CUCAT Exam Pattern 2026: Know Marking Scheme & Exam Duration

Admit Card - 1 May '26 - 13 May '26

This exam is conducted for courses given below:

Updated on Dec 24, 2025 11:12 IST

By Porishmita Paul, Associate Senior Executive

CUCAT Pattern 2026- The CUCAT pattern is prescribed by the exam conducting body i.e. Calicut University on their official website. According to CUCAT exam pattern 2026, the question paper primarily consists of multiple-choice questions. However, for some courses, CUCAT paper may also include descriptive questions. Descriptive questions are commonly found in philosophy, psychology, and language courses. Duration of CUCAT is two hours. Tthe exam is held in offline mode, i.e. pen and paper test. CUCAT 2026 pattern also mentions the marking scheme, according to which, the exam body also allots negative marks for incorrect answers. Read further to learn more about CUCAT pattern 2026.

Table of contents

CUCAT 2026 Exam Highlights
CUCAT 2026 Exam Pattern
CUCAT 2026 Syllabus
CUCAT 2026 Sample Papers
CUCAT Contact Information
FAQs on CUCAT 2026 Pattern

CUCAT 2026 Exam Highlights

Some key information about the exam is provided in the table below.

Particulars	Details
Name of Exam	Calicut University UG Entrance Exam
Conducting Body	University of Calicut
Programmes Offered	Undergraduate (UG) Courses
Exam Mode	Offline (Pen and Paper Test)
Exam Format	MCQ & Objective Type Questions and Descriptive Type Questions wherever applicable
Exam Duration	2 Hours
Exam Medium	Malayalam & English
Application Mode	Online
Official Website	http://cuonline.ac.in/ug/

Commonly asked questions

Q: In which language is CUCAT exam conducted?

CUCAT exam is conducted in Malayalam and English. There is no exam conducted in Hindi or any other languages.

Q: Who conducts CUCAT exam?

CUCAT exam is conducted by the University of Calicut.

CUCAT 2026 Exam Pattern

According to CUCAT 2026 pattern -

The test is conducted offline. Students will be provided with OMR sheets and plain papers to attempt their questions. Each MCQ is allotted 4 marks. Each incorrect answer for an MCQ question will be awarded -0.25 marks.

Wherever applicable, descriptive questions will hold 5 or 10 marks depending on their length. Based on the course, the question paper may have 50 or 100 questions. Students will be given 2 hours to attempt all the questions.

Check CUCAT 2026 exam dates details.

Commonly asked questions

Q: What is the mode of CUCAT 2026 exam?

CUCAT 2026 exam is conducted offline using OMR sheets. There is no online mode.

Q: Is there negative marking in CUCAT?

Yes, there is negative marking in CUCAT. As per CUCAT marking pattern, 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong MCQ.

CUCAT 2026 Syllabus

Along with the CUCAT pattern 2026, aspiring students must also be familiar with the CUCAT syllabus. It includes course-wise topics on which the questions will be based. It must be noted that the university does not make the syllabus readily available. Students can check the CUCAT syllabus compiled on the basis of older question papers here.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Is CUCAT 2026 syllabus officially released by the university?

No. CUCAT 2026 syllabus is not officially released by the university. Students can follow last years syllabus to start preparing for the test.

Q: Is CUCAT syllabus same for all courses?

No. CUCAT syllabus is not same for all courses. It is different for each course. CUCAT exam syllabus includes course-wise topics on which the questions will be based.

View Syllabus

CUCAT 2026 Sample Papers

Understanding CUCAT 2026 exam pattern and syllabus is very important for preparation. This helps you understand how many questions come and from which topics.
Solving CUCAT sample papers help you understand real exam level. Students can also find old question papers on university’s official website. Solving previous papers makes you feel like you are sitting in actual exam. It helps reduce fear and builds confidence. You can find weak areas where you make mistakes and need more practice. You can also improve strong topics by revising them again. Try to solve papers with a timer. This helps you manage time and improve your speed. Regular practice makes your CUCAT preparation stronger and more effective.

Commonly asked questions

Q: How do CUCAT sample papers help in preparation?

CUCAT sample papers show the real exam level. They help you know the type of questions and reduce exam fear.

Q: Where can students find previous year CUCAT question papers?

Students can find old CUCAT question papers on the university's official website. These papers are useful for CUCAT preparation.

CUCAT Contact Information

Students can directly visit or contact CUCAT authorties on following addresses:

Directorate of Admissions ( DoA )

Tagore Nikethan, University of Calicut
Thenhipalam, Malappuram
Kerala, 67 36 35
Contact No: +91494 240 7016, 7017
Email: doa@uoc.ac.in

Suvega Students Service Centre

Student Helpline
Thenhipalam, Malappuram
Kerala, 67 36 35
Contact No: +914942 660 600
+914942 407 227, +91494 2400 816
Email: suvega@uoc.ac.in

Also Read: CUCAT Counselling Procedure 2026

Commonly asked questions

Q: Can students contact CUCAT authorities by phone?

Yes, students can contact CUCAT authorities by phone. Phone numbers are available for both DoA and Suvega Centre.

Directorate of Admissions ( DoA )

Contact No: +91494 240 7016, 7017

Suvega Students Service Centre

Contact No: +914942 660 600
+914942 407 227, +91494 2400 816

Q: Where is CUCAT Directorate of Admissions located?

CUCAT Directorate of Admissions is located at Tagore Nikethan, University of Calicut, Thenhipalam.

FAQs on CUCAT 2026 Pattern

Some important FAQs related to CUCAT pattern 2026 are provided below.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Why is it important to understand CUCAT 2026 exam pattern?

Knowing CUCAT 2026 exam pattern helps you understand how many questions come and which topics are important. It makes your study plan clear and saves time.

Q: What is the total CUCAT exam duration?

CUCAT exam duration 2 hours. The entrance is conducted in offline mode using pen and paper.

Q: For which level is CUCAT conducted?

CUCAT is conducted for both Undergraduate (UG) and PG (postgraduate) levels.

Q: What is the full form of CUCAT?

CUCAT full form is Calicut University Common Admission Test.

Q: Which courses are offered at Calicut University through CUCAT?

Calicut University offers many courses through CUCAT. These are BPEd, Integrated M.A. in Development Studies, Integrated M.Sc. Bioscience, and Integrated M.Sc. Physics and Chemistry, LLM with Double Specialisation, M.A. Arabic Language & Literature, M.A. Comparative Literature, M.A. Economics, M.A. Financial Economics, M.A. English Language & Literature, plus other Master of Arts, Master of Science and law UG-PG courses.

Q: What is the seat intake of MSc courses through CUCAT?

Candidates can refer the table below to know about the seat intake in MSc courses through CUCAT.