How to Prepare for CUET General Test (GAT) 2026: Study Tips

Overview: The General Aptitude Test, though an optional test paper, can significantly increase your chances of admission to CUET participating universities and courses. Learn how to prepare for CUET General Test (now GAT) with topic-wise strategies, exam pattern, and must-read books.

Most of the 230+ CUET universities require you to appear for the General Aptitude Test to qualify for admission. Answering how to prepare for CUET General Test involves understanding the success rate, previous year trends, and the type of questions. 

• It assesses your general knowledge, numerical ability, current affairs, and reasoning abilities.
• There will be 50 questions, of which all 50 must be attempted. All questions are compulsory.

Download Free Study Materials for CUET 2026 by SuperGrads

How to Prepare for CUET General Test 2026 (now GAT)? 

The answer to the above question lies in understanding the exam pattern and the major topics this paper covers. 

The CUET exam consists of three sections, with the General Aptitude Test being Section 3. 

• The general CUET test will be conducted online, i.e. Computer-based mode. 
• Out of 50 questions, you will be asked to attempt all 50 questions.
• All the questions will be MCQ-based. 
• Each correct question is going to account for five marks. Also, a negative marking of 1 mark is for wrong answers.
• You will get 60 minutes to complete the General Aptitude test.

Sections	No. of questions to attempt	Maximum Marks	Duration
GK & Current Affairs	50 out of 50	250	60 minutes
Reasoning Ability & General Science
Quantitative Aptitude & Environment Literacy

CUET General Test Exam Analysis for Previous Years

Next in the line of understanding how to prepare for the general test comes reviewing the important topics from CUET general test books and previous year trends.

In 2025,

• The level of the QA section was again on the difficult side.
• Most students were unable to attempt all 50 questions, as the QA questions were time-consuming and calculation-based.
• LR had questions on Venn diagrams, series, blood relations, clocks, and calendars. 
• There were questions about books and authors in GK, geography, and Indian polity, as well as articles and fundamental duties, among others.
• Few topics that have seen increased difficulty are Pipes & Cistern, LCM & HCF, and Geometry & Statistics (Mean & Mode).

In 2024, 

Learning the important topics, expected weightage will help you organise and plan your study plan to maximize your marks. 

• Based on the CUET exam analysis for the General Aptitude Test, the GK and current affairs section comprised around 25 questions, carrying a weightage of 125 marks, a significant increase compared to previous years.
• The reasoning and quantitative ability sections were quite intricate and tricky. 
• There were a total of 17 questions from the quantitative ability section, carrying 85 marks. 
• There were 18 questions in the Reasoning Ability section, carrying 90 marks.
• There were 25 questions in the Current Affairs section, carrying 75 marks.

Watch FREE Demo class for CUET GAT preparation NOW!

How to Prepare for CUET General Test 2026: Important Topics

The CUET general test is one of the mandatory subjects mapped for various courses in the participating universities. These are the high-weightage topics included in the syllabus: 

Syllabus	CUET General Test Paper Important Topics
General Knowledge & Current Affairs
	Geography, Polity, Chemistry, Biology, Awards, Major Environmental Summits
	Articles and fundamental duties, books, authors, sports
	Past six months' news & happenings
Quantitative Aptitude	Percentage, Mensuration, Simple & Compound Interest, Number System
	Ratio, Proportion & Ages, Average, Geometry, Coordinate Geometry
	Time & Work, Pipes & Cistern, Linear Equation & Simplification, Statistics
	Time, Speed & Distance, Trigonometry, Height & Distance
Logical Reasoning	Coding, Decoding, Calendar, Analogy
	Venn Diagram, Letter and Symbol, number & alphabet series
	Sitting arrangements, Blood relation
	Time and ranking sequence test
General Science	Laws of Motion, Diseases & Prevention, Acids, Bases and Salts, States of Matter etc.
Environment Literacy	Pollution & Global Warming, Renewable & Non-Renewable Resources, Indian Environmental Laws and Campaigns etc.

How to Prepare for General Test in CUET 2026: GK & Current Affairs Section 

1. Read newspapers, magazines, journals, and current affairs websites. Focus on credible sources for accurate information.
2. Follow current events through news channels, social media, and news aggregator apps.
3. Dedicate a 30-minute slot each day to cover different topics. Prepare history or geography one day, science or other topics the next day.
4. Use reference books, encyclopedias, and online resources to deepen your understanding of various topics.
5. Regularly attempt CUET mock tests. This will help you know your knowledge level and identify areas for improvement.

Seek expert-guidance for CUET Exam to score 100%

How to Prepare General Test for CUET 2026: Quantitative Aptitude 

1. Aim to solve 40-50 quantitative aptitude questions daily. 
2. Clear your fundamentals for math concepts, such as algebra, geometry, and arithmetic.  
3. Analyse practice tests and identify areas where you struggle. Dedicate extra time to revising and practicing those specific topics.
4. Explore time-saving techniques and shortcuts for calculations to improve speed and accuracy. 
5. Practice solving CUET previous year's question papers under timed conditions. 

How to Prepare for CUET General Test 2026: Reasoning Ability

1. Focus on practicing various reasoning question formats, such as logical reasoning, syllogisms, analogies, critical thinking, and puzzles.
2. Practice analyzing information, identifying patterns, and drawing logical conclusions. 
3. Solve problems through techniques like breaking down the problem, identifying key information, and systematically evaluating options.
4. Analyze your mistakes in practice tests and identify your weaker areas.
5. Seek expert guidance for CUET to solve your doubts promptly and revise regularly. 

Practice for QA & Reasoning Ability with CUET Mock Tests

CUET General Aptitude Test Books 2026

Knowing how to prepare for CUET general test can be challenging, but the right study materials can make all the difference.

With various options available, choosing the best books for CUET General Test is tough.

Here's a list of some of the best books to help you excel in CUET GAT and secure your dream college.

CUET Preparation Books 2026	Author/Publisher
CUET UG Comprehensive Series for Logical Reasoning	SuperGrads
CUET UG Comprehensive Series for Quantitative Ability	SuperGrads
CUET UG Comprehensive Series for GK	SuperGrads
Class 11th & 12th Textbooks	NCERT

Download PYPs PDF for CUET GAT Exam right away!

Key Takeaways

The first and foremost tip for learning how to prepare for CUET general test is to start early.

• Give yourself enough time to become familiar with the test exam pattern, syllabus, and high-weightage topics. 
• Create a CUET study plan and stick to it to ensure effective and efficient preparation.
• Practice with mock tests, papers from previous years, and sample papers under timed conditions. 
• Get your doubts solved immediately by subject-matter experts through coaching classes if required.