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CUET UG: exam pattern, syllabus and how to prepare for DU, BHU and JMI
One national exam, three sections, and a marking scheme that punishes guessing. Here is how CUET UG actually works — and how DU, BHU and Jamia use your score differently.
Last reviewed 27 July 2026
CUET UG is one centralised exam conducted by the National Testing Agency. Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and Jamia Millia Islamia all use the same paper — there is no separate entrance test for each. You register once with NTA, sit your chosen subjects, and then apply separately to each university using the resulting scores.
The exam has three sections: languages, domain subjects drawn from the Class 12 NCERT syllabus, and a General Test of aptitude and current affairs. You can take up to ten papers in total — up to two languages, up to six domain subjects, and the General Test.
Marking is +5 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one. That five-to-one ratio matters: unlike most entrance exams, a wrong answer costs a fifth of what a right one earns, so selective guessing is mathematically sound but careless guessing is expensive.
What differs between universities is not the exam but everything after it — which subject combinations each course requires, the cut-offs, the admission portal, reservation rules, and how scores are normalised.
CUET UG at a glance
Exam pattern and marking scheme
Three sections, each timed separately. Different papers may fall on different days and shifts, so your personal exam schedule depends on the subjects you choose.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I — Languages (IA major, IB minor)13 languages available | 50 | 200 | 45 min |
| Section II — Domain Subjects27 domains; one paper per subject | 50 | 200 | 45 min |
| Section III — General TestGK, reasoning, quant, current affairs | 60 | 250 | 60 min |
- •Marking is +5 correct, −1 incorrect, 0 unattempted. Marking multiple answers counts as incorrect.
- •The five-to-one ratio means a guess with a 1-in-3 chance is still positive expected value — but a blind 1-in-4 guess is roughly break-even, and rushed guessing across many questions is not.
- •Each domain subject is a separate 45-minute paper, sat on its own.
- •The General Test is optional in principle but required by many courses at DU, BHU and JMI — and it is the most important section for DU’s BA Programme.
- •Domain questions come strictly from the Class 12 NCERT syllabus. NCERT is the syllabus, not a starting point.
- •The structure of how many questions must be attempted has changed between cycles — confirm the current rule at registration.
Section-wise syllabus
Section I — Languages
- •Reading comprehension — factual, literary and narrative passages
- •Verbal ability — synonyms, antonyms, fill in the blanks, idioms
- •Rearrangement of sentences (para jumbles)
- •Error detection in sentences
- •Vocabulary in context
- •Difficulty is pitched at Class 12 board English level
Section II — Domain Subjects (27 available)
- •Humanities — History, Political Science, Sociology, Geography, Psychology, Anthropology
- •Sciences — Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics / Applied Mathematics, Environmental Science
- •Commerce — Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics / Business Economics, Entrepreneurship
- •Others — Computer Science, Legal Studies, Mass Media, Fine Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education, Home Science, Agriculture, Sanskrit, Teaching Aptitude, Engineering Graphics, Knowledge Tradition and Practices of India
- •All questions drawn strictly from the Class 12 NCERT syllabus for that subject
Section III — General Test
- •General knowledge and current affairs — national and international, roughly the past 12 months
- •General mental ability — patterns, series, visual reasoning
- •Numerical ability — arithmetic, percentages, basic algebra
- •Quantitative reasoning — data interpretation, tables and charts
- •Logical and analytical reasoning — syllogisms, arrangements, directions
History (Code 301) — chapter list
- •Bricks, Beads and Bones — the Harappan civilisation
- •Kings, Farmers and Towns — early states and economies
- •Kinship, Caste and Class — early societies
- •Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings — cultural developments
- •Through the Eyes of Travellers — perceptions of society
- •Bhakti-Sufi traditions
- •An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara
- •Peasants, Zamindars and the State
- •Kings and Chronicles — the Mughal courts
- •Colonialism and the Countryside
- •Rebels and the Raj — the 1857 revolt
- •Colonial cities — urbanisation and architecture
- •Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement
- •Partition through the social sciences
- •Framing the Constitution
Political Science (Code 317) — chapter list
- •The Cold War era and the end of bipolarity
- •US hegemony in world politics; alternative centres of power
- •Contemporary South Asia; international organisations
- •Security in the contemporary world
- •Environment and natural resources; globalisation
- •Challenges of nation-building; the era of one-party dominance
- •Politics of planned development; India’s external relations
- •Challenges to the Congress system; crisis of the constitutional order
- •Rise of popular movements; regional aspirations
Eligibility criteria
Admission process, step by step
- 1
Register with NTA
One registration at cuet.samarth.ac.in covers every participating university. Choose your languages, domain subjects and whether to take the General Test.
- 2
Choose subjects carefully
Check the required CUET subjects for every course you intend to apply to before you lock your selection — this is the step that most often goes wrong.
- 3
Correction window
NTA opens a limited window to amend application details after the deadline.
- 4
City intimation and admit card
City slip comes first, then the admit card roughly 10 days before the exam.
- 5
Sit the exam
Computer-based, across a multi-week window with multiple shifts per day. Different papers may fall on different days.
- 6
Answer key and result
A provisional answer key with a challenge window, then the result.
- 7
Apply to universities
Separately, using your CUET score — DU through CSAS, BHU and JMI through their own portals.
- 8
Counselling and seat allotment
Each university runs its own counselling and seat allocation rounds.
How the admission calendar works
On dates: exam and deadline dates change every admission year, so we describe how the calendar is structured rather than publishing dates that go stale. Always confirm current dates on the official source linked below before planning around them.
- •CUET UG runs once a year on a broadly consistent rhythm: registration early in the calendar year, a correction window, then the exam across a multi-week window in the middle of the year.
- •The exam itself spans roughly three weeks with multiple shifts per day — your specific dates depend on which subjects you registered for.
- •A provisional answer key and challenge window precede the result, which lands a few weeks after the exam window closes.
- •University admission portals open only after results — DU’s CSAS, BHU’s portal, and JMI’s merit list, which typically follows about ten days after the CUET result.
- •Counselling and seat allotment then run for several weeks. Registration deadlines are strict and there is no second sitting, so diarise the registration window from the official NTA site well in advance.
How to prepare
Get the marking maths right
- •At +5 and −1, one wrong answer cancels only a fifth of a right one. A confident elimination down to two options makes guessing clearly worthwhile.
- •A blind guess among four options is roughly break-even. Guessing at random across a whole section adds noise, not marks.
- •Marking two answers counts as wrong — check your selections before submitting.
Treat NCERT as the syllabus, not a starting point
- •Domain questions are drawn strictly from Class 12 NCERT. Reference books beyond it are mostly wasted effort.
- •Work chapter by chapter through the NCERT text itself, including the boxed material and captions.
- •Past-year domain papers are the best guide to how NCERT content gets converted into MCQs.
Do not neglect the General Test
- •It carries the most marks of any single paper at 250, and it is required by many DU, BHU and JMI courses.
- •For DU’s BA Programme it is the single most important section.
- •It is also the only section that rewards general preparation rather than syllabus coverage — start it early and keep it ticking over.
Choose your subjects strategically
- •You can take up to six domain subjects. More papers means more chances to match course requirements, but also more preparation spread thinner.
- •Map the exact CUET subject requirements of every course on your list before registering — a missing subject can make you ineligible for a course regardless of your score.
- •Registering for a subject you have not studied at Class 12 rarely pays off, since the paper assumes NCERT coverage.
Language section
- •Pitched at Class 12 board English level — comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and para jumbles.
- •It is usually the most reliably scoreable section; do not leave it to look after itself.
- •Most university courses require at least English, so plan around that.
Frequently asked questions
Is CUET the same exam for DU, BHU and Jamia Millia Islamia?
Yes. CUET UG is one centralised exam conducted by NTA, and all three universities use the same paper. You register once and sit your chosen subjects. What differs is which subjects each course requires, the cut-offs, the admission portal, reservation rules and how scores are normalised — not the exam itself.
What is the CUET UG marking scheme?
You get +5 for a correct answer, −1 for an incorrect one, and 0 for an unattempted question. Marking multiple answers to the same question is treated as incorrect and carries the −1 penalty.
How many subjects can I take in CUET UG?
Up to ten papers in total — a maximum of two languages, up to six domain subjects from the 27 available, and the General Test. Each paper is sat separately and different papers may fall on different days and shifts.
What is the CUET syllabus based on?
Domain subject questions come strictly from the Class 12 NCERT syllabus for that subject. The language sections are pitched at Class 12 board English level. The General Test covers current affairs, mental ability, numerical ability, quantitative reasoning and logical reasoning, and is not tied to a syllabus.
Is the CUET General Test compulsory?
It is optional in principle, but many courses at DU, BHU and JMI require it, and it is the most important section for DU’s BA Programme. At 250 marks it also carries more than any other single paper. Most candidates should take it.
Do I need to apply separately to each university after CUET?
Yes. CUET registration with NTA is a single process, but admission is separate — Delhi University through the CSAS portal, BHU through its own admission portal, and Jamia Millia Islamia through its portal with a merit list usually about ten days after the CUET result.
Official sources
We compile these guides from official university material, but universities change their patterns and dates at their own discretion. Verify anything you plan around:
Other exam guides
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