Your son or daughter just told you about CUET and you're wondering what happened to the old admission process. Fair question. Until 2021, if your child wanted admission to Delhi University or Jawaharlal Nehru University or Banaras Hindu University, the main thing that mattered was the Class 12 board exam percentage. You scored 97 percent, you had a shot at the top colleges. You scored 90, you waited for lower cut-off rounds and hoped. It was imperfect and stressful, but at least it was familiar. Everyone understood the rules.

Then CUET arrived. The Common University Entrance Test. First conducted in 2022. And suddenly, board marks were no longer the sole deciding factor for admission to central universities. Instead, students had to appear for a separate entrance exam, conducted by NTA, and their score in that exam would determine which college and course they got. The idea behind it was fair: different boards across India have very different marking standards, so a 90 percent from one board isn't the same as a 90 percent from another. A single standardised test would level the field.

Fair idea. Messy execution in the first year. Better in the second. Reasonably stable by 2025. And now in 2026, CUET is entering its fifth year, and it's firmly established as the gateway to undergraduate education at most central universities in India.

If you're a student preparing for this exam, or a parent trying to understand what your child is going through, this article is for both of you. I'm going to cover what CUET actually is, which universities use it, how the exam works, who's eligible, how to register, the subject combination strategy that most students don't think about enough, how scoring works, and how the counselling process gives you a seat. Let's get into it.

What Exactly Is CUET UG?

CUET UG stands for Common University Entrance Test for Undergraduate programmes. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency, the same body that runs JEE Main and NEET. The exam is a computer-based test, conducted across multiple cities in India and at a few centres abroad.

CUET is not limited to science students. That's the first thing parents from the JEE/NEET world need to understand. CUET covers all streams: arts, commerce, and science. If your child wants to study English Literature at DU, or B.Com at BHU, or Political Science at JNU, or Psychology at Allahabad University, they'll likely need to take CUET. It's the entrance gate for almost all undergraduate programmes at participating universities.

Why was it introduced? Because the old system of board-mark-based admissions had real problems. CBSE marks and ICSE marks were not comparable. State board marks varied wildly. A student who scored 95 percent from the Tamil Nadu board was being measured against a student who scored 95 percent from the CBSE board, even though the difficulty levels and grading standards were entirely different. CUET was meant to create one common yardstick. Whether it has succeeded in doing that is debatable, but the intention was sound.

Which Universities Accept CUET Scores?

In 2026, over 260 universities are expected to accept CUET UG scores for admission. This includes all 45 central universities, plus a growing number of state universities, deemed universities, and private universities that have opted into the CUET system.

The big names that parents usually care about: Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Hyderabad Central University, Pondicherry University, Tezpur University, Visva-Bharati, and Allahabad University all use CUET. So do the newer central universities like Mahatma Gandhi Central University (Bihar), Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Kashmir, and others.

Now here's a question parents often ask: "Does my child need to take CUET for every university?" Not necessarily. Each university decides how much weight to give CUET scores versus board marks versus other criteria. Most central universities use CUET scores as the primary or sole admission criterion. Some state universities that have recently joined the CUET system might use a combination of CUET score and board percentage. Check the specific admission policy of each university your child is interested in. This information is published on each university's admission portal and on the CUET website at cuet.nta.nic.in.

One thing that catches some families off guard: private universities like Amity, Chandigarh University, and a few others have also started accepting CUET scores. This doesn't mean CUET is mandatory for those universities. Most private universities accept CUET as one of multiple admission pathways. But it does mean a good CUET score opens more doors than it used to.

The Exam Pattern: Three Sections, Multiple Subjects

CUET UG has three sections, and understanding how they work is essential for planning your exam strategy. This is where many students and parents get confused, because unlike JEE or NEET where the structure is fixed and everyone takes the same paper, CUET is modular. You pick which sections and subjects to take based on the universities and courses you're applying to.

Section IA: Languages. This section tests your proficiency in a language. NTA offers 13 languages: Hindi, English, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu. You choose the language that the university you're applying to requires. Most central universities require English or Hindi. You can take up to 2 languages from this section. Each language test has 50 questions, of which you attempt 40. Duration: 60 minutes per language. The questions test reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and verbal ability. They're based on the Class 12 level of the chosen language.

Section IB: Additional Languages. This is for students who need to demonstrate proficiency in a language not covered in Section IA, or who need a third language for a specific university's requirement. It has 20 languages available, including foreign languages like French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and others. Format is the same: 50 questions, attempt 40, 60 minutes. Most students don't need Section IB. It's there for specific programme requirements at certain universities.

Section II: Domain-Specific Subjects. This is the big one. This section covers 29 subjects spanning all streams. Science subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. Commerce subjects include Accountancy, Business Studies, and Economics. Arts and Humanities subjects include History, Political Science, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Legal Studies, Physical Education, and others. You can choose up to 6 subjects from this section, though most students take 3 to 5 depending on their target courses. Each subject has 50 questions, attempt 40, and 60 minutes.

Why up to 6 subjects? Because different courses at different universities require different subject combinations. If you want to apply for B.Sc. Physics at DU and also B.A. Economics at BHU and also B.Com at Allahabad University, you might need Physics, Mathematics, Economics, Accountancy, and English as domain subjects. The flexibility is good. The decision-making it requires is, frankly, stressful.

Section III: General Test. This section is for programmes that don't specify domain subjects, or for universities that use a general aptitude score for admission. It covers General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Quantitative Reasoning, and Logical and Analytical Reasoning. 75 questions, attempt 60, 60 minutes. Not all students need to take this section. Check whether the courses you're applying to require it.

How does the scoring work? Each correct answer gets 5 marks. Each incorrect answer deducts 1 mark. Unanswered questions get 0. The total score for each subject or section is calculated separately. Universities use different combinations of section scores for admission to different programmes. This means your CUET "score" isn't a single number. It's a set of scores across the sections and subjects you've taken.

Subject Combination Strategy: This Matters More Than You Think

The subject combination strategy matters more than most students realize, and here's why that's tricky. When you register for CUET, you're choosing not just which exam to take but which universities and courses you can apply to. Pick the wrong subjects and you might find yourself locked out of a course you wanted because that university requires a domain subject you didn't take.

Let me give a practical example. A student wants to apply for B.A. (Hons) Economics at Delhi University. DU requires a CUET score in either Mathematics or Economics for this programme. If the student only took Accountancy and Business Studies as domain subjects, they can't apply for B.A. Economics at DU, no matter how high their scores are. They'd need to have selected Mathematics or Economics during CUET registration.

Another example. A student wants to keep options open between B.A. History and B.A. Political Science at different universities. Some universities require the History domain subject for History programmes and Political Science for PolSci programmes. Others accept either. If you take both subjects, you're covered. If you take only one, you might miss opportunities at universities that insist on the other.

So how do you decide? Here's a practical approach. First, make a list of every university-course combination you're interested in. Go to each university's admission page and find out which CUET subjects they require for each course. Second, identify the common subjects across your list. These are your must-take subjects. Third, add one or two extra subjects as insurance, things that open up backup options. Fourth, check that your total doesn't exceed 6 domain subjects (the maximum allowed). If it does, prioritize based on which courses matter most to you.

There's a time management angle too. Each subject takes 60 minutes. If you take 5 domain subjects plus a language plus the general test, that's 7 hours of examination across multiple slots. CUET is usually conducted over multiple days, so you won't do all of it in one sitting. But it's still a gruelling schedule. Taking 6 subjects just because you can, without a clear reason for each one, is a recipe for burnout and diluted preparation. Be strategic. More subjects isn't always better.

Parents, this is where your involvement actually helps. Sit with your child and map out the university-course-subject connections. It's a planning exercise, not an academic one, and two heads working through it is genuinely better than one.

Eligibility: Who Can Take CUET UG 2026

The eligibility criteria for CUET UG are straightforward. You must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent exam from a recognized board. There is no minimum percentage required by NTA to appear for CUET. However, individual universities may have their own minimum percentage requirements for admission. For example, a university might say you need at least 50 percent in Class 12 to be considered for admission even if your CUET score is good. Check each university's admission brochure for this.

There is no age limit for CUET UG. Students appearing for Class 12 in 2026 (i.e., results not yet declared) can also apply. They'll be provisional candidates until they submit their passing certificate.

CUET is open to students from all boards: CBSE, ICSE, state boards, NIOS, and international boards. This is, in fact, the whole point of the exam. A level playing field regardless of board.

Foreign nationals and NRI candidates can also appear for CUET, though some universities have separate seat quotas and admission processes for international students.

Registration: How and When to Apply

CUET UG 2026 registration is expected to open in February-March 2026 on the NTA website at cuet.nta.nic.in. The exam itself is expected in May 2026, though exact dates will be confirmed by NTA.

The registration process is entirely online and follows a pattern similar to other NTA exams.

You create an account on the CUET portal using a valid email and mobile number. You fill in personal details: name (as on Class 12 marksheet), date of birth, parents' names, address, category, and PwD status. You select the sections and subjects you want to take. This is the step where the subject strategy planning pays off, because you cannot change your subject choices after the registration deadline. You upload documents: a recent passport-sized photograph (JPG, white background, 10-200 KB), signature (JPG, 4-30 KB), and Class 10 certificate. You pay the application fee and submit.

Application fees for CUET UG 2026 are expected to be similar to 2025: approximately Rs 750 for General category for up to 3 subjects, with additional fees for more subjects. SC, ST, PwD, and female candidates pay reduced fees. The exact fee structure is published with the notification.

A correction window typically opens 3-5 days after the registration deadline. You can fix errors in personal details and even change some subject choices during this window, but don't rely on it. Select your subjects correctly the first time.

The Exam Experience: What Test Day Is Like

CUET is a computer-based test, conducted at designated test centres across India. The exam is held in multiple shifts across multiple days, because different subjects are scheduled in different slots. NTA publishes the slot-wise schedule well in advance.

On exam day, you reach the centre about an hour before your slot starts. Identity verification and biometric check. No electronic devices inside. You get a computer terminal with the NTA test interface, which is the same interface used for JEE Main, so if you've practised on NTA's mock test portal, the experience will be familiar.

Questions appear one at a time. You can navigate freely between questions within a subject. There's a question palette showing which ones you've answered, skipped, or marked for review. A countdown timer runs in the corner. For each subject, you have 60 minutes to answer 40 out of 50 questions. The extra 10 questions are there to give you choice. If a question seems too difficult, skip it and pick one of the remaining 10 instead. This choice mechanism means you should scan all 50 questions before deciding which 40 to answer.

Between slots, if you have two subjects on the same day in different shifts, you'll leave the centre and return for the next shift. Keep your admit card and ID safe. You'll need them again.

Some practical advice for test day. CUET is a marathon, not a sprint. If you're taking 4 or 5 subjects spread over 2-3 days, fatigue is real. Sleep well the nights before. Eat properly. Don't try to cram new material between slots. Your brain needs rest between sessions, not more information.

Scoring and Normalization

This is a section parents especially need to understand, because how CUET scores work is different from how board exam marks work.

Your raw score in each subject is calculated as: (number of correct answers times 5) minus (number of incorrect answers times 1). For a subject where you attempt all 40 questions and get 35 right, your raw score would be (35 times 5) minus (5 times 1) = 175 minus 5 = 170 out of 200.

But here's the catch. Since CUET is conducted in multiple shifts, the same subject might have different question papers in different shifts. Some papers might be harder than others. To address this, NTA uses a normalization process to make scores across different shifts comparable. The normalized score, not the raw score, is what universities use for admission. NTA has used percentile-based normalization in previous years, converting raw scores to a normalized score on a common scale.

What does this mean for you practically? It means a raw score of 170 in a harder shift might give you a higher normalized score than a raw score of 175 in an easier shift. You can't control which shift you get, so don't worry about it. Focus on maximizing your performance regardless.

Universities receive your normalized scores from NTA and use them according to their own admission criteria. DU might use only domain subject scores for a particular programme. BHU might combine language score and domain subject score. Each university's admission policy specifies exactly which scores are used and in what proportion. This information is published in each university's admission brochure, usually available on their website by April or May.

Preparation: How to Study for an Exam That Covers Everything

CUET domain subjects are based on the Class 12 NCERT syllabus. That's the good news. The bad news, if you're a student preparing for both boards and CUET, is that CUET questions are often worded differently from board exam questions. Board exams tend to reward detailed, long-form answers. CUET is entirely MCQ-based, which rewards quick thinking, process of elimination, and the ability to identify correct options under time pressure.

For language sections (English or Hindi), focus on reading comprehension. The passages in CUET language tests tend to be similar in style to what you'd find in a competitive exam, requiring inference and interpretation, not just factual recall. Practice timed reading comprehension passages daily. Vocabulary questions also appear, so maintain a word list from newspapers and standard texts.

For domain subjects, NCERT is your primary resource. But don't just read NCERT. Convert NCERT knowledge into MCQ-solving ability. Take chapter-wise MCQ tests. Many publishers and online platforms now offer CUET-specific question banks. Previous years' CUET papers from 2022 to 2025 are available online and on the NTA website. Solve them. They'll show you the difficulty level, the types of questions, and the areas that get repeated.

For the General Test, think of it as a mix of basic aptitude and current affairs. The quantitative and reasoning sections are roughly at the level of banking exam prelims, not JEE-level difficulty. Current affairs and GK need ongoing reading. Follow a newspaper regularly in the months before the exam. Don't try to memorize GK books. Instead, maintain running notes on major national and international events.

Time management is the single biggest challenge in CUET. 60 minutes for 40 questions means 90 seconds per question. That's tight, especially for subjects like History or English Literature where questions require careful reading. Practice under timed conditions. If you can't answer a question in 2 minutes, move on. You can come back later if time permits.

Admit Card and Exam Day Logistics

The admit card is released on the NTA website about 10-15 days before the exam. Download it using your application number and date of birth. Print two copies. Verify your name, photograph, exam centre, subject-wise slot timings, and roll number. If anything is wrong, contact NTA immediately through their helpline or email ([email protected]).

Carry the admit card and original photo ID to every exam slot. Some students have multiple slots across different days. You need the admit card for each slot.

After the Exam: Results and University-Specific Counselling

NTA releases CUET results about 3-4 weeks after the exam. Your scorecard shows subject-wise raw scores and normalized scores. The scorecard is downloadable from the CUET website.

Here's where CUET differs from JEE and NEET in a significant way. There is no single, centralized counselling process for CUET. Each university conducts its own counselling and admission process. Delhi University has its own admission portal (admission.uod.ac.in). JNU has its own. BHU has its own. Each university publishes its own merit list based on the CUET scores relevant to each programme, and students apply and accept seats through each university's individual portal.

This decentralized system has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that universities can design their own admission criteria, weighing different CUET sections differently for different programmes. The disadvantage is that students applying to multiple universities need to track multiple portals, multiple deadlines, and multiple merit lists simultaneously. It's a lot of parallel processes to manage.

What does DU's process look like, since that's the one most students care about? DU publishes its admission policy specifying which CUET subjects are required for each programme. After CUET results, DU releases seat allocation in multiple rounds through its CSAS (Common Seat Allocation System) portal. Students register on the CSAS portal, fill in their programme and college preferences, and the system allots seats based on CUET scores, preferences, and available seats. Multiple rounds happen, with students who don't get their top choice in Round 1 having chances in subsequent rounds as seats open up.

BHU's process is similar in principle but uses its own portal. JNU conducts its own counselling for programmes that admit through CUET. Smaller central universities also run their own processes, some online and some requiring physical document verification at the university campus.

Parents, this is the part where your organizational skills are genuinely needed. Help your child create a spreadsheet or tracker listing every university they're interested in, the admission portal URL, the registration deadline, the document submission deadline, the fee payment deadline, and the merit list dates. Things move fast once results are out, and missing a deadline at one university because you were focused on another is painfully common.

Documents Needed for University Admission

Once you receive a seat allotment from a university, you'll need to complete document verification and pay the admission fee. The documents typically required include your Class 10 certificate, Class 12 marksheet, CUET scorecard, migration certificate from your previous board or university, character certificate, category certificate if applicable, income certificate for fee concession or scholarship purposes, domicile certificate for state-quota seats if any, passport-sized photographs, and Aadhaar card.

Some universities do online document verification where you upload scanned copies. Others require physical reporting where you bring originals. Check each university's process. Keep all originals in a file, organised and ready. Don't lend your originals to one university's verification process if you need them for another university at the same time. Carry self-attested photocopies as well.

The Subject Strategy Decision: A Closer Look

I want to come back to subject strategy because this is genuinely the area where informed decisions make the biggest difference in outcomes, and most students underestimate it.

Think about it this way. Two students with identical academic ability can have very different CUET experiences based solely on which subjects they chose. Student A picks 4 subjects that align perfectly with her target universities. Student B picks 5 subjects, spreading herself thin, and one of those 5 isn't required by any university she ends up applying to. Student A prepares deeply for 4 subjects. Student B prepares adequately for 5. When results come out, Student A's concentrated preparation gives her higher scores per subject. Student B's scores are decent across the board but exceptional in none. In a competitive admission process, those extra few marks per subject matter.

The temptation to take "extra" subjects as safety is understandable. But each additional subject requires real preparation time. If you're realistic about the hours available between now and the exam, you'll recognize that taking 6 subjects doesn't give you more options if it means performing mediocrely in all 6. Taking 4 subjects and performing well in all of them is often a better strategy than spreading across 6.

What about students who are genuinely undecided about what they want to study? That's a legitimate situation, and CUET's modular design is meant to accommodate it. If you're torn between a science and a humanities programme, you might take Mathematics, Physics, and English as domain subjects, which covers a range of programmes across universities. But have a clear picture of which specific programmes those subjects open up before you finalize.

Fees and Financial Considerations

Central university tuition fees are generally affordable. Delhi University charges about Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 per year for most undergraduate programmes. BHU is in a similar range. JNU is even cheaper for many programmes. These are among the most affordable quality education options in the country.

Hostel fees, if your child is going to a university in a different city, add to the cost. DU doesn't have enough hostel capacity for all students, so many end up in PG accommodations. Factor in living costs for the city where the university is located. Delhi is more expensive than Allahabad. Hyderabad is somewhere in between.

Scholarships are available through the National Scholarship Portal for students from SC, ST, OBC, minority, and economically weaker families. Most central universities also have their own scholarship and fee waiver programmes. Ask the university's scholarship or student welfare office about these during or after admission.

Counselling Timelines and What to Expect

After CUET results are declared, typically in June or July, individual universities begin their admission processes. The general timeline runs from July through September, with some universities extending into October for later rounds.

DU's CSAS usually runs 3-4 allocation rounds. In each round, seats are allotted based on your CUET scores and your preference list. If you're allotted a seat, you can accept it, upgrade in the next round if a better option opens up, or reject it. The logic is similar to JoSAA for engineering, though the interface and specific rules differ.

For universities that use a simple merit list rather than a multi-round allocation, the process is more straightforward. They publish a cut-off based on CUET scores, and if your score meets the cut-off, you apply, verify documents, and pay the fee. First come, first served within the merit range.

A word about waitlists. Many universities overallocate in initial rounds because they expect some students to decline seats in favour of other universities. If you're on a waitlist, don't lose hope. Seats open up as students choose other options. Stay enrolled in the process and keep checking for updates.

The counselling period is also when students and parents realize that the choice between universities involves factors beyond just the university's name. Location, faculty, campus life, placement record for vocational programmes, research opportunities, and the specific department's reputation all matter. A lesser-known central university with an excellent English department might be a better choice for an English Literature aspirant than a famous university where the English department is understaffed. Do your research on the specific department, not just the institution.

For parents who went through the old DU cut-off system: the emotional rhythm of CUET admissions feels different. Instead of checking the newspaper for cut-off lists and then rushing to the college, it's a longer, more spread-out process done mostly online. The anxiety is the same. But the timelines are longer, the information is available on portals instead of notice boards, and the process, once you understand it, is actually more transparent than the old one. Whether it's better is something families will argue about for years. But transparent it certainly is.

Source: This article is based on official NTA notifications at cuet.nta.nic.in, Delhi University admission guidelines at admission.uod.ac.in, and admission policies published by BHU, JNU, and other participating central universities for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years.