CUET-UG to be completed in seven days, offline test for 15 subjects

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has revealed its plans for the third edition of the Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG), which is set to span a concise seven days. Unlike previous years, there will be no normalization of scores, as all exams are scheduled to be conducted in a single shift. The NTA announced that 15 subjects will undergo tests in pen-paper mode, while the other 48 subjects will be assessed via computer-based mode.

This year, a record-breaking number of over 13.4 lakh candidates have registered for the common entrance test. The exam is designed for admission to undergraduate courses across 261 central, state, deemed, and private universities, according to the NTA.

Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, emerged as the top three most sought-after universities among the applicants.


In a departure from last year's approach, where the CUET-UG was held over 34 days and 93 shifts to avoid technical glitches, this year's exam will be streamlined into a shorter duration. Last year's extended exam was conducted over multiple shifts primarily due to technical issues. The decision to conduct the exam in a single shift this year aims to alleviate such concerns.

Previously, the NTA had announced the exam would be held between May 15 and 31. However, the revised schedule now indicates that the exam will conclude by May 24.

Furthermore, the NTA, in conjunction with the University Grants Commission (UGC), has decided to conduct pen-paper mode tests for papers with a larger number of applications. This marks a departure from the previous practice where all tests were computer-based.

The 15 subjects scheduled for pen-paper mode include chemistry, biology, English, general test, economics, physics, and mathematics. On the other hand, all language papers except Hindi and English will be conducted in computer-based mode. Subjects such as psychology, fine arts, fashion studies, anthropology, and legal studies will also be assessed via computer-based mode.

(With inputs from PTI)