CUET 2026 Syllabus Performing Arts (Dance, Drama and Music) (Code 320)

Performing Arts
For the Year 2026
(Dance, Drama, Music)
– 320 Syllabus for
CUET(UG)

Syllabus for
Vocal- Instrumental Melodic

Section A- Hindustani- Karnatak Music
UNIT I- Definition of the following:
Sangeet, Nad, Shruti, Swara- Shuddha, Komal, Teevra, Pitch-Intensity – Timbre, Gram-
Murcchana, Varna, Alankar, Raga, Alap Tana, Gamak, Meend, Kan.

UNIT II- Basic knowledge of the following concepts:
Vadi, Samvadi, Anuvadi, Vivadi,Uttarang, Puravang, Aroh, Avroh, Pakad, Thata(Mela) Jati-
Audav,Shadav, Sampurna and its varieties.

UNIT III- Laya & Tala
Laya – Vilambit,Madhya, Drut
Layakari- Dagun, Tigun, Chaugun, Chegun, Tala, Matra, Tali, Khali, Sam, Vibhag, Avartan,
Knowledge of prominent Talas:
Teental,Ektala, Dadra, Keharwa, Jhaptala, Rupak, Adi, Saptala, Chaputala, Rupakam.

UNIT IV- Knowledge of Musical Forms
Prabandh, Drupad, Khayal, Thumri, Tarana, Maseet Khani-Razakhani Gat, Kriti,Pallavi, Padam,
Tillana

UNIT V- Contribution of musicians & composers:
V.N Bhatkhande, Omkar Nath thakur, Allaudin Khan, Mushtaq Ali Khan, Tyagraja,
Purandardas, Ravindra Nath tagore, Kazi narrul Islam.

UNIT VI- Musical Instruments & its Classification: string (Tatta)- Sitar, Tanpura,
Saraswati Veena, Sarod, sarangi
Violon percussion (Avnadha) Tabla, Pakhawaj, Mrindangam, Khatam, Khanjira, Dholak
Wind (Sushir) – Flute, Shehnai, Nagaswaram, Harmonium
Metallic (Ghan)- Chimta, Cymbal, Ghungaroo, Khadtala, Chipla,Morchung

UNIT-VII- Knowledge of Salient features of the following ragas: -
1. Yaman/Kalyani,
2. Bhairav/ Mayamalavgaula,
3. Alhaiya Bilwal/Shankra bharnam,
4. Malkaun/Hindolam,
5. Bageshree/Shri Ranjani,
6. Bhupali/Mohnam

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Performing Arts-320: Dance (Section B)

UNIT I – Brief knowledge of classical dances of India.
(Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kathakali, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Sattriya)
i. History
ii. Dance repertoire
iii. Music both vocal and instrumental
iv. Costume and makeup

UNIT II- Life sketches of chief exponents and contributors of different dance forms,
past and present.

UNIT III- Knowledge of the following terms:
i. Sangeet, Natan Bheda ( Natya,Nritta, Nritya)
ii. Tandav, Lasya
iii. Lokdharmi, Natyadharmi

UNIT IV- Basic knowledge of the following: -
i. Texts: Abhinaya Darpan, Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Chandrika, Hasta Lakshana
deepika.
ii. Major folk dances of India.

UNIT V- Basic knowledge of Abhinaya and Rasa theory.

i. Aangika, Vachika, Aaharya, Satwika
ii. Nav rasa and sthayi bhaav.
iii. Bhaav, Vibhaav, Anubhaav, Sanchari.

UNIT VI- Survey of classical dance practice:
i. Elementary information and knowledge of premier classical dance gharanas/
organisations/ institutions/ University-departments.
ii. Major dance festivals.

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Syllabus for
Percussion Music- Hindustani & Karnataka (Section-C)

UNIT I- Basic knowledge of structure of Tabla, Pakhawaj & Mridangam

UNIT II- Varnas of Tabla, Pakhawaj and Mridangam.

UNIT III- Knowledge of following terms:
a) Tala, Matra,Tali, Khali, Vibhag, Tihai, Sam
b) Theka, Kayada,Rela, Tukda, Paran, Peshkar, Uthan, Chakradar & Farmaishi
chakradar.
c) Sarvlaghu,Gati, Koraipu,Korvai,Pharan,Mohra, Chapu, Muktayipu
d) Study of Laya,Laykari & Jati

UNIT IV- Elementary knowledge of Bhatkhande Tala Notation system & Karnatak
Tala Notation System.

UNIT V-
a) Brief study of origin of Tabla,Pakhawaj and Mridangam.
b) Brief study of Gharana of Tabla and Pakhawaj.

UNIT VI- Knowledge of prescribes Talas:
a) Teentala, Jhaptala,Ektala, Rupak, Keharwa & Dadra
b) Chautala, Sooltala,Khemtas, Dhamar
c) Dhurva,Mathya Rupak,Jhampa,Triput,Ata,Eka.

UNIT VII Biographies: -
a) Pt.Kishan Mharaj,Ustad Zakir Hussain.
b) Raja Chatrapati Singh,Guru Purushotam Das.
c) Palani Subramanya Pillai, Palghat Mani Iyer.

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Drama- Theatre (Section D)

UNIT I- Introduction to Indian Classical and Traditional Theatre
i. Leading Sanskrit Playwrights
ii. Bhasa, Kalidasa, Sudraka, Bhavabhuti [ The student can identify and study one text
(one play) of the above-mentioned Playwrights]
iii. Major Traditional Theatre forms

UNIT II- Modern/ Contemporary Indian Theatre
i. Survey of major modern and contemporary styles and works in Hindi/ English
ii. Rabindranath Tagore, Bhartendu Harishchandra,Vijay Tendulkar, Mohan Rakesh,
Dharamveer Bharti, Badal sarcar, Shankar Shesh, Girish Karnad, Chandrasekhar
Kambar, Madhu Rye.
[The student can identify and study one text (one play) of the above-mentioned
playwrights]
iii. Partitioners of modern Indian Theatre Shambhu Mitra, B.V.Karanth, Habib Tanvir,
K.N.Panikkar, Ratan Thiyam, Utapal Dutt, Rajender Nath, Jabbar Patel, Vijya
Mehta, Satyadev Dubey, E.Alkazi, Pravin Joshi.

UNIT III- Introduction to western classical and Medieval Drama
i. Leading Greek Playwrights
ii. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedese
[The student can identify and study one text (one play) of the above-mentioned
playwrights]
iii. Shakesperean Dramas
[The student can identify and study one text (one play) of the Shakespeare]

UNIT IV- Modern/Contemporary Western Theatre
i. Survey of major contemporary styles and works in English or English Translation
ii. Chekov, Ibsen, Strindberg, Shaw,O’Neil, Miller, Ionesco, Beckett, Pinter
Stoppard,Pirandello
[The student can identify and study one text (one play) of the playwrights above-
mentioned]
iii. Practitioners of Modern Western Drama
a) Stanislavsky, Lee Strasberg, Bertolt Brecht, Meyerhold, Peter Brook
b) Marlin Brando, Lawrence Olivier, John Grilgood

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UNIT V- Theatre Production/Architecture/ Design

i. Types of Theatres: Proscenium, Arena, Theatre in Round, Thrust.
ii. Elements of play production: Set, Light, Costume, Make up, Sound- Music.

UNIT VI -
i. Review of Indian Theatre Organizations-NSD, University Theatre Deptts, Sangeet
Natak academy, Zonal Cultural Centres.
ii. Developing and Documenting the Research project – Examples of research projects
in different aspects of theatre; using media and sources for the project.

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