History
Each of those rules names History 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
History carries the subject code 314. The syllabus described here is the one published for 2026-27.
It is one of the shortest subject syllabi NTA publishes: a cover page and a single page of theme titles. There are no sub-topics under any theme, so the titles themselves are the whole specification.
How the syllabus is organised
The document is laid out in three parts — Themes in Indian History Part I, Part II and Part III, twelve themes in all. Each part is a block of four themes, and the numbering runs straight through from Theme I to Theme XII rather than restarting in each part.
The syllabus itself is a list of titles only. It does not print question counts, marks, negative marking or timing, and it does not say how many questions come from each part. Read it alongside the exam pattern.
Part I: the ancient period
The first four themes move from archaeology through inscriptions and epic literature to the history of two religious traditions.
- Theme I: Harappan Civilisation and Archaeology
- Theme II: Political and Economic Systems in Early States: Inscriptional Evidences
- Theme III: Social Histories of Early Societies: Mahabharata
- Theme IV: History of Buddhism and Jainism: Cultural Developments
Part II: the medieval period
The middle four themes are built around kinds of evidence and kinds of institution: travellers' accounts, devotional traditions, a single empire studied for its politics, economy and architecture, and the Mughal agrarian order.
- Theme V: Medieval Society through Travellers Accounts
- Theme VI: Religious History: Bhakti-Sufi Traditions
- Theme VII: Vijayanagara Empire: Politics, Economy and Architecture
- Theme VIII: The Mughal Empire and Agrarian Society
Part III: the colonial period and after
The last four themes run from colonial rural society to the framing of the Constitution.
- Theme IX: Colonialism and Rural Society: Evidence from Official Reports
- Theme X: Revolt of 1857: Patterns and Representations
- Theme XI: Mahatma Gandhi and National Movements
- Theme XII: The Making of the Constitution
What this syllabus does not tell you
The document is a list of theme titles and nothing more. From it you cannot learn:
- how many questions come from each part, or the marks, negative marking and duration — those are on the exam pattern;
- what falls under any theme, because no theme has sub-topics listed; the title is all NTA gives;
- the weightage of any theme, so treat all twelve as examinable rather than ranking them;
- how difficult the questions will be, or whether they will lean on sources and evidence or on dates and events;
- which books to use; the syllabus names no textbook;
- 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 History, from the 70 universities whose documents we have read. 42 of them cannot be reached any other way.
- Lovely Professional UniversityB Design (Fashion) [ 2+2 with international credit transfer option] · B Sc (IT) [2+2 with international credit transfer option] · B. Arch. · and 104 more107always one route
- University of DelhiB.A. (Hons.) Political Science · B.A. (Programme) · B.A. (Hons.) Psychology · and 45 more48always one route
- North Lakhimpur UniversityB.A. History · B.Sc. Chemistry · B.Sc. Botany · and 21 more241 only way in
- Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal PradeshB.A. Anthropology · B.A. Anthropology (Affiliated Colleges) · B.A. Economics (Affiliated Colleges) · and 18 more21always one route
- Bhattadev UniversityB.Sc. (Hons.) in Geography · Integrated M.Com. · B.Sc. (Hons.) in Physics · and 16 more19always one route
- National Sanskrit University (previously Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth)B.A. (Honours) · B.Sc. in Yoga (BY) · Shastri in Advaita Vedanta (SHAV) · and 14 more17always one route
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University DelhiBachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Psychology · Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Political Science · Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Sociology · and 11 more14always one route
- RNB Global University, Bikaner ( Rajasthan)Bachelor of Arts (BA) Specilization in Business Studies · Bachelor of Arts (BA) Specilization in Economics / Business Economics · Bachelor of Arts (BA) Specilization in English · and 11 more14always one route
- University of AllahabadBachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) · B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) · Five Year Integrated Programme in Management (BBA & MBA) · and 7 more10always one route
- Sibsagar UniversityFYUGP in Arts — Political Science · FYUGP in Arts — History · FYUGP in Arts — English · and 6 more9always one route
- Central University of JammuB.A. in English · B.A. in Public Policy and Public Administration · B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication · and 4 more7always one route
- UPES - DehradunBA (AI and Law) · BA (Hons.) Diplomacy and Foreign Policy (3+1)* · BA (Hons.) Governance and Public Administration (3+1)* · and 4 more77 only way in
Questions
- Which programmes require History?
- 42 programmes at 32 universities name History outright in their CUET requirement. No combination of the other papers reaches them, so a candidate who does not sit History cannot apply to any of them.
- Which universities accept History?
- 384 programmes across 70 universities can use History 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 History?
- History carries NTA subject code 314. It is a domain paper in the CUET (UG) subject list.
- Which papers are most often taken with History?
- Counting the programme rules that accept History, the papers those same rules accept most often are Political Science, Sociology, Economics / Business Economics, Psychology, Geography / Geology. This is a count of rules, not of what candidates choose.
- Are past answer keys available for History?
- NTA has published a final answer key covering History 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.