What is the CUET UG exam?
The Common University Entrance Test for undergraduate courses (CUET UG) is a national entrance test run by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Central universities and many state, deemed and private universities use CUET UG scores to admit students to bachelor's programmes. You take one test, and NTA shares your score with the participating universities.
The score alone does not give you a seat. Each university decides which CUET subjects a course needs, sets its own eligibility and runs its own merit list or counselling after the result is out.
Who can take CUET UG
The CUET UG 2026 information bulletin says there is no age limit for the test. Students who have passed Class 12 or an equivalent exam, and students who are appearing in Class 12 that year, can apply. A university may still have its own age or marks rule for a programme, so read its admission notice before you choose subjects.
Exam structure and marking scheme
This table follows the 2026 information bulletin. NTA can revise the scheme in any year, so check the bulletin for your cycle.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) only |
| Subjects available | 37: 13 languages, 23 domain-specific subjects, 1 General Aptitude Test |
| Subjects you can choose | Up to 5, including languages and the General Aptitude Test |
| Questions | 50 per test paper, all compulsory |
| Time | 60 minutes per test paper |
| Marking | +5 correct, -1 incorrect, 0 for unanswered |
| Medium | 13 Indian languages, with English shown alongside |
You may pick subjects irrespective of what you studied in Class 12. The bulletin still advises choosing them according to the eligibility rules of the programme and university you want, because a university can refuse a combination that does not match its course.
How a CUET UG season runs
- NTA publishes the information bulletin and opens online registration on cuet.nta.nic.in.
- A correction window lets you fix some details of the form.
- NTA announces your exam city through an intimation slip.
- Admit cards are issued online, usually shortly before the exam dates.
- The test runs in multiple shifts over several days.
- NTA shows recorded responses and a provisional answer key, with a paid challenge window.
- The final answer key and NTA scores follow, after which universities start their own admission process.
Before you register: three checks
- Course mapping: list the courses you want and note the CUET subjects each university asks for. This decides your five choices.
- Language medium: the question paper medium you choose in the form cannot be changed later.
- Documents: keep a clear recent photo, signature and a valid photo ID ready; the same photo is needed on exam day.
How universities use the score
When a subject is held in more than one shift, NTA converts raw marks into an NTA score so that students in an easier or harder shift are treated fairly. Universities then take these scores for the subjects they asked for and build their own merit lists. A university may add a weight to one subject, set a minimum in another, or run a separate counselling portal. That is why two students with the same total can get different offers. Track each university's admission portal after the result, because CUET UG registration does not apply to the universities for you.
CUET UG guides on HindiScope
- CUET UG syllabus explained - how the language, domain and General Aptitude Test syllabus is set, and how to pick your five subjects.
- How to download the CUET UG admit card - login steps, what to check on the hall ticket and fixes for common errors.
Related exams
Science students who prepare for CUET UG often also sit the medical entrance test, covered in our NEET UG exam guide. If you are in Class 12 with CBSE, the CBSE board exams hub has the syllabus and result guides. After graduation, the postgraduate version of this test is on the CUET PG exam page.
HindiScope is not an official site; confirm every detail on cuet.nta.nic.in.