CUET 2026 Eligibility

cuet-2026

Admission to undergraduate programs at Central Universities and other CUET 2026 participating colleges requires passing the CUET (Common University Entrance Test). In the upcoming academic year of 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will administer CUET (formerly known as CUET) online from May 11 to 31, 2026.

The official notification and eligibility requirements for CUET 2026 were published by the National Testing Agency on January 3, 2026. The minimum requirements established by CUET 2026 must be met by applicants to be considered for various undergraduate and graduate programs.Candidates should be advised that depending on the institutions and courses, the CUET eligibility requirements may change. Any candidate who does not meet the eligibility requirements may be at risk of being eliminated.

To discover more about the CUET 2026 eligibility requirements, please keep reading this page.

 

CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Undergraduate program

The eligibility requirements for CUET 2026 were also made public by NTA along with the admission notification on January 3, 2026. In order to get a sense of what will be required for CUET 2026, let's look at the eligibility requirements from past years.

  • Candidates must get at least 50% of the potential points for the general category and 45% for SC/ST candidates.
  • Depending on the course they choose, candidates should have taken certain subjects in their +2 year.
  • Candidates taking part in CUET must be Indian nationals.
  • For the CUET-selected programs, candidates should submit three applications with three options to Participating Institutions.
  • When taking the 12th qualifying exam, candidates can apply for CUET. At the time of counselling, they would need to present the passing certificate, nevertheless.
  • The eligibility criteria for CUET 2026 may vary depending on the courses and colleges students choose. Therefore, before making a decision, candidates should visit the official websites of the institutions.
  • Applicants will not be eligible to apply for CUET 2026 if they failed one or more 12th-grade subjects.
  • Even if a candidate succeeds on the entrance exam, admittance to the program is not guaranteed unless the candidate satisfies the requirements of the university to which they are applying.

CUET 2026: Maximum Age

There is no maximum age to take the CUET 2026. Nonetheless, students must meet the educational requirements to be eligible for the CUET 2026 exam.

CUET 2026 Nationality

To qualify for the CUET 2026 exam, students must fulfil a few requirements:

  • All applicants must be an Indian.
  • Bhutan is a component country of Nepal.
  • A Tibetan refugee who entered India before to January 1, 1962, intending to settle there permanently.
  • Those who moved permanently to India from Vietnam, Pakistanis, Burmese, Sri Lankans, Kenyans, Ugandans, Tanzanians, Zambians, Malawians, Zaireans, and Ethiopians.

The number of attempts for CUET 2026

The candidate may take the exam as long as they meet the educational criteria, nationality requirements, and other CUET 2026 conditions. There is no limit on how many times you can take the CUET. Candidates must meet the qualifying requirements to take the CUET.

Qualifications for CUET: Important Points

  • The criteria for CUET eligibility are set by each of the participating universities.
  • Admissions will likely be determined only by CUET and Class 12 board test results.
  • The eligibility requirements don't include an upper age limit. However, after publishing eligibility requirements, the NTA may set minimum and maximum age limits for the programs.

Requirements for CUET Eligibility: Reservation

Since the CUET is a test for admissions to undergraduate programs at Central Universities established by an Act of Parliament, each Central University must follow the guidelines provided by the Government of India. There is some leeway for the SC/ST, OBC, and PwD groups in the CUET Eligibility area.

Category Reservation

Scheduled Castes

15%

Scheduled Tribes

7.5%

Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy)

27%

Persons with Disability

5%

The CUET Eligibility Criteria and the CUET college or institution to which they are applying must be consulted by all applicants to confirm their qualifications. The candidate should be aware of any documents that might be required before applying for the test or admission.

Colleges participating in CUET 2026 with code

University Code
University of Delhi  
Jawaharlal Nehru University  
Assam University  
Central University of Andhra Pradesh CUAP
Central University of Haryana CUHAR
Central University of Jammu CUJAM
Central University of Jharkhand CUJHD
Central University of Karnataka CUKNK
Central University of Gujrat CUGUJ
Central University of Kerala CUKER
Central University of Punjab CUPUN
Central University of Rajasthan CURAJ
Central University of South Bihar CUSBR
Central University of Tamil Nadu CUTND

Courses offered through CUET:

Program Name Number of Courses
Integrated and UG courses 47
PG, B. Ed and PG-Diploma Programs 225
M. Phil and /PhD. Research Programs 136

Academic Eligibility qualification for CUET 2026

It has been covered here for each course how the academic requirements differ for undergraduate, postgraduate, and Doctorate programs. Verify the CUET Academic Requirements for the course you intend to enroll in.

Courses Academic Qualification
Undergraduate For candidates in the general category, the student's 12th-grade must be at least 50%, and for SC/ST students, it must be at least 45%.
Post Graduate
The student's graduation degree grade must have been at least 55% in the general category and 50% in the SC/ST/OBC/PWD category. There are various areas where the cutoff is different for OBC candidate students.
Doctorate The applicant must hold a post-graduate degree in the relevant field with a minimum of 45% for SC/ST/PWD candidates, 50% for OBC candidates, and 55% for general applicants.

The registration process started from January 3, 2026, and will continue till January 31, 2026. The CUET Eligibility and Registration for CUET 2026 notification was made public on the same day. The article should satisfy candidates' need to be aware of the CUET 2026 eligibility requirements.

 

CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria FAQs

Q1. What is the duration of the test CUET 2026 exam?

CUET 2026 Slot

CUET 2026 Timing

Slot 1

9 am to 12.15 pm

Slot 2

3 pm to 6.45 pm

Slot 3

To be announced

 

Q2. What is the CUET exam for PG chemistry?

A computer-based test called the Common University Entrance Test PG, or CUET PG, is used by 190 member universities to assess admission to a range of postgraduate programs, including MA, MSc, M. Com, and LLM. Both Hindi and English are used to administer CUET PG 2026.

Q3. How to ace the general test in CUET?

CUET is tougher than the board, but it will not go beyond the syllabus of the 12th class. Therefore, you must properly revise subjects like logical and analytical thinking, general mental ability, general knowledge, quantitative reasoning, current affairs, and numerical aptitude if you want to ace the CUET exam.

Q4. Is the CUET PG M.Com entrance exam tough?

CUET PG exam has questions from an easy to moderate level. This implies that you can pass the exam to be admitted to the M. Com program if you have a solid understanding of the topics covered in the commerce part. 

Q5. Can I fill out the CUET application form on a phone?

Yes, it is possible to fill out application form for CUET exam on a phone as long as you have stable internet connection. 

Q6. On which date will the CUET 2026 application form be available?
The CUET application form 2026 was made available on January 3, 2026, and will be available till January 31, 2026, on the official website.
 
Q7. On which date will the 2026 CUET exam take place?
The dates of the 2026 CUET UG exam are May 11–May 31, 2026.
 
Q8. What happens if applicants don't meet the CUET eligibility requirements?
Even in the later stages of the admissions process, candidates who are ineligible for CUET will not be taken into consideration.
 
Q9. What kinds of questions are expected to be on the CUET 2026 exam?
Multiple-choice questions are included in the CUET 2026 question paper.
 
Q10. What is the CUET qualifying rate?
Applicants are deemed qualified for the CUET if they received a grade of greater than 50% in Class 12.
 

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