Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG: A Complete Guide

Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG: A Complete Guide

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate programs in central, state, deemed, and private universities across India. CUET UG was introduced to provide a standardized assessment platform, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process for students from various educational backgrounds.

Objective of CUET UG

The CUET UG aims to:

• Provide a common platform for admission to undergraduate courses in multiple universities.
• Reduce the dependency on board exam scores.
• Ensure a transparent and merit-based selection process.
• Allow students to apply for multiple universities through a single entrance test.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND DATES AT A GLANCE

Important Dates and Fee Details for Common University Entrance Test (UG) - 2025:

1. Common University Entrance Test (CUET (UG) – 2025) will be conducted in 13 mediums across India for admission into the Undergraduate Programmes for all the Central Universities (CUs) and participating Universities in India for the academic year 2025-26

Online Submission of Application Form	01 March 2025 to 22 March 2025 (upto 11.50PM)
Last date of successful transaction of fee through Credit/Debit Card/Net-Banking/UPI	23 March 2025 (upto 11.50 PM)
Correction in Particulars	24 March 2025 to 26 March 2025 (upto 11.50PM)
Announcement of the City of Examination	To be announced later on the website
Downloading Admit Cards from the NTA website	To be announced later on the website
Date of Examination	Between 08 May and 01 June 2025(Tentative)
Display of Recorded Responses and Answer Keys	To be announced later on the website
Website(s)	CUET UG
Declaration of Result on the NTA website	To be announced later on the website

2. Candidates may choose upto a maximum of five (05) subjects including languages and General Aptitude Test. Fees will be calculated based on the number of subjects chosen by the candidates. The following fee structure is applicable for CUET (UG) - 2025:

Category	Up to 03 Subjects	For each Additional Subject
General (UR)	₹ 1000/-	₹ 400/- (each)
OBC)- (NCL)* / EWS** SC/ST/PwD/PwBD/ Third gender	₹ 900/- ₹ 800/	₹ 375/- (each) ₹ 350/- (each)

| Centres outside India | ₹ 4500/- | ₹ 1800/- (each) |

Broad features of CUET (UG) - 2025 are as follows:

Registration	Registration will be online at https://cuet.nta.nic.in
Total subjects	37 (13 languages + 23 domain-specific subjects + 01 General Aptitude Test).
Medium	13 Indian languages (Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu)
Syllabus	Language Subjects: Language to be tested through Reading Comprehension(based on different types of passages–Factual, Literary, and Narrative), Literary Aptitude and Vocabulary Domain Subjects: As per NCERT syllabus General Aptitude 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
Choice of Test Paper	Candidates may choose upto a maximum of five (05) subjects including languages and General Aptitude Test irrespective of the subjects opted in class XII.*
Marking Scheme	Correct Answer: 05 marks (Five) There will be negative marking for each incorrect answer of 01 (one) mark
Mode of the Exam	Computer Based Test (CBT) mode
Total Questions	50 questions for each test papers. All Question are compulsory.
Duration	Duration for each test paper would be 60 minutes
Shift	The examination will be conducted on multiple shifts, depending on the number of Candidates and Subject choices

Documents Required for Registration

1. Photograph * Recent passport-size photo (80% face visible, white background). * Size: 10 KB - 200 KB (JPG/JPEG format).

2. Signature * Scanned signature. * Size: 10 KB - 50 KB (JPG/JPEG format).

3. PwD Certificate (if applicable) * Scanned PwD/PwBD/UDID certificate. * Size: 50 KB - 300 KB (PDF format).

Fee Payment:

• The candidates have to pay the requisite examination fee. The fee can be submitted only online through Net Banking, Credit Card, Debit Card, or UPI. Processing charges and GST as applicable are chargeable to the candidate (in addition to the examination fee) by the concerned Bank/Payment Gateway Integrator.

• The Confirmation Page of the online Application Form will be generated only after successful payment by the Candidate. In case the Confirmation Page is not generated after payment of the fee, then the candidate may have to approach the concerned Bank/Payment Gateway (in the helpline number and e-mail given in the Information Bulletin) to ensure the successful payment or to obtain the refund of duplicate/multiple payments].

Note: No request for refund of fee once remitted by the candidate will be entertained by NTA under any circumstances.

Confirmation Page:

a. All 3 Steps can be done together or at separate timings. The submission of the Application of a candidate could be considered as successful and his/her candidature would be confirmed only on the successful transaction/receipt of the prescribed application fee from him/her. b.Download, save and print a copy of the Confirmation Page of the Application Form (which would be downloadable only after the successful remittance of the fee) for future reference

CUET UG 2025: Eligibility Criteria

If you are planning to take the CUET UG 2025 exam, here’s what you need to know about the eligibility criteria:

1. Age Limit
   • There is no age limit for CUET UG 2025.
   • If you have passed Class 12 or are appearing for the exam in 2025, you can apply.
   • However, some universities may have specific age requirements, so check the university's website before applying.

2. Who Can Apply? (Qualifying Exams) You can apply for CUET UG 2025 if you have completed or are appearing for any one of the following exams:

1. Class 12 (10+2) from a recognized Central or State Board (CBSE, ICSE, etc.).
2. Intermediate (2-year Pre-University Course) from a recognized board/university.
3. Final exam of the Joint Services Wing (National Defence Academy).
4. Senior Secondary School Exam from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with at least five subjects.
5. Any exam in India or abroad recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) as equivalent to Class 12.
6. Higher Secondary Certificate Vocational Examination.
7. Diploma (at least 3 years) recognized by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.
8. General Certificate Education (GCE) – Advanced (A) level (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka).
9. Cambridge University High School Certificate Exam or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (Geneva).
10. Class 12 from a foreign board not listed above – Must get an equivalence certificate from AIU.
11. If Class 12 was not a public (board) exam, you must have passed at least one public exam (Board or Pre-University level) earlier.

Year of Class 12 Completion

1. The year you completed (or will complete) Class 12 must match the eligibility rules of the university you want to apply for.
2. Before applying, check the university's website to confirm their eligibility requirements.

Note:

1. For admission in Universities through CUET (UG) - 2025, the existing policies regarding quota, category, relaxation, reservations, qualification, subject combinations, preferences, etc. of the respective University / Institution / Organization shall be applicable.
2. As the eligibility criteria for admission may be unique for every University, the candidates are advised to visit the University website to which they are applying for their respective programes.
3. Candidates are advised to satisfy themselves before applying that they possess the eligibility criteria laid down by the University they are applying to.
4. Mere appearance in the Entrance Test does not entitle a candidate to be considered for admission to the Programme unless he/she fulfills the Programme-wise eligibility conditions of the University they are applying to.

Reservation & Special Provisions (Simplified)

If you are applying for CUET UG 2025, here’s what you need to know about reservation policies and special provisions for candidates with disabilities (PwD/PwBD).

1. Reservation for Categories Seats are reserved for Indian nationals belonging to:

1. OBC-NCL (Other Backward Classes - Non-Creamy Layer)
2. Gen-EWS (Economically Weaker Section)
3. SC (Scheduled Caste)
4. ST (Scheduled Tribe)

Reservations follow the rules set by the Government of India or respective State Governments (for state-run institutes).

2. Provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PwD/PwBD) Who Qualifies as PwD/PwBD? A person is considered PwBD if they have at least 40% disability as certified by a government authority.

A PwD is someone with a long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairment that affects their ability to participate in society.

Special Facilities for PwD/PwBD Candidates

• Candidates with blindness, cerebral palsy, or severe locomotor disabilities (both arms affected) can request a scribe (writer/assistant) during the exam.
• Other PwD candidates may also get a scribe, but they must provide a medical certificate confirming their writing limitations.
• If a candidate brings their own scribe, the scribe’s qualification must be one level below the candidate's qualification.
• Candidates must submit details of the scribe as per the official format

3. Extra Time (Compensatory Time)

   • PwBD candidates who use a scribe will get extra time (compensatory time).
   • The extra time will be at least 20 minutes per hour of the exam.
   • Candidates eligible for a scribe will get a minimum of 1 extra hour in a 3-hour exam, whether they use the scribe or not.
   • For exams shorter than an hour, extra time will be given on a proportional basis (minimum 5 minutes).

4. Important Rules & Caution

   • If a candidate falsely claims a disability or misuses the scribe/extra time facility, they will be:
   • Disqualified from evaluation, ranking, counseling, and admission.
   • If already admitted, their admission will be canceled.
   • Candidates must upload a valid disability certificate/UDID (Unique Disability Identification) card with the CUET UG 2025 application form.
   • Once submitted, the category/sub-category (PwD/PwBD) cannot be changed after the NTA announces the CUET UG 2025 scores.
   • Fake documents for reservation benefits will lead to disqualification or cancellation of admission.
   • For state-run institutions, the State Government's reservation policy will apply.

Admit Card Guidelines

If you’re appearing for CUET UG 2025, here’s what you need to know about the Admit Card:

1. How to Get Your Admit Card? * The Admit Card will be available online only on the official NTA website: https://cuet.nta.nic.in * You must download it yourself – it won’t be sent by post. * Your exam center, date, and time will be mentioned on the Admit Card.

2. Important Rules for the Admit Card * Download & Print: Take a clear printout on A4 paper. * Correct Details: If there’s any mistake in your name, photo, or signature, contact NTA between 10 AM - 5 PM. But you can still take the exam with the current Admit Card, and NTA will correct it later. * No Duplicate Admit Cards: If you lose it, you won’t get another copy at the exam center. Keep it safe! * Don’t Tamper It: Do not write on, tear, or change anything on the Admit Card. * Keep It Safe: You may need it for future reference, so don’t throw it away after the exam. * No Admit Card = No Entry: If your application is incomplete or doesn’t meet eligibility, you won’t get an Admit Card

3. What to Bring on Exam Day? Mandatory Items:

• Admit Card + Self-Declaration Form (downloaded from NTA website)
• A simple transparent ballpoint pen
• One extra passport-size photo (same as uploaded in the application) – for the attendance sheet
• Any ONE of these valid photo IDs (original & non-expired):
  • School ID Card
  • PAN Card
  • Passport
  • Aadhaar Card (with photo) / E-Aadhaar
  • Class 12 Board Admit Card (with photo)
  • Bank Passbook (with photo)
• PwD Certificate (if applicable)
• For Diabetic Candidates:
  • You can bring sugar tablets or fruits (banana/apple/orange)
• What NOT to Bring:
  • Any other electronic devices, notes, or bags are NOT allowed.

NTA Score & Admission Process

Here’s what you need to know about scoring, result evaluation, and admissions for CUET (UG) 2025:

1. Marking Scheme For Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
   • Correct answer → +5 marks
   • Wrong answer → -1 mark
   • Unanswered question → 0 marks

Special Cases: 🔹 If a question has more than one correct answer, candidates selecting any correct option will get +5 marks. 🔹 If a question is incorrect or dropped, all candidates will get +5 marks, whether they attempted it or not.

2. CUET (UG) 2025 NTA Score

   • If the exam is conducted in multiple shifts, marks will be adjusted to maintain fairness.
   • The NTA Score is valid only for admissions in the 2025-26 academic year.
   • The process for calculating the NTA Score is available on the NTA website.

3. Result Evaluation & Rechecking

   • Results are based on the final answer key—once announced, no complaints about answers will be accepted.
   • No re-evaluation or rechecking of the result will be allowed.
   • Scorecards will NOT be sent by post—you must download them from NTA website.

4. Admission Process

   • UET (UG) 2025 score does NOT guarantee admission.

Admission depends on: * University eligibility criteria * Merit list & ranking * Medical fitness * Verification of original documents

• Each university handles its own admissions and will release:
• Counseling schedule
• Merit list based on CUET (UG) scores + other criteria
• Check the official website of your chosen university for details on admission procedures.
• NTA has no role in preparing merit lists or handling admissions.

5. Use of CUET (UG) Scores by Other Organizations

• Other universities/institutions may also use CUET (UG) 2025 scores for admissions, based on their own rules and criteria.

Important Links for CUET UG

CUET OFFICIAL SITE CUET UG Syllabus

CUET UG Contact Details

1. NTA Helpline: 011-40759000
2. Email: cuet-ug@nta.ac.in

CUET UG: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who can apply for CUET UG?

• Students who have completed or are appearing for Class 12 exams.

Can I apply for multiple universities through CUET UG?

• Yes, candidates can choose multiple universities during the application process.

Is CUET UG mandatory for all universities?

• It is compulsory for central universities and some state/private universities.

What is the syllabus for CUET UG?

• The syllabus is based on Class 12 NCERT subjects.

Is there a negative marking in CUET UG?

• Yes, 1 mark is deducted for each incorrect answer.

What are the documents required for CUET UG registration?

• Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, a passport-sized photograph, a scanned signature, and a valid ID proof.

Can I edit my CUET UG application form after submission?

• Yes, NTA provides a correction window for limited modifications.

When will CUET UG results be declared?

• Results are usually declared within a month of the exam.

How can I prepare for CUET UG?

• Study NCERT textbooks, practice previous year papers, and take mock tests.

What happens after the CUET UG results?

• Universities conduct their own counseling and admission processes based on CUET scores.