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What is the Physics syllabus for CUET?
Which topics should you focus on the most?
Is the CUET Physics syllabus the same as NCERT Class 12?
How can understanding the syllabus help in better preparation?
If you're a student preparing for the CUET (Common University Entrance Test) and have chosen Physics as one of your subjects, you're probably asking these questions. Knowing the Physics syllabus is the first and most important step in planning your preparation. It helps you understand what to study, what to skip, and how to manage your time smartly.
Before we dive into the full Physics syllabus, it’s worth noting that most CUET domain subject syllabi—like Physics, Chemistry, and English—are aligned with NCERT Class 12 content. If you’re preparing for multiple subjects, don’t miss these detailed guides:
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the complete Physics CUET syllabus, break down each topic in a simple way, and give you a clear picture of what to expect in the exam. Whether you're aiming for top central universities or just trying to secure a good score, this guide will help you stay focused and organised.
Download the “Physics” CUET 2025 Syllabus
The Physics CUET syllabus is based on the topics from Class 12 NCERT textbooks. It’s structured in a way that covers all the important concepts you’ve already studied in school, making it easier to revise and prepare for the exam. The syllabus is designed to test your understanding of both theoretical concepts and their practical applications.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the Physics syllabus structure for CUET:
Unit 1: Electrostatics
Electric charges and their conservation. Coulomb’s law – force between two-point charges, forces between multiple charges; superposition principle and continuous charge distribution. Electric field, electric field due to a point charge, electric field lines; electric dipole, electric field due to a dipole; torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field.
Electric flux, statement of Gauss’s theorem and its applications to find field due to infinitely long straight wire, uniformly charged infinite plane sheet and uniformly charged thin spherical shell (field inside and outside).
Electric potential, potential difference, electric potential due to a point charge, a dipole and system of charges; equipotential surfaces, electrical potential energy of a system of two point charges and electric dipoles in an electrostatic field.
Conductors and insulators, free charges and bound charges inside a conductor. Dielectrics and electric polarisation, capacitors and capacitance, combination of capacitors in series and in parallel, capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with and without dielectric medium between the plates, energy stored in a capacitor.
Unit 2: Current Electricity
Electric current, flow of electric charges in a metallic conductor, drift velocity and mobility, and their relation with electric current; Ohm’s law, electrical resistance, V-I characteristics (linear and non-linear), electrical energy and power, electrical resistivity and conductivity, temperature dependence of resistance. Internal resistance of a cell, potential difference and emf of a cell, combination of cells in series and parallel. Kirchhoff ’s laws, Wheatstone bridge.
Unit 3: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Concept of magnetic field, Oersted’s experiment. Biot-Savart law and its application to current carrying circular loop. Ampere’s law and its applications to infinitely long straight wire, straight solenoid. Force on a moving charge in uniform magnetic and electric fields.
Force on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field. Force between two parallel current-carrying conductors – definition of ampere. Torque experienced by a current loop in a magnetic field; moving coil galvanometer – its current sensitivity and conversion to ammeter and voltmeter.
Current loop as a magnetic dipole and its magnetic dipole moment. Magnetic field intensity due to a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) along its axis and perpendicular to its axis. Torque on a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) in a uniform magnetic field; bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid, magnetic field lines. Para-, dia- and ferro-magnetic substances, with examples.
Unit 4: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
Electromagnetic induction; Faraday’s law, induced emf and current; Lenz’s Law, Eddy currents. Self and mutual inductance. Alternating currents, peak and rms value of alternating current/voltage; reactance and impedance; LC oscillations (qualitative treatment only), LCR series circuit, resonance; power in AC circuits, wattless current. AC generator and transformer
Unit 5: Electromagnetic Waves
Need for displacement current. Electromagnetic waves and their characteristics (qualitative ideas only). Transverse nature of electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays), including elementary facts about their uses.
Unit 6: Optics
Reflection of light, spherical mirrors, mirror formula. Refraction of light, total internal reflection and its applications, optical fibres, refraction at spherical surfaces, lenses, thin lens formula, lens- maker’s formula. Magnification, power of a lens, combination of thin lenses in contact combination of a lens and a mirror. Refraction and dispersion of light through a prism.
Scattering of light – blue colour of the sky and reddish appearance of the sun at sunrise and sunset. Optical instruments: Microscopes and astronomical telescopes (reflecting and refracting) and their magnifying powers.
Wave optics: Wavefront and Huygens’ principle, reflection and refraction of plane wave at a plane surface using wavefronts. Proof of laws of reflection and refraction using Huygens’ principle. Interference, Young’s double hole experiment and expression for fringe width, coherent sources and sustained interference of light. Diffraction due to a single slit. Polarisation, plane polarised light.
Unit 7: Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation
Photoelectric effect, Hertz and Lenard’s observations; Einstein’s photoelectric equation – particle nature of light. Matter waves – wave nature of particles, de Broglie relation.
Unit 8: Atoms and Nuclei
Alpha-particle scattering experiment; Rutherford’s model of atom; Bohr model, energy levels, hydrogen spectrum. Composition and size of nucleus, atomic masses, isotopes, isobars; isotones. Radioactivity – alpha, beta and gamma particles/rays and their properties. Mass-energy relation, mass defect; binding energy per nucleon and its variation with mass number; nuclear fission and fusion.
Unit 9: Electronic Devices
Energy bands in solids (qualitative ideas only), conductors, insulators and semiconductors; semiconductor diode – I-V characteristics in forward and reverse bias, diode as a rectifier.
Important Highlights:
Not all chapters carry the same importance in CUET. While the entire syllabus is important, some topics are asked about more frequently and carry more marks. That’s why it’s smart to prepare based on chapter weightage, especially if you're short on time or want to revise efficiently.
Here’s a priority-wise list of Physics chapters you should focus on, starting with the highest weightage.
High Priority Chapters (Most questions come from these)
Ray and Wave Optics
Current Electricity
Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation
Atoms and Nuclei
Medium Priority Chapters (Moderate weightage, still important)
Electronic Devices
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
Low Priority Chapters (Lesser weightage but don’t skip)
Electrostatics
Electromagnetic Waves
How to Use This Priority List
Step 1: Begin with high-priority chapters if you're starting late or doing revision.
Step 2: Once you're confident, move to medium-priority chapters for balanced preparation.
Step 3: Don’t ignore low-priority topics — they can fetch quick marks with less effort.
Step 4: Practise MCQs from each topic and revise weekly using this order.
CUET is all about concept clarity and smart preparation. This chapter-wise priority list helps you manage your time and effort wisely while ensuring you cover the entire syllabus effectively.
If you're preparing for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and have chosen Physics as one of your subjects, the very first step is to understand the syllabus thoroughly. But why is the syllabus so important? Can’t you just study from your textbooks and take mock tests?
Well, knowing the Physics syllabus gives your preparation a strong direction. Think of it as your personal navigation map. Without it, you might end up lost in a sea of unnecessary information. Here's a complete breakdown of why being aware of the Physics CUET syllabus is not just helpful – it's essential.
Helps You Study the Right Topics – Stay Focused
The CUET Physics questions are based only on the Class 12 NCERT Syllabus. If you don’t check the syllabus properly, you might end up studying chapters or topics that are not even part of the exam. For example, some sections from older syllabi or reference books may no longer be relevant. By sticking to the syllabus, you can avoid wasting time and focus only on what’s required.
Saves Time, Energy, and Resources
Let’s face it – preparing for CUET, along with school boards or other entrance exams like NEET or JEE, can be quite overwhelming. The syllabus helps you organise your study schedule, plan weekly or monthly targets, and focus on what really matters. Instead of jumping from topic to topic, you can move forward with confidence, knowing you're on the right path.
Reduces Exam Stress and Anxiety
One of the biggest reasons students feel nervous before exams is the fear of the unknown. But when you’re aware of the exact syllabus, you know what to expect, how deep each topic goes, and how much time to give to each chapter. This boosts your confidence, keeps you calm, and allows for smarter revision.
Identifies Strong and Weak Areas
When you break down the syllabus topic by topic, you’ll naturally begin to see which chapters you’re already comfortable with and which ones need more revision. This helps you plan your preparation more effectively. For instance, if you’re strong in Optics but weak in Magnetism, you can dedicate extra time to balance it out.
Makes Practice and Mock Tests More Targeted
Once you're familiar with the syllabus, you can relate every mock test question to a particular topic. This helps you track your progress and focus your efforts where they’re needed most. Instead of randomly practising, you'll be solving questions that directly match the exam structure.
Prevents You from Missing Important Chapters
It's surprisingly common for students to miss or overlook smaller chapters like Communication Systems or Dual Nature of Matter, thinking they’re less important. But CUET often includes questions from every part of the syllabus. Being aware of the full syllabus ensures you don’t skip any topic, even the short ones that can bring you easy marks.
Helps in Creating a Personal Study Strategy
Every student studies differently. When you know the syllabus, you can create a custom study plan that works best for you. You can break the syllabus into daily, weekly, or monthly goals, choose the best resources, and prepare a timetable that covers theory, problem-solving, and revision.
Boosts Your Score with Better Time Management
With a clear understanding of the syllabus, you won’t waste time second-guessing what to study. You’ll be able to manage your time wisely, both during preparation and in the actual exam. This gives you a real advantage over others who might still be figuring things out.
Knowing the syllabus isn’t just a formality – it’s the base of smart, efficient, and confident preparation. It gives your study structure, removes guesswork, and keeps you focused on your goal. Whether you're aiming for a top university or just want to secure a decent score, understanding the syllabus is your first step to success.
For quick, visual revision of key concepts and formulas across Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Biology, check out the CUET Science Mind Maps Book. It's a great resource to reinforce learning and retain key topics faster.
Preparing for Physics in CUET doesn’t have to be stressful — all you need is the right plan. The CUET Physics paper is fully based on the Class 12 NCERT curriculum, so it’s important to study smartly and systematically. A topic-wise study plan helps you focus on each chapter, manage your time efficiently, and revise effectively before the exam.
Below is a suggested week-by-week plan, along with Important tips to help you get the most out of your preparation.
Week 1: Electrostatics
Week 2: Current Electricity
Week 3: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Week 4: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
Week 5: Electromagnetic Waves
Week 6–7: Optics (Ray + Wave)
Week 8: Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation
Week 9: Atoms and Nuclei
Week 10: Electronic Devices
Week 11–12: Full Syllabus Revision + Practice
Additional Study Tips:
Use NCERT as your base – Most CUET questions come directly from NCERT lines or diagrams.
Practice MCQs daily – This will sharpen your speed and accuracy.
Make summary notes – Write down formulas, Important terms, and exceptions for last-minute revision.
Avoid cramming – Physics needs understanding, not just memory. Use videos or real-life analogies if a topic seems hard.
Following a topic-wise plan helps you stay organised, avoid last-minute stress, and cover the entire Physics CUET syllabus in a structured way. With the right balance of theory, practice, and revision, you’ll be well-prepared to score high and secure a place in your dream university.
The CUET Physics syllabus is based on the Class 12 NCERT Syllabus. It focuses on core concepts, problem-solving, and practical understanding. Topics include:
The syllabus combines theory with applications to assess both conceptual clarity and analytical skills.
To download the official syllabus in PDF format:
Make sure you're downloading the latest version as released by NTA.
Important topics you should focus on include:
Understanding basic definitions, formulas, and applications is crucial.
Here’s how to prepare effectively:
Concept clarity is more important than rote learning.
Yes, the following books are helpful:
These books include theory, MCQs, and mock papers aligned with the CUET format.
The CUET Physics exam pattern includes:
Keep checking the NTA website for any updates on the format.
Unlike exams like JEE Main, which CUETincludes both Class 11 and 12 content and focuses heavily on numerical problems, CUET sticks to Class 12 NCERT topics with moderate difficulty. The emphasis is more on conceptual understanding and less on complex calculations.
You can use the following resources:
Daily practice with MCQs will improve speed and accuracy.
To perform better:
Consistency and smart study techniques are key to scoring well.
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