What Subjects Are in +2 Humanities in Nepal? Full List for Class 11 and 12 (2026)

Last updated: May 12, 2026

+2 Humanities in Nepal has 3 compulsory subjects, English, Nepali, Social Studies and Life Skills Education. The optional subjects includes Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History, Mass Communication, Population Studies, Economics, Geography, and others depending on what your college offers.

This guide covers every subject in class 11 and class 12, what each subject covers, the exam structure, and which optional subjects are most useful for different career goals.

You can use our SEE GPA calculator to confirm your GPA and which streams you qualify for.

What Is the Minimum GPA to Join +2 Humanities in Nepal?

The minimum GPA to join +2 Humanities is 1.6 in SEE. You also need at least D plus grade in Social Studies, English, and Nepali. Humanities has the most flexible entry requirements of all five streams. Any student who passed SEE with 1.6 GPA or above qualifies.

There is no subject-specific grade requirement beyond D plus in English, Nepali, and Social Studies. Students who did not perform strongly in Maths or Science in SEE can still join Humanities without any barrier related to those subjects.

For more details on choosing the right stream based on your result, you can read our guide on which stream is best after SEE in Nepal.

How Many Subjects Are in +2 Humanities?

A Humanities student studies 6 subjects in both class 11 and class 12. Three are compulsory and three are optional. Some colleges allow a fourth optional subject, making it 7 subjects total.

Each subject carries 100 marks. Three compulsory subjects equal 300 marks. Three optional subjects equal 300 marks. Total marks for class 11 or class 12 is 600 marks for standard enrollment.

Your +2 GPA is calculated from all subjects combined including compulsory ones. English, Nepali, and Social Studies marks matter just as much as your optional subject marks for your final GPA.

Compulsory Subjects in +2 Humanities Class 11 and Class 12

The three compulsory subjects are the same for all +2 streams in Nepal. Every student regardless of stream studies English, Nepali, and Social Studies in class 11 and English, Nepali, and Life Skill Education in class 12.

Compulsory English (subject code Eng 003 for class 11 and Eng 004 for class 12) is 100 marks total. Theory exam is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. English covers reading comprehension, writing skills, grammar, and literature. For Humanities students, strong English is especially important because many career paths after Humanities including journalism, law, public administration, and international NGO work require confident English communication.

Compulsory Nepali (subject code Nep 001 for class 11 and Nep 002 for class 12) is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. Nepali covers language skills, grammar, literature, poetry, and creative writing. Humanities students often find Nepali one of their stronger performing subjects because the subject aligns naturally with the reading and writing strengths that attract students to Humanities in the first place.

Social Studies and Life Skills Education (subject code Sol 005) is the class 11 version. It is 100 marks total with 75 marks external and 25 marks internal. This subject covers social issues, civic knowledge, human rights, governance, and practical life skills. In class 12, this subject is replaced by Life Skill Education which carries the same marks structure but focuses more on applied life skills, career guidance, and social responsibility topics.

These three compulsory subjects together carry 300 marks. Many Humanities students perform well in all three because the subject content aligns with the reading, writing, and social awareness strengths that typically lead students to choose Humanities.

Optional Subjects in +2 Humanities Class 11 and Class 12

Humanities students choose three optional subjects from the Humanities subject group. The available options vary by college. Not every college offers every Humanities subject, so checking your preferred college’s available subjects before enrollment is important.

The optional subjects in the Humanities group include Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History, Mass Communication, Population Studies, Economics, Geography, Major English, Travel and Tourism, Rural Development, Hotel Management, and Environment Education.

You choose any three of the subjects your college offers. The subjects you choose should align with your career goals. This section covers the most commonly chosen and most career-relevant optional subjects in detail.

Sociology (Subject Code 415)

Sociology is one of the most popular optional subjects among Humanities students in Nepal. It is available at almost all colleges offering Humanities stream.

Class 11 Sociology covers the basics of sociological thinking, social structure, culture, social institutions including family and religion, social stratification, social change, and Nepali society in context. Class 12 Sociology builds on these foundations and covers social problems in Nepal, social movements, globalization and its effects on Nepali society, and research methods in Sociology.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. Both class 11 and class 12 Sociology exams are entirely theoretical with no separate practical component.

Sociology is a strong subject for students planning to work in NGOs, INGOs, social work, development sector, public administration, and Lok Sewa exam preparation. The subject content directly overlaps with many Lok Sewa exam topics making it one of the most strategically useful Humanities optional subjects for government job aspirants.

Psychology (Subject Code 411)

Psychology is a growing optional subject in Humanities and is becoming more widely offered across Nepal as awareness of mental health and behavioral sciences increases.

Class 11 Psychology covers the basics of psychological thinking, sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning and memory, cognition and intelligence, and motivation and emotion. Class 12 Psychology covers personality theories, psychological disorders and their treatment, social psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods in Psychology.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. There is no separate practical exam but some colleges include observation-based internal assessment tasks.

Psychology is a useful optional for students planning to study social work, counseling, education, healthcare administration, or behavioral sciences at bachelor level. It is also a subject that many students find genuinely interesting because it explains real-world human behavior. Students planning to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology or Social Work after +2 benefit significantly from taking Psychology as an optional subject.

Political Science (Subject Code 413)

Political Science is a widely available optional subject in Humanities and is particularly valuable for students interested in law, public administration, diplomacy, and government services.

Class 11 Political Science covers political concepts including democracy, sovereignty, rights, and duties, the political system of Nepal including the constitution and government structure, comparative politics, and international relations basics. Class 12 Political Science covers Nepal’s political history, constitutional development, local government, public policy, political parties and elections, and Nepal’s foreign policy and international relations.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks.

Political Science is one of the most useful optional subjects for Lok Sewa exam preparation. The topics in Political Science overlap directly with what is tested in Lok Sewa Aayog competitive exams for government positions. Students aiming for civil service, diplomatic service, or law careers benefit strongly from choosing Political Science as an optional.

History (Subject Code 417)

History is one of the traditional Humanities optional subjects and is offered at most colleges with a Humanities stream.

Class 11 History covers ancient and medieval history of Nepal, the history of South Asia, and world history including major civilizations, the Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution. Class 12 History covers modern Nepali history including the Prithvi Narayan Shah era through the political changes of the 20th and 21st centuries, the history of colonialism and independence movements in Asia and Africa, and contemporary world history including the World Wars and Cold War period.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks.

History is a strong subject for students interested in research, writing, teaching, cultural studies, and public administration. It is also useful for Lok Sewa preparation because Nepali history and civics topics regularly appear in government service competitive exams.

Mass Communication (Subject Code 431)

Mass Communication is a popular optional subject for students interested in journalism, media, advertising, public relations, and digital content careers.

Class 11 Mass Communication covers the basics of communication theory, history of mass media, print journalism including news writing and feature writing, broadcast media basics, and media and society. Class 12 Mass Communication covers media management, media ethics and law, digital media and social media, public relations and advertising, and development communication.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. Internal assessment often includes practical tasks like writing news articles, creating a basic media product, or preparing communication materials.

Mass Communication is the most directly career-aligned Humanities optional for students planning to work in journalism, broadcasting, digital media, public relations, advertising, or communication for development organizations. Students who take Mass Communication in +2 have a clear advantage when entering bachelor programs in Journalism and Mass Communication at Tribhuvan University or other universities.

Economics (Subject Code 419)

Economics is available across both Humanities and Management streams and is one of the most widely chosen optional subjects.

Class 11 Economics covers basic economic concepts, consumer theory, production theory, market structures, national income accounting, and an introduction to macroeconomics. Class 12 Economics covers monetary economics, fiscal policy, international trade and development economics, economic development and planning, and Nepal’s economic situation.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks.

Economics is a strategic optional for Humanities students because it opens more career doors than most other Humanities optional subjects. Students with Economics background can enter banking sector jobs, finance adjacent government positions, development economics research, and even transition into business-related bachelor programs more comfortably than students without Economics. It also strengthens Lok Sewa preparation because economic topics and government planning concepts are regularly tested in civil service exams.

Geography (Subject Code 421)

Geography is a less commonly chosen optional in Humanities but is genuinely useful for students interested in environment, tourism, urban planning, and development work.

Class 11 Geography covers physical geography including landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation, human geography including population and settlement patterns, economic geography basics, and geography of Nepal. Class 12 Geography covers regional geography, development geography, environmental geography, natural disasters and their management, and remote sensing and GIS basics.

The exam is 100 marks total. Theory is 75 marks and internal assessment is 25 marks. Some Geography assessment includes map work and diagrammatic representation.

Geography is useful for careers in tourism management, environmental consulting, urban and regional planning, disaster management, and development sector work. Nepal’s diverse geography also makes this a practically relevant subject for understanding the country’s development challenges.

Major English (Subject Code 003 variant)

Major English is offered at some Humanities colleges as an optional subject for students who want deeper English language and literature study beyond what Compulsory English covers.

Major English covers advanced English literature including poetry, prose, and drama from different time periods and traditions, advanced writing skills, critical analysis of literary texts, and language study including linguistics basics.

Students planning to pursue bachelor programs in English Literature, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or Translation Studies benefit from taking Major English as an optional. It is also useful for students planning to work in content writing, editing, translation, or teaching careers.

Population Studies (Subject Code 423)

Population Studies covers demographic concepts, population trends in Nepal and the world, migration patterns, population and development relationships, reproductive health, and population policies.

This subject is offered at many Humanities colleges and is a straightforward subject with manageable content. It is a good choice for students planning to work in public health, development sector, or social services where understanding population dynamics is useful.

Exam Structure for +2 Humanities Subjects

All Humanities optional subjects except where specifically noted follow the same exam structure.

External written exam is 75 marks and is conducted by NEB. Internal assessment is 25 marks and is conducted by your college throughout the year. Total per subject is 100 marks. Compulsory English, Nepali, and Social Studies also follow the same 75 plus 25 structure.

Internal assessment typically covers class tests, assignments, project work, and participation in class activities. Unlike Science subjects, Humanities internal assessment does not involve laboratory practical work. It is mostly paper-based assignments and periodic tests.

This means there is no separate practical exam session to worry about for most Humanities students. But internal assignment marks are still 25 percent of your total subject marks. Submitting assignments on time and performing well in periodic class tests throughout the year protects these marks.

Which Humanities Subjects Are Best for Lok Sewa Preparation?

Many Humanities students in Nepal eventually prepare for Lok Sewa Aayog competitive exams for government positions. The right combination of optional subjects can give you a significant head start.

Sociology, Political Science, and History form the strongest combination for Lok Sewa preparation because the content of all three subjects directly overlaps with what appears in Lok Sewa general knowledge, current affairs, and Nepal-specific sections.

Economics is also a strong supporting subject for Lok Sewa because fiscal policy, economic planning, and development economics topics appear regularly in administrative service examinations.

Many students who study this combination in +2 find that their Lok Sewa preparation in the years after +2 is significantly less from scratch because they already covered the foundational material during their two years of Humanities.

Which Humanities Subjects Are Best for Students Planning to Study Abroad?

For students planning to study abroad after +2, the subject choice matters less than your overall GPA and your English score in IELTS or PTE. However, some subject combinations strengthen your bachelor application in specific fields.

Mass Communication is useful for students applying to Journalism or Communication programs internationally. Psychology is useful for students applying to Social Work, Counseling, or Behavioral Sciences. Economics is useful for students applying to Social Sciences, Development Studies, or Policy programs. Political Science is useful for International Relations, Law, and Public Administration programs.

For more details on studying abroad from Nepal after +2, you can read our guide on how much GPA is required to study in Australia from Nepal.

What Career Options Open After +2 Humanities?

+2 Humanities opens a genuinely wide range of bachelor level career paths that many students underestimate before choosing the stream.

Career opportunities after +2 Humanities include Journalist, News Anchor or Reporter through Mass Communication, Lawyer or Legal Advisor through Law, Psychologist or Counselor through Psychology, Sociologist through Sociology, Government Officer through Lok Sewa, Teacher or Lecturer through Education, and Social Worker through Social Work.

At bachelor level, Humanities graduates can pursue BA in Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History, or Geography, Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC), Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA), Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Education (BEd), and many international programs in Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, and Humanities.

Humanities graduates working in Nepal’s development sector in NGOs and INGOs often find strong employment because development organizations value social science knowledge, communication skills, and understanding of society and communities. Government service through Lok Sewa is another strong and stable career path that Humanities preparation supports directly.

Is Humanities a Bad Stream After SEE?

No. Humanities is a strong and meaningful stream for students with the right career direction. The misunderstanding that Humanities is for students who could not get into Science is completely wrong.

Students who genuinely enjoy reading, writing, understanding society, debating ideas, and communicating effectively are well suited to Humanities. The career options are wide and genuinely fulfilling for the right person. Journalists, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, diplomats, and civil servants all come from Humanities backgrounds.

The stream becomes a poor choice only for students who enter it without any direction or career plan. Two years without a clear goal in any stream is difficult. In Humanities, the lack of a structured entrance exam pathway like IOE or MECEE-BL means students need to be self-directed about their bachelor application and career planning.

If you are choosing Humanities with a clear sense of which career interests you, it is an excellent stream. If you are choosing it only because you do not know what else to do, spend more time thinking before committing.

Final Thoughts

+2 Humanities in Nepal has 3 compulsory subjects which are English, Nepali, and Social Studies in class 11 and English, Nepali, and Life Skill Education in class 12. Three optional subjects are chosen from the Humanities group based on what your college offers and your career goals.

The most commonly chosen optional combinations are Sociology, Political Science, and History for students aiming at Lok Sewa and government service. Sociology, Psychology, and Mass Communication for students interested in social work, counseling, and media. Economics, Political Science, and Sociology for students planning development sector or international organization careers.

No combination is universally best. Choose based on what careers interest you and what subjects you genuinely find engaging. Two years studying subjects you are interested in always produces better results than two years studying subjects you have no connection to.

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