CUET 2026 Exam Dates, Registration, Syllabus, PYQs & More [Check Latest Updates]

Overview: NTA releases the official notification inviting online application forms for CUET 2026, which provides students with admission opportunities in any of the central universities/participating universities. Read the blog further to uncover the CUET exam 2026 registration, syllabus, exam pattern, counselling and result details.

The CUET exam is your gateway to over 287 universities, including central, state-level, deemed-to-be, and private universities, for admission to their UG-level courses.

As per the CUET trends and patterns, 

• The exam will be online (Computer-based) for all the subjects.
• The normalisation process will be applied in 2026.
• The mode of application for the CUET exam will be online only.
• The NTA releases the official notification clarifying the expected exam changes, CUET exam dates, pattern, syllabus, courses, and exam centre list.
• The registration process follows this official notification.

Scroll down to know all of these in detail!

Download Free Study Materials for CUET 2026 by Supergrads

What is CUET 2026 Exam?

• The CUET stands for Common University Entrance Test and is an annual entrance test.
• The National Testing Agency administers the CUET examination.
• More than 280+ universities, including central, state, private, and deemed-to-be, participate in this examination.
• Top universities like DU, BHU, JMI, AMU, etc, have adopted CUET since 2022. 

CUET 2026 Exam Highlights

Here's a quick walkthrough of the CUET UG exam 2026 details to help you understand it. Read, learn, and recall!

Aspects	Details
Exam Name	Common University Entrance Test
Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Frequency of Conduct	Once a year
Exam Level	National-level
Courses Offered	Undergraduate
Participating Universities	287+ for CUET-UG
Mode of Application	Online
Medium	13 languages
Type of questions	Multiple-choice questions
Mode of Counselling	Online
Official website	https://cuet.nta.nic.in/

Instant Scholarship for CUET is Here. Avail Now!

CUET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule

The official notice announcing the UG Courses exam date will be published on the NTA's website. The notice mentioned the CUET exam dates related to other events in the exam cycle. 

Go through the table to understand the tentative CUET Exam calendar for UG courses 2026:

Events	CUET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
CUET Registration Form Start date	1st week of March 2026
CUET 2026 Registration Last Date	Last week of March 2026
CUET Payment Last Date 2026 (Application Fee)	Last week of March 2026
CUET Application Form Correction Start Date	1st week of April 2026
Correction Window Last Date	1st week of April 2026
CUET City Slip Release Date	To be announced later on the website
Admit Card Release Date	3-4 days before the exam
CUET 2026 Exam Dates	2nd week of May 2026 (tentative)
NTA CUET Results will be announced on	To be announced later on the website
CUET 2026 Merit List Release Date	To be announced later on the website
CUET UG Counselling begins	To be announced later on the website

Check the list of all CUET Participating Universities HERE 

Other Important CUET Exam 2026 Highlights

1. No given combination of subjects is the best according to the CUET 2026 official sources. However, choosing at least one language and a general aptitude test is advisable.
2. The medium of the exam will be 13 languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
3. The newly launched portal exams.nta.ac.in/cuet-ug will periodically have updates.
4. The CUET (UG) - 2026 will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode only
5. All the subjects will have a single shift, and the normalisation process will not be applied.
6. CUET General Test and English are the most popular subjects among all the papers.

Is CUET compulsory?

No, it is not compulsory! However, if you target top central universities like DU, AMU, JMI, BHU, etc., for your UG degree, appearing in the CUET exam is a must. Apart from central universities, around 232 private, state and deemed-to-be universities also accept CUET scores.

CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria [Educational Qualification & Age Limit]

To be eligible to apply for the CUET Exam, you must satisfy specific eligibility criteria set by the exam conducting body, which can be different for each participating university.

The expected CUET Eligibility Criteria for the courses are listed below. 

• All Indian Nationals are eligible to apply for the exam. (foreign candidates, NRI, and OCI candidates can also apply for the exam)
• For UG courses, you must have completed class 12 with qualifying marks set by the university. 
• There's no age limit to apply for the exam. However, some universities may have an age limit for specific courses. 

You are advised to visit the official website of the college you wish to apply to, as the eligibility requirements can change from college to college and may also differ for every UG program. 

Note:

• Admission policies regarding quota, category, reservations, qualifications, etc., will follow the respective university's rules.
• Each university has unique eligibility criteria; candidates must visit the respective university's website.
• Candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before applying.
• Appearing in CUET (UG) - 2026 does not ensure admission unless university-specific eligibility is met.

Download Stream-wise CUET PYPs with Solutions HERE

CUET 2026 Exam Pattern

The CUET exam pattern for 2026 will likely be the same as that of 2025. 

Based on that, the CUET (UG) 2026 exam pattern is mentioned below: 

• The mode of examination will be a Computer Test, streamlining the process and reducing stress.
• You can choose a maximum of 5 subjects from all three sections for the subjects/languages.
• The normalisation process will be used for calculating the final results.
• The question paper will comprise only multiple-choice questions.
• For the 13 languages (English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu), the language-specific papers to test proficiency will be conducted.
• You can be flexible in choosing any subject irrespective of your 12th-class subjects. 

The NTA CUET Exam Pattern with the marks and number of questions based on previous years is given below:

Sections	Subjects/ Tests	Questions to attempt	Time Duration	Total Marks
Section I	13 Languages	50 out of 50	60 minutes	250
Section II	23 Domain Subjects	50 out of 50	60 minutes	250
Section III	General Aptitude Test	50 out of 50	60 minutes	250

Note 1: All Questions are compulsory.

Note 2: Candidates may select the subjects based on the eligibility criteria for a desired university programme. 

CUET 2026 Exam Marking Scheme

The CUET marking scheme is as follows: 

• Correct answer or the most appropriate answer: Five marks (+5) 
• Any incorrect option marked will be given minus one mark (-1). 
• Unanswered/Marked for Review will be given no mark (0). 

Is there a Negative Marking in CUET 2026?

Yes! For every wrong answer, you will lose one mark!

Here's how the marking scheme for the exam works, even when there are discrepancies:

• If all options are correct, then five marks (+5) will be awarded to all those who have attempted to answer the question.  
• If none of the options is correct, a question is found to be wrong, or a question is dropped, all candidates who have attempted the dropped question will be given five marks (+5). 
• If none of the options is correct, a question is found to be wrong, or a question is dropped, all candidates who have attempted the dropped question will be given five marks (+5). 

CUET 2026 Entrance Examination Pattern

• As per NTA's last year modification, the CUET exam 2026 is also expected to be conducted in CBT mode for all the applicants.
• NTA has also reduced the subjects to emphasise an enhanced focus on only five subjects for better preparation.

Features	CUET UG 2025	Expected CUET UG 2026 exam
Mode of Examination	Computer-Based Test	Computer-Based Test
Number of Subjects	37 subjects	37 subjects
Duration of Exam	60 minutes	60 minutes for all subjects
Number of Domain Subjects	23	23
Number of Languages	13	13
CUET Subject Choice	5	5
Section 3	General Aptitude Test	CUET General Aptitude Test (GAT)
Eligibility	Flexibility to choose any subject	Flexibility to choose any subject irrespective of class 12th subjects
Question Format	50 of 50 questions compulsory	All questions compulsory

Access Subject-wise CUET Sample Papers right away!

CUET 2026 Syllabus [Languages, Domain-Wise & General]

Knowing the syllabus plays a vital part in your preparation. NTA has released the syllabus for every language, domain, and GT, with units and important sub-units, as a PDF on the official website.

The CUET UG syllabus has been divided into Sections 1 (1A and 1B), 2, and 3. The syllabus for domain subjects will be based mainly on the NCERT books.

Sections	Syllabus
Language Subjects	Reading Comprehension (based on different types of passages–Factual, Literary and Narrative, and Literary Aptitude and Vocabulary and Grammar
Domain Subjects	As per the Class 12 syllabus (NCERT), only
General Test	General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Quantitative Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts Arithmetic / Algebra / Geometry / Mensuration / Statistics), Logical and Analytical Reasoning, General Science and Environment Literacy.

Take CUET Mocks HERE to achieve a perfect score

How to apply for CUET 2026? 

Visit the official website of NTA CUET to apply for the exam. You must fill out the application form for the CUET exam 2026. 

You can follow the instructions below while completing the CUET Application Form 2026: 

• The online window to register for the exam will appear on the screen after clicking the "click here to apply" button on the official website.
• Once you click the "new register" button, fill in the fields such as name, mobile number, and E-mail ID.
• You will receive the username and password for the registered mobile number and e-mail upon successful CUET registration.
• It would be best to correctly fill in all mandatory fields, such as qualification details, communication details, parent details, exam centre preferences, and category.
• The next step is to upload your photograph, signature, and other required documents according to the specifications in the official notification.
• Once selected, click the "save & proceed" button and preview the online form.
• Next, click the "make payment" button and pay the application fee per your category.

Documents required for CUET 2026 Registration

These are the essential documents required for CUET registration: 

• The recent photograph should be either in colour or black and white, with 80% of the face (without mask) visible, including ears, against a white background.
• The scanned photograph and signature should be in JPG/JPEG format (clearly legible).
• The size of the scanned photograph should be between 10 kb to 200 kb (clearly legible).
• The size of the scanned signature should be between 4 kb to 30 kb (clearly legible).
• The size of the scanned copy of the Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS, etc.) should be between 50kb to 300kb in pdf (clearly legible).
• *The size of the scanned copy of the PwBD certificate should be between 50kb to 300 kb in pdf (clearly legible).
• If you are claiming to be from the GEN-EWS or OBC NCL category, your certificate (Annexure-IA) must be uploaded in the online Application Form of CUET (UG) - 2026, which should have been issued on or after 01 April 2025 in consonance with the latest guidelines of the Government of India.
• Your APAAR ID, which stands for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry. 

Join Supergrads CUET coaching 2026 NOW!

CUET 2026 Application Fee

While learning to register for CUET, you must know that you can only pay the fee online. The application fee varies for different categories.

Check out the table below for the CUET application fee per your category:

Category	Up to 03 Subjects	For Each Additional Subject
General (UR)	₹ 1000/-	₹ 400/-
OBC (NCL)*/ EWS	₹ 900/-	₹ 375/-
SC/ST/PwD/PwBD/Third Gender	₹ 800/-	₹ 350/-
Centres Outside India	₹ 4500/-	₹ 1800/-

How to Download CUET Admit Card 2026? 

The CUET 2026 Admit Card will be available on the official website 3-4 days before the exam. You can download the CUET admit card online by using your login credentials.

• Go to the official website. 
• Click on the ‘download CUET admit card’ link.
• Enter your registration ID and Date of birth in the given space
• Click on the Login button
• The hall ticket will be displayed on the screen
• Download the admit card and take a printout for future use
• You must carry the CUET Admit Card to the exam centre without fail. Otherwise, you won't be allowed to take the exam.

CUET 2026 City Intimation Slip

• The CUET City Intimation Slip (sometimes called the CUET Exam City Slip) lists the cities where the entrance exam will be conducted for all phases. 
• The Exam City Slip breaks down the exam centres according to the specific CUET exam dates so that you can properly plan and prepare for the exam.

It outlines all the necessary information for applicants, including:

• Examination Name
• Your name
• Name of Conducting Body
• Date of Birth
• Application Number
• Exam City Centre

Watch FREE Demo class for CUET preparation NOW!

CUET 2026 Exam Preparation Tips

You would require a proper CUET preparation strategy and a study plan to crack entrance exams like the Common University Entrance Test. As the saying goes, "Better to start early than finish late!" 

As only raw exam scores will be used for further admission, it becomes essential to go through CUET exam analysis to prepare accordingly and thoroughly understand the CUET 2026 syllabus.

Section 1: Language 

• For English, improve your vocabulary by making a habit of reading the newspaper daily.
• Note the difficult words and their meanings in a notebook and revise them regularly.

Section 2: Domain-Specific Subjects

• For domain-specific sections, read through your NCERT textbooks thoroughly. 
• Revise the fundamentals and concepts from time to time. 

Section 3: General Aptitude Test

• Try to solve as many logical reasoning questions as possible that are given at the end of textbooks. In this way, you can enhance your speed and accuracy.
• Practice puzzle-related questions to improve your problem-solving skills.
• For the quantitative section, revise all the standard 8th, 9th, and 10th mathematics concepts, as most questions might be asked from these topics.
• Attempting at least two CUET mock tests weekly to analyze your preparation levels is essential.
• Lastly, you can always seek guidance from experts & mentors to crack the CUET 2026 exam. 

Begin your preparations well in advance, as this will help you complete the syllabus on time, and you will also be left with ample time to revise all the topics at least once before the exam.

CUET 2026 Subject-Wise Preparation Books

Choosing the right book is vital in qualifying for the entrance exam. The following are some of the best CUET preparation books; they cover all the topics as per the syllabus.

Some of the books you can use for English and GAT are as follows:

• CUET UG English Comprehensive Series by Supergrads
• CUET UG Quantitative Ability Comprehensive Series by Supergrads
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination by RS Aggarwal
• CUET UG Books for Domain Subjects (Comprehensive Series) by Supergrads

Get CUET Subject-wise Books by SuperGrads

CUET 2026 Result

Generally, the NTA will announce the results a month after completing the CUET UG 2026 exam, which is released in PDF form.

You can download your NTA CUET Exam Result pdf using your registration ID and date of birth.

Follow the steps given below to the scorecard.

• Visit the official website.
• Click on the ‘login to view scorecard’ tab.
• Enter your registration ID and Date of birth in the given space
• Click on the Login button
• The result pdf will appear on the screen
• Download the scorecard and take a printout for future use.

Aiming to achieve good CUET results for the upcoming exam? 

• CUET Mocks are a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your preparation.
• Whether you're gearing up for boards or the CUET entrance exam 2026, engaging in mock tests can provide invaluable advantages. 

CUET 2026 Cut off for UG Courses 

In calculating the CUET exam cutoff, the key variables include:

• Number of correct answers
• Negative marking for incorrect answers
• No penalty for unanswered questions
• Section weightage specific to programs

Correct answers increase scores, while wrong answers may reduce them due to negative markings.

Access FREE Subject-wise CUET sample papers by SuperGrads

CUET 2026 Answer Key

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the final CUET answer key within 20 days of completing the exam.

• Authorities will release the provisional answer key after the completion of the exam. 
• With the help of the provisional answer key, you can verify all the answers and raise objections if you find any discrepancies.
• Considering the objections raised, authorities will modify the responses (if required) and release the final answer key.
• Note that you cannot raise objections against the final answer key. 

How to check CUET Answer Key 2026?

The final CUET 2026 answer key will be available in PDF format. To download it, you must: 

• Visit the "News and Events" section of https://exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-UG/.
• Click on the answer key tab on the homepage.
• A PDF version of the official CUET answer key will be shown on the screen.
• Download and review the results and answer key solutions for score calculation. 

CUET 2026 Normalisation Process 

Normalisation is a process used to adjust test scores so that they can be compared to those of other students, regardless of the test's scale or difficulty level.  

• In the case of CUET 2026, the normalisation process will be continued, as the exam will be conducted in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode with more exam centres and multiple shifts for each subject paper. 
• Like previous years where the raw scores for each session were converted into Percentile Score, this year also it is expected to be followed for admission to participating universities. 

Once the exam is over, the post-exam events include:

1. Release of Provisional Answer Key 
2. Release of the Final answer key
3. CUET Results declaration 
4. CUET Counselling 

CUET 2026 Counselling Process

Each participating university will conduct a separate counselling process after completing the exam. You must visit the institute's official website and register to participate in the CUET Counselling Process.

At the time of registration, you must select the desired program at the university you wish to apply to.

You need to bring the following documents to counselling:

• CUET admit card
• Class 10 Mark sheets
• Class 12 Mark sheets
• CUET 2026 Scorecard
• Graduation Certificates
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• Passport-size photographs
• Medical certificate (for PwD category)

Check the list of CUET exam centres to take the test and secure your seat in top colleges.

Unlock FREE practice papers for CUET Exam right HERE!

CUET 2026 Universities & Colleges

The CUET exam will be conducted in 380 cities across India to provide students with admission to over 280 colleges at the undergraduate level. 

The universities accepting exam scores to admit 12th-standard students into their UG programs are known as CUET-participating universities. 

• Several colleges plan to use CUET in 2026 for their undergraduate admissions procedure.
• The number of CUET-participating colleges in 2026 is expected to grow beyond 300+.
• Like last year, prestigious colleges like DU, BHU, JMI, JNU, and others will continue to use the exam scores as the first step in their admissions procedure. 

University Type	Top Names
Central	DU, BHU, JMI, JNU, Allahabad University etc.
State	DTU, AKTU, GGSIPU etc.
Private	Amity, Galgotias, Chitkara, Chandigarh University etc.
Deemed-to-be	Graphic Era, Shiv Nadar, TISS, Jamia Hamdard etc.
Government Institutions	ICAR, Indian Culinary Institute etc.

Top Central Universities for NTA CUET 2026 Admissions

The NTA’s Common University Entrance Test makes you eligible for 280+ universities. The following are some of the most popular universities for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

1- University of Delhi

• The University of Delhi is one of India's most prestigious educational institutions, renowned for its top-notch undergraduate courses.
• Every year, lakhs of students from across the country flock to the varsity to pursue their dreams.
• With over 20 colleges ranked among India's Top 50 NIRF institutions, DU has a long-standing legacy of providing quality education.
• The CUET DU admissions will be for various courses, from Social Science to Economics, History, English, Psychology, Geography, and Political Science.
• Moreover, introducing the CUET has reduced the high competition level among students.
• So, if you're looking for an educational experience like no other, the University of Delhi is the perfect place!

2- Banaras Hindu University

• According to the NIRF rankings, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is ranked 6th among all universities in India.
• It is a prestigious, fully residential university located in Varanasi.
• It is renowned for its Agricultural Science, Environment, Sustainable Development, Medicine, Law, Arts, Commerce, Social Sciences, and Performing Arts courses.

3- Jawaharlal Nehru University

• JNU is one of the top universities in Delhi, ranking highly in the NIRF rankings. 
• JNU admissions through CUET will be done for all UG & certificate courses.
• It is renowned for its foreign language courses at the undergraduate level and its own entrance exam for admission to various courses.

Learn more about CUET BHU Admission process & details HERE

4- Jamia Millia Islamia

• This university was ranked the best central university in India through the NIRF rankings released by the Ministry of Education.
• Located in Delhi, the CUET 2026 JMI Admission process will be conducted for 15 undergraduate courses. 
• Some popular courses at JMI include mass communication, law, architecture, engineering, and social work.

5- Aligarh Muslim University

• Other religious students of any faith can also apply to Aligarh Muslim University; however, most applicants are Muslim.
• Founded in 1875, Aligarh is one of the oldest universities in India. It has off-campus locations in West Bengal and Kerala.
• According to NIRF Rankings, Aligarh is ranked 11th overall in India.
• AMU Admissions through CUET include popular engineering, law, medicine, social work, and management courses.

Courses Offered through CUET 2026 Exam

The number of programs, colleges, and course lists may vary yearly since the exam will now be conducted for admission to 280+ central, private, state and deemed universities. 

Check out the list of most preferred CUET Courses offered by the major participating institutes:

Note: Different universities offer various UG courses and specialisations, which are not limited to the following streams. 

Best Humanities courses	Best Commerce courses	Best Science courses	Additional Popular Courses
BA (H) Political Science	B.Com	B.Sc (Hons) Mathematics	B. Pharm
BA (H) History	B.Com (Hons)	B.Sc (Hons) Physics	Integrated Programs
B.A (H) Psychology	BBA FIA	B.Sc (Hons) Zoology	B.Voc
B.A (H) Philosophy	BCA	B.Tech	BSW + MSW
B.A (H) Sociology	BPA	B.Sc (Hons) Chemistry	B.A. LLB

The above list is not the entire set of courses offered at 280+ universities. If you are interested in engineering courses through CUET, you can check out the list of CUET B.Tech Colleges List here! 

Take latest Subject-wise CUET UG mock tests NOW!

CUET Exam Past Years Registration Statistics

Let's take a quick look at the registration statistics from this year & past year to understand the importance of CUET 2026 in the evolving education landscape.

Review the University-wise highlights for the Top 5 CUET-UG Universities that you may target in 2026: 

Universities	CUET Registration 2024	CUET Registration 2023
University of Delhi	25,96,106	28 lakh
Banaras Hindu University	8,41,457	8.8 lakh
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University	5,12,588	4.1 lakh
University of Allahabad	4,81,329	3.1 lakh
Jamia Millia Islamia	2,63,587	2.6 lakh

Key Takeaways

• The CUET 2026 exam is a great way to enter top universities, providing a standardised assessment of academic abilities.
• It is an efficient procedure for CUET-participating universities to admit potential students, as it objectively measures their skills. 
• The exam is conducted annually, and central, state, private, and deemed-to-be universities accept CUET results. 
• The exam will be conducted in an online (computer-based mode) only.
• The post-exam events include the release of the CUET answer key, results, and the beginning of the counselling process.