{{InstitutionName}} Admission 2026

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), under the guidance of the University Grants Commission (UGC), for admission to undergraduate programmes at central, state, deemed, and participating private universities across India. First introduced in 2022, Common Universities Entrance Test gives students from different school boards a single, standardised platform to compete for seats, rather than relying on individual board marks. Common Universities Entrance Test UG scores are currently accepted by more than 240–300 participating institutions nationwide.

• Conducting body: National Testing Agency (NTA), under UGC guidance

• Exam mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT), held across multiple days and shifts

• Exam window (2026): Tentatively May 11–31, 2026

• Registration opened: January 3, 2026

• Subjects offered: 37 in total — 13 Section IA languages, additional Section IB languages, 23 domain subjects, and 1 General Test

• Subjects a candidate can choose: Up to 5 (including language and, if needed, the General Test)

• Participating institutions: 240+ universities, including central, state, deemed, and private universities

• Test cities: Multiple cities within India plus international centres

Common Universities Entrance Test UG was introduced to create a common, equitable entry point into undergraduate education, so that a student's chances aren't tied to which board they studied under or how generously that board grades its exams. Instead of each university running its own admission test, Common Universities Entrance Test centralises the process: candidates sit one national exam and can use the resulting score to apply to any of the participating universities, subject to each institution's own eligibility and cut-off requirements.

The UGC has also relaxed some subject restrictions in recent cycles — candidates are generally free to choose Common Universities Entrance Test subjects regardless of what they studied in Class 12, though individual universities and courses may still specify required subject combinations.

• Candidates who have passed or are currently appearing for their Class 12 (or equivalent) board examination are eligible to apply.

• There is no fixed upper age limit prescribed by NTA for Common Universities Entrance Test UG.

• Final admission eligibility (minimum marks, subject combinations, etc.) is determined separately by each participating university, so candidates should check course-specific requirements before selecting their Common Universities Entrance Test subjects.

• Marks scored in the Class 12 board exam are not directly used for Common Universities Entrance Test UG merit calculation — admission is based primarily on the CUET score, subject to a university's own eligibility rules.

CUET UG is conducted entirely in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. Question papers are available in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, among others — with the choice of medium sometimes restricted by the state or union territory in which a candidate is appearing. The exam is conducted in test cities across India as well as at a number of international centres for NRI and overseas candidates.

1. Visit the official website, cuet.nta.nic.in, and complete the one-time registration with basic personal details.

2. Fill in the online application form with academic, category, and communication details.

3. Choose up to five subjects (language, domain subjects, and General Test as applicable) and up to four preferred exam cities.

4. Upload the required scanned documents (photograph, signature, and category/PwD certificates where applicable).

5. Pay the application fee online — cash, demand draft, or any offline mode is not accepted.

6. Download and retain a copy of the confirmation page for future reference.

NTA typically opens a correction window for a few days after registration closes, during which candidates can amend certain details (though not all fields are editable).

Fees vary by category and by the number of subjects chosen, and are generally structured as a base fee for the first subject plus a smaller add-on fee for each additional subject:

Fees are payable only through online modes — debit card, credit card, net banking, UPI, or digital wallets — and once paid, are non-refundable. Candidates should always confirm the exact fee slab and revised dates from the official CUET website, since NTA periodically adjusts fee structures and payment deadlines.

NTA has extended registration deadlines in past cycles, so candidates should treat all dates as provisional until confirmed on the official CUET portal.

• Each subject/paper contains 50 compulsory MCQs, to be attempted within roughly 1 hour.

• 5 marks are awarded for each correct answer, with 1 mark deducted for each incorrect answer; unattempted questions are not scored.

• The exam has no optional questions — every candidate attempts the same fixed question set for a chosen subject.

• Candidates who select subjects that have been discontinued from the domain list may be assessed through the General Test score instead.

Once NTA declares the result and releases individual scorecards, candidates use their CUET UG score to apply separately to their preferred universities through each institution's own admission or counselling portal (or, in some cases, a common seat-allocation system). Since CUET only generates the score, candidates must track each university's cut-offs, seat-allocation rounds, and document-verification schedule independently, as these vary by institution and course.

Who conducts CUET UG?

The National Testing Agency (NTA), under the guidance of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Is Class 12 required to appear for CUET UG?

Candidates must have passed, or be appearing for, their Class 12 (or equivalent) board exam.

Can a candidate choose CUET subjects different from their Class 12 subjects?

Generally yes — recent UGC guidelines have removed strict subject-matching requirements, though individual universities may still specify preferred combinations for certain courses.

Is the CUET General Test compulsory?

No, it is optional for most programmes, though a few universities or courses may require it.

How is the application fee paid?

Only through online modes — debit/credit card, net banking, UPI, or digital wallets. Offline payment methods are not accepted.

Does a CUET UG score guarantee admission to a specific university?

No. The score makes a candidate eligible to apply; actual admission depends on each university's own cut-offs, seat availability, and counselling process.