Over 1.5 million students have registered for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) Undergraduate 2026. The National Testing Agency (NTA) confirmed 15,68,866 registrations. The exam is scheduled to begin on May 11, 2026 . This represents an increase of approximately 1.38 lakh registrations from the previous year.
CUET UG 2026: Registration Numbers
A total of 15,68,866 unique candidates registered for CUET UG 2026. This number shows a steady growth in participation for the national-level entrance examination. The NTA manages the exam, which grants admission to over 300 participating universities, including Delhi University and Banaras Hindu University.
State-Wise Participation
Northern states continue to dominate CUET UG registrations. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of applications with over 3.85 lakh registrations. Delhi followed with over 1.39 lakh registrations. Bihar also showed strong participation with more than 1.34 lakh applications.
Other leading states include Madhya Pradesh (93,000+), Rajasthan (89,000+), and Haryana (79,000+). States like West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh had comparatively lower but notable registration numbers.
| State | Number of Candidates |
| Uttar Pradesh | 3,85,923 |
| Delhi | 1,39,000+ |
| Bihar | 1,34,000+ |
| Madhya Pradesh | 93,000+ |
| Rajasthan | 89,000+ |
| Haryana | 79,000+ |
Subject Preferences
English remains the most popular subject choice among CUET UG 2026 candidates. Over 12.43 lakh students opted for English. This reflects its common requirement across various university courses.
Science subjects also saw high registration numbers. Chemistry was chosen by approximately 9.50 lakh students, followed by Physics with about 9.13 lakh registrations. The General Test was selected by 8.84 lakh candidates. Mathematics or Applied Mathematics was chosen by 5.81 lakh students.
Top 5 Subjects (2026 Registrations)
- English: 12.43 Lakh
- Chemistry: 9.50 Lakh
- Physics: 9.13 Lakh
- General Test: 8.84 Lakh
- Mathematics / Applied Mathematics: 5.81 Lakh
Examination Schedule and Next Steps
The CUET UG 2026 examination will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. The exam dates are from May 11 to May 31, 2026 . The NTA has started releasing admit cards in phases.
Students can request center re-allocation until May 7, 2026 . Provisional answer keys are expected about a month after the exam concludes. The final results are tentatively scheduled for the first week of July 2026. Candidates should monitor the official NTA website, cuet.nta.nic.in, for updates on shift timings and city intimation slips.
