CUET Exam Analysis 2023: May 21 Shift 1 English and General Test
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
Registration - 3 Jan '26 - 4 Feb '26
CUET 2023 May 21 Shift 1 exam concluded on May 21. The exam was conducted from 8.30 AM to 10.30 AM. This shift had English Test and General Test. The difficulty level was easy to moderate. Know the detailed CUET 2023 analysis of English and General Test here.
CUET 2023 Day 1 Shift 1 Analysis of English and General Test
CUET 2023 Day 1 Shift 1 has concluded on May 21, 10.30 AM. The first slot/shift of CUET 2023 was on two sections, Language and General Test. In the first section, a majority of the candidates had opted for the English language. This article by Shiksha brings the CUET exam analysis of the May 21 English and General Test. The analysis is based on student reactions and expert reviews.
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Also Read: CUET 2023 Exam Day Live Updates
- CUET 2023 Exam Pattern
- CUET 2023 May 21 English Test Analysis
- CUET 2023 May 21 General Test Analysis
CUET 2023 Exam Pattern
The CUET 2023 is a computer-based test (CBT) carrying multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The table below brings the CUET 2023 exam pattern and broad structure of the test in terms of the number of questions in each section along with the duration.
Yes. There is a negative marking in the CUET exam. For each wrong answer, one mark is deducted. Negative marking will not be applicable in case of unattempted questions. The marking scheme as per NTA is given below.
i. Correct answer or the most appropriate answer: Five marks (+5)
ii. Any incorrect option marked will be given minus one mark (-1).
iii. Unanswered/Marked for Review will be given no mark (0).
iv. If more than one option is found to be correct then Five marks (+5) will be awarded to only those who have marked any of the correct options.
v. If all options are found to be correct then Five marks (+5) will be awarded to all those who have attempted the question.
vi. If none of the options is found correct or a question is found to be wrong or a question is dropped, then all candidates who have attempted the dropped question will be given five marks (+5) marks.
CUET normalisation procss refers to a process of adjusting scores inbterms difficulty between different sessions of CUET exam. The normalization process does not reduce marks for students. It aims to adjust scores. CUET Normalization might involve scaling scores, adjusting grade, or applying techniques to make sure that difficulty level of the assessment doesn't disadvantage any particular group of students.
| Section |
Number of Questions |
Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Section IA |
40 questions to be attempted out of 50 in each language |
45 minutes for each language |
| Section IB |
||
| Section II |
35/40 Questions to be attempted out of 45/50 |
45 Minutes for each Domain-Specific Subject |
| Section III |
50 Questions to be attempted out of 60 |
60 minutes |
Also Read: CUET 2023 Analysis and Student Reactions
CUET 2023 May 21 English Test Analysis
According to the students and experts, the difficulty level of the CUET 2023 English Test was easy. The questions were based on Reading Comprehension and the types of questions were direct from the passage, and others were vocabulary and synonym-antonym, idioms and phrases and basic grammatical based. The questions of Grammar were on Active Passive, Types of Speech, Tenses, etc. Students did not face many challenges in this section. According to them, basic preparation and applying common sense would suffice in solving the questions from the English section of CUET 2023.
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The following table brings the topic-wise questions and difficulty level in the CUET 2023 English Test of May 21.
| Topics | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (3 passages) | 12 | Easy |
| Synonyms-Antonyms | 4-5 | Easy |
| Idioms and Phrases | 3-4 | Easy to Moderate |
| Voice and Figure of Speech | 4-5 | Easy to Moderate |
| One Word Substitution | 3-4 | Moderate |
CUET 2023 May 21 General Test Analysis
This section has been termed moderate to tough. The weightage was more on the Numerical Ability or Quantitative Ability area. The difficulty level was slightly high in this area, but the questions were manageable. The Reasoning questions were also on the basic lines such as Blood Relations, Tables, etc. The questions on GK were on Tokyo Olympics, Nobel Prize in Literature, etc. From the Static GK, some of the questions were on History and a few on Politics and Geography.
In terms of Numerical and Reasoning, there were around four to five questions of moderate to tough difficulty level. The Mathematics questions were a bit tricky and time-consuming.
There were more questions from Quant and Reasoning as compared to the GK and Current Affairs. From Quantitative Ability, the topics were as follows:
| Topics | Number of Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 3-4 | Moderate |
| Ratio and Proportion | 4-5 | Easy |
| Profit and Loss | 4-5 | Easy |
| Height and Distance | 3-4 | Moderate to Tough |
| Mensuration | 4-5 | Moderate to Tough |
| Geometry | 3-4 | Tough |
| Simple Interest and Compound Interest | 4-5 | Easy to Moderate |
| Data Interpretation | 3-4 | Moderate |
The focus was more on Non-Verbal Reasoning, Calendars, etc. topics.
CUET 2023 Day 1 Student Reactions
Overall, Slot 1 of CUET 2023 of May 21 was easy to moderate. Time management was a bit difficult for a few students. According to UGC, the Slot 1 was conducted successfully in 271 cities and 447 centres. As many as 87,879 candidates appeared on Day 1 Slot 1.
Read More:
CUET 2023 Day 1 Slot 2 over, Slot 3 to begin from 3.30 pm, Check CUET Marking Scheme here
CUET Exam 2023 Day 1 Slot 1 Over, Entry begins for Slot 2 candidates
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, Gurugram University does accept CUET UG and CUET PG for admission to its UG & PG courses respectively. The exam is accepted for selective courses only. Some of the courses for which CUET is accepted are - BBA, BSc, LLB, MSc, MBA, etc.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
No, CUET exam is not compulsory to take admission in Christ College of Science and Management. The admissions are done on merit basis. Final selections are based on marks scored in qualifying exam and interview performance.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 days ago
It's completely normal to feel confused when deciding between completely different streams for CUET. The choice should depend on your long-term goals, interests, and career plans rather than pressure or trends. Humanities subjects like Political Science, Fine Arts, or Physiology suit students who ar
A
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 days ago
For CUET UG 2026, aspirants should be aware of all important dates to plan their preparation effectively. The key dates are:
- Registration Starts: 3 January 2026
- Last Date to Apply: 30 January 2026 (up to 11:50 PM)
- Fee Payment Deadline: 31 January 2026 (up to 11:50 PM)
- Correction Window: 2–4 February 202
A
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 days ago
It's completely normal to feel confused about CUET, especially with so many subjects and topics to cover. The best approach is to start with a clear plan and small, consistent steps. Begin by understanding the syllabus thoroughly and identifying which sections need more focus. Practicing mock tests
T
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 days ago
Compared to board exams, CUET Maths requires a different approach. You can't rely on long methods; shortcuts matter a lot. Practicing CUET-style Maths mocks on cuetmock.com helped me adapt to this shift and understand which chapters are more scoring in a competitive setting.
T
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, candidates who wish to apply for BTech (Lateral Entry) admissions at MJRPU are required to appear for the CUET to qualify. However, CUET scores are not accepted for the first year BTech admissions at MJRPU. Candidates are required to appear for the JEE Mains to qualify for first year admissions
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, CUET exam is not required for taking admission into the courses offered by ITM-institute of Health Science. The college follows a merit-based selection method.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
National Testing Agency commenced CUET UG 2026 registrations on January 03, 2026. The registration window is open. Candidates who are desireous of appearing for CUET and admission to undergraduate programme must stay updated with the upcoming important CUET 2026 UG dates below:
- Last date to apply for
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
CUET UG 2026 application fee varies on number of subjects chosen and category of student. NTA has defined the CUET 2026 fe structure for General, SC, ST, EWS, PwBD and OBC candidates. Check the table below to know CUET application fee for 5 subjects:
| Category | CUET Fee for 5 Subjects |
|---|---|
| General | INR 1800 |
| OBC-NCL/EWS | INR 1650 |
| SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender | INR 1500 |
| Centres outside India | INR 8100 |
S
Contributor-Level 6
NTA prescribes the CUET UG marking scheme. Check below to know the CUET UG marking scheme 2026: