CUET Exam 2026 dates, application form, exam pattern, syllabus, eligibility

The CUET UG exam 2026 will be tentatively held in May/June 2026 and candidates will be provided with the complete CUET date sheet by NTA in March 2026. The admit card of CUET 2026 will be issued in mid-May and candidates will be facilitated to access the same through the official website of the CUET (cuet.samarth.ac.in.). The CUET is held once a year and students can expect a high competition this year.

Students who havepassed Class 12or areappearingfor the Class 12 examinations are eligible to apply. Interested candidates must fill the online application form and pay the registration fee. While completing the CUET 2026 application form, candidates should keep therequired documentsready and select up tofiveCUET subjects, preferably based on thesubjects studied in Class 12.

Currently, around217 universitiesaccept CUET UG scores for admission. While filling out the application form, candidates must check each university’s course-wise subject mapping criteria. Based on candidates’ CUETNTA scoresandpercentiles, the participating universities will release theirCUET cutofflist. Those meeting the cutoff criteria will be declared‘qualified’for admission.

The CUET city intimation slip will most probably be released in April and candidates will be allowed to access the same through the official website of the CUET. To download the CUET city slip or admit card students will need their registration credentials such as application number, password, DOB, etc. Students must note that the city intimation slip will only comprise the exam city and complete exam venue will be mentioned on the respective admit cards of the CUET.

About the CUET Exam

The CUET Full Form is Common University Entrance Test. The National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), a national-level entrance examination for undergraduate admissions. CUET is conducted for admissions in 44 central universities and 212 other institutions across the country. Taking the CUET UG exam is a requirement for all candidates seeking admission to undergraduate programs in central universities and participating institutions under CUET.

CUET, which stands for Common University Entrance Test, is an online entrance examination that provides a common platform for admission to 44 central universities and 212 other universities. The CUET UG entrance test scores are utilized for admission to various undergraduate courses through the CUET process. The CUET exam for the year 2026 is expected to be conducted in both paper-based and computer-based mode by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

CUET Exam Key Information & Details

CUET 2026 Exam Date

The CUET Notification and Application Form will soon be updated for the CUET Exam 2026 probably in February 2026. Students can check the tentative CUET Exam Dates 2026 in the table given below.

CUET Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility requirements for students vary depending on the university. Candidates may submit applications for research, integrated PG, and UG programmes.

Before submitting an application for CUET 2026, it is advised that students carefully review the unique eligibility criteria of each university for the relevant courses. The CUET Eligibility Criteria defines the age limit, nationality, domicile, minimum qualification, and more. The Criteria has been tabulated below:

CUET Registration Process

In order to fill the CUET 2026 application form, the candidates must first register for the CUET exam. To register, the following steps must be followed.

Step 1: To register, candidates must first choose the course for which they are registering.

Step 2: To complete the registration procedure, essential information such as the Name, Date of Birth, E-mail ID, Mobile Number, and Verification Code must be entered.

Step 3: After providing those details, applicants must create a unique password, provide a security pin, and submit the information.

Documents Required for the CUET Registration Process

In order to complete the registration process for CUET Exam, the candidates must ensure to keep the below documents ready and handy with them.

CUET Application Process

NTA will make the CUET 2026 application form available in February 2026. Before filling out the application form, candidates need to complete the CUET 2026 registration process and should gather all necessary documents and review the eligibility criteria. Students must include appropriate personal and academic information while filling out the form and pay the CUET exam application fee on time.

The steps listed below must be followed by applicants in order to complete the CUET Application Form:

Step 1: To fill out the CUET Application Form, go to the CUET's official website at cuet.samarth.ac.in. To apply online for the programme, use the "Apply Online'' tab.

Step 2: Candidates will see three programme options after clicking: UG, PG, and RP. Choose the URL you want to use to apply.

Step 3: Finish the registration process by providing information such as the programme you're applying for, your name, a working email address, your mobile number, your date of birth, and the verification code that appears on the screen.

Step 4: Following the completion of the application process, the candidate's registered email address and mobile number are used to produce the application number and password.

Step 5: Fill out the CUET Application Form 2026 by entering the log-in information, such as your name, academic credentials, and contact information, using the application number and password.

Step 6: Applicants must provide scanned copies of their most recent passport-sized photo and their signature in the required size and format.

Step 7: Choose and enter the exam centres after ranking them according to desire.

Step 8: After successfully submitting your CUET application form 2026 and paying your fees, an automatic email and SMS will be issued to your registered email address and cellphone number.

CUET 2026 Application Fee

Check the table below to gather complete information on the CUET Application Fee as per the different categories and subject combinations.

Read More About CUET Application Form

CUET Admit Card

The CUET 2026 admit card will be made available online, and the CUET Admit Card Date is expected in the 2nd Week of May 2026. The CUET admit card 2026 can be downloaded from the CUET's official website by registered applicants. Before the test, candidates can download their CUET admission card at any moment.

• Candidates may bring their CUET admit card 2026 and a valid photo ID to the tests.
• Applicants' CUET admit card 2026 will be issued to their registered CUET email addresses. Print the admit card after downloading it.
• Only applicants who have successfully registered will be able to access the admission card.
• Exam center, roll number, exam day, time, etc. were all listed on the admit card.
• On the day of the examination, admit cards are required to be brought.

Steps to download the CUET Admit Card

The CUET hall ticket is an important document to be carried to the exam hall. Failing to produce the CUET 2026 admit card at the venue will lead to disqualification from the exam and the candidates will not be able to appear for the exam.

Step 1: Visit the CUET's official website.

Step 2: Select "Download Admit Card."

Step 3: On the screen, the admit card window will display.

Step 4: In the given space, enter the application ID and date of birth.

Step 5: Select the "Login" tab.

Step 6: On the screen, the CUET admit card will be presented. Download and print multiple copies of the CUET admit card 2026 for further use.

Read More About CUET Admit Card

CUET Exam Pattern Key Information & Details

The CUET exam is conducted on multiple days and in multiple slots. Each day, approximately 3-4 subject exams are held and the difficulty level also varies. Candidates in this table can check the CUET exam pattern for the upcoming exams including the exam duration, exam timings, and more.

CUET Exam Structure

The CUET Exam is divided into 3 major sections - Section 1A, 1B, 2, and 3. These sections comprise of Language Test, Domain Subject Test and a General Ability Test respectively. Students are required to attempt all the 3 sections and the exam structure has been tabulated below for reference.

Choosing the CUET Subject Combinations 2026

As per the revised exam structure of CUET Exam, students now have to opt for 6 subjects in total. These can be chosen in any 1 of the forms mentioned below:

• 4 domain subjects + 1 Language + General Test
• 3 domain subjects + 2 Languages + General Test

Before choosing the subjects, students must understand if their preferred college(s) teach the subjects chosen or if their chosen subject combinations are available in their choice of college. These will help the students ease their work and they will be able to make an informed choice. The tables below have a few subject combinations that can be chosen by the students. Kindly note that these are only for reference purposes.

Subject Combinations for Science Stream

Subject Combinations for Commerce Stream

Subject Combinations for Arts Stream

• 1 Language subject + 3 domain subjects + General Test (For upto 5 subjects)
• 1 Language subject + 4 domain subjects + General Test (For upto 6 subjects)
• 2 Language subjects + 3 domain subjects + General Test (If students choose 2 language subjects)

CUET Exam Syllabus

The CUET Exam Syllabus covers a wide range of topics which have been covered in the table below. Students should carefully prepare for the exam and go through the syllabus thoroughly before appearing for the actual exam.

CUET Syllabus for Science Students

Due to the depth of knowledge in science, the students have a wide range of options to choose from based on their choice of course. Hence, the syllabus for science students is a little different from the other syllabus mentioned in this article. The table below clearly categorizes the type of sciences that are available along with the subjects covered in each type.

CUET 2026 Answer Key

The CUET 2026 Provisional Answer Key is expected to be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the official website cuet.samarth.ac.in, in the month of June 2026. Candidates will have the opportunity to challenge or raise objections to the provisional answer key by paying a fee of Rs. 200 per objection. The NTA will then consider and review all the objections raised before releasing the final answer key and the results.

Step-by-Step Guide on how to download the CUET 2026 Answer Key

To download the CUET 2026 answer key, the following steps must be followed.

• Go to the official website of CUET 2026, cuet.samarth.ac.in.
• Look for the link related to the answer key and click on it.
• The CUET login window will appear, where you need to enter your credentials such as application ID and date of birth (DOB).
• After logging in, the CUET answer key in PDF format will be displayed on the screen.
• You can download the answer key PDF and save it for future reference or to raise objections if needed.

Important Note: Candidates should be aware that no changes or modifications will be entertained after the publication of the CUET Final Answer Keys. The NTA CUET Result will be released based on these final answer keys, which have been approved by subject experts.

CUET Response Sheet

In addition to making the CUET 2026 Answer Key available, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will also release the candidate response sheet. The CUET 2026 Response Sheet PDF can be accessed on the official website cuet.samarth.ac.in. Candidates have the option to download their response sheet by logging into the CUET 2026 portal using their application ID and password.

CUET Result 2026

CUET 2026 result will be published on the official website, based on the final answer key. There is no option of applying for revaluation or rechecking of NTA CUET Result once announced. Candidates can expect CUET 2026 result date 2026 has been announced by the authorities and it will be released on 30th June 2026.

How to Check the CUET Result?

The following steps must be followed to check the CUET exam result 2026.

• Go to the official website for CUET results, cuet.samarth.ac.in.
• Look for the link labeled "CUET 2026 Result/Score Card" and click on it.
• Enter your login details, including the application number and date of birth (DOB).
• Click on the "Download Scorecard/Result" button.
• The CUET 2026 result or scorecard will be displayed on the screen.
• Download and save the result for future reference.

Important Note: It is essential to understand that qualifying in the CUET does not guarantee admission to the desired university. Candidates must also fulfill the admission criteria set by the universities for the admission process.

CUET Admission Process

The CUET Admission Process is fairly simple and includes 5 steps in total. The Admission Process begins after the results are out and counseling starts. Below mentioned are the basic steps for the CUET Admission Process.

• Register and Fill out the CUET Application Form
• Download the CUET Admit Card
• Appear for the CUET Exam
• Check the CUET Exam Result
• Appear for the CUET Counseling Process

CUET Merit List 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) does not release the merit list for CUET Exam. Instead, the merit lists are published by the respective participating universities. The CUET Merit List includes the names of candidates who have been shortlisted for admission to the college.

Steps to Check the CUET 2026 Merit List

The CUET merit list for the CUET UG exam can be checked by following the below steps.

• Visit the official website of the participating university.
• Look for the official link related to the merit list.
• Select the subject or course of your choice.
• The merit list in PDF format, containing the relevant details, will be displayed.
• Download the CUET UG 2026 Merit List for future reference.

The CUET Merit List is prepared by considering the CUET 2026 scores and the qualifying marks in board exams. Most universities assign 40% weightage to board exams and the remaining weightage to CUET scores while creating the merit list.

CUET Counseling Process

The CUET Counseling process begins after the results are out. Each participating institute will prepare the merit list individually for their college and based on that merit list the counseling process starts. The CUET Counseling Process is expected to begin in the last week of July 2026 via an online process. The counseling process in general will have 3 rounds which may vary depending upon the availability of seats in each college. After the seat allotment is done, students will start reporting to their colleges and accept the admission by paying the institute fee. The detailed CUET Counseling Process, Seat Allotment Procedure and Admission Process will be intimated by the NTA in its official CUET Information Brochure 2026 once it is released on the official website.

CUET Cut Off

The CUET UG 2026 Cut Off will be determined based on the collective performance of students across the country. Candidates can gain an understanding of the overall cut-off by referring to the cut-off trends from previous year. The final cut-off will be announced by the participating universities once the results are announced. However, the minimum expected overall cut-off for CUET UG 2026 is discussed below.

CUET DU Cut Off

The table below provides insights on the various colleges under the Delhi University (DU) and their cut-off data for different streams. The table will help the students analyze the cut-off for various streams and gather an understanding about the admission criteria as well, for each college.

CUET Preparation Tips & Recommended Books

Preparing for an exam like CUET can be a difficult and overwhelming task. Below mentioned are a few preparation tips that will help the students utilize time effectively and prepare better for the exam.

• Go through the syllabus thoroughly and do not leave any chapter
• Try to solve as many sample papers and mock tests as possible as they will help in understanding where do you stand at the moment and how much you need to prepare
• Prepare a time-table and make sure to follow it strictly. This will help in managing the time devoted for each subject in an efficient manner
• Make short notes or flashcards of important and relevant topics like facts, reactions, figures, and formulas etc. They will help at the time of revision
• Prepare well in advance so that sufficient time is left for revision and you can cover your weak parts as well

CUET Recommended Books for Science

CUET Recommended Books for Commerce

CUET Recommended Books for English

CUET Recommended Books for General Awareness and Aptitude

CUET Participating Institutes

In the upcoming year a total of 222 institutes are expected to be participating in the CUET Examination 2026. The number of universities in each category is different from the other and a total of 5 categories are included. Refer to the table below for details.

It should be noted that the number of universities in each category is dynamic and subject to change based on the number of universities that will be opting for the CUET UG 2026 Scores.