Every year, thousands of students graduate with Bachelor's and Master's degrees with a dream to pursue higher education, research or work in the top institutions in India. Choosing the right path is important to shape the future. This is the most important decision and must be taken carefully. In this article, we will know about two important exams, CUET PG and UGC NET.
Students who wish to pursue higher education must know about the two important exam CUET PG and UGC NET. Both exams are national level entrance exams conducted by the National Testing Agency; however, serve different purposes. Their objectives and career outcomes differ significantly. Let us know about CUET PG Vs UGC NET in detail.
- CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Definition
- CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Differences
- CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Eligibility Criteria
- CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Exam Pattern
CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Definition
Common University Entrance Test PG is an entrance test for admission to the postgraduate course in central universities, state universities and other participating universities. Bachelor's degree holders can take this exam.
University Grant Commission (UGC) NET is an eligibility test for junior research fellow (JRF), assistant professorship and PhD admission. Master's degree holders can appear for the test after meeting the eligibility conditions.
Commonly asked questions
Common University Entrance Test PG is for postgraduate courses like MA, MSc, M.Com, PG Diploma, MBA, etc. offered at participating institutes.
You must note CUET PG is conducted in computer based test (CBT Mode) only. Hence you are advised to be familiar with the pattern. The examination question paper is divided into two sections. To know more about the examination, refer to the official website.
NTA will do some minor changes in the CUET PG exam pattern. Now the exam duration of the CUET PG exam will be 90 minutes instead of 105. There will be 75 MCQ questions asked from the candidates domain knowledge. The exam will be conducted in online/CBT mode in a bilingual medium.
First all of you should aware for syllabus of CUET PG .
Search important and most relavent book that has most related information for CUET PG exam .
You should make a proper schedule for your study time every day.
Practice a mock test of what you have studied in the week on Saturday because practiice is the key for better result.
Make sure with are up to date with paper update coming from board, Because it is also more important thing.
CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Differences
The difference between CUET PG and UGC NET is mentioned below.
| Feature | CUET PG | UGC NET |
| Purpose | Admission to MA, MSc, MCom, MBA, PG Diploma, etc.) | Eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor, or PhD |
| Who can apply | Bachelor's degree holder | Master's degree holders or final year students |
| Organizing Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Frequency of Conduct | Once a year | Twice a year |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test | Computer-Based Test |
| Official Website | exams.nta.nic.in/cuet-pg/ | ugcnet.nta.nic.in/ |
CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Eligibility Criteria
NTA releases the eligibility criteria for the CUET PG and UGC NET on the official website. CUET PG and UGC NET eligibility criteria are mentioned below.
| Conditions | CUET PG Eligibility Criteria | UGC NET Eligibility Criteria |
| Education Qualification |
|
|
| Age | No age limit |
|
| Age Relaxation | - | 5-year age relaxation for
|
Commonly asked questions
No, both are not same. CUET PG is conducted for admission to postgraduate courses offered at central universities, state universities and other participating institutes. While UGC NET is an eligibility test for junior research fellow (JRF), assistant professorship and PhD admission.
• A Central Control Room was opened to monitor and facilitate the smooth conduct of the Examination on the ground. 02 National Coordinators, 19 Regional Coordinators, 303 City Coordinators, 1083 Observers, and 162 Deputy Observers were deployed.
• Live CCTV Surveillance was planned in all examination centres to curb malpractices in the examination. The NTA also made arrangements for live viewing of remote locations of all examination centres from the Control Room located in the NTA premises of New Delhi. Recording of CCTV Systems was also done.
• The examination centres were also monitored using AI-based Video Analytics and Virtual Observers.
• In order to stop cheating using mobile networks, Jammers were installed in all the Centres.
The CUET PG exam is conducted once a year. The exam is conducted mainly in March. The exact dates of the exam are announced by the National Testing Agency a month before the exam.
Know more about -
NTA which is known as National Testing Agency is the examination conducting body of CUET PG examination. The Role of NTA is confined to registration of candidates, conduct of the test, hosting of answer key, inviting challenges, finalising Answer Keys, preparing and declaring result and hosting Score Card. Merit list will be prepared by participating Universities/ organisations. Universities may conduct their individual counselling on the basis of the score card of CUET (PG)-2023 provided by NTA.
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CUET PG Vs UGC NET: Exam Pattern
Students who are preparing for the CUET PG or UGC NET exam must be familiar with their exam pattern. The paper pattern helps to understand the marking scheme, types of questions, language of questions, duration of the test and mode of exam. Below is the exam pattern for CUET PG and UGC NET.
| Particular | CUET PG Exam Pattern | UGC NET Exam Pattern |
| Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test (Online) | Computer Based Test (Online) |
| Duration of Exam | 1 hour 30 minutes | 3 hours |
| Types of Question | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Number of Questions | 75 | Paper 1 - 50 questions Paper 2 - 100 questions |
| Total Marks | 300 | Paper 1 - 100 Paper 2 - 200 |
| Marking Scheme | Each question carries 4 marks | Each question carries 2 marks |
| Negative Marking | -1 for wrong answers | No negative marking |
| Language of Questions | Bilingual except Language and Acharya | English & Hindi |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
The CUET PG admit card 2027 will be released in February/March 2027 under the candidate's login.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, you can get into BHU with a score of 50 if you belong to the General AI category. The BHU cutoff 2026 was released for the first round for different PG-level courses based on the CUET PG entrance exam.
For the General AI category, the round 1 cutoff ranged from 11 to 250. Students can see the
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
The required score would depend on the category, course and round. The BHU cutoff 2026 was released for the first round for admission to several PG-level courses. The cutoff was out for different AI quota categories.
For the General AI category, the round 1 cutoff ranged from 11 to 250. Hence, stude
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
I went through the same confusion when I was preparing for CUET.
From my experience, CUET previous year question paper and mock tests both played different roles, and neither alone was enough.
What PYQs actually helped me with
When I started solving CUET previous year question papers, I realized:
- The ex
T
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a month ago
Hi,
To get the admission in the participating universities, you will be required to fill the admission form of the desired institution/university. If your marks breach their cutoff, you will get the admission. You can predict the college based on your marks here - https://www.shiksha.com/science/cue
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Yes, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) accepts CUET PG scores for MCA admissions starting from the 2023 cycle onward. For the 2026–27 session, MCA admissions at JMI are routed through CUET PG conducted by NTA, and candidates must apply via the university's admission portal after appearing for CUET PG.
Adm
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
With a CUET PG MCA score of 118, admission to top central universities like DU, JNU, BHU, or premier NITs/IITs is unlikely, as their MCA cutoffs generally range between 170–200+ for the General category. However, you still have realistic chances in newer central universities, state universities, and
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, with a B.Sc. in Chemistry & Physics, you are eligible for M.Sc. Biochemistry at most Central Universities through CUET PG, provided you meet their subject requirements.
Eligibility Criteria (Typical for Central Universities)
Academic Background
B.Sc. degree in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Bioche
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
| University | OBC Cutoff (Expected) | Your Score (105) | Admission Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Univ. of Karnataka (CUK) | ~220–235 marks | 105 | ❌ Not possible |
| Central Univ. of Kerala (CUKrl) | ~179–220 marks | 105 | ❌ Not possible |
| BHU (FMS) | ~220–235 marks | 105 | ❌ Not possible |
| DU / JNU | ~220–240 marks | 105 | ❌ Not possible |
| Pondicherry Univ. | ~180–200 marks | 105 | ❌ Not possible |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The National Testing Agency will release the CUET PG 2026 final answer key soon after the declaration of CUET PG result. The candidates should note that the final answer key will be released openly under the public domain.
A
Contributor-Level 6