CUET UG Difficulty Level 2026: Is CUET Easy Or Complicated?
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
CUET UG 2026 Exam
11 May '26 - 31 May '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 overall 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. This year, over 15 lakh students have applied to appear for CUET exam 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 and get subject-wise difficulty level for CUET 2026. The National Testing Agency is conducting the CUET 2026 between May 11 and May 31, 2026.
LATEST UPDATE: CUET UG 2026 May 13 Exam Day LIVE
- CUET UG Exam - Overview
- Is CUET Easy Or Complicated?
- CUET UG Subject-wise Difficulty Level
- CUET UG Expected Cut Off 2026
- CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis
- CUET UG Difficulty Level 2026
- CUET UG Difficulty Level: Past Years Trend
- Important Points Affecting CUET Difficulty Level
- CUET UG Subjects
- Books for CUET Preparation
- Download CUET UG Subject-Wise Syllabus and Question Paper
CUET UG Exam - Overview
Read below to get an overview of CUET UG exam:
- Medium of Exam: 13 languages
- Number of Questions: 50 questions (all compulsory)
- Exam Duration: 60 minutes
- Nature of Questions: Multiple Choice Questions
- CUET UG Maximum Marks: 250 Marks
- Marking Scheme:
+5 for each correct answer
-1 for each incorrect answer
Commonly asked questions
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 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.
To prepare well for the CUET UG and board examinations, candidates must:
- Start their preparations for CUET UG along with class 12th board examination. This will help students to cover the maximum syllabus for CUET.
- Candidates must make sure to be familiar with the CUET exam pattern and syllabus for the subjects they are planning to opt for.
- Candidates must know weak and strong topics by solving CUET mock tests or previous year question papers.
- Students must make sure to download the CUET question papers and analyse difficulty level of the exam
- Aspirants must select the best books for CUET UG preparation.
More than 200 CUET participating universities, including central, state, government, private, and deemed institutes offer admission to various undergraduate and integrated courses through Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG). Each CUET college offers the courses across Science, Humanities, Commerce, Management, Law, Engineering, and other streams. Students planning to get admission through CUET exam have to check the courses offered by their target university on their official website, NTA official website, or at Shiksha page.
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:
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.
Commonly asked questions
To map the CUET subjects as per the B.Sc course criteria at University of Delhi, candidates must select the following test papers as per the course specialisation:
B.Sc Specialisation | CUET Subject Selection |
|---|---|
B.Sc. (Hons.) Anthropology | Physics + Chemistry + Biology/ Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Biological Sciences | Physics + Chemistry + Biology/ Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Biomedical Science | Chemistry + Physics + Biology/Biological Studies/Biotechnology/ Biochemistry |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Bio-Chemistry | Combination I: Chemistry + Biology/ Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry + Physics |
Combination II: Chemistry + Biology/Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/ Biochemistry + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics | |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Botany | Physics + Chemistry + Biology/Biological Studies/ Biotechnology/Biochemistry |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Chemistry | Physics + Chemistry + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Computer Science | Combination I : Any one Language from List A + Mathematics/ Applied Mathematics + Any two subjects from List B OR |
Combination II : Any two Languages from List A + Mathematics/ Applied Mathematics + Any one subject from List B | |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Electronics | Combination I: Physics + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics + Chemistry |
Combination II: Physics + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics + Computer Science/Informatics Practices | |
B.Sc. (Hons.) Physics | Physics + Chemistry + Mathematics/Applied Mathematics |
B.Sc. (Prog.) Mathematical Sciences | Combination I: Any one language from List A + Mathematics/ Applied Mathematics + Any two subjects from List B |
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
For Delhi University admission through CUET UG, candidates must select the subjects studied in class 12th and those that meet the preferred DU UG course requirements. CUET subject mapping is an important criterion for admission to Delhi University. The key requirements for CUET subjects vary by course. To check the CUET subject combination criteria, candidates must visit the official NTA CUET website.
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.
- If three CUET subjects chosen: 750 total marks
- If four CUET subjects chosen: 1000 total marks
- If five CUET subjects chosen: 1250 total marks
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+ |
- |
CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis
As and when CUET UG 2026 exams are conducted, candidates can check subject-wise CUET exam analysis to understand the difficulty level of CUET exam for each shift.
| CUET UG Subject-Wise Question Paper Analysis | |
|---|---|
| CUET UG Subjects 2026 | CUET Question Paper Analysis 2026 |
| English |
CUET 2026 English Question Paper Analysis |
| General Aptitude Test | CUET 2026 General Test Question Paper Analysis |
| Mathematics | CUET 2026 Mathematics Question Paper Analysis |
| Business Studies | CUET 2026 Business Studies Question Paper Analysis |
| Accountancy | CUET 2026 Accountancy Question Paper Analysis |
| Physics | CUET 2026 Physics Question Paper Analysis |
| Biology | CUET 2026 Biology Question Paper Analysis |
| Chemistry | CUET 2026 Chemistry Question Paper Analysis |
Commonly asked questions
The CUET General Test is moderate in difficulty level. The exam is not very difficult if the candidate is prepared well for the exam. CUET General Test assess candidate's basic aptitude, reasoning and general awareness. CUET General Test includes topics like percentages, profit & loss, ratio & proportions, time & work, simple compound & interest and may more topics in class 12th NCERT curriculum.
The maximum marks in CUET UG exam for each subject is 250 marks. The CUET total marks may vary depending upon the number of subjects opted by candidate.
- CUET maximum marks per subject: 250 marks
- Maximum subjects that can be opted: five subjects
- Total possible maximum marks: 1250
The best strategy includes:
- Completing NCERT thoroughly
- Revising regularly
- Solving previous year papers
- Attempting mock tests consistently
- Improving speed and accuracy
Students should begin with understanding the syllabus and exam pattern. Start studying NCERT Class 12 topics and gradually move towards mock tests and previous year papers.
CUET UG Difficulty Level 2026
Common University Entrance Test is being conducted on multiple dates for UG subjects in two subjects. Check below to know the overall difficulty level of the examination based on students' feedback.
| UG Subjects |
CUET 2026 Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| English |
Moderate |
| Accountancy |
Moderate |
| Economics |
Moderate to Tough |
| Business Studies |
Easy to Moderate |
| Mathematics |
Moderate |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
| Political Science |
Moderate |
| Geography |
Easy to Moderate |
| History |
Moderate |
| Sociology |
Easy to Moderate |
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CUET UG Difficulty Level: Past Years Trend
Check below to know the difficulty level trend for Common University Entrance Test for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025:
| CUET Year | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| CUET 2022 | Moderate |
| CUET 2023 | Moderate to High |
| CUET 2024 | High |
| CUET 2025 | Moderate |
The above table shows that from the past four sessions of CUET UG exam, the difficulty level of this entrance test has increased. One of the major reasons behind this is rise in number of application each year. For 2026 also, the difficulty level of the exam is expected to be moderate to high. Hence, candidates preparing for the test must prepare thoroughly.
Commonly asked questions
For most domain subjects, NCERT books are the primary preparation source for CUET UG. However, mock tests and question banks are also important for practice.
Yes, 750 marks are considered good score in CUET UG. However, the score depends on the preferred course subject combination criteria. 750 marks are calculated as approximately 95th percentile. Candidates can target top CUET-accepting universities with this score.
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:
CUET UG Subjects
Below are the subjects offered by National Testing Agency for CUET UG exam.
- Languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
- Domain Subjects: Accountancy/Book Keeping, Agriculture, Anthropology, Biology/Biological Studies/Biotechnology/Biochemistry, Business Studies, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Computer Science/Informatics Practices, Economics/Business Economics, Fine Arts/Visual Arts(Sculpture/Painting)/ Commercial Art, Geography/ Geology, History, Home Science, Knowledge Tradition Practices in India, Mass Media/Mass Communication, Mathematics / Applied Mathematics, Performing Arts, Physical Education/National Cadet Corps(NCC)/ Yoga, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sanskrit, and Sociology.
- General Aptitude Test: For Vocational/Open Eligibility/Cross Stream/Any other as applicable.
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
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Download CUET UG Subject-Wise Syllabus and Question Paper
Candidates preparing for CUET can download the CUET 2026 Syllabus and CUET Question Papers for the subjects mentioned in the table below:
Read More:
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
At Visva Bharati University, the CUET cutoff for B.Sc. (Hons) in Statistics typically ranges between 240 to 260 rank points, with some early or expected counseling ranks dropping as low as the top 10 to 30 candidates.Because cutoffs fluctuate based on seat intake and the difficulty of the exam, keep
S
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 2 days 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 3 days ago
Sinhagad College of Arts, Science and Commerce offer merit-based admission to the candidates who fulfil course-specific eligibility set by the college. So, CUET is not required for taking admission in Sinhagad College of Arts, Science and Commerce.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Being a member of the ST (Scheduled Tribe) category scoring 63.6% marks in Class 12, you have a reasonable shot at Cotton University, although your admission will solely depend on the dynamic criteria laid down by the Government of Assam through its SAMARTH Admission Portal.
Seats for the FYUGP cours
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
National Testing Agency releases the subject-wise CUET UG syllabus on its official website. Candidates can download the syllabus PDFs as per their stream-wise subjects. CUET syllabus is available for 23 domain subjects of Arts, Commerce and Science streams.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
A safe target score for getting into Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU), Lucknow as a General Candidate varies from 450 to 550 marks on an 800 scale for popular streams while scoring more than 350+ should suffice for non-popular streams in DSMNRU. Due to its nature as a
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, 750 marks are considered good score in CUET UG. However, the score depends on the preferred course subject combination criteria. 750 marks are calculated as approximately 95th percentile. Candidates can target top CUET-accepting universities with this score.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
CUET UG and class 12th exam syllabus overlaps. However, CUET UG exam is considered more challenging as exam contains negative marking and limited time duration. While boards require specific percentage to pass the exam, on the other hand CUET UG is a percentile based ranking system for admission to
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
The exam is conducted in May. It is conducted in many shifts. Students can fill the application form from January. The applications are open till in first week of February. However, dates may change as per the latest schedule.
B
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
The exam is conducted in May. It is conducted in many shifts. Students can fill application form from January. The application deadline is generally February first week. The dates may change as per the latest schedule.
B
Contributor-Level 10
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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