CUET UG 2026 Begins Today: NTA Issues Exam Day Guidelines, Over 15 Lakh Candidates Registered

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will commence the Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2026 from today, May 11, in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across India and selected international centres.

The examination will continue till May 31 and is being conducted in 300 cities across India and 14 international cities in 13 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States.

According to the NTA, a total of 15,68,866 candidates have registered for CUET UG 2026, generating nearly 67.56 lakh test instances across 12,906 subject combinations. On average, candidates opted for 4.31 subjects each. Nearly 43 per cent of registrations came from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi.

English emerged as the most preferred subject with 12.64 lakh registrations, followed by Chemistry, Physics, General Aptitude Test, Mathematics and Biology.

Day 1 Examination Schedule

The examination on the opening day will be conducted in two shifts.

Shift 1 will see 63,247 candidates appearing across 314 centres for subjects including English, Accountancy, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, History and Political Science.

Shift 2 will have 60,773 candidates across 281 centres for subjects such as English, Computer Science, Sociology, Economics, History and Political Science.

In total, 1,24,020 candidates are expected to appear on the first day.

Documents Mandatory at Exam Centres

Candidates must carry:

• Printed admit card with self-declaration form
• Two passport-size photographs
• Original valid photo ID proof
• Transparent ball-point pen

Accepted ID proofs include Aadhaar card, passport, PAN card, school ID, Class 12 admit card with photograph, e-Aadhaar and bank passbook with photograph.

Items Allowed and Prohibited

Permitted items include a transparent water bottle and transparent pen. Diabetic candidates may carry sugar tablets, fruits or similar permitted eatables.

Candidates have been strictly prohibited from carrying mobile phones, smart watches, calculators, wallets, electronic gadgets or study material inside the examination hall. The NTA clarified that no storage facility will be available at centres for personal belongings.

Dress Code and Reporting Instructions

Candidates have been advised to wear light-coloured clothes and simple footwear. Those wearing religious or customary attire have been asked to report early for additional security checks.

The NTA stated that 96.6 per cent of candidates received one of their preferred exam cities, while 79 per cent were allotted their first-choice city. The agency has also set up helpline support for students facing any examination-related issues.