If you are planning to appear for the DSSSB PGT English Syllabus Exam 2025, having a clear understanding of the syllabus is your first step towards smart preparation. The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) conducts the PGT English exam to recruit Post Graduate Teachers for Delhi government schools.
सभी अभ्यर्थियों को सूचित किया जाता है कि रिजल्ट, सिलेबस, आवेदन लिंक, एडमिट कार्ड व नोटिफिकेशन के सभी लिंक नीचे उपलब्ध हैं।
This post gives you a comprehensive, topic-wise breakdown of the syllabus along with explanations to help you plan your study strategy.
Overview of DSSSB PGT English Exam
The PGT English examination checks a candidate’s command over the English language, literary background, teaching aptitude, and understanding of educational methodology. The paper usually consists of two major sections:
- Subject Concerned (English Literature & Language)
- Teaching Education and Methodology
Both parts are equally important as they assess your academic knowledge and teaching proficiency.
DSSSB PGT English Syllabus 2025 – Annexure A (Detailed Topics)
1. Reading Comprehension
This section tests your ability to read, interpret, and analyze unseen passages. You’ll need to identify tone, theme, and implied meanings. Practice both factual and inferential passages to strengthen this area.
2. Writing Ability
Focuses on paragraph writing, essay composition, letter writing, and report writing. The examiner evaluates coherence, structure, and vocabulary use.
Tip: Regular writing practice improves articulation and grammatical accuracy.
3. Grammar and Usage
Topics include:
- Determiners
- Tenses
- Clauses
- Modals
- Voice (Active & Passive)
Understanding the grammatical framework is essential for both writing and teaching applications.
4. Study of Poetry & Medieval Poet – Geoffrey Chaucer
Known as the “Father of English Poetry,” Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales represents early English society and humor. Expect questions on his style, language, and contribution to English verse.
5. Renaissance Poets – Edmund Spenser
Study Spenser’s The Faerie Queene and his role in shaping English poetic diction during the Renaissance. Focus on allegory, imagery, and Spenserian stanza.
6. Metaphysical Poets – John Donne, George Herbert & Andrew Marvell
Metaphysical poetry blends intellect with emotion. Key features include conceits, wit, and spiritual introspection. Donne’s The Flea, Herbert’s The Pulley, and Marvell’s To His Coy Mistress are must-read poems.
7. Neoclassical Poets – John Dryden and Alexander Pope
This era emphasizes reason and order. Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel and Pope’s The Rape of the Lock showcase satire and polished heroic couplets.
8. Romantic Poets – Shelley and Keats
Romanticism celebrates emotion, imagination, and nature. Study Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind and Keats’s Ode on a Grecian Urn for their lyrical beauty and philosophical depth.
9. Modernist Poets
Explore poets like T.S. Eliot, W.B. Yeats, and Ezra Pound who experimented with form and symbolism. Eliot’s The Waste Land is particularly important for its fragmented structure and mythic references.
10. British Drama
- Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
- Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot
Each work represents a different period and dramatic technique—from Elizabethan tragedy to modern social drama.
11. British Novel
Major novels to study:
- Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
- Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
- Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
- A Passage to India – E.M. Forster
Focus on narrative style, themes of class, colonialism, and human relationships.
12. Aspects of English Language
Covers linguistic elements such as:
- Phonetics & Phonology (1 & 2) – pronunciation, sound patterns, stress, and intonation
- English Syntax – sentence structure and word order
- Language in Use – functional grammar and discourse
- Stylistics – study of tone, diction, and literary style
13. Literary Theory & Criticism
From classical critics like Aristotle to modern theories such as Structuralism, Feminism, and Postcolonialism. Learn how to analyze texts through various critical lenses.
14. American Literature
Key authors include Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and William Faulkner. The focus is on the evolution of American identity, realism, and modernism.
15. Indian Writing in English
Covers works of writers like R.K. Narayan, Anita Desai, Arundhati Roy, and A.K. Ramanujan. Themes often include colonial legacy, culture, and social transformation.
16. New Literature in English
Includes postcolonial writings from Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada. Chinua Achebe and Derek Walcott are important voices representing cultural identity and resistance.
17. Australian Literature
Focus on themes of nature, exile, and indigenous identity. Prominent authors: Patrick White, Judith Wright, and Peter Carey.
Teaching Education and Methodology
This part evaluates your understanding of pedagogy, classroom management, and child psychology. Here are the topics:
- Learning & Teaching – Principles of effective teaching, learning styles, and motivation.
- Language Across the Curriculum – Integration of English in all subjects.
- Understanding Discipline and Subject – Interrelation between content knowledge and pedagogy.
- Gender, School and Society – Gender sensitivity and inclusive classroom practices.
- Pedagogy of a School Subject – Teaching techniques for literature and language.
- Knowledge and Curriculum – Philosophical and social foundations of curriculum.
- Assessment for Learning – Continuous evaluation and feedback techniques.
- Creating an Inclusive School – Teaching learners with diverse needs.
- Childhood and Growing Up – Stages of development and learning psychology.
- Drama and Art in Education – Creative teaching methods to enhance learning.
DSSSB PGT English Syllabus 2025 Conclusion
The DSSSB PGT English Syllabus 2025 is vast yet structured. With consistent reading and focused preparation, you can master both literature and pedagogy sections. A balanced study plan—covering British, American, and Indian writings—along with educational psychology will ensure your success in the upcoming DSSSB exam.
DSSSB PGT English Syllabus 2025 Faqs
DSSSB PGT English syllabus (Annexure-A) includes topics like Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Writing Skills, British and American Literature, Indian Writing in English, Literary Criticism, Phonetics, and Pedagogical Methodology. It also covers major poets, novelists, dramatists, and linguistics concepts.
Yes, the syllabus includes a dedicated section on Teaching Education and Methodology. It covers child psychology, assessment techniques, inclusive education, and language pedagogy.
Yes. Usually, 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer. It’s advisable to attempt only those questions you are confident about.
Subject Concerned (English Language & Literature)
Teaching Aptitude and Educational Methodology
