Urdu
Each of those rules names Urdu 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
Urdu carries the subject code 113. The syllabus described here is the one published for 2026-27.
The document is short: a cover page and one page of topics. The list opens with a deliberate 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
A language paper is not organised by units of content the way a domain subject is. The document is laid out in two skill areas — Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. There is no list of prescribed texts, authors or grammar chapters: the paper tests how you read and handle the language, not what you have read in it.
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 skill area. Read it alongside the exam pattern.
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension is where the syllabus is most specific. It fixes the kinds of passages and puts a word limit on each. It does not say how many questions follow a passage, or whether the questions test vocabulary, inference or the writer's tone.
| Skill area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | three types of passages (maximum 300 words): Factual, Narrative, Literary |
Verbal Ability
Verbal Ability is a short list of four task types. They are the familiar objective formats: putting jumbled parts back in order, matching items across two columns, filling in the correct word, and recognising words of the same or opposite meaning.
| Skill area | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Verbal Ability | Rearranging the parts, Match the following, Choosing the correct word, Synonyms and Antonyms |
What this syllabus does not tell you
The document is a skill list and nothing more. From it you cannot learn:
- which Urdu authors, texts, periods or literary forms the passages draw on; the document names none and describes passages only by type;
- 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 questions follow each passage, or what those questions test;
- the level of vocabulary and grammar expected, or how difficult the passages will be;
- 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 Urdu, from the 29 universities whose documents we have read. 19 of them cannot be reached any other way.
- Lovely Professional UniversityB Sc (IT) [2+2 with international credit transfer option] · B. Arch. · B.A. (Fine Arts) · and 89 more92always one route
- University of DelhiB.A. (Hons.) Political Science · B.A. (Programme) · B.A. (Hons.) Psychology · and 68 more71always one route
- Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar UniversityB.A. (Film Theatre & Media Studies) (Hons.) · B.A. (Hons.) — optional History, Sociology and English · B.A. (Hons.) Public Administration · and 24 more27always one route
- Bhattadev UniversityB.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry · B.Sc. (Hons.) in Zoology · B.Sc. (Hons.) in Botany · and 18 more21always one route
- North Lakhimpur UniversityB.Sc. Chemistry · B.Sc. Botany · B.A. History · and 18 more21always one route
- National Sanskrit University (previously Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth)B.A. (Honours) · B.Sc. Computers (BC) · B.Sc. in Yoga (BY) · and 15 more18always one route
- Nagaon UniversityB.Sc. (Hons.) in Zoology · Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Technician (BMLT) · B.Sc. (Hons.) in Botany · and 13 more16always 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
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University DelhiBachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Psychology · Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Political Science · Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) - Sociology · and 9 more12always one route
- University of JammuB.A. in Urdu · B.A. in Islamic Studies · B.A. in Music · and 9 more121 only way in
- The English and Foreign Languages UniversityB.A. (Hons./Research) Arabic · B.A. (Hons./Research) Chinese · B.A. (Hons./Research) French · and 7 more10always one route
- Maulana Azad National Urdu UniversityB.A. (Hons./Research) — dual major · B.A. Journalism (Hons./Research) — dual major · B.Com. (Hons./Research) — dual major · and 5 more88 only way in
Questions
- Which programmes require Urdu?
- 19 programmes at 11 universities name Urdu outright in their CUET requirement. No combination of the other papers reaches them, so a candidate who does not sit Urdu cannot apply to any of them.
- Which universities accept Urdu?
- 345 programmes across 29 universities can use Urdu 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 Urdu?
- Urdu carries NTA subject code 113. It is a language paper in the CUET (UG) subject list.
- Which papers are most often taken with Urdu?
- Counting the programme rules that accept Urdu, the papers those same rules accept most often are English, Hindi, Punjabi, Assamese, Bengali. This is a count of rules, not of what candidates choose.
- Are past answer keys available for Urdu?
- NTA has published a final answer key covering Urdu for 2026, 2025, 2024. Each link opens NTA's own PDF at the page where this paper starts. NTA does not publish the question paper itself.