CUET UG 2026 (Common University Entrance Test) — Complete Guide

CUET UG (Common University Entrance Test — Undergraduate) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and is the single-window entrance for UG admissions across 100+ universities in India, including all 45 Central Universities like Delhi University, JNU, BHU, AMU, Jamia Millia, and Hyderabad Central University.

Since 2022, CUET has replaced Class 12 cutoff-based admissions at Central Universities — making CUET scores the primary determinant of UG admission.

---

CUET UG 2026 — At a Glance

Parameter	Details
Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Mode	Computer-Based Test (CBT) — Hybrid mode in select centres
Sections	Section IA (Languages) + Section II (Domain) + Section III (General Test)
Duration	45 minutes per subject (taken on multiple days)
Marking	+5 correct; −1 wrong
Official Website	cuet.samarth.ac.in

---

CUET UG 2026 — Important Dates

Event	Expected Date
NTA Notification	February 1, 2026
Registration Opens	February 2026
Registration Last Date	March 15, 2026
Exam City Intimation	April 2026
Admit Card	April 2026
CUET UG Exam	May 1–31, 2026
Result	June 2026
University Admissions	July–August 2026

---

Eligibility

Criterion	Requirement
Qualification	Class 12 passed OR appearing (any recognized board)
Minimum Marks	Varies by university and course (check specific university prospectus)
Age Limit	NO age limit for CUET UG
Attempts	No limit
Nationality	Indian nationals + OCI/PIO/Foreigners (separate seats)

---

CUET UG 2026 — Exam Structure

Section IA — Language Test (Mandatory)

• 13 languages available: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Odiya, Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi, English, Hindi, Urdu
• Must choose minimum 1 language
• 50 questions; 45 minutes; attempt any 40
• Tests: Reading comprehension, literary aptitude, vocabulary

Section IB — Additional Languages (Optional)

• 20 more language options
• Required if your target university mandates a specific language medium

Section II — Domain Subjects (Most Important)

• 27 domain subjects covering Arts, Commerce, Science streams
• Choose up to 6 domains based on target programs
• 50 questions; 45 minutes; attempt any 40

Popular domain subjects:

Stream	Domain Subjects
Science	Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science
Commerce	Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics
Arts	History, Political Science, Geography, Psychology, Sociology, English, Hindi
Others	Environmental Studies, Home Science, Agriculture, Physical Education, Fine Arts

Section III — General Test (Optional but Important for DU)

• Required for programs like BA Programme, B.Com (Program) at DU
• 60 questions; 60 minutes; attempt any 50
• Topics: General Knowledge, Current Affairs, Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Logical and Analytical Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, General Mental Ability

---

CUET UG 2026 — Marking Scheme

Answer	Marks
Correct	+5
Wrong	−1
Unattempted	0
Multiple correct marked (when only 1 correct)	−1

Normalized score is used when exams are conducted across multiple days/shifts.

---

DU CUET Cutoffs (2025 Reference — Score out of 200 for domain subjects)

Course	College	General Cutoff
BA (Hons) English	Miranda House	185–195
BA (Hons) History	Sri Ram College of Commerce area	165–180
B.Com (Hons)	Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)	185–195
B.Com (Program)	Hindu College	160–175
BA (Hons) Psychology	Jesus & Mary College	175–190
BSc (Hons) Mathematics	Hindu College	185–195
BA Programme	Ramjas College	145–165
BSc (Hons) Chemistry	St. Stephen's College	175–190

---

Application Fee

Category	Fee
General	₹650 (up to 3 subjects)
OBC-NCL / EWS	₹600
SC / ST / PwD / Transgender	₹550
Additional subject beyond 4	+₹350 per subject
International centres	Higher fees apply

---

Preparation Strategy

3-Month Plan for CUET UG 2026

Month 1 — Domain Subjects (Most Marks):

• Revise Class 12 NCERT for your domain subjects thoroughly
• CUET domain questions are NCERT-based — mastering NCERT = 90%+ domain score
• Daily: 2 chapters revision + 30 MCQ practice per domain

Month 2 — Language + General Test:

• Language: Practice reading comprehension passages (minimum 2 per day)
• General Test: Cover Class 11–12 level GK, Current Affairs (last 6 months)
• Reasoning: Basic logical and quantitative questions (Class 10 level)

Month 3 — Full Mocks + Revision:

• 2 full CUET mocks per week using NTA-style questions
• Focus on accuracy: 85%+ accuracy with −1 negative marking is critical
• Last month current affairs: Focus on April–May 2026 events

Best Books

Section	Resource
Domain (all subjects)	NCERT Class 11 + 12 (primary)
Domain Practice	Arihant CUET UG Subject-wise Practice Sets
General Test	R.S. Aggarwal Reasoning + Lucent GK basics
Previous Papers	NTA CUET Previous Year Papers (Arihant/Oswaal)
Language	CUET Language Section Practice Book

---

Official Links

Resource	Link
CUET Official Portal	cuet.samarth.ac.in
Syllabus	Official Syllabus
DU Admission	du.ac.in

---

Last Updated: April 2026 | Source: National Testing Agency (NTA), Government of India