The National Testing Agency (NTA) in India administers the CUET, a national entrance test, to applicants for undergraduate, graduate, and research programs at a number of public, private, deemed-to-be, and central institutions and universities. The goal of CUET, which was introduced in 2022, is to unify the admissions procedure for these programs by giving students applying to member institutions – including esteemed central universities – a uniform platform.
The CUET 2026 application form will probably be made available on NTA’s official website, cuet.nta.nic.in, during the last week of February 2026. Students can complete the CUET 2026 application form as soon as the official notice is made public. Before completing the application, there are a few things to be aware of and take care of, including the exam pattern, curriculum, and application form data.
CUET UG 2026 Exam Highlights
Exam highlights are provided here for candidates getting ready for the CUET 2026 exam.
| Particulars | Details |
| Name of the Exam | CUET UG |
| Exam Full Form | Common University Entrance Test for Undergraduates |
| CUET Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Examination Level | National Level |
| Exam Purpose | Conducted for Admission to UG courses of Central, State, Private, Deemed and Government Colleges |
| Exam Frequency | Annually |
| CUET UG Official Website | cuet.nta.nic.in and nta.ac.in |
| Mode of Examination | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Exam Medium | In 13 different Indian languages |
| Number of Universities Accepting CUET UG | 280+ Universities |
CUET 2026 Eligibility
The CUET eligibility requirements are prescribed by NTA. In order to participate in the admissions process, candidates must make sure they meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Age criteria: No upper age limit, however candidates must check the admissions information brochure of the college you are applying to.
- Educational criteria: The candidate must have passed class 12 or an equivalent test, or be scheduled to sit in 2026, in accordance with the CUET UG education requirements.
- Nationality: To take the CUET UG 2026 and the admissions procedure at colleges that recognize it, a candidate must be an Indian citizen.
- University admission criteria: To meet the requirements, candidates must review the university-specific course requirements and adjust the CUET subject accordingly. As long as they took the CUET UG exam, candidates who do not fulfill the university and course requirements will not be allowed to continue with the admissions process.
CUET 2026 Exam Pattern
The 2026 CUET test format is probably going to be the same as the 2025 one. The following describes the CUET (UG) 2026 exam pattern:
- A computer test will be used for the examination, which will simplify the procedure and lessen anxiety.
- From each of the three areas, you may select up to five subjects or languages.
- The final results will be calculated using the normalization technique.
- It will be a MCQ based test.
- Exam will be administered in English, Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Assamese, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
- You are free to select any subject, regardless of what you studied in your 12th grade.
Below is the NTA CUET Exam Pattern, which includes the scores and question count based on prior years:
| Sections | Subjects/ Type of Exam | Questions to attempt | Timeline (in HRS) | Total Marks |
| Section I | Total of 13 Languages | Needs to attempt 50 out of 50 | 1 | 250 |
| Section II | Total of 23 Domain Subjects | Needs to attempt 50 out of 50 | 1 | 250 |
| Section III | General Aptitude | Needs to attempt 50 out of 50 | 1 | 250 |
Note 1: Each question is mandatory.
Note 2: Candidates may select the subjects based on the eligibility criteria for a desired university programme.
CUET 2026 Exam Marking Scheme
- 5 marks will be given to each correct or most appropriate answer
- Minus one mark (-1) will be penalized in response to any incorrect option marked.
- No changes will be made to any unanswered questions.
CUET 2026 Syllabus
The CUET UG 2026 notification PDF will be released by the NTA most likely in the last week of February 2026. Candidates can review the CUET subject-wise syllabus to learn about the key subjects for the General Aptitude Test, 23 domain subjects, and the Language part. To view the CUET curriculum by section, see the table below:
| Section | CUET Syllabus or Question Types |
| Language | Includes passage to review reading comprehension |
| CUET Domain Subject | Class 12 Board Exam Syllabus from subjects like Agriculture, Accountancy, Art Education Sculpture, Anthropology, Economics/Business Economics, Business Studies, and more depending on the course you are applying for. |
| CUET General Test | Such as GK, Current Affairs, Reasoning, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, etc. |
Easy Steps to Fill the CUET 2026 Application Form
Online applications for the CUET 2026 exam will be accepted only at the official website of the NTA rather than any external links. Only online applications will be accepted from students. Candidates must first create their CUET UG login credentials in order to continue filling out the application.
CUET 2026: Documents You Must Have for Online Application
| List of Documents | Size (in KB) | Format |
| Passport size photograph of the applicant | 10 – 200 | JPEG/ JPG |
| Candidate’s Signature | 4 – 30 | JPEG/ JPG |
| Category certificate Scanned copy for SC/ST/OBC/EWS etc. | 50 – 300 | |
| Scanned copy of PwBD certificate | 50 – 300 |
CUET UG 2026 Fee
The following criteria and categories will determine the application cost that candidates must pay:
| Category | Up to 3 subjects | For each additional subject |
| General UR | INR 1000 | INR 400 each |
| OBC-NCL/EWS | INR 900 | INR 375 each |
| SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender | INR 800 | INR 350 Each |
| Centres outside India | INR 4500 | INR 1800 each |
How to apply for CUET 2026?
- Visit NTA CUET’s official website.
- Search for the CUET–UG 2026 Application Portal.
- Select the “new register” option and enter your name, email address, and mobile number available to you.
- Following a successful CUET registration, you will receive the login and password for the registered email address and cellphone number.
- It would be ideal to accurately complete all required forms, including category, exam center options, parent information, communication information, and qualification data.
- Next, you must upload your signature, photo, and any other necessary papers in accordance with the guidelines in the official notification.
- Now, preview by clicking on the “save & proceed” option.
- After that, pay the application cost according to your category by clicking the “make payment” option.
CUET UG 2026 Exam Centre
285 Indian cities and 15 foreign countries will host the CUET UG 2026 test. Candidates can select up to four desired CUET test centers in order of preference while completing the online form. The CUET exam locations must be carefully chosen by the candidates. The exam location will be assigned by NTA based on availability.
CUET 2026 Datesheet
Following the completion of the online registration procedure, NTA issues the CUET datesheet 2026, which specifies the subject-wise schedule and time based on the number of candidates who applied for the CUET test. Candidates can study for the CUET 2026 test by knowing the whole schedule.
- Exam dates for CUET UG 2026: May–June 2026
- Anticipated admit card release date: second week of May 2026
- Answer Key Release: tentatively around the third week of June 2026
- Results: Final week of June 2026 (estimated)
CUET 2026 Admit Card
Admit card is considered as an important document as it allows candidates to appear for the exam. NTA mostly releases admit card two to three days before from the exam date, NTA releases the CUET UG admission card. On the official website, cuet.nta.nic.in, candidates will receive notifications when the admission card is available. Candidates must take the actions listed below in order to download their hall pass:
- Look for the CUET UG 2026 notification/apply link
- After this, open the login page and enter the details asked
- Submit the details and the CUET admit card will be shown the device screen
- Verify the information on the hall pass and download it
CUET 2026 Preparation
Candidates willing to do best in the CUET 2026 can follow the below steps:
- Comprehending the syllabus and exam structure
- Developing a study schedule or schedule to address areas of weakness
- Concentrating on the core ideas of the chosen subject
- Downloading CUET past year question papers to identify the types of questions
- Solving an infinite number of CUET mock tests to gauge speed, accuracy, and level of preparation
Conclusion
With the above information, it can be said that CUET 2026 is a major step towards streamlining the college admission process in India by providing a uniform platform for admission to undergraduate programs at central, state, deemed, and private institutions. As the application process is anticipated to start in February 2026, interested candidates should keep themselves informed via the official NTA website and get ready well in advance by familiarizing themselves with the curriculum, exam format, and other prerequisites. Additionally, achieving success will need careful planning, timely document submission, and consistent practice using past year’s papers and mock exams. Keep yourself updated, be ready, and confidently start the process of getting accepted into the institution of your dreams with CUET 2026.