The CUET Exam is a test to assess your ability to gain admission to various universities. As a candidate seeking admission to a renowned university of your choice, you should be equipped with all the information comprising the CUET Exam. Browse through the article for in-depth information about this competitive test.
The Common University Entrance Test, i.e., CUET Exam, was introduced by the Ministry of Education. This test is a pathway for admissions to various undergraduate programmes in all Central Universities. The National Testing Agency, established in 2017, conducts the test. The organisation aimed to establish the vision of "one India, one topic”.
As the name suggests, the CUET Exam is a common test for admissions to over 45 Central Universities and over 250 Universities across India. Candidates seeking admission to any of these Universities should keep track of the exam dates announced and fill out the application form when it is released online.
Certain amendments have been made to the existing CEUT Exam, and they are given below:
Aspiring candidates should be aware of the eligibility criteria NTA sets before applying for the CUET Exam. The candidate must have passed the 10+2 class from a recognised board. Apart from the essential eligibility criteria, the candidate has to satisfy the requirements mentioned below as well.
The CUET Exam Highlights given below provide the details of the examination structure. This will enable the candidates to prepare and perform well in the exam.
Elements | Details |
Examination Level | National Level |
Authority conducting the Exam | NTA |
Examination Name | CUET-Common University Entrance Test |
Application Mode | Online |
Official website of CUET | cuetug.ntaonline.in |
Number of participating Universities | 256 44 Central Universities 212 other Universities |
Examination Mode | Subjects with higher registration-OMR Computer-based tests for others |
Nature of questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
Duration of Exam | Slot 1: 9 am. to 11 am Slot 2: 12.30 pm to 2 pm Slot 3: 4 pm to 5.30 pm |
The CUET application process involves registration for the exam, followed by filling out the application form. The process will be completed by paying the application fee. Candidates have to check the accuracy of the information provided before submitting the application form to avoid disqualification due to inconsistencies
The CUET Exam application form available online can be completed with the steps given below:
Candidates should preserve hard copies of all the documents related to the CUET Exam.
The CUET Exam application process will be completed only on payment of the application fees. The application fee can be paid online using any available payment modes, such as credit card, debit card, UPI, PayTM, or net banking. The subjects chosen, the category the candidate belongs to, and the centre chosen will be the basis for charging the application fee. The candidate must pay the application within the stipulated timeline to avoid disqualification. The fee structure for the CUET Exam is given below:
Number of subjects opted | Category | Application Fee (In Rs) |
Up to 3 subjects | General (UR) | 700 to 1000 |
OBC-NCL-(EWS) | 700 to 900 | |
SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender | 600 to 800 | |
Centres Abroad | 3000 to 4500 | |
For every additional subject | General (UR) | 300 to 400 |
OBC-NCL-(EW) | 300 to 375 | |
SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender | 300 to 350 | |
Centres Abroad | 1500 to 1800 |
Preparing well for an exam is paramount. And so it is for the CUET Exam. Understanding the pattern of questions, practising to complete the questions under each section within the given time, etc., are important to attending the exam confidently and coming out with flying colours. Here are some preparation tips the candidate must follow to perform well in the exam.
With equal opportunity to gain admission to their preferred colleges/universities, candidates must put in effort and meticulously plan to prepare for the exam. Comprehending the syllabus is the first step to understanding the domain subjects. The syllabus can be downloaded from the official website of CUET. Also, referring to CUET preparation books will make the preparation more effective.
Prepare a study plan. Allot a slot for each subject within the available time. Follow the timetable diligently. A conscious effort to stick to the timetable will help the candidates to be thorough in all the subjects and realise their dream of procuring admission to their dream colleges.
Solving the question paper within the given time is an achievement. For this, the candidate should solve question papers from previous years. This will give a better understanding of the exam pattern, the questions format, and the important areas majorly covered. With sufficient knowledge of the exam pattern, the candidate can score well.
The candidates should take mock tests, which are available on the official website. Here, the candidates will understand their strengths and weaknesses. Taking mock tests weekly will help them gain confidence and attend the exam without apprehension.
Creating a habit of preparing small notes while revising the subjects is a good habit. This will help with the last-minute revision. Candidates who meticulously follow the preparation tips will undoubtedly score well in the exam and realise their dreams.
Sections | Questions under the Section | Time allotted | Type of Questions |
Section IA | 50 questions in each language, out of which 40 have to be attempted. | Each language is allotted 45 minutes. | Reading comprehension of Narrative, Literary and Factual passages (testing Vocabulary and Literary Aptitude) |
Section IB | |||
Section II | 40 out of 50 questions have to be attempted. | Each domain-specific subject will be allotted 45 minutes | For MCQs, input text can be used. The NCERT class 12 syllabus will be the basis for Multiple Choice Questions |
Section III | 60 out of 75 questions have to be attempted | The time allotted will be 60 minutes | Input text can be used for MCQs. Questions on General Knowledge, General Mental Ability, Current Affairs, Quantitative Reasoning, and Numerical Ability (involve the simple application of mathematical concepts taught in 8th Standard. Arithmetic/Algebra/Geometry/mensuration |
Section 1A has 13 languages, Section IB has 19 languages, Section II has 27 domain-specific subjects, and Section III is a General Test.
The CUET Exam will be conducted in two shifts. The first shift comprises one language and two domain-based subjects. The second shift shall consist of 4 domain-specific subjects and one optional language.
The domain-specific subjects include:
The language test subjects include:
The optional language subjects include:
The marking scheme for the CUET Exam is set by the NTA (National Testing Agency) and released on the official website of CUET. Knowing the CUET Exam pattern and the marking scheme is an integral part of preparing for the Exam. The marking scheme set for the CUET Exam is given below:
On registration for the CUET Exam, NTA will issue an Admit Card for the candidate which can be accessed on the CUET website i.e., cueug.ntaonline.in. Carrying the Admit Card to the examination centre is mandatory for establishing the identity of the candidate.
Steps to Download
Follow the steps given below to download the Admit Card from the CUET website.
What Your Admit Card Says
Why is the Admit Card so important, and why is it mandatory to carry it to the exam centre? The reason is that it has the following details that are required to ensure that you are the right candidate and are at the right exam centre.
After completing the application process, the CUET login details will be sent to the candidate's email address and mobile number. The login details are required for further processing and so have to be preserved carefully. Checking the application status, downloading the Admit Card, checking the results, etc., will all require login credentials.
The candidates must follow some essential guidelines before and during the exam on the exam day. The details are given below:
Before the Exam
The following are the guidelines that candidates should follow during the exam for seamless performance.
Candidates have to give the choice of their exam centres in the application form. They can choose up to 3 centres. Details of the centres are available on the official NTA CUET website. There are 380 CUET exam centres in all. Out of them, 354 exam centres are within India, and 26 are outside India.
Candidates can check for the availability of preferred exam centres from the CUET website and then select the ones that are most convenient for them. No changes are allowed after submitting the application form. So, the candidates should examine the centres available carefully before they put forth their choice in the application form.
Certain specifications are laid out regarding the documents required and things permitted/not permitted to the CUET exam centre on the exam day. The details are given below:
Documents Required
The following documents should be carried to the exam centre:
Things to Carry
Things Not to Carry
NTA will release a provisional answer key after a few days of conducting the CUET exam, which can be downloaded from the official NTA CUET website, cuetug.ntaonline.in. The candidates can verify the answers and raise objections if they are found incorrect. NTA will assess the objections and release the final answer key on the CUET official website.
Steps to Download the Answer Key
Here is a step-by-step guide to download the answer key.
The CUET result is the outcome of the candidate's performance. The results released by NTA will be online and can be accessed on the NTA CUET website. The date of birth and application number will be required to download the result from the website. The result will also include the candidates' scores, which they can use to gain admission to any of the participating Universities.
How to check CUET result
To check the CUET result available released in the online mode, the candidates have to follow the steps given below:
Details Mentioned in the CUET Result
The following information will be mentioned in the CUET result:
The CUET cutoff for various Universities and programmes will be in scores, marks, and percentiles. The cutoff depends on the universities, courses, and the category of the applicants and will generally differ. The factors affecting the CUET cutoff are the complexity of the exam, the total number of applicants, and the seats available. The participating Universities will announce the CUET cutoff separately for the General, SC, ST, and OBC categories. The candidates can check the CUET cutoff for various exams on the official CUET website.
Selection is purely based on merit. Candidates who score higher than the stipulated cut-off score will gain admission to the desired course.
The Universities participating in the CUET exam will conduct counselling online. Candidates who have scored above the cutoff stipulated and qualified for admission can register for counselling through the university's website. The admission will be based on the candidate's rank and seat availability. The first phase of the counselling will be conducted online, and the second phase will be offline so that the candidate can go to the institution in person. Candidates with the highest score in the CUET exam will be preferred for the counselling process.
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