In quest of unconventional energy as shale gas, lower Gondwana shale-heterolith litho-assemblages of Mohuda sub-basin of Jharia Coalfield have been explored to envisage their potentiality for shale gas generation. A comprehensive approach has undertaken through measurement of in-situ gas content, petrography, rock-eval pyrolysis, proximate analysis, TOC, adsorption isotherm, SEM-EDX and XRD of selected drill core samples to establish potential shale horizons in Barren Measure and Barakar Formations. The in-situ gas content varies from 0.15 to 3.69 m 3/t with increasing depth. High palaeo-geothermal gradient in order of 5.57–6.19 °C/100 m is established where emplacement of intrusive played a dominant role. Interrelation of palaeodepth and vitrinite reflectance points to erosion of 2500 m strata in Mohuda sub-basin. Average TOC content of 9 to 17 wt% indicates excellent organic richness of source rock, while other parameters like S1, S2 and PY derived from rock-eval pyrolysis indicate fair to very good/excellent source condition for hydrocarbon generation. HI, OI, S2, TOC, VRo and Tmax values and their inter-relationships reveal Type III and Type IV kerogens coming under gas window zone of mature to post mature stage. Increase in volatile matter and fixed carbon and decrease in moisture content with depth suggest enhanced gas generation and retention capacity. Quartz dominated mineralogy in shale beds account for suitable hydrofracturing process. GIP of about 7.5 BCM of gas has been assessed and categorized depth wise and formation-wise for Raniganj, Barren Measure and Barakar formations. Experimentally calibrated adsorption isotherm data reveals favourable parameters like gas saturation level (GSL), reservoir pressure to be dropped for initiation of production (ΔP), critical desorption pressure for gas yield (PCR) and abandonment pressure (PAB) in respect of potentiality for production with an average gas recovery factor of 94.5% for all three studied shale zones, which strongly recommends the convenient reservoir characteristic for future exploitation.