CUET vs Board Exams: Key Differences, Syllabus, and Preparation Tips
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
CUET and Board Exams have become two important events in a student's academic journey, each serving different purposes. Explore the key differences between CUET UG and Board Exams, including their syllabus, exam patterns, and preparation strategies, here on this page. Also, find tips to balance both exams effectively.
CUET v/s Board Exams
CUET vs Board Exams: The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) was introduced in 2022 to provide a common platform for an entrance exam for admission to undergraduate programmes across various central, state, private, deemed, and government participating universities/colleges in India. Every year, the CUET UG exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency. CUET has become one of the most taken entrance exams by students after their Class 12 board exams. With a common entrance test for admission to participating universities, students from ICSE, CBSE, and other state boards get an equal opportunity during UG admissions. As CUET exams are conducted a few days after the board exams are over, it becomes stressful to prepare for both exams.
The CUET UG exam and Board exams are similar, yet different from each other in many ways. Check out the article to know the key differences between the board exam and the CUET exam, and get preparation tips to balance both.
- CUET vs Board Exams: Purpose and Focus
- CUET and CBSE Boards Exam Pattern 2026
- CUET v/s Board Exam: Key Differences
- CUET UG Syllabus and CBSE Syllabus
- Best Books for CUET and Board Exam Preparation
CUET vs Board Exams: Purpose and Focus
The Board Exams (Class 10th and 12th) are a major part of a student's academic life. These exams test how well students have gained the knowledge of the school syllabus. Class 12 marks are essential for a student to get a 10+2 certificate, which is a necessary document required during undergraduate admissions.
On the other hand, CUET is a unified national-level entrance exam for admission to central, state, and other CUET participating universities. CUET exams provide a single platform to apply to many universities.CUET exam papers are designed to test not just the memory power of a candidate, but also subject knowledge and reasoning skills. In 2024, over 13 lakh students appeared for the CUET exam, which shows how much this exam has gained popularity over the years.
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How to Balance CUET and Board Exam Preparation?
Balancing CUET and board exams simultaneously can be challenging for students. Even though the syllabus for both exams is almost the same and CUET question papers include NCERT concepts, their question paper format is different. While boards question paper includes both objective and subjective types of questions, the CUET test papers only have objective type questions. Check out the points below for some strategies to balance CUET and board exam preparation:
- Create a study plan for yourself. Give more time to the subjects that have a high difficulty level and more weightage in the exam.
- Start your preparation with the subjects that have a common syllabus in CUET as well as board exams.
- Practice CUET UG mock tests and CUET Previous Year Question Papers to work on your speed and accuracy.
- Solve sample board exam papers to improve your writing skills and time management.
Also Read: CUET UG Eligibility Criteria
CUET and CBSE Boards Exam Pattern 2026
There are a lot of differences between the exam pattern of CBSE Class 12 and the CUET UG exam. While preparing for these exams, candidates must first understand their exam pattern to know what to expect and how to strategize their preparations. CUET exam 2026 will be tentatively conducted in May/June 2026 in Computer-Based Test Mode.
Check the table below for a brief comparison between CUET 2026 exam pattern and Class 12th CBSE exam pattern.
| CUET V/s CBSE Exam Pattern | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features |
CUET |
CBSE |
| Format |
Objective-type questions with MCQs |
|
| Duration |
60 minutes |
Three hours |
| Number of subjects |
Maximum five |
5-6 (as elected by the student) |
| Maximum marks |
250 per subject |
100 (theory + practical) per subject |
| Marking scheme |
+5 for correct answer -1 for wrong answer |
Marking is based on the type of question and No negative marking. |
| Passing marks |
N/A |
33% |
Also Read: CUET UG Total Marks
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CUET v/s Board Exam: Key Differences
In today's competitive world, CUET and board exams are both important for students. Candidates who wish to gain admission to UG courses through CUET need to score the minimum marks in Class 12 as required by their target university. In the same way, candidates who wish to gain admission on a merit basis, through their Class 12 marks only, will also have to get a good score to get admission at a non-CUET participating university.
Check out the points below to know the difference between the CUET exam and the Board exam:
| Basis | CUET Exam | Boards Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | CUET exam is a common entrance test for admission to undergraduate courses at participating universities across India. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency across multiple exam centres on an annual basis. | Board Exams are conducted to evaluate the overall performance of a student at the school level. Board exams are conducted by different education boards like ICSE, CBSE, etc., across different exam centres. |
| Subject Choice | To appear for CUET, candidates can choose up to 5 subjects based on their target university's subject requirements for their desired UG course. | For board exams, students can only choose between their streams (commerce, science, arts/humanities). However, they have an option in some subjects of these streams. Such as Commerce with or without Mathematics, or PCM with or without Biology. |
| Types of Questions | The CUET exam paper includes multiple-choice questions (MCQs). | Board exams include short-answer questions, long-answer questions, and multiple-choice questions. |
| Negative Marking | There is a negative marking in CUET UG exams of 1 mark for every incorrect answer. | Board exams do not have negative marking. Students get 0 for every incorrect answer. |
| Difficulty Level | The difficulty level of the CUET exam is usually moderate to high, and varies depending on the subject opted. | Though board exams are challenging, they can be easily managed with proper preparation throughout the year. |
| Syllabus | CUET UG Syllabus aligns with the NCERT curriculum. Students studying from NCERT books in Class 12 have an upper hand on their CUET preparation. | Board exam syllabi for each board are different, and these exams evaluate students on a wide range of subjects. |
Also Read:
CUET UG Syllabus and CBSE Syllabus
Candidates preparing for the board and CUET UG examination can check and compare the subject-wise CUET 2026 Syllabus and CBSE 12th Boards Syllabus in the table below:
| CUET UG Syllabus |
CBSE Syllabus |
|---|---|
Also Read:
- How CUET syllabus is different from CBSE syllabus
- CUET UG Books for Science
- CBSE Preparation Books Class 12th
Best Books for CUET and Board Exam Preparation
Candidates can easily refer to their schoolbooks, either provided/suggested by the schools, or use NCERT books (If applicable) to prepare for board exams.
Candidates can refer to the same board books to prepare for CUET domain subjects. However, it is advised to use preparation guides and sample test books for General Aptitude and to understand the exam pattern.
Check out the space below for preparation books for CUET and boards for some important subjects:
- Mathematics by RD Sharma
- Physics by HC Verma
- Physics by SL Arora
- Physical chemistry by OP Tondon
- Pradeep’s organic chemistry
- Accountancy by TS Grewal
- Business Studies by Dhanpat Rai Publication
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
CUET UG DU cutoffs for the year 2025 have been revealed for the BA (Hons) in Political Science. According to the cutoff data for CUET UG courses, the DU closing ranks for the aforementioned course ranged from 315.01 - 935.4 within its affiliated colleges. Compared to the CUET-UG cutoffs for the prev
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Career College Bhopal provides CUET Scholarships. Students who have appeared for the CUET exam are eligible for this scholarship. Shortlisted students get 10% waiver in the fee under this scholarship.
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered a week ago
The table below shows the top colleges in India accepting CUET scores along with their tuition fees:
Top Colleges | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
Hindu College | INR 86,010 |
Miranda House | INR 19,014 |
Hansraj College | INR 540 |
Kirori Mal College | INR 50,445 |
ARSD College | INR 540 |
Disclaimer: This info. is taken from official website and may vary.
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
You can't do BBA from CUET with PCB in 12 th as CUET requires the same subjects as in 12th for BBA you need math's English and general test
L
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 2 weeks ago
No, Bapuji Academy of Management & Research (BAMR) is not under CUET. The academy accepts the scores of certain other entrance exams such as, MAT/PGCET/KMAT. Candidates who have passed graduation with a minimum of 50% aggregate (45% for reserved category) can apply for admission.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
My fellow junior I am vansh verma from Delhi University ( Central University ) I am also pursuing B.Com (h) from Shri ram College of commerce and I also studied just accountancy business economics and english and you don't need any maths for B.Com (h) in delhi university but for other Central Unive
V
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 3 weeks ago
Admission in JNU's B.A. (Hons.) in foreign languages through CUET depends on cut-off scores, category-wise merit list, and number of seats available. For OBC category, the cut-off is generally lower than General, but it still varies each year depending on applicants. With 247 marks, your chances wil
M
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, with 98 percentile you have a very good chance to enter North Campus.
- Top colleges like SRCC, St. Stephen's, Hindu, Miranda House usually require 99+.
- Other North Campus colleges may accept students with 97–98+.
- Final admission depends on your category (General vs. reserved), course choice, and
N
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 4 weeks ago
No, Terna Global Business School is not under CUET. Rather the college accepts scores of various other entrance exams such as CAT, XAT, GMAT, MAT, MAH-CET, etc. Candidates are not required to appear for the CUET exam rather they must appear for any of these exams.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
No, Chandola Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital is not under CUET. Instead the college accepts the scores of the UPMT exam for admission to the BHMS course. This is the Uttaranchal Pre-Medical Test and is conducted by the State Government of Uttarakhand at different centres.
S
Contributor-Level 10
NTA has mentioned that CUET UG 2026 syllabus will adhere to NCERT syllabus. Hence, it can be assumed that the NCERT books are enough to cover the syllabus of the CUET UG exam. Candidates must note that, CUET exam tests students' understanding of the subject concepts and ability to apply them in various situations.
Therefore, to prepare well and get a good score, it is advised that students refer to other study materials and books designed for national-level competitive entrance exams. The CUET UG syllabus is similar with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus. The chapters and topics are similar to Class 12 syllabus. Unlike other UG entrance exams, CUET UG syllabus does not include Class 11 syllabus.