CUET PG English Literature [LAQP01] Latest Syllabus, Books, Exam Pattern, Seats in DU & JNU , Question Paper [PYQ], Exam Anaylsis Cut-off &Eligiblity Criteria 2026
CUET PG English Literature [LAQP01] has rapidly emerged as one of the most sought-after postgraduate entrance examinations in India, especially for aspirants aiming to secure admission in premier central universities such as Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and several other prestigious institutions. With English Literature being a discipline rooted in critical thinking, literary history, theory, and analytical reasoning, this paper tests far more than memory—it evaluates a student’s depth of interpretation, textual understanding, and academic readiness for advanced literary studies.As CUET PG 2026 approaches, staying updated with the latest syllabus, exam pattern, seat matrix, important reference books, previous year question papers (PYQs), cut-off trends, and eligibility criteria becomes essential for every aspirant. A strategic and well-informed preparation plan not only enhances confidence but also significantly improves the chances of securing a top rank and grabbing a seat in elite universities.
🧬 CUET PG MA English [LAQP01] Exam 2026 – Detailed Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | CUET PG Zoology [SCQP28] Exam 2026 |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Level | National-level Entrance Test |
| Purpose | Admission to M.Sc./M.A./Integrated Zoology programs in Central, State & Deemed Universities |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test (CBT) – Online |
| Exam Duration | 90 Minutes |
| Total Questions | 75 Questions |
| Total Marks | 300 Marks |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for each correct answer; -1 for each incorrect answer |
| Medium of Exam | English & Hindi (Bilingual) |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Eligibility Criteria | Bachelor’s degree in Zoology/Life Sciences or related field with minimum 50–55% marks (varies by university) |
| Frequency | Once a year |
| Official Website | cuet.nta.nic.in |
Table of Contents
📘 CUET PG English Literature Latest Syllabus
| Unit | Key Areas Covered | Sub-Themes / Components |
|---|---|---|
| 1. History of English & Indian Literatures | • Major Authors • Major Texts • Literary Movements | Medieval, Renaissance, Neoclassical, Romantic, Victorian, Modern, Postmodern periods • Indian Classical & Regional Writing • Bhakti & Sufi Movement, Modern Indian Literature |
| 2. Indian Writing in English (IWE) | • Major Authors • Texts including English Translations • Literary History | Early Indian English poets & novelists, Post-Independence writers, Dalit literature, Partition literature, Regional literature translated into English |
| 3. Literary Terms | • Core Terminology | Allegory, Ballad, Blank Verse, Comedy, Dissociation of Sensibility, Dramatic Monologue, Elegy, Enlightenment, Epic, Fancy vs Imagination, Imitation, Intentional Fallacy, Motif, Ode, Onomatopoeia, Paradox, Plot, Figures of Speech, Satire, Soliloquy, Sonnet, Tragedy, Wit etc. |
| 4. Literary Genres | • Forms & Modes of Writing | Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Prose, Novel, Drama, Diary, Essays, Life Writing, Short Story, Epic, Travelogue, Science Fiction etc. |
| 5. Comparative Literature & Translation Studies | • Concepts & Theories • Major Texts | Intertextuality, Influence Study, Adaptation, Translation theories, Comparative method, Cross-cultural study, Canon formation |
| 6. Literary Criticism & Theory | • Classical to Modern Schools • Key Thinkers • Approaches | Plato, Aristotle, Longinus, New Criticism, Structuralism, Post-structuralism, Feminism, Post-colonialism, Marxism, Eco-Criticism |
| 7. Current Literary Trends & Updates | • Awards & Events | Booker Prize, Sahitya Akademi, Nobel Prize in Literature, New publications, Current literary debates, Festivals etc. |
📚 1. Literary History (Chronological Overview)
A. Medieval Period (450–1500)
| Major Authors | Major Texts | Key Movements/Features |
|---|---|---|
| Geoffrey Chaucer | The Canterbury Tales | Middle English, Feudal society, Courtly love |
| William Langland | Piers Plowman | Allegory, Religious criticism |
| Sir Thomas Malory | Le Morte d’Arthur | Arthurian legend tradition |
| Mystery, Miracle & Morality playwrights | Everyman | Christian drama tradition |
| Unknown authors | Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight | Heroic poetry, Chivalry |
🔹 Themes: Religion, chivalry, morality, feudalism
🔹 CUET probable questions: Author–text matches, features of Medieval literature
B. Renaissance (1500–1660)
| Major Authors | Major Works | Literary Movement |
|---|---|---|
| William Shakespeare | Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Sonnets | Elizabethan drama flourish |
| Christopher Marlowe | Doctor Faustus | Tragedy, Heroic ambition |
| Ben Jonson | The Alchemist | Comedy of Humours |
| Edmund Spenser | The Faerie Queene | Spenserian stanza |
| Francis Bacon | Essays | Modern prose beginnings |
🔹 Themes: Humanism, rediscovery of classics, individualism
🔹 Exam Focus: Renaissance humanism, Shakespeare’s tragedies, Sonnets
C. Neoclassical Period (1660–1798)
| Major Authors | Major Works | Movements |
|---|---|---|
| John Dryden | Absalom and Achitophel | Restoration age |
| Alexander Pope | The Rape of the Lock, An Essay on Criticism | Satire, Heroic couplet |
| Jonathan Swift | Gulliver’s Travels | Political satire |
| Samuel Johnson | A Dictionary of the English Language | Age of Johnson |
| Oliver Goldsmith | The Vicar of Wakefield | Sentimental comedy |
🔹 Themes: Order, reason, harmony, satire
🔹 CUET Catches: Heroic couplet, satire, Augustan age features
D. Romantic Period (1798–1837)
| Major Authors | Famous Works | Movements |
|---|---|---|
| William Wordsworth | The Prelude, Lyrical Ballads | Nature, Emotion |
| Samuel Taylor Coleridge | Kubla Khan, Rime of the Ancient Mariner | Supernatural |
| P.B. Shelley | Adonais, Prometheus Unbound | Revolutionary idealism |
| John Keats | Odes (To Autumn, Nightingale) | Sensuous imagery |
| Lord Byron | Don Juan | Byronic hero |
🔹 Keywords: Imagination, Nature, Emotion, Individualism
🔹 CUET Askable: Preface to Lyrical Ballads, Byronic hero, 2 waves of Romantics
E. Victorian Period (1837–1901)
| Major Authors | Major Works | Movements / Features |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Dickens | Oliver Twist, Hard Times | Social realism |
| Alfred Tennyson | In Memoriam | Victorian morality |
| Robert Browning | My Last Duchess | Dramatic monologue |
| Matthew Arnold | Dover Beach | Culture & criticism |
| Thomas Hardy | Tess of the d’Urbervilles | Pessimism, Rural tragedy |
🔹 Key ideas: Industrialization, morality conflict, realism
🔹 CUET Target: Dramatic monologue, Victorian conflict of faith & science
F. Modern Period (1901–1945)
| Major Authors | Major Texts | Movements |
|---|---|---|
| T.S. Eliot | The Waste Land | Modernism, fragmentation |
| Virginia Woolf | Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse | Stream of consciousness |
| James Joyce | Ulysses | Narrative experimentalism |
| W.B. Yeats | Easter 1916 | Irish Revival |
| D.H. Lawrence | Sons and Lovers | Psychological realism |
🔹 Concepts: Alienation, fragmentation, stream-of-consciousness
🔹 Likely exam: Waste Land symbolism, Modernist techniques
G. Postmodern Period (1945–present)
| Authors | Works | Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel Beckett | Waiting for Godot | Absurdism |
| Salman Rushdie | Midnight’s Children | Magic realism |
| Margaret Atwood | The Handmaid’s Tale | Feminist dystopia |
| Toni Morrison | Beloved | Afro-American identity |
| Thomas Pynchon | Gravity’s Rainbow | Fragmentation, irony |
🔹 Keywords: Metafiction, pastiche, intertextuality
🔹 CUET Askable: Magic Realism, Absurd Theatre, Postmodern irony
📙 Indian Literature Streams
1. Indian Classical & Regional Writing
| Region/Language | Major Authors | Key Works |
|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Kalidasa | Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta |
| Tamil | Ilango Adigal | Silappatikaram |
| Hindi | Tulsidas, Kabir, Premchand | Ramcharitmanas, Godaan |
| Bengali | Bankim Chandra, Tagore | Anandamath, Gitanjali |
2. Bhakti & Sufi Movement
| Poets | Works/Style |
|---|---|
| Kabir | Doha tradition, Nirgun bhakti |
| Meera Bai | Devotional Krishna poetry |
| Amir Khusrau | Sufi mysticism |
| Guru Nanak | Spiritual hymns, Guru Granth Sahib |
🔸 Themes: devotional love, equality, mysticism
🔸 Expected MCQs: poet-philosophy match, literary forms
3. Modern Indian Literature
| Authors | Works | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| R.K. Narayan | Malgudi Days | Everyday India |
| Mulk Raj Anand | Untouchable, Coolie | Social injustice |
| Amitav Ghosh | Shadow Lines | Partition & diaspora |
| Arundhati Roy | The God of Small Things | Postcolonial Kerala |
| Mahasweta Devi | Draupadi | Tribal rights |
📘 Indian Writing in English (IWE)
🔹 Major Authors • Important Texts • Literary History
1. Early Indian English Poets & Novelists (Pre-Independence)
| Author | Major Works | Significance / Themes |
|---|---|---|
| Raja Ram Mohan Roy | Prose writings & essays | Pioneer of modern Indian prose in English |
| Toru Dutt | Ancient Ballads, A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields | 1st Indian woman poet writing in English |
| Henry Derozio | Poems, The Fakir of Jungheera | Young Bengal Movement, nationalist voice |
| Bankim Chandra Chatterjee | Rajmohan’s Wife | 1st Indian English novel |
| Rabindranath Tagore | Gitanjali (original Bengali, Eng. translation by author) | Nobel Prize 1913, spiritual philosophy |
| Sri Aurobindo | Savitri | Epic mystical poetry |
🔹 CUET Focus: firsts in Indian English literature, poet–work match, nationalist themes.
2. Post-Independence Literature (1947 onwards)
| Author | Major Texts | Themes/Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Mulk Raj Anand | Untouchable, Coolie | Caste oppression, realism |
| R.K. Narayan | Malgudi Days, The Guide | Indian society & simplicity |
| Anita Desai | Clear Light of Day, Fire on the Mountain | Feminine consciousness, interiority |
| Kamala Das | My Story, Summer in Calcutta | Confessional feminism |
| Salman Rushdie | Midnight’s Children | Magic realism, history + fiction |
| Amitav Ghosh | Shadow Lines, Sea of Poppies | Memory, migration, diaspora |
🔹 Exam Expectation: magic realism, feminist writing, diasporic themes.
3. Dalit Literature (English & Translation)
| Key Writers | Major Works (Translations Included) | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| B.R. Ambedkar | Annihilation of Caste | Anti-caste ideology |
| Namdeo Dhasal | Golpitha (Marathi → English) | Dalit consciousness & aggression |
| Omprakash Valmiki | Joothan (Hindi → English) | Untouchability, caste trauma |
| Bama Faustina | Karukku (Tamil → English) | Dalit women’s suffering & empowerment |
🔹 CUET MCQ type: author–movement pair, Dalit autobiography.
4. Partition Literature in English
| Writer | Famous Works | Angle of Partition |
|---|---|---|
| Khushwant Singh | Train to Pakistan | Communal violence, displacement |
| Bhisham Sahni | Tamas (Hindi→English) | Religious conflict & trauma |
| Saadat Hasan Manto | Toba Tek Singh, Short stories (Urdu→English) | Madness of division |
| Chaman Nahal | Azadi | Freedom vs loss paradox |
🔹 Important: trauma, nostalgia, border identity.
5. Regional Literature in English Translation
| Region / Language | Writer & Translated Work | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil | Silappadikaram – Ilango Adigal | One of India’s oldest epics |
| Bengali | Tagore – Gitanjali, Bibhutibhushan – Pather Panchali | Humanism, aesthetics |
| Hindi | Premchand – Godaan, Nirmal Verma – Days of Longing | Rural realism, existentialism |
| Urdu | Ghalib: Selected Poems, Lihaaf – Ismat Chughtai | Love, gender, rebellion |
| Kannada | U.R. Ananthamurthy – Samskara | Tradition vs modernity conflict |
🔹 Exam Angle: Identify translated works & original language.
⭐ Summary for Quick Revision
| Category | Key Figures | Must-Know Texts |
|---|---|---|
| Early Writing | Dutt, Derozio, Aurobindo, Tagore | Gitanjali, Savitri, Rajmohan’s Wife |
| Post-Independence | Narayan, Anand, Desai, Rushdie, Ghosh | Untouchable, Malgudi Days, Midnight’s Children |
| Dalit Literature | Valmiki, Bama, Dhasal | Joothan, Karukku, Golpitha |
| Partition Literature | Manto, Singh, Nahal | Train to Pakistan, Tamas |
| Translated Regional Works | Premchand, Chughtai, Adigal | Godaan, Samskara, Silappadikaram |
CUET PG English Weightage Topic Wise in Exam Form 2022 to 2025
| Year | Ch-1 History of English & Indian Literatures | Ch-2 Indian Writing in English | Ch-3 Literary Terms | Ch-4 Literary Genres | Ch-5 Comparative & Translation Studies | Ch-6 Literary Criticism & Theory | Ch-7 Current Literary Trends/Awards | Total Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 | 12 | 08 | 09 | 06 | 14 | 08 | 75 |
| 2023 | 17 | 14 | 09 | 08 | 07 | 15 | 05 | 75 |
| 2024 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 08 | 06 | 14 | 06 | 75 |
| 2025 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 07 | 06 | 14 | 06 | 75 |
Seats Available in DU & JNU for CUET PG English [PG]
| University | Programme | Approx. Total Seats (MA English) |
|---|---|---|
| DU (all colleges / Department of English + NCWEB) | MA English (PG) | 400 seats (across all colleges) |
| JNU | MA English (PG) | 40 to 50 seats |
CUET PG MA English Eligiblity Criteria University Wise
| University / College | Eligibility Criteria for MA English (via CUET PG) |
|---|---|
| Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) | Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with English as a subject (Hons./Pass/General), ≥ 50% marks for General/OBC/EWS; 45% for SC/ST/PwD |
| Central University of Karnataka | Any undergraduate degree with English as optional/subject in all semesters, ≥ 50% aggregate (relaxation for reserved categories) |
| Central University of Jammu | Any UG degree, minimum 55% aggregate (relaxation for SC/ST/PwD); preference for candidates who studied English literature |
| Central University of Hyderabad | UG degree with minimum 50% aggregate; English as compulsory/optional subject depending on UG curriculum |
| Central University of Himachal Pradesh | Bachelor’s degree (recognized) with minimum 50% marks aggregate |
| Central University of Odisha | Any undergraduate degree with English as one of the subjects, ≥ 50% (relaxed for SC/ST/PwD) |
| Central University of Punjab | UG degree with ≥ 50% aggregate and English as compulsory or optional subject; relaxation for reserved categories |
| Tripura University | BA (Pass or Hons) in English or English studied in UG; passing marks sufficient for eligibility |
| English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU, Hyderabad) | UG degree with minimum 55% aggregate (relaxation for SC/ST/PwD) |
| Banaras Hindu University (if participating via CUET) | Bachelor’s degree (BA Hons or BA Pass with English in all three years) with minimum 50% aggregate |
Recommended products
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CUET PG English [LAQP01] Book 2026 Solved Previous Year Paper & Chapter Wise 1000 Practice MCQ As Per Updated Syllabus
Original price was: ₹500.00.₹310.00Current price is: ₹310.00. -
GATE English [XH-C2] Theory Book Covered All 5 Chapter in Details As Per Exam Pattern [2nd Edition]
Original price was: ₹800.00.₹550.00Current price is: ₹550.00.
✅ Current CUET PG Exam Pattern (2026 onward)
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Computer‑Based Test (CBT) |
| Medium of Question Paper | Bilingual (English & Hindi) — except for language‑papers / literature papers which are in the concerned language. |
| Number of Questions | 75 MCQs |
| Total Marks | 300 marks (i.e. each question = 4 marks) |
| Marking Scheme | +4 marks for a correct answer, –1 mark for a wrong answer, 0 for unattempted. |
| Duration of Exam | 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) |
| Section/Parts | Only one section per subject (i.e. only domain‑knowledge / subject‑specific questions) — for Literature/English. |
| Syllabus / Question Type for English (e.g. paper code LAQP01) | Domain‑knowledge questions on literature: history of English & Indian literatures, literary terms/genres, literary criticism/theory, texts/authors, etc. |
📊 DU & JNU — MA English (CUET PG) Cut‑Offs
| University | Category / Detail | Approx. Cut‑off (marks / percentile / range) |
|---|---|---|
| DU | General (UR) — typical 2025‑cut range | ≈ 205 – 225 |
| OBC / EWS (other backward / economically weaker) | ≈ 165 – 205 | |
| SC | ≈ 165 – 185 | |
| ST | ≈ 155 – 180 | |
| JNU | General (UR) — 2025 (percentile‑based) | ≈ 71 percentile |
| OBC | ≈ 62.33 percentile | |
| SC | ≈ 61.67 percentile | |
| ST | ≈ 60.33 percentile |
CUET-PG English Question Paper 2021,2022 &2023 PDF
Aspirants can check the CUET English Question Paper 2021,2022,2023,2024 and 2025 Question Paper given below in tabular format. Candidates can download the PDF files to just fill the form given below.
| Previous Year paper CUET PG English | Link |
|---|---|
| CUET PG English LAQP01 Previous Year Paper 2022 | Click Here |
| CUET PG English LAQP01 Previous Year Paper 2023 | Click Here |
| CUET PG English LAQP01 Previous Year Paper 2024 | Click Here |
| CUET PG English LAQP01 Previous Year Paper 2025 | Click Here |
CUET PG MA English – Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is CUET PG?
CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate programs) is a national-level computer-based test for admission to PG courses in central universities and participating institutions across India.
2. Which universities accept CUET PG scores for MA English?
- Delhi University (DU)
- Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
- Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
- English & Foreign Languages University (EFLU)
- All Central Universities offering MA English
- Some state universities and affiliated colleges
3. What is the eligibility for MA English through CUET PG?
- Bachelor’s degree (10+2+3) from a recognized university
- Must have studied English as a subject in UG (Hons/Pass/General)
- Minimum marks:
- General/UR/OBC/EWS: ~50%
- SC/ST/PwD: ~45% (varies by university)
4. What is the exam pattern for CUET PG English?
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Online / Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Number of Questions | 75 MCQs |
| Marks | 4 per correct answer; –1 for wrong answer |
| Sections | Subject knowledge only (English Literature) |
| Syllabus | History of English & Indian Literature, Literary Terms & Genres, Literary Criticism & Theory, Texts & Authors, Drama, Poetry, Fiction, Literary Theory |
5. What is the syllabus for MA English CUET PG?
- History of English Literature (medieval to modern)
- Indian Writing in English
- Literary terms and genres
- Literary criticism and theory
- Major authors, works, and literary movements
- Drama, poetry, and fiction studies
- Comprehension & verbal ability (basic English usage if required)
6. What is the cut-off for DU and JNU for MA English?
Delhi University (DU)
- General: 205–225 marks
- OBC/EWS: 165–205 marks
- SC: 165–185 marks
- ST: 155–180 marks
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
- General: ~71 percentile
- OBC: ~62.33 percentile
- SC: ~61.67 percentile
- ST: ~60.33 percentile
Cut-offs vary by college, seat availability, and year.
7. Is there negative marking in CUET PG English?
Yes, –1 mark for each wrong answer. No marks are deducted for unattempted questions.
8. How many times is CUET PG conducted in a year?
- CUET PG is conducted once a year for the academic session.
9. What is the duration of preparation needed?
- Depends on your background:
- UG in English: 3–4 months focused prep can be sufficient
- Non-English UG: 6–8 months recommended (cover literature + language + MCQs)
10. Which books are recommended for preparation?
Chapter-wise / Topic-wise:
- History of English Literature: Edward Albert, David Daiches, Legouis & Cazamian
- Indian Writing in English: Anthologies / survey books
- Literary Terms & Genres: M. H. Abrams, Chris Baldick
- Literary Criticism & Theory: Introductory theory books, CUET PG guides
- Grammar / Language Skills: Wren & Martin
- Exam Practice: CUET PG MA English Part-B guide, RPH Editorial Board guide
11. Are previous years’ question papers available?
Yes, CUET PG previous years’ papers are published by some coaching institutes and guides (e.g., Arihant, RPH). They help in understanding pattern, difficulty, and MCQs style.
12. How is the merit list prepared?
- Normalized score / percentile is calculated (if multiple shifts)
- Universities apply cut-offs and category reservation
- Shortlisted candidates may be called for counselling/admission
13. Can students from other streams apply for MA English?
- Generally, students with UG in English are preferred.
- Some universities may allow non-English graduates if they meet minimum criteria, but chances are limited.
14. How many seats are available in DU & JNU for MA English?
Approximate seats (2025):
- DU: 150–180 seats (across all colleges offering MA English)
- JNU: 45–50 seats (School of Language, Literature & Cultural Studies)
15. Any preparation tips for CUET PG MA English?
- Focus on subject knowledge first (literature, authors, periods)
- Solve mock tests and past papers
- Revise literary terms & criticism/theory
- Improve vocabulary & grammar if coming from non-English UG
- Time management: 90 minutes for 75 questions (~1.2 minutes per question)
