CUET Examination, or the Common University Examination Test, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) is one of the most prestigious entrance examinations conducted to secure admission in reputed central, state, deemed and selected private universities of India. The examination is based on standard aptitude examination patterns coupled with specific sections dedicated to domain-specific questions.
CUET examination was introduced as a measure to counter the menace of extremely high cut-offs for securing admissions in well-reputed universities in India. It is to be noted that because the body conducting examinations were not standard, the method of awarding marks varied, questioning the objectivity of deciding standard cut-off for different boards. In consequence, candidates did not have a level playing field when it comes to admission applications. To overcome this problem, the implementation of CUET and a standard merit list as the basis of admission was well-received by students. This admission exam’s primary goal is to establish a platform that offers fair chances to all students in India, regardless of their gender, religion, or marks on their class 12 board exam.
The exam will test a candidate’s command over language, subject of choice, knowledge of general affairs and natural aptitude through logical and analytical reasoning through multiple choice questions (MCQs). The exam will be administered through a computer-based test mode in designated centres in two slots. The application form for the exams shall be released tentatively in the first week of April, 2023.
Candidates can refer to the official bulletins published on the CUET Website that can be accessed here. the candidates can choose from English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Odia, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Assamese as the official medium of taking the examination. According to the latest bulletin, tentative dates for the conduct of the examination are scheduled to be conducted in the second week of June.
The application fee breakup for taking the examination are as follows:
Category
Amount
General/ Unreserved
Rs. 650
EWS, OBC-NCL
Rs. 600
SC/ST/PWD
Rs. 550
The eligibility criteria for application is mandatory qualification of Class 12th, however, appearing candidates can also apply subject to the production of a mark sheet/ degree demonstrating fulfilment of the eligibility criteria at the time of counselling. The candidates must also be Indian Citizens to secure admission through CUET. For both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, there is no age limit for the candidates. However, for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, eligibility criteria might slightly differ based on university specific admission requirements.
The exam will be administered in two sessions, each lasting three hours and twenty-five minutes. The time allotted for each session will vary depending on the subject and part chosen. A minimum of one or more exams must be attempted by each candidate in each slot.
The exam will be divided into three sections each, the first section will be further divided into two subsections consisting of two papers based on languages chosen by the candidates. The candidates will be given a choice to choose from 13 languages in the first section and 19 languages in the second section. Further, the second part of the paper will consist of questions from subjects chosen by the candidates. A candidate has to mandatorily choose 6 subjects out of a choice of 27 offered by the NTA. The final section will consist questions of general knowledge, numerical ability, logical and analytical reasoning etc. and will test the general aptitude of the candidate.
As for the marking scheme, 5 marks will be awarded for each correct answer and 1 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer selected. There will be a total of 225 questions given to the candidate out of which 180 questions need to be attempted.
The admit card will be released on the online mode for UG courses that will be tentatively made available in the first week of June. The candidates will need to download the hall ticket and follow the instructions made available to attempt the examination in the designated centres.
The answer key will be made available in the third week of June, tentatively. After the examination, the candidates will also have a chance to challenge specific questions and raise objections against a provided answer in a limited time period.
