CUET Exam 2024: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Cutoff, Eligibility and Application form

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CUET Exam: Overview

The Central Universities Common Test (CUET) stands as a pioneering national-level examination administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) under the Ministry of Education (MoE). Its primary aim is to open doors to a myriad of Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Ph.D. programs across numerous central, state, and private universities throughout India. With an array of more than 54,000 distinctive subject combinations available in over 250 participating universities, CUET ensures a diverse educational landscape for aspiring students. Embracing inclusivity, CUET thrives on its eligibility criteria that mandates candidates pass their Class 12 exams with 50% aggregate marks (45% for reserved categories), emphasizing equal opportunities for all. Moreover, there’s no age limit for aspiring test-takers, fostering an environment of accessibility.

Conducted in 13 languages, including English, Hindi, and various regional languages, CUET breaks linguistic barriers, ensuring candidates can take the test comfortably in their preferred language. CUET unfolds across four sections, designed to comprehensively assess candidates. The first section, comprising language-based questions, offers candidates the choice of language subject selection during the form-filling process. Section 2 delves into domain-specific questions, while Section 3 presents a General Test, encapsulating a holistic evaluation approach. The syllabus mirrors the Class 12 curriculum, ensuring familiarity and alignment with the academic journey.

CUET Key Highlights

Particulars	Insights
Full Name	Central University Common Entrance Test
Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Courses Offered	UG and PG courses
Total Number of Questions	50 Questions
Total Questions to be Attempted	40 Questions
Type of Question	MCQs (Multiple Choice Question)
Exam Mode	Online (CBT – Computer Based Test)
Number of Exams	Once in a year
Exam Duration	The duration for each slot is 45 minutes, (Extra 15-20 minutes specifically for Mathematics & Accounts).
Marking Scheme	+5 for correct answer -1 for incorrect answer 0 for unattempted questions
Official Website	cuet.samarth.ac.in

CUET Exam Eligibility

According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the basic eligibility requirements for CUET are candidates must be either presently pursuing or have passed Class 12 (10+2) from a recognized Board. Notably, there is no mentioned age limit for attempting the CUET Exam. Nevertheless, candidates are required to meet the specific eligibility standards set by individual universities for various courses. The following table outlines the basic CUET eligibility criteria:

Particulars	Details
Educational Qualification	Students must have completed their 10+2 education from a recognized board with a minimum aggregate of 50% (45% for SC/ST/PwD category students).
Age Limit	There are no age restrictions.

CUET Reservation Criteria 2024

CUET 2024 implements reservation criteria in accordance with NTA directives and the Government of India norms. The allocated reservation percentages for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and EWS categories stand at 27%, 15%, 7.5%, and 10%, respectively.

Applicants desiring reservation privileges in admissions must upload the proper category certificates during the CUET registration procedure.
For Pwd condidates- Under the RPwD Act of 2016, PwD candidates can benefit from a 5% reservation in their category. To qualify, the minimum disability percentage should be 40%.
The reservation criteria for CUET 2024 in State Government-affiliated institutes will align with the guidelines established by the respective State Governments.

CUET Exam Syllabus 2024

CUET Syllabus 2024 is structured on the Class 12th syllabus conforming to the National Education Policy. NTA has partitioned the CUET syllabus 2024 into three pivotal sections: Language, Domain-specific, and General Test.

Section	Details
Language	Reading Comprehension (based on different types of passages- Factual, Literary, or Narrative), Literary Aptitude, and Vocabulary
Domain Specific	The subject’s syllabus for the Class 12 Board Examination.
General Test	General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Quantitative Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts arithmetic/ algebra geometry/ mensuration/ statistics), Logical and Analytical Reasoning

Syllabus for Science Students

Considering the profound depth and interconnectedness of Science, candidates can choose from a wide spectrum of options based on their preferred course. It’s crucial to recognize the individual significance of each subject in the CUET science syllabus.

Fundamental Sciences: The subjects included are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.
Applied Sciences: The subjects incorporated are Computer Science, Agriculture, and Environmental Science.
Social Sciences: The subjects include Psychology, Anthropology.
Interdisciplinary Sciences: The subjects include Home Science and Physical Education.

Syllabus for Commerce Students

CUET’s Commerce syllabus is designed to assess language proficiency, delve into domain-specific commerce subjects, and test general aptitude crucial for success in business. Notably, it covers Business Studies, Accountancy, Entrepreneurship, Mathematics/Applied Mathematics, and Economics.

Syllabus for Arts Students

The CUET Syllabus 2024, designed for Arts students, intricately covers subjects centered around the study of humans in individual, cultural, societal, and experiential contexts. Humanities courses span an array of disciplines, including history, philosophy, religion, languages, literature, fine and performing arts, media, and cultural studies.

CUET Exam Pattern 2024

NTA will publish the CUET Exam Pattern 2024. Refer to the table for detailed information on subject combinations, question types, and examination modes per paper.

Particulars	Details
Total Number of Questions	50 Questions
Total Questions to be Attempted	40 Questions
Type of Question	MCQs (Multiple Choice Question)
Exam Mode	Online (CBT – Computer Based Test)
Number of sections	4 Sections
Exam Duration	The time limit for languages and domain-specific sections is 45 minutes each, and the general test offers a duration of 60 minutes.
Marking Scheme	+5 for correct answer -1 for incorrect answer 0 for unattempted questions

Below, find the section-wise breakdown of the CUET exam Pattern.

Section	Subjects	Questions Asked	Questions to be Attempted	Duration
Section 1A – Languages	There exist 13 unique languages. You are free to choose any language from this selection.	50	40	45 minutes
Section 1B -Language	A total of 20 languages are available for selection. You can opt for any language	50	40	45 minutes
Section 2 – Domain	This section offers 27 domain-specific subjects. Candidates have the liberty to select any subject offered by the respective university.	45/50	35/40	45 minutes
Section 3 – General Test	For undergraduate programs in universities employing a General Test for admissions.	60	50	60 minutes

CUET 2024 Marking Scheme

There are some points for marking scheme as follows:

Correct answer: +5 marks
Incorrect answer: -1 mark
Unattempted: 0 marks
When there are multiple correct options, candidates will receive +5 marks for selecting any of them.
In the scenario where all options are correct, a +5 marks addition will be awarded to all candidates who attempted the question.
In the case of no correct option or a dropped question, all candidates who made an attempt will receive an additional +5 marks.

CUET Exam Cutoff

CUET 2024 cutoffs will be revealed by participating institutions post result announcements. The cutoffs differ among courses and institutes, contingent on various factors like exam complexity, candidate turnout, selected program, and university. Here’s an outline of tentative CUET cutoffs for specific subjects.

Category	Expected Cutoff for B.Sc. and B.A.	Expected Cutoff for B.Tech.
General	65%	75%
EWS and OBC	60%	65%
SC/ ST	50%	55%
PwD	45%	50%

CUET Exam 2024 Application Process

CUET 2024 Application Form’s tentative release is scheduled for February 2024 on the official cuet.samarth.ac.in portal. Prospective applicants are required to commence by registering on the site, providing mandatory details. Comprehensive instructions for completing the CUET Application Form 2024 are elaborated below.

Visit the official website – cuet.samarth.ac.in
Complete the Online Application Form CUET registration and make sure to note down the system-generated Application Number.
Fill all the information with your personal details, contact information, educational background, and residential address.
Upload the most recent scanned images of your photograph and signature onto the website for processing.
Complete your application by making the required payment online through net banking, UPI, credit, or debit card, and then proceed to submit the form.

Required Document for CUET

Document	Size	Format
Scanned Photograph	10 kb to 200 kb	JPG/JPEG
Scanned Signature	4 kb to 30 kb	JPG/JPEG
Caste Certificate	50kb to 300kb	PDF
PwD Certificate	50kb to 300kb	PDF

CUET Exam Application Fees 2024

Total Subjects	General (UR)	OBC)- (NCL) / EWS	SC/ST/PwBD/ Third Gender
Up to 3 subjects	Rs 750/-	Rs 700/-	Rs 650/-
Up to 7 Subjects	Rs. 1,500/-	Rs. 1,400/-	Rs. 1,300/-
Up to 10 Subjects	Rs. 1,750/-	Rs. 1,650/-	Rs. 1,550/-

FAQs

What is the CUET exam?

The CUET exam (Common University Entrance Test) is a standardized test for undergraduate admissions in central universities in India. It assesses candidates on language, reasoning, mathematical aptitude, and general awareness. It’s a crucial step for students aspiring to join esteemed central universities, ensuring a fair and transparent admission process.

What is the CUET exam syllabus?

The CUET exam syllabus covers core subjects like language, general awareness, mathematical aptitude, analytical skills, general test, and domain subjects related to the programs you are applying to for admission. For humanities and arts, domain options are history, political science, geography. For commerce, accountancy, business studies, and economics. For science, biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics/applied mathematics. For more details refer to the official information brochure on the NTA website regarding the programs you plan to pursue.

What is the CUET Exam fees?

The CUET exam fees for the General category is ₹750 for up to 3 papers, ₹700 for OBC)- (NCL) / EWS and ₹700 for SC/ST/PwBD/ Third Gender. Up to 7 Subjects for General (UR), OBC)- (NCL) / EWS & SC/ST/PwBD/ Third Gender fees is ₹1,500/- ₹1,400/- & ₹1,300/- respectively.

Who conducts the CUET Exam?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) Exam under the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. The NTA is the exam conducting body responsible for setting and administering this national-level entrance exam for admission into undergraduate programs at central universities across India.

Who can appear for CUET Exam?

The CUET exam is open for candidates who have passed or will appear for the class 12/equivalent qualifying exam. There is no age limit for CUET eligibility. Applicants from all recognized state, national, and foreign boards can apply. The exam is required for admission into all UG programs at central universities such as DU, JNU, JMI, AMU, etc.

How many questions are there in the CUET Exam?

The number of questions in the CUET exam depends on how many domain subjects you select at the time of application. There will be 150 questions if you opt for only one domain subject. For two domain subjects, there will be 225 questions total. Test pattern comprises the following sections:

Language/General Test: 60-70 questions
General Awareness: 30-40 questions
Numerical Ability: 20 questions
Analytical Skills: 30-35 questions
Domain Subjects: 60-65 questions each