How to prepare for CUET 2026: Section-Wise Tips & Strategy

Overview: Just learning the XII board concepts will not help you score 100% in the CUET exam, as the competition is rising every year, and also because of low seat intake vs student ratio in top-ranked universities such as DU, BHU, JNU, etc. All you need is the right CUET preparation strategy. Learn the step-by-step process on how to prepare for CUET 2026, covering key strategies, exam pattern, and smart study tips.

The most asked question regarding pursuing UG courses through CUET is how to prepare for the CUET exam 2026? 

• For popular subjects like chemistry, economics, and biology, the ideal good score is 250/250. However, if you have 4 domain subjects, making the max score 1000 >, you must aim for 880+ marks.
• A perfect score (250/250) in each subject is essential to getting into your dream university or college, such as DU, JNU, BHU, etc.

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Overview: How to Prepare for CUET Exam 2026

Before preparing for the CUET 2026 exam, a road map must be prepared, which includes what subjects to cover, how many hours to allocate for each subject, etc., due to the exam's acceptance in over 280 universities, including central, private, state, deemed-to-be and government institutions.  

Most of you may not be clear on your goals in school, while a few plan them early! Before learning how to prepare for CUET entrance exam, these points are essential: 

• If you have good domain knowledge of the subjects you studied until class 12, cracking the exam is not difficult. 
• Working on your time management skills and speed is vital in scoring 100% in this entrance exam.

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When should I start CUET preparation 2026?

To answer questions like how to prepare for CUET, when to start preparing for the exam, etc, remember; 

• Early knowledge enables you to understand the depth of the test and plan your preparation according to the prescribed syllabus. 
• You can start as early as in your 11th or 12th class. It helps you review the syllabus, exam pattern, CUET eligibility criteria, subjects list and course mapping requirements. 
• The exam syllabus for domain subjects is similar to the class 12th syllabus.
• As both of them cover the same topics and chapters, you will save time if you start preparing for the exam in class 12th. 
• If you plan to start preparing in class 11th, you will be able to work on building a solid understanding of fundamental concepts and clarity. 

How to prepare for CUET 2026: Process & Resources

If you have set your goal to get admission to one of the top-ranked universities such as DU, BHU, JNU, JMI etc, you must start preparing early! Here's the process: 

1. Understand the Exam Pattern

• Though the number of questions is the same, the paper pattern differs as the eligibility criteria for each university change. 
• Therefore, knowing the paper pattern while learning how to prepare for CUET is vital in qualifying for the entrance exam.

As per the latest and suggested CUET Exam Pattern, the entrance exam will include three sections:

Sections	Subjects/ Tests	Questions to attempt	Time Duration	Total Marks
Section I	Languages	50	60 minutes	250 each
Section II	Domain Subjects	50	60 minutes	250 each
Section III	General Test	50	60 minutes	250

• Knowing the specific exam pattern for the college/university you have applied to is also essential to fulfil the admission requirements.
• Visit the official website of the CUET to see the exam pattern for the respective colleges to which you have applied. Only then start with your preparation for the exam. 

2. Know your Syllabus

Once you understand your exam pattern, the second step while learning how to prepare for CUET is to list the syllabus for your opted subjects based on university and course requirements.

• Visit the official website (https://exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-UG/). It has the respective CUET Syllabus for each section included in the exam. 
• Note that the syllabus is standard for every test taker. Therefore, it is important to carefully review and double-check your syllabus.
• Make a subject-wise list of important topics and divide them into easy and difficult categories. 
• Note topics that will carry maximum weightage (per previous year’s question papers).

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3. Make a List of Colleges You Wish to Target

• The important step in how to prepare for CUET is to make a list of CUET Colleges and courses.
• Then, understand the previous year's cut-off and subject requirements for your targeted courses at that particular college.
• Doing this will help you understand the marks you must score in the exam to get admission to a particular course in your desired college, thus enhancing your preparation levels for the upcoming exam.

4. Create a TimeTable

A timetable can give fantastic results if it is planned correctly. However, preparing a study plan for CUET is one of the most challenging tasks for most.

• Your everyday schedule should have sufficient time for section-wise CUET preparation.
• Choose the CUET preparation books with more practice questions and comprehensive yet clear explanations.
• Initially, you can give 1-2 hours for the entrance exam and the rest for the board exams.
• Once the board exams are over, you can utilize the maximum time for exam preparation.
• You must note that the important step in how to prepare for CUET also covers starting early preparation for the exam.

5. Newspaper Should Be Your New Friend

• Reading the newspaper will help improve your vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension skills.
• You can refer to the Hindu or the Times of India newspapers to improve your English.
• You can prefer to read the Dainik Bharat newspaper to improve your Hindi language.
• Use flashcards and videos to revise the vocabulary section. You must spend at least 30 minutes analyzing and reading the newspaper's editorial page.
• While learning how to prepare for CUET, you must also learn how to attempt the question paper correctly. 

Learn how to attempt the CUET question paper 

6. Choose the Study Resources Carefully

• Make a most practical combination of resources rather than relying solely on one particular method.
• Prioritize study materials such as expert-recommended  CUET Preparation Books, mocks, previous year papers & strategies.

Is It Useful To Solve Mock Tests for CUET Exam 2026?

As CUET has objective-type questions, you need separate and on-point practice to solve them. Attempting mock tests is one of the best methods for improving speed and accuracy in the final exam.

• With the help of mock tests, you can know the difficulty level of the paper and the type of questions asked in the exam.
• You can test your preparation levels for the upcoming exam.
• Most importantly, knowing how to prepare for CUET begins with confidence; CUET mock tests by SuperGrads can help improve your confidence levels.

The pie graph below shows the importance of each resource based on past years trends and toppers' strategies. It shows that: 

• Maximum toppers always choose the right books for CUET preparation.
• The other parts suggest that a combination of resources will likely be most effective rather than relying solely on one particular method.

Why is this chart helpful in the process of how to prepare for CUET? 

By understanding the importance of different resources, you can make suitable decisions about which materials and strategies to focus on.

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7. Revision 

• You should not pick a fresh topic to study at the last minute in preparation for CUET.
• The last days are meant for only revision, so you can revise and remember the topics you have already learned.
• Revision is crucial for a good score. Studying without revision is like "working hard but without a plan"! 
• Check these Important Tips to Crack the CUET Exam 2026 with a high score while learning how to prepare for CUET.

8- Stay Calm & Take Enough Rest 

You may be well prepared for the examination; however, remember you can give your best attempt only when you are in a calm state of mind.

• If you overwork yourself and do not get enough sleep, even after knowing most of the answers, you may not be in a fresh mind to think.
• This can be a bad situation. To avoid this, rest well and maintain a positive mindset while taking your exam. 

SHORT Tricks to Prepare for CUET Exam in 30 days

How to Prepare for CUET Language Test 2026

You may have specific questions like 'how do I prepare for CUET language test, so here's the answer: 

The questions are mainly based on different reading comprehension passages in the language test, as given below.

• Factual
• Literary
• Narrative (Literary aptitude & vocabulary)

You can expect 4-5 Reading Comprehension with a standard word limit of 400-450. Therefore, you must regularly read editorial parts of newspapers or novels to master RCs.

• Read different types of exercises to improve your comprehension abilities. Focus on identifying the major ideas and arguments in the passage.
• Expand your vocabulary by familiarizing yourself with new terms and their definitions. You can use flashcards, online apps, and vocabulary-building books.
• Use additional resources like video series or daily quizzes to improve speed and accuracy.
• In the process of how to prepare for CUET, remember that the more you practice, the better you will become in your vocabulary and grammar.
• Speak English to people around you often.
• Review grammatical rules for CUET Language Test and work on exercises about sentence completion, error detection, and correction.

Tips to ace Reading Comprehension in CUET

CUET Preparation Tips for Domain-Specific Tests

• The domain-specific entrance exam test will have 23 subjects, out of which you have to choose subjects mapped to the UG course you wish to pursue. 
• The standard of questions in this section is at the class 12 level. Therefore, knowing the fundamental concepts of your chosen subject will help you score well in this section.
• Try to attempt easy, moderate, and challenging level MCQ questions mainly from the NCERT textbooks.

How to Prepare for CUET General Aptitude Test 2026?

Practice is the only key to scoring good marks on the aptitude test. The following are some of the CUET aptitude preparation tips:

• Distribute the subjects you need to study each day in your study plan. 
• Fix a time limit for each topic you are studying. 
• Don't include tough subjects continuously. Try to mix the subjects. 
• If you assign a tricky concept from the quant, choose an easy topic from reasoning. This way, you can build interest in studying more and not get bored. 
• Jot down essential terms or complex formulas from the topic you are studying, which can help in revision time. 
• If you are well-versed in any topic, allocate less time to that topic. Instead, give more time for complex topics.

Suggested Books for CUET General Test Preparation

As mentioned above, the answer to how to prepare for CUET is not just about knowing about the exam pattern or syllabus, but it is highly dependent on which books and study material you choose for preparation. This is why some of the best-recommended books for GT are listed below: 

Book	Publisher/Author
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination	RS Agarwal
General Knowledge	Arihant
Verbal and non-verbal reasoning	RS Aggarwal
Data interpretation	RS Agarwal
Disha's Rapid General Knowledge	Disha Experts

CUET Preparation Tips 2026 for Quantitative Aptitude Section

To score good marks in the quantitative subject, you need more practice. Revise all the standard 8th, 9th, and 10th mathematics concepts, as most questions might be asked from these topics.

• Focus on averages, profit & loss, mensuration, number system, geometry, simplification, quadratic equations, ratio & proportion, mixtures & allegations, time & word, speed, speed, and distance. 
• Try to practice as many questions as possible and learn short tricks to solve maths questions through SuperGrads CUET online coaching or one-to-one sessions. 
• Practising easy, moderate, and difficult level questions will help you prepare in every possible way for Common Universities Entrance Test exams. 

Get FREE sample papers with solutions for CUET 

How to Prepare for CUET Logical Reasoning 2026?

Solve as many logical reasoning questions as possible, given at the end of textbooks. Try to solve different levels of questions daily.

• Practice more and more puzzle-related questions to improve your problem-solving skills.
• Practice as many questions as possible from the Previous Year's CUET question papers.
• You can also opt for Rankers' study material by SuperGrads, which will cover all types of questions in detail and concisely. 
• Take up mock tests weekly, which help you access your preparation levels.

How to prepare for CUET along with Board Exams 2026?

You can succeed in both CUET and board exams if you are good at time management. Also, you can score better if you are consistent throughout your preparation.

• The syllabus of the 12th CBSE boards overlaps the most with the CUET syllabus, and hence, students just have to prepare for the deleted topics from the NCERT.
• If you are from ISE, State, or IB boards, you must put in extra hours for CUET preparation, as the XII syllabus might be slightly different.
• In this case, a proper CUET study plan and preparation strategies will help you manage boards and exam preparation together.
• When preparing the timetable, focus on keeping separate time for board preparation and domain-specific preparation. Lastly, allot separate time to solve the aptitude section. 
• Board exams must be your priority, and you should enhance your domain subject knowledge during your board exam preparation. And do this till the board exams are over.
• After completing your board exams, you will have roughly 30-40 days to prepare for the CUET. So, utilize this entire month to enhance your preparation levels for exam.

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Key Takeaways

The first step in how to prepare for CUET begins with the right approach and confidence.

• The exam pattern is dynamic and tests you on various aspects. As discussed above, each section will require a different preparation strategy.
• Knowing and understanding the exam syllabus is essential to know what to study and what not to study.
• Know the high-weightage topics, the number of questions in each section, the marking scheme, and the duration.
• Read English newspapers daily to improve your General Awareness and Vocabulary sections. 
• Attempt CUET mock tests regularly to learn problem-solving techniques and time management skills.