Exam pattern
CUET UG Exam Pattern, Section Breakdown & Preparation Roadmap
By GetMyMockTest Academic Team · 28 September 2026
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) is the unified gateway to prestigious central, state, and private universities across India, including Delhi University (DU), BHU, JNU, and Jamia Millia Islamia.
1. Exam Structure & Sectional Breakdown
The CUET UG examination is organized into three distinct sections:
Section 1: Languages (1A and 1B)
- Structure: 50 questions offered, students must attempt 40 questions within 45 minutes.
- Focus Areas: Reading comprehension (factual, narrative, literary passages), vocabulary, synonyms/antonyms, idioms & phrases, and sentence rearrangement.
- Preparation Strategy: Read editorial articles daily to build reading speed. Practice 1–2 comprehension passages under timed limits.
Section 2: Domain-Specific Subjects
- Structure: Covers subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics, History, and Political Science. 40 or 50 questions depending on the domain, with 45–60 minutes duration.
- Syllabus Scope: Exclusively based on the Class 12 NCERT curriculum.
- Preparation Strategy: Because CUET tests NCERT Class 12 specifically, students preparing for board exams can prepare simultaneously for CUET by practicing objective MCQs.
Section 3: General Test (GT)
- Structure: 60 questions offered, students must attempt 50 questions within 60 minutes.
- Focus Areas: General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, and Logical/Analytical Reasoning.
- Preparation Strategy: Stay updated with national current events, government schemes, awards, and basic quantitative aptitude (ratios, percentages, averages, simple algebra).
2. Marking Scheme & Strategy
Each correct answer awards +5 marks, while every incorrect answer incurs a penalty of -1 mark. Unanswered questions receive 0 marks.
- Avoid wild guesses; a single incorrect question causes a 6-mark swing (+5 missed minus 1 penalized).
- Master time management: allot approximately 1 minute per question in domain subjects and 50 seconds in the General Test.
3. Start Practicing Free CUET Mock Tests
GetMyMockTest offers full-length, real-pattern CUET domain and General Test mock exams with instant performance metrics, detailed solutions, and All-India percentile rank calculation.