UGC NET Marathi Syllabus 2026 – Paper 1 & 2 Complete Guide
Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra and one of India's major literary languages with a documented history spanning over 900 years. UGC NET Marathi (Paper 2) covers a rich trajectory — from the 12th-century Mahanubhav prose tradition through the powerful Warkari Bhakti movement to the 19th-century social reform literature of Phule and Agarkar, and on to 20th-century modernism. Marathi has produced significant Jnanpith Award winners and is a high-enrolment NET subject from Maharashtra, Goa, and parts of Karnataka. The syllabus rewards candidates who understand literary movements and author-work contexts as much as grammar rules.
👉 UGC NET Linguistics Syllabus 2026 — Marathi dialectology and Indo-Aryan comparative linguistics overlap with Unit VII
UGC NET 2026 Exam Pattern — Marathi Paper 2
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Common for all subjects — 50 Qs, 100 marks |
| Paper 2 (Marathi) | 100 Qs, 200 marks — subject specific |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Duration | 3 hours (both papers together) |
| Negative Marking | None |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Frequency | Twice a year — June & December |
Paper 1 Overview
Paper 1 is identical for all NET subjects — Teaching Aptitude, Research Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, ICT, and Higher Education Policy. No Marathi-specific knowledge required. Target 35+ out of 50 for a safe Paper 1 score.
UGC NET Marathi Paper 2 Syllabus — All 10 Units
Unit I: History of Marathi Language and Literature
Marathi belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family, descended from Maharashtri Apabhramsha. The earliest datable Marathi inscription is the Shravanabelagola inscription (983 CE), followed by the Akshi plates. Literary Marathi begins in the 12th century with the Mahanubhav sect's prose texts. Marathi literary history is broadly divided into: Medieval period (12th–18th century), Renaissance period (19th century), and Modern period (20th century onwards). The Yadava dynasty (Devagiri) was a major patron of early Marathi literature. Key topics for this unit: inscriptional evidence, periodisation of Marathi literature, Maharashtri Apabhramsha as ancestor, and the transition to literary Marathi. The Hema Hemadri tradition and the role of Varakari sampradaya in standardising written Marathi are also tested.
Unit II: Medieval Marathi Literature — Mahanubhav and Warkari Traditions
Two parallel traditions define medieval Marathi literature. The Mahanubhav sect (13th century), founded by Chakradhar Swami, produced the first substantial Marathi prose — Lilacharitra (by Mahimbhatta, ca. 1278) is the oldest extant Marathi prose narrative, a biography of Chakradhar. Dnyaneshwari (1290 CE) by Dnyaneshwar (also Jnaneshwar) is the most celebrated Marathi text — a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita in Ovi metre, making Sanskrit philosophical content accessible to common people. The Warkari tradition produced the Abhangas (devotional verse) of Namdev (1270–1350), Eknath (1533–1599), and Tukaram (1608–1649). Tukaram's Abhangas in particular are considered the pinnacle of Marathi Bhakti poetry — his confrontation with Brahmin orthodoxy and insistence on personal devotion over ritual are defining themes. UGC tests author-work associations, the Ovi metre, and differences between Mahanubhav and Warkari traditions.
Unit III: Medieval Marathi — Powada and Shahiri Tradition
The Powada is a unique Marathi folk-ballad form celebrating warrior heroes — primarily from the Maratha period under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Agnidas and Shahir Tulsidas composed early Powadas. The Shahiri tradition (poet-performers) includes Shahir Honaji Bala, Ram Joshi, and Prabhakar. This tradition directly gave rise to the Tamasha (folk theatre). Vaman Pandit (17th century) and Mukteshwar translated Sanskrit epics into Marathi. Ramdas Swami (1608–1681) — spiritual advisor of Shivaji — wrote Dasbodh, a philosophical text on statecraft and spirituality. Manache Shlok (Ramdas) is also frequently cited. The Shahiri tradition's connection to lower-caste protest poetry anticipates the 19th-century reform movements.
Unit IV: 19th-Century Renaissance and Social Reform Literature
The 19th century transformed Marathi literature through colonial contact and social reform. Mahatma Jyotirao Phule (1827–1890) wrote Gulamgiri (Slavery, 1873) — an anti-caste polemic drawing parallels between Black American slavery and Indian untouchability — and Tritiya Ratna (the first Marathi play). Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856–1895) championed rationalism and social reform through his journal Sudharak. Vishnushastri Chiplunkar founded the journal Nibandhamala and championed a Sanskrit-influenced Marathi prose style. Bal Gangadhar Tilak used Marathi journalism (Kesari) as a political tool. The first Marathi novel is generally attributed to Baba Padmanji's Yamuna Paryatan (1857). Hari Narayan Apte (1864–1919) wrote popular historical and social novels. UGC tests the social movements these writers led and their literary contributions.
Unit V: Modern Marathi Literature — 20th Century
Modern Marathi literature evolved through several movements. Acharya Atre (Prahlad Keshav Atre) wrote satirical journalism and plays. V. S. Khandekar (Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar) won the Jnanpith Award (1974) for his novel Yayati — a retelling of the Mahabharata story of King Yayati exploring desire and renunciation. Vinda Karandikar won the Jnanpith Award (2003) for his poetry. The Little Magazine movement (Diwali anka tradition) shaped modern Marathi short fiction. Vijay Tendulkar (1928–2008) is the most important Marathi playwright — Ghashiram Kotwal and Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe are internationally staged works. P. L. Deshpande (Pu. La.) was the most beloved Marathi humorist — Vyakti Aani Valli is his masterpiece. Dalit Marathi literature — led by Baburao Bagul, Namdeo Dhasal (founder of Dalit Panther, Golpitha), and Daya Pawar — is a major component of Units V and X.
👉 UGC NET Folk Literature Syllabus 2026 — Tamasha, Kirtan, and Powada from Maharashtra directly overlap with Unit VIII folk traditions
Unit VI: Marathi Grammar
Marathi grammar's formal tradition begins with Dadoba Pandurang Tarkhadkar's Maharashtra Bhasheche Vyakaran (1836) — the first systematic modern Marathi grammar. Krishnashastri Chiplunkar and later Mo. Ke. Damle built on this foundation. Key grammatical features: Marathi is SOV, has two genders (masculine and feminine — unlike Hindi's three), uses postpositions rather than prepositions, has a three-way demonstrative distinction, and maintains case suffixes (vibhakti pratyaya). The saptami vibhakti (locative case) and karma karaka distinctions are tested. Marathi's phonological features include the contrast between dental and retroflex consonants, the unique retroflex lateral ळ, and the nasal vowels. The Devanagari script is used with some letters unique to Marathi (ळ, ऱ). Formal written Marathi (Prauddha Marathi) versus spoken dialects is a standard topic.
