The Common University Entrance Test for Undergraduates (CUET-UG) has experienced a remarkable 16% increase in registrations this year compared to 2025. This rise highlights the expanding influence of the national examination but has also led to logistical challenges, as numerous candidates have been assigned exam centers in locations outside their preferred choices.
Data from the National Testing Agency (NTA) indicates that around 1.569 million candidates have signed up for the test, which is set to commence next week. This marks a significant rise from previous years: 1.355 million in 2025 and 1.348 million in 2024, as reported by the NTA. In the previous year, 79% of those registered participated in the computer-based examination.
With these numbers, CUET-UG has surpassed the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) in terms of registrations, which recorded 1.355 million in its January session and 1.111 million in the April session this year.
Despite an increase of approximately 210,000 candidates from last year, the testing infrastructure has not kept pace. Sources from the NTA have revealed that the current facilities for computer-based testing are equipped to handle about 150,000 candidates per shift.
This disparity between the number of registrations and the capacity per shift is the main reason why some candidates have been assigned to centers in distant or less preferred locations. To address this issue, the NTA has provided an option for candidates to formally request changes to their examination state or city.
The growing popularity of the exam is also evident in the number of participating institutions. From just 90 universities in its initial year in 2022, the number has risen to 239 in 2025, and is anticipated to reach 243 this year, encompassing central, state, and private universities.
Historically, the turnout for the exam has shown a positive trend. While only 65% of the 1.49 million candidates registered in 2022 took the exam, this figure increased to 74% of the 1.499 million registered in 2023, and climbed to 79% last year.
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