CUET General Test Exam Pattern 2026: Structure, Total Marks & Important Topics
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
Exam On - 11 May '26 - 31 May '26
CUET General Test 2026 consists of 50 multiple choice questions. Candidates preparing for CUET General Test must check detailed exam pattern to know the marking scheme, number of questions, and important topics. CUET 2026 exam will be held from May 11 to May 31 in CBT mode.
CUET General Test Pattern
CUET (Common University Entrance Test) is India’s national-level undergraduate entrance exam conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions into Central, State and other participating universities across the country. Along with 13 languages and 23 domain-specific subjects, the General Test is a core part of the CUET UG exam pattern. NTA has released the CUET syllabus 2026. Students preparing for CUET General Test 2026 must understand the exam structure, marking scheme and syllabus, which is important to excel in exam. CUET General Test can be opted for admission to courses like BBA, B.A (Hons.), vocational courses and other top UG courses as per the college requirement. CUET General Test syllabus includes General knowledge, Mental Ability, Mathematical Ability, Reasoning, Geenral Science and so forth. Read this article to know the detailed CUET 2026 General Aptitude Test pattern, syllabus and tips to prepare for exam.
- What Is CUET General Aptitude Test?
- CUET General Test Exam Pattern
- CUET General Test Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme
- CUET General Test Important Topics 2026
- Why is CUET General Test Important?
- Preparation Tips for CUET General Test 2026
What Is CUET General Aptitude Test?
The CUET General Test is a standardized section of the CUET UG examination designed to assess student’s general aptitude and reasoning skills. It is one of the three main sections of CUET:
- Language Test
- Domain-Specific Subjects
- General Aptitude Test
CUET General Test is an optional subject in CUET. This section is important for most undergraduate programmes and assesses logical reasoning, quantitative ability, general awareness, and analytical skills. Candidates can select this subject to increase their course criteria. Candidates must make sure to check the course and university wise CUET subject criteria to appear for exam.
UGC has announced the deletion of 26 subjects from CUET UG 2025 onwards. CUET UG 20 foreign languages and six domain subjects have been removed. Check the list below to know the name of the subjects:
- Foreign Languages (French, Spanish, German, Nepali, Persian, Italian, Arabic, Sindhi, Kashmiri, Konkani, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Manipuri, Santhali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Japanese, Russian, Chinese)
- Domain Subjetcs (Entrepreneurship, Teaching Aptitude, Fashion Studies, Tourism, Legal Studies, Engineering Graphics)
NTA prescribes the CUET UG marking scheme. Check below to know the CUET UG marking scheme 2026:
- Correct answer or the most appropriate answer: Five marks (+5)
- Any incorrect option marked will be given minus one mark (-1).
- Unanswered/Marked for Review will be given no mark (0).
- 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.
- If all options are found to be correct then Five marks (+5) will be awarded to all those who have attempted the question.
- 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 General Test Exam Pattern
CUET General Test will be held in 13 languages. Candidates appearing for CUET 2026 exam can check the detailed CUET General Test 2026 pattern to prepare well for the exam. CUET 2026 will be held in computer based mode in May 2026. Check the table below to know the CUET 2025 General Aptitude Test exam pattern:
| CUET General Test Exam Pattern |
|
|---|---|
| Parameter |
Details |
| Mode of CUET GT exam |
Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Question Type |
Multiple Choice Questions |
| Total CUET GT questions |
50 |
| Optional Questions |
No |
| Duration of exam |
60 minutes |
| CUET General Test Total Marks |
250 |
| Negative Marking |
Yes |
| CUET General Test Medium |
13 languages- English, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu |
Also Read: CUET UG Subjects 2026
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CUET General Test Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme
NTA will follow below-mentioned marking scheme for CUET General Test exam.
| CUET General Test Marking Scheme |
|
|---|---|
| Criteria |
CUET Marks |
| Correct answer |
Five marks (+5) |
| Wrong answer |
Minus one mark (-1) |
| Unanswered/Marked for Review |
No mark (0) |
| More than one option is found correct |
Five marks (+5) to those who have marked any of correct options |
| All options are found correct |
Five marks (+5) to all those who have attempted question |
| None of the options is found correct/ Dropped |
Five marks (+5) marks for students who have attempted question |
CUET General Test Important Topics 2026
Candidates preapring for CUET General Test exam must be updated with the CUET General Test important topics. Based on CUET previous year question paper analysis, check CUET GT important topics below:
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Analytical Thinking
- General Knowledge & Current Affairs
- Logical Reasoning
- Basic Numerical Ability
While CUET UG syllabus 2026 for domain subjects are based on Class 12 NCERT syllabus, the General Test evaluates general aptitude across mentioned topics.
Also Read:
National Testing Agency has not introduced any specific changes for CUET UG 2026. However, in CUET 2025, NTA introduced major changes like
- Reduction of CUET subjects from 63 to 37
- GAT scores will be used for dropped subjects
- Exma to be held CBT mode only
- Compulsory 50 questions in each subject, no optional questions
- Maximum five CUET subjects can be chosen
The above changes are to continued for CUET UG 2026 exam.
National Testing Agency has informed that there are no significant changes in CUET UG 2026. The pattern and syllabus shall remain same. The CUET UG 2026 exam consists of 37subjects- 13 langauges, 23 domain subjects and General Aptitude Test. As per the recent notification, candidates must make sure to update their Aadhar card and UDID cards. It is expected that CUET exam centre 2026 will be alloted based on candidate's updated address.
Why is CUET General Test Important?
CUET General Test is an optional subject. However, for many top UG courses, it is one of the important subjects to appear for. Know why appearing for CUET General Test is importamt:
- The GT boosts overall CUET score alongside domain and language sections.
- It reflects a student’s academic readiness and aptitude skills.
- Performance in the General Test can influence university selection for competitive programs.
Also Read:
| CUET Syllabus for Commerce Students |
| CUET Syllabus for Science Students |
| CUET Syllabus for Arts Students |
Preparation Tips for CUET General Test 2026
To prepare well for CUET General Test exam, candidates must devise effective study plan to pass exam with good score. Check important CUET General Test preparation tips below:
- Practice CUET questions daily to improve speed and correctness.
- Use CUET UG mock tests and question papers.
- Focus on logical reasoning and basic problem solving techniques.
- Stay updated with general knowledge and current affairs.
Read More:
Stream-wise Best UG courses options through CUET: Engineering, Science, Commerce, Arts
CUET 2026 Exam Day Strategy: Know Tips to Attempt Questions, Dos and Don’ts
Shruti Garg is a graduate in English and Education with over 7 years of experience in content writing/editing and education journalism. At Shiksha.com, Shruti covers UG and PG entrance exams like MBA entrance exams,
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 9 hours ago
CUET UG में Computer Science (CS) और Information Practices (IP) का पेपर English और Hindi – दोनों में उपलब्ध हो
S
Beginner-Level 1
Answered Yesterday
CUET coaching can really help with guidance and practice, but platforms like cuetmock are also great. They have previous years' papers, mock tests, and structured practice in one place, which makes preparation easier and helps track progress. For many aspirants, using it along with self-study really
V
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 days ago
As an IILM University student, the most effective way I found to revise multiple CUET subjects in a short time is to be smart, not exhaustive.
First, I focus only on high-weightage and frequently repeated topics from each subject instead of trying to cover everything. That alone saves a lot of time.
B
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 2 days ago
For CUET and NET preparation, there are many good YouTube channels that explain concepts clearly. Along with video lessons, using a structured practice platform like CUETMOCK can really help, as it provides mock tests that follow the exam pattern and detailed solutions to improve your preparation. T
A
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 days ago
No, ADYPU School of Design does not accept CUET PG scores for enrollment into MDes course. The college accepts the scores of ACET for admission to this course. Students should complete their graduation with decent scores. After evaluating applicants' test scores, the college conducts the counselling
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
No, ADYPU School of Design does not accept CUET scores for enrollment into BDes course. The college accepts the scores of ACET for admission to this course. Students should complete their Class 12 from any recognised board in any stream with decent scores. After evaluating applicants' test scores, t
P
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, GLS Institute of Design does not accept CUET PG scores for enrollment into MDes course. The college accepts the scores of GLS DAT for admission to this course. Students should complete their graduation with decent scores. After evaluating applicants' test scores, the college conducts the PI.
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
I think so. Apart from the CUET, you can explore state or university-level tests for the BA courses. For example, IPU CET, JMI Entrance, AMU Entrance, LPU NEST, etc.
Know more about -
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
No, GLS Institute of Design does not accept CUET scores for enrollment into BDes course. The college accepts the scores of GLS DAT for admission to this course. Students should complete their Class 12 from any recognised board in any stream with decent scores. After evaluating applicants' test score
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
I used CUET Mock to balance my preparation. First I revised my core subjects, then practiced short mocks on CUETMOCK for language, reasoning, and aptitude. It showed real exam patterns, highlighted weak areas, and made me confident for both sections.
T
Beginner-Level 2
Candidates can see table showing the latest CUET UG exam pattern 2026 below -
Section
Number of Questions
Duration
Language
50
60 Minutes
Domain Specific
50
General Test
50
Note: The exam pattern is taken from official website of the conducting body and can be changed if instructed by it.
Hope this helps your query! All the best!