CUET Full Form: Your Ultimate Guide to CUET 2026

With nearly 14 lakh applications received for CUET in 2025, and it will continue to do so this year too, it has turned out to be the most popular entrance test in the country. The CUET full form is Common University Entrance Test, and much like its name, it is the premier entrance test for admission to 249 universities, including 45 prestigious central universities. This number is expected to rise even further for CUET 2026. 

Update: The CUET 2025 result is out on July 4, 2025. The NTA has declared the results on its official website.

The CUET exam has been pioneered based on the mission – One India, One Entrance Exam – to unify all the disparate education boards, marking schemes, difficulty levels, and various entrance tests conducted by different universities. Instead of struggling to clear astronomic cutoffs for the best colleges, all students now get to compete on a common platform with uniform scoring. CUET has streamlined the admission process for students to secure seats in their preferred colleges.

The CUET 2026 dates will be released by the NTA, the National Testing Agency, the official exam conducting body.

Doing well on the CUET enables students to access academic opportunities at India’s best institutions across a myriad of courses. 

In this blog, we will explain everything about CUET: The full form of CUET exam, its importance, its pattern, and other details to get you started on CUET 2026.

What is the CUET full form?

The CUET exam’s full form is the Common University Entrance Test, which is itself a premier entrance test for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions to some of the most prestigious central universities, such as Delhi University, BHU, Allahabad University, and JNU. Instead of creating merit lists based entirely on 12th board results, participating universities release lists based on scores secured in CUET. 

CUET was introduced with the aim of reducing the opportunity disparity between students from different parts of India who have studied under various education boards and academic structures. With uniformity across all testing parameters, students from across India can apply to several universities with a standard exam instead of writing multiple tests for each one.

The CUET is computer-based and conducted in multiple languages, testing students’ proficiency in academic subjects, languages, and logical reasoning. Let’s take a look at the CUET exam pattern.

CUET full form – CUET exam dates

This is a partial CUET exam dates schedule. The complete schedule, along with your CUET admit card, can be downloaded from the official website.

What is the updated CUET exam pattern 2026?

Understanding the CUET Exam Pattern 2026

Getting familiar with the updated CUET exam pattern 2026 is essential to plan your preparation strategically—especially since the exam has seen significant structural changes in recent years. Knowing the latest format will help you allocate time wisely, focus on your strong areas, and work on your weaker subjects more effectively.

The exam comprises three main sections: Languages, Domain Subjects, and the General Test.

CUET 2026 Exam Pattern at a Glance

Marking Scheme for CUET 2026

1. Each correct answer will earn five marks.
2. Each incorrect answer will incur a deduction of one mark. Questions that are unanswered or marked for review will receive no marks.
3. If more than one option is correct, selecting any of those correct options will still award five marks. If all options are correct, simply attempting the question will also earn five marks. In cases where no option is correct or if the question is flawed, attempting the question will still be awarded five marks.

Read More: CUET 2026 Result Date Announced

What are the CUET eligibility criteria?

Each program in each university has different eligibility requirements that students must fulfil, failing which they will stand disqualified. Apart from those, there are also specific CUET eligibility criteria that students must adhere to. Don’t forget to check the eligibility criteria of the specific program and college you’re applying to.

Here is a rundown of the eligibility guidelines for CUET:

• You should either have passed 12th standard or must be appearing for your 12th standard final exams in 2026.

• Your high school subjects should match the subject requirements of the course and the college you’re opting for. 

• While there is no age limit, many institutions have specific educational requirements that must be fulfilled. 

• You need to apply to three participating universities and have a combination of three chosen programs while filling out your CUET forms. 

• Even though you can register for the CUET exam without giving your 12th boards, you’ll be asked to furnish the mark sheet during counselling. 

• You must be either of Indian nationality or a subject of Nepal and Bhutan. Tibetan refugees and people from the following countries who have permanently moved to India can also apply.

1. Pakistan
2. Myanmar
3. Sri Lanka
4. Kenya
5. Uganda
6. Tanzania
7. Zambia
8. Malawi
9. Zaire
10. Ethiopia 
11. Vietnam

• There are no limitations in this category. As long as you meet the educational requirements of the colleges, you’re free to re-apply as many times as you want. 
• Apart from the above criteria, the following reservation quotas must also be met. 

1. SC – 15%
2. ST – 7.5%
3. OBC (Non-creamy layer) – 27%
4. PwD – 5%

Always make sure to go through the official website and check out the qualification parameters for you and your preferred colleges. 

If you are seeking admission to DU or BHU, you’ll find the eligibility and subject combination requirements for all their courses in these blogs – CUET BHU eligibility criteria 2026 and Delhi University eligibility criteria through CUET.

CUET Cutoff (Expected) – DU and BHU

CUET BHU cutoff

Read More – BHU CUET Cutoff 2025 and 2024

CUET DU cutoff

Bachelor of Business Administration (Financial Investment Analysis) – BBA (FIA)

Bachelor of Management Studies – BMS

Read More – CUET DU Cutoff 2025 (Expected) – 2024, 2023 cutoff

Why is CUET Important?

The CUET full form is Common University Entrance Test. Introduced in its new form by the NTA, in partnership with the UGC, in 2020, CUET has quickly become the most preferred entrance exam for Indian students seeking admission to the top central and private universities.

CUET has helped overhaul the entire admissions process for UG and PG admission to central, state, and private universities. Here are some of the reasons why CUET is considered so crucial by academic experts:

• Reduced weightage of 12th board marks – Before the advent of CUET, 12th board marks reigned supreme. UG admissions across all top universities depended entirely on them, especially for non-STEM programs. This pushed the cutoffs to astronomic heights and created a divide between students from different regions. With CUET, each student can have the same opportunity to get admission to the best colleges.
• Streamlined admission process – Before CUET, students had to run around filling out forms, submitting documents, and fulfilling admission requirements for different colleges. Each college had a separate process, meaning students had to invest much time. CUET has streamlined the process with just one exam and one website for admissions to 249 universities and thousands of programs.
• Clarity of rank – While ranks and percentiles alone don’t hold much value beyond college admissions, they help students compare themselves to each other and better understand their standing. This also helps add more transparency to the admission process. Previously, the admission process was opaque, and students lacked clarity. With CUET, the marks and percentile are shown upfront, giving students visibility.

Conclusion

The full form of CUET exam is Common University Entrance Test. It is a crucial part of your academic journey. If you have any questions about the test, just click on the link and fill out the form to talk to our mentors.