CUET UG Difficulty Level 2026: Is CUET Easy Or Complicated?
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
Registration - 23 Feb '26 - 26 Feb '26
What is the difficulty level of the CUET Exam? This is the most asked question among CUET aspirants. Know the difficulty level of the CUET 2026 exam for admissions to undergraduate courses. Also, find tips to prepare to attain a good CUET score. Get a list of recommended books to prepare for the exam.
CUET Difficulty Level
The CUET UG difficulty level 2026 for UG subjects is expected to be moderate to high. According to the CUET exam pattern prescribed by NTA, the CUET exam comprises 37 UG subjects: 13 languages, 23 domain subjects, and a general aptitude test. Among these, technical subjects like Mathematics, Chemistry, Accountancy, and Physics are expected to have a high difficulty level as compared to others. Every year, over 10 lakh students appear for CUET to gain admission to their target CUET UG college, from among the participating central, state, private, government, and deemed universities/colleges.
The difficulty level of a UG subject depends on a number of factors. For the academic session 2026-2027, candidates planning to take the Common University Entrance Test must check this article to understand what factors affect the difficulty level. The National Testing Agency will conduct the CUET 2026 between May 11 and May 31, 2026 in computer based test mode.
Check Out: CUET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- CUET UG Exam Pattern 2026
- CUET 2026 Exam Slots and Timing
- CUET UG Expected Cut Off 2026
- Is CUET Easy Or Complicated?
- CUET UG Subject-wise Difficulty Level
- CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis
- Important Points Affecting CUET Difficulty Level
- Books for CUET Preparation
- Download CUET UG Subject-Wise Syllabus and Question Paper PDF
- Common University Entrance Test (UG) 2026 - Highlights
CUET UG Exam Pattern 2026
As per CUET UG Information Bulletin, NTA will conduct the CUET UG exam from May 11 to May 31, 2026. The CUET 2026 date sheet for all UG subjects will be released on cuet.nta.nic.in. Candidates planning to appear in the entrance test can check out the table below to learn about the CUET 2026 exam pattern.
| CUET UG Exam Pattern Highlights |
|
|---|---|
| Particulars |
Details |
| Mode of the examination |
Computer-based-Test (CBT) |
| Number of Slots |
Two |
| Exam timing |
9 AM to 12 PM 3 PM to 6 PM |
| Type of questions |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total sections in the question paper |
Section 1 - Language Section 2 - Domain Subject Section 3 - General Aptitude Test |
| Total number of Questions |
50 questions (all compulsory) |
| Negative marking |
Yes |
| 250 per subject |
|
| Marking Scheme |
+5 for each correct answer -1 for each incorrect answer |
| Language of exam |
13 languages - English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu |
| Number of domain subjects |
23 |
Also Read: List of Universities Accepting CUET 2026 Scores
CUET 2026 Exam Slots and Timing
The CUET 2026 exam is expected to be conducted in two slots over multiple days. The exact exam timing will be released along with the release of the CUET 2026 admit card. Candidates can refer to the table below for slot-wise timing.
| CUET UG Exam in Computer Based Test Mode |
||
|---|---|---|
| CUET Exam Date 2026 |
Slots & Timing |
CUET Subject/Code |
| 11-May-2026 to 31-May-2026 | 9 AM to 12 PM |
To be updated |
| 3 PM to 6 PM |
To be updated |
|
Applicants must select CUET UG 2025 exam centre city from the dropdown, based on their permanent and contact address state/country. Candidates must not choose the state/country far from their permamnent address. Choose the CUET exam centre which is convenient to reach on time.
The difficulty level of the CUET exam varies between moderate and tough. Since the CUET UG exam is held for multiple subjects and slots, the difficulty level of the exam varies from subject to subject. Sometimes, the difficulty level may also vary for different slots. While for the well-prepared candidates, the difficulty level will be low, for the underprepared students, the level of difficulty will be on the higher side.
CUET UG Expected Cut Off 2026
Candidates can go through the table below to get an idea of the expected CUET UG cut off for UG courses at the University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI), and BR Ambedkar University:
| UG Courses |
DU Cut off Score |
BHU Cut Off Score |
JMI Cut off Score |
B.R. Ambedkar Cut off Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.A (Hons) English |
847+ |
290+ |
65+ |
803+ |
| B.A. (Hons.) Political Science |
950+ |
260+ |
- |
927+ |
| B.Com (Hons) |
912+ |
481+ |
- |
- |
| B.Sc (Hons) Botany |
426+ |
550+ |
- |
- |
| B.Sc (Hons) Mathematics |
730+ | 410+ |
38+ |
- |
Is CUET Easy Or Complicated?
The answer to this question can be different for every CUET aspirant. The difficulty level of CUET for a candidate depends on their preparation, subject knowledge, practice, exam strategy, and time management. Students who have clarity of the NCERT concepts of their selected UG subjects can perform well in the exam, as a major part of the subject question paper is from the NCERT books. Besides, how a student manages his/her time during the exam also answers the question of whether CUET is easy or complicated. If a candidate is spending more time on one question, they might not be able to complete their exam on time, making them believe the exam is difficult, when actually it may be the easiest question paper.
Candidates preparing for the CUET 2026 exams are advised to give mock tests so they can have a better picture of how they have to manage their time during the entrance test. Additionally, practicing from the CUET UG previous question papers can also help prepare well for the exam.
Also Read:
To puruse B.A (Hons.) History from DU, candidates must appear for CUET UG 2026 exam and register for exam online. While filling the CUET online form, candidates must select below CUET Arts subjects:
Combination I: Any one Language from List A + Any three subjects from Domain Subjects
OR
Combination II: Any two Languages from List A + Any two subjects from Domain Subjects
On analysing the CUET UG cut off for the academic year 2025-26, scoring above 700 marks can be considered a good score in CUET UG. Candidates scoring above 700 may fall in the category of 95+ percentile. Candidates can get admission to top central universities like University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and other universities in the desired course. Given below is the range that is considered good for admission:
- Very Good Score: 700 and above
- Good Score: 650 and above
The maximum marks for the CUET UG exam are 250. Actual total marks you can score depend on number of subjects you choose.
For instance, the subject combination for B.Com at Allahabad University is English or Hindi, Accountancy/Book Keeping, and General Test. So, total marks will be 750.
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CUET UG Subject-wise Difficulty Level
According to the previous year's exam analysis, the CUET exam 2026 is expected to have a moderate to high difficulty level, although the experience may vary based on the subjects chosen by the candidates. Once the exams are over, candidates can know the overall difficulty level of CUET UG exams.
Domain Subjects:
CUET UG Subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry are expected to have a higher difficulty level in the CUET exam than others. Questions from these subjects can vary in difficulty based on the candidate's preparation. Some questions require a candidate to have analytical thinking skills, while others require them to have subject-knowledge.
General Aptitude Test and Language Section:
The CUET GAT exam evaluates candidates based on their numerical aptitude, logical reasoning, and general awareness. The LR and QA section of the GAT paper might require a candidate to have speed in solving questions, while the GA or CA sections require a candidate to have good memory of facts and figures.
On the other hand, the Language sections check a student's grammar and reading comprehension. According to previous years' analysis, students usually face issues in answering vocabulary based questions and find it difficult to complete Reading Comprehensions on time.
Students preparing for the CUET UG exam 2026 must make sure to work on these sections to perform well in the exam and attain a good CUET score.
CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis
Once the CUET UG 2026 exams are conducted, candidates can check subject-wise CUET exam analysis to understand the difficulty level of CUET exam.
| CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis | |
|---|---|
| CUET UG Subjects 2026 | CUET Question Paper Analysis 2026 |
| English |
To be Updated |
| General Aptitude Test | |
| Mathematics | |
| Business Studies | |
| Accountancy | |
| Economics | |
| Physics | |
| Biology | |
| Chemistry | |
| Political Science | |
| History | |
Important Points Affecting CUET Difficulty Level
Many factors contribute to the difficulty level of the CUET 2026 exam. Refer to the space below to know about the same.
- Difficulty Level of Syllabus: The CUET UG syllabus and board syllabus are mostly the same. So, the difficulty level for a candidate can differ based on their subject knowledge. Students with good knowledge of their boards syllabus can easily perform well in the CUET exam, provided they have practiced how to give exam in CBT mode.
- Subject Combination: Every candidate has the option to select up to 5 subjects from among 13 languages, 23 CUET domain subjects, and a general aptitude test, based on their desired UG course at the target CUET college/university. Hence, the difficulty level of a candidate varies based on the subjects chosen. UG subjects like Mathematics, Physics, etc., might be more difficult than other subjects as they require analytical thinking skills and calculation speed.
- Type of Questions: The CUET UG exam per subject consists of multiple-choice questions. Each subject paper has its own difficult level of questions. Subjects like mathematics, chemistry, physics, economics, and accountancy may have more analytical thinking and calculation-based questions, which can be time-consuming for students. While other subjects like geography, history, business studies, etc., may have more case-study based question that may require good basic concept knowledge.
- Time Management: Students get 60 minutes to solve and answer 50 questions per subject. If a candidate is not able to manage their time in a way that they attempt each question, it can result in a low CUET score.
- Number of Applicants: If the number of students appearing for the exam is more, it increases the competition, making it hard for every student to get a good CUET score.
Also Read:
- How to prepare for CUET English Exam
- How to prepare for CUET General Aptitude Test
- Strategy to Manage CUET exam preparation along with Boards
Books for CUET Preparation
Candidates can refer to the table below to learn about the important books for CUET exam preparation to thoroughly understand the subjects.
| Books |
Author |
|---|---|
| A Problem Book in Mathematical Analysis |
GN Berman |
| Higher Algebra |
Hall & Knight |
| Problems in Calculus of One Variable |
IA Maron |
| Elementary Mathematics |
DoroFeev Patapov |
| Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics |
Chiang A.C. and K. Wainwright |
| International Economics |
Bo Soderstien and Geoffrey Reed |
| International Economics |
Dominick Salvatore |
| Economics |
Lipsey R. and A Chrytal |
| Indian Economy: Performance & Policies |
Uma, Kapila |
| Concepts of Physics |
HC Verma |
| A Textbook of Organic Chemistry |
RK Gupta |
| ABC Chemistry |
S.P. Jauhar |
| Objective Biology |
Dinesh |
| A Class-book Botany |
AC Dutta |
| Methodology and Perspectives of Social Science |
Abhijit Kundu |
Also Read: CUET 2026 Preparation Tips
Download CUET UG Subject-Wise Syllabus and Question Paper PDF
Candidates preparing for CUET can download the CUET 2026 Syllabus and CUET Question Papers for the subjects mentioned in the table below:
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Common University Entrance Test (UG) 2026 - Highlights
Students preparing for CUET UG exam can check table below to have an overview on the entrance exam.
| Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name |
CUET UG |
| Full form |
Common University Entrance Test (UG) |
| Conducting body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam frequency |
Once a year |
| Mode of examination |
Computer-Based Test |
| Exam purpose |
Admission to participating state, central, private and deemed universities |
| Eligibility |
Minimum score in 12th class examination |
| Registration Official Website |
|
| Contact details |
011-69227700, 011-40759000 Email: cuet-ug@nta.ac.in |
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Nupur Jain started with a passion for educational content writing, which soon grew into a meaningful journey of helping students through reliable guidance. A commerce graduate from Delhi University, she has spent ov
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 21 hours ago
To apply for CUET accepting colleges, candidates must first register for CUET UG and obtain score in examination after fulfilling the criteria. Candidates must visit the official website of colleges accepting CUET scores and apply for CUET counselling process. The CUET college admission 2026 process
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 21 hours ago
For CUET UG 2026 it is expected that more than 14 Lacs candidates have applied for the exam. The official notification from NTA is yet to be issued. Recently, NTA has reopened the CUET UG 2206 registration window from February 23 to February 26, 2026. NTA is expected to announce the total unique re
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 23 hours ago
The students who want to apply through CUET exam at IMS Noida for the MBA course, must follow these steps:
· Go to NTA official website
· Click on CUET tab
· Register on the given link
· Make an account and fill the necessary information
· Make the application fee payment
·
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, National Testing Agency has reopened the CUET UG 2026 registration window. Candidates who have missed applying for CUET 2026 exam earlier, can now apply online till February 26, 2026 (11.50 PM). Candidates have the last opprtunity to apply for exam online.
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
The IMS Noida MBA CUET PG 2026 exam will be held in the month of March. The students who have completed the application process are eligible to appear for the MBA CUET exam with other accepted exams. After giving the entrance, the students need to clear the interview and discussion rounds to confirm
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
CUET UG cutoff 2026 for Jawaharlal Nehru University will be released soon after the declaration of results. JNU will release the CUET cutoff 2026 based on the number of registrations, number of seats and candidate's CUET score. Candidates can check the CUET JNU cutoff online when released.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
Jamia Milia Islamia releases the CUET merit list instead of CUET cutoff list. Candidates who will be shortlisted can check their names on the merit list when released. JMI releases the CUET merit list soon after the declaration of CUET results.
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
To appear for CUET UG counselling, candidates must have the following documents or information:
- CUET application number
- CUET hall ticket number
- CUET scorecard
- Class 10th and Class 12th marksheet
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
CUET cutoff vary from college to college. However if a candidate is seeking admission to top central universities in India they must score aboe 750 marks to get admission in top courses like B.Com Hons., B.A Eco Hons. B.Sc and so forth. For admission to good colleges, candidate must score above 650
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Yes, candidate will have to participate in CUET UG counselling process even if they are class 12th topper. Candidates cannnot get direct admission to central universities without CUET. Class 12th marks are generally used for tie breaking criteria only.
N
Contributor-Level 6
CUET UG total marks is 250 Marks for each subject. Candidates can choose up to five CUET subjects. Each subject paper has 50 questions which will total to 250 marks for each subject. For every correct answer, candidate will get 5 marks. The CUET total marks will be uniform for all 37 subjects. The Total CUET subjects marks can vary depending on the number of subjects chosen by candidates.