How to Prepare for CUET General Test 2026? Check Preparation Tips and Recommended Books

Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )

DeskCalelnderRegistration - 3 Jan '26 - 30 Jan '26

Nupur
Nupur Jain
Senior Executive - Editorial
Updated on Nov 28, 2025 12:00 IST
Candidates preparing for CUET 2026 general test exam can check out this article for preparation tips to score well in the exam. Also, find out the books to prepare for the exam. The National Testing Agency will likely conduct the CUET UG exam 2026 in May/June 2026.

Candidates preparing for CUET 2026 general test exam can check out this article for preparation tips to score well in the exam. Also, find out the books to prepare for the exam. The National Testing Agency will likely conduct the CUET UG exam 2026 in May/June 2026. 

CUET General Test Preparation Tips

CUET General Test Preparation Tips

Preparation Strategy for CUET General Aptitude Test: To appear for the CUET UG 2026 exam, candidates have to select up to five CUET UG subjects in their online form. Although the general test is an optional subject, many CUET colleges offer undergraduate programmes that require GAT as a compulsory subject. The CUET General Test is one of the top CUET UG subjects opted by candidates. A good score in CUET general test can help students secure a seat at some of the top CUET colleges. These include Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Aligarh Muslim University, and so on. 

Candidates preparing for the Common University Entrance Test for the academic session 2026-2027 and planning to appear for the CUET General Aptitude Test can check out this article for preparation tips and books. The CUET 2026 exams will be conducted in May-June in CBT mode.

Check Out: CUET 2026 Difficulty Level

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Table of contents
  • CUET UG General Test Exam Pattern 2026
  • CUET General Test Syllabus 2026
  • Preparation Tips for CUET General Test 2026
  • Recommended Books for CUET General Aptitude Test 2026

CUET UG General Test Exam Pattern 2026

According to NTA, there are 13 languages, 23 CUET domain subjects, and a general aptitude test in the CUET UG exam. The CUET UG exam pattern for the General Aptitude Test is as follows:

Features

Details

Status of General Test Syllabus

Available

CUET conducting body

National Testing Agency (NTA)

Mode of examination

Computer Based Test (CBT)

CUET medium of question paper

13 languages - English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam

Number of questions in GAT paper

50 questions (all compulsory)

Exam Duration

60 minutes

Nature of Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

CUET UG Total Marks

250 per subject

CUET Marking Scheme

+5 for correct answer

-1 for wrong answer

CUET General Test mapping for courses

B.A (All specializations), BFA, Vocational subjects, B.Com., B.Des, etc

Must Read: 

Q:   is it enough to learn from NCERT textbooks to clear CUET?
A:

Since the CUET UG 2025 syllabus is in line with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus, it can be safely assumed that the NCERT books are enough to clear CUET UG 2025 exam. Candidates must note that, CUET exam tests students' understanding of the 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 in tune 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.

CUET General Test Syllabus 2026

The CUET General Test Question Paper 2026 will include questions from the given topics below:

  • General Knowledge
  • Current Affairs
  • General Mental Ability
  • Numerical ability
  • Reasoning (simple application of basic mathematical concepts, quantitative arithmetic/ algebra geometry/ mensuration/ statistics)
  • Logical and analytical reasoning

Also Read:

Preparation Tips for CUET General Test 2026

Aspiring candidates seeking admission to CUET-participating universities/colleges must appear for the CUET exam; only then can they participate in the CUET admission process. The CUET General Aptitude Test assesses students' aptitude, reasoning skills, and general awareness. Check out the preparation tips for the General Aptitude Test:

1. The first step of preparing for the general test exam is to cover the CUET General Aptitude Test SyllabusAccording to NTA, the general test syllabus for CUET includes Current Affairs, General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Here, GK & Current Affairs includes static GK, current events, and general knowledge questions on history and science.

2. Give at least one hour daily to learn about current events happening across the world and static GK. According to the previous years' exam analysis, students usually face problems in answering the GK section of the General Aptitude Test.

3. Logical Reasoning consists of topics such as seating arrangement, clocks, blood relations, number series, calendar, Venn diagram, mirror image, time, speed, and distance, and other topics. Make sure to practice questions on these topics every day. This can help you solve the questions during the exam quickly and accurately.

4. Quantitative Aptitude consists of topics such as mensuration, algebra, advanced mathematics, time work, distance, profit/loss, probability, height/distance, coordinate geometry, and other topics. Although students must have studied these topics in Class 12, they should not stop practicing these topics.

5. Work on your speed as the CUET General Test question paper includes many calculation-based questions in Quantitative Aptitude and Logical Reasoning. 

6. Take as many CUET mock tests as you can and practice from CUET Previous years’ papers to understand question types in exam.

7. Ensure you learn all formulas and short tricks to solve questions without wasting time.

8. Spare time for revision in your timetable to ensure you remember all the important concepts during the exam.

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Recommended Books for CUET General Aptitude Test 2026

Below is a list of recommended books for CUET General Aptitude Test to help you prepare for Common University Entrance Test.

Books for CUET GAT Exam
Lucent’s General Knowledge A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal
Pratiyogita Darpan Logical Reasoning by Arun Sharma
Objective General Knowledge by Arihant Experts Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal
Vision IAS Monthly Current Affairs Analytical Reasoning by M.K. Pandey
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About the Author
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Nupur Jain
Senior Executive - Editorial

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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Answered Yesterday

Bro domain subject ke sath laungage bhi compulsory ho skti hai vese kuch university me 

v

varun

Beginner-Level 2

Answered 2 days ago

Christ University Entrance Test details are as under.
1. The duration of the Entrance Test will be for 120 minutes.
2. Total no. Of questions will be 120 of one marks each.

R

Rashmi Chatterjee

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 days ago

For CUET for B.Sc. Forensic Science, focus on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) or Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM), depending on the university's specific requirement (some prefer Biology, others Math). Top colleges include National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Amity University

...Read more

99783822
Md Faisal Ansari

Beginner-Level 1

Answered 4 days ago

Since you're from the commerce stream (12th std) and want to pursue BA Psychology, most Indian universities do NOT require Psychology as a compulsory domain subject in CUET.

How it generally works (CUET-UG):

For BA Psychology, universities usually ask for:

Language paper (English or any one language) ✅

...Read more

C

Chetan

Beginner-Level 1

Answered 6 days ago

Approximately 200 universities across India accept the CUET PG scores. The exam scores will be used to grant admission to the postgraduate or master's degree courses across multiple streams. After the result is declared, these universities will conduct their admission process separately. There is no

...Read more

78440922
Sreetama Datta Roy

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 6 days ago

Ashoka University accepts CUET scores for UG admission. However, it is not mandatory. Aspirants have to pass Ashoka Aptitude Assessment and on-the-spot-essay round for admission to UG courses. Selected aspirants have to further pass other selection rounds for final admission.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a week ago

The best strategy to score well in RUHS CUET Nursing exam is given below: 

 Understand concepts clearly

Practice MCQs daily

Revise regularly

Solve previous year papers

Time management during the exam is also very important.

S

Shruti Khanna

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a week ago

Students should prepare mainly from NCERT textbooks of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Applicants are advised to solve NCERT books of 11th and 12th standard also. Solving RUHS CUET Nursing previous year question papers and mock tests also helps a lot.

S

Saumya Malhotra

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a week ago

The difficulty of RUHS CUET Nursing question paper level is usually moderate. Most questions come from the Class 11 and 12 syllabus, especially from NCERT books. With regular practice, it can be managed easily.

N

Nishtha Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a week ago

The RUHS CUET Nursing question paper is the entrance exam paper conducted by Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) for admission into BSc Nursing and other nursing courses. It checks a student's understanding of basic Science subjects.

M

Manpreet Gulati

Beginner-Level 5