 153 more15664 only way in
- Sharda University NoidaB.A. - Economics · B.A. - English · B.A. - Film, Television & OTT Production · and 126 more129129 only way in
- Kalinga UniversityBachelor of Animation & Visual Effects · Bachelor of Arts · Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law (Integrated) · and 94 more97always one route
- University of DelhiB.A. (Hons.) English · B.A. (Hons.) Journalism · B.A. (Hons.) Political Science · and 69 more722 only way in
- UPES - DehradunB.Com (Hons.) · B.Des · B.Des (Global Pathway Program) (2+2 years) 2 Years in UPES Campus + 2 Years in Overseas University · and 67 more7070 only way in
- Geeta UniversityB.A.LL.B. · B.Sc. (H & HA) (Bachelor in Science Hospitality & Hotel Administration) · B.Sc. Hotel Management · and 65 more6868 only way in
- Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary (SGT) UniversityB.A.B.Ed. Special Education — Hearing Impairment (HI) Middle Stage: ISITEP · B.A.B.Ed. Special Education — Hearing Impairment (HI) Preparatory Stage: ISITEP · B.A.B.Ed. Special Education — Intellectual Disability (ID) Middle Stage: ISITEP · and 57 more6060 only way in
- Jaganath University (Delhi NCR)B.A in English · B.A.LL.B · B.Design in Interior Design · and 56 more5939 only way in
- Apex UniversityB. Sc. In Biotechnology · Bachelor in Pharmacy · Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Law · and 51 more5454 only way in
- OM Sterling Global University, Hisar, HaryanaB. A. · B. A. (Applied Arts) · B. A. (Digital Media and Marketing) · and 50 more5353 only way in
Questions
- Which programmes require English?
- 2109 programmes at 130 universities name English outright in their CUET requirement. No combination of the other papers reaches them, so a candidate who does not sit English cannot apply to any of them.
- Which universities accept English?
- 2782 programmes across 159 universities can use English in their CUET requirement, counted from the admission documents we have read line by line. That figure includes the programmes that merely allow the paper as one option alongside others.
- What is the CUET subject code for English?
- English carries NTA subject code 101. It is a language paper in the CUET (UG) subject list.
- Which papers are most often taken with English?
- Counting the programme rules that accept English, the papers those same rules accept most often are General Aptitude Test, Physics, Mathematics / Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology / Biological Science / Biotechnology / Biochemistry. This is a count of rules, not of what candidates choose.
- Are past answer keys available for English?
- NTA has published a final answer key covering English for 2026, 2025, 2024, 2024. Each link opens NTA's own PDF at the page where this paper starts. NTA does not publish the question paper itself.