The National Testing Agency (NTA) has opened online registration for the Common University Entrance Test, Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2026 from 3 January 2026. Students can apply on cuet.nta.nic.in till 30 January 2026, while the exam is scheduled to be held between 11 and 31 May 2026 (tentative) for admissions to central and other participating universities across India.
Key Highlights
- CUET UG 2026 registration started on 3 January 2026 at cuet.nta.nic.in.
- Last date to submit the application form: 30 January 2026 (11:50 pm).
- Last date to pay the fee: 31 January 2026 (11:50 pm).
- Application correction window: 2–4 February 2026.
- CUET UG 2026 exam dates: 11–31 May 2026 (computer-based test, tentative as per NTA schedule).
Main News Details
NTA has issued a public notice titled “Inviting Online Application Form for CUET (UG)-2026 for Admission to Undergraduate Programmes into Central Universities/Participating Universities (State/Deemed/Private)” on the official CUET portal.
The notice confirms that CUET UG 2026 will serve as the single national-level entrance test for admissions to undergraduate programmes in:
- Central Universities
- State Universities
- Deemed Universities
- Private and other participating institutions
Students who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent from a recognised board can apply, subject to university-specific eligibility criteria.
The CUET UG 2026 Information Bulletin and registration link are live on cuet.nta.nic.in, detailing subjects, exam pattern, exam cities, fees, reservation norms and other conditions.
Application Process, Fees and Documents
As per the NTA information bulletin and leading education portals, candidates must:
- Visit cuet.nta.nic.in and click on “CUET (UG)-2026 Registration”.
- Register with name, mobile number and email ID.
- Fill in personal, academic and exam-city preferences.
- Choose test papers/subjects as per the eligibility criteria of chosen universities/programmes.
- Upload a recent photograph, signature and category/PwD certificates (if applicable).
- Pay the application fee online and download the confirmation page.
Base application fee for up to 3 subjects (as per NTA bulletin):
- General (UR): ₹1,000
- OBC-NCL / EWS: ₹900
- SC / ST / PwD / Third gender: ₹800
- Centres outside India: ₹4,500
Additional subjects attract an extra fee per subject, as specified in the information bulletin.
NTA and multiple education reports also flag the importance of updated Aadhaar, UDID and category certificates, in line with NTA’s recent advisory on document updation for CUET UG 2026.
Official Statements
The official NTA social handles have announced that “CUET (UG)-2026 Applications are NOW OPEN”, reiterating:
- Application last date: 30 January 2026 (11:50 pm)
- Fee payment last date: 31 January 2026 (11:50 pm)
- Correction window: 2–4 February 2026
- Exam dates: 11–31 May 2026 (tentative)
Public notices on nta.ac.in and cuet.nta.nic.in describe CUET UG 2026 as a mechanism to provide “equal opportunities to candidates across the country” and to simplify admissions by letting universities use a common standardized score.
Impact: Why This Matters for Students, Especially in J&K
CUET UG 2026 directly affects Class 12 students and droppers across India, including thousands in Jammu & Kashmir who are targeting central and reputed state universities.
- Instead of writing separate entrance tests for each university, students can take one exam and use the same CUET score for multiple institutions.
- Early release of the bulletin and dates allows coaching centres in Srinagar, Jammu and other districts to align mock tests and revision strategies.
- Many central universities operate supernumerary or special quota seats linked to J&K and related categories; a strong CUET score can significantly improve access to high-quality programmes under these schemes.
With NEET UG 2026 and other entrance timelines also firming up, experts advise students to freeze subject combinations and target universities now, so they meet programme-wise eligibility conditions on boards percentage, subject choices and quotas.
CUET UG 2026 – Key Questions Answered
Registration opened on 3 January 2026. Candidates must:
Submit the online form by 30 January 2026 (11:50 pm)
Complete fee payment by 31 January 2026 (11:50 pm)
NTA will conduct CUET UG 2026 in computer-based mode between 11 and 31 May 2026 (tentative). The detailed subject-wise schedule will be issued later on the official website.
CUET UG scores will be used for admission to central universities and a large number of state, deemed and private universities that have opted into the test. The current list of participating universities and programme mapping is available in the information bulletin and on the CUET website.
NTA has not prescribed a specific upper age limit for CUET UG 2026. However, candidates must satisfy age and eligibility conditions laid down by each university and programme they choose.
Students from Jammu & Kashmir should:
Carefully check university-wise quotas, domicile rules and supernumerary schemes in the information bulletin and on university websites.
Choose exam cities and test papers that align with their preferred programmes.
Keep Aadhaar, category and PwD documents updated, since NTA uses them for identity and reservation verification.
Disclaimer
This article is based on:
- Official notices and the CUET (UG)-2026 Information Bulletin issued by the National Testing Agency, and
- Reports from reputable education outlets such as NDTV, The Economic Times, Shiksha and Careers360.
Exam schedules, eligibility rules, fee structures and participating universities can change through new NTA notifications. Candidates must regularly check:
- cuet.nta.nic.in
- nta.ac.in
- Official websites of their target universities
before finalising subject choices, submitting the form or taking admission decisions. http://www.kittonews.com does not accept responsibility for any loss or inconvenience arising from actions taken solely on the basis of this report.
