CUET PG 2026 examination will be conducted in the timeline of March 13 2026 for 157 domains.NTA will release CUET PG exam pattern on January 2026.The exam will be conducted in online/CBT mode in the form of Multiple choice Questions (MCQ) Unlike last year, the NTA will hold the exam in three shifts. Shift 1 from will be held from 9 am to 10.30 am, shift 2 from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm and shift 3 will be conducted from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.

There are slight changes in CUET exam pattern decided in compliance with UGC and expert committee

• Candidates will be provided with 90 minutes per paper in the exam instead of 105 minutes.
• There will be only 75 MCQs in the exam instead of 100 MCQs
• Last year NTA has removed the General Test which previously was to be opted with each paper. But now you can choose General Test paper as a separate subject.
• Exam Cities Updated: 285 cities in India (reduced), more international centers added (e.g., Abu Dhabi, Oslo, Frankfurt, Berlin).
• The medium of the Question Paper for CUET (PG)-2026 will be English and Hindi (Bilingual) except for languages, M. Tech/Higher Sciences, and Acharya papers

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CUET PG 2026 Exam structure

• Choice of Question Paper Codes: you can choose up to 4 paper codes instead of 20 which was applicable till last year.
• Medium of Comprehension in General Paper: The comprehension section in the General Paper will be available in either English or Hindi, based on the candidate's preference indicated during registration.
• Examination Duration: The duration of the examination will be 90 minutes.
• Number of Questions: Each question paper will comprise 75 questions.

What are the New Changes in CUET PG 2026 Exam?

Here are some minor changes made by the NTA for CUET Post-graduation exam from the academic session 2026-2026 onwards: 

• The exam duration of CUET PG entrance exam has been reduced by NTA from 105 minutes to 90 minutes. 
• Candidates appearing for the CUET PG 2026 exam are required to now solve 75 questions in 90 minutes.
• The CUET PG exam question papers will be avalaible in the bilingual mode (both english & hindi) from the academic session 2026-2026.
• Candidates can now opt for four CUET PG exam centers from academic session 2026-2026 onwards. 
• The number of CUET PG centres across India has come down to 285, but three more exam centres have been added internationally.
• The three new international CUET PG exam centres are Frankfurt/Berlin (Germany), Oslo (Norway) and Abu Dhabi (UAE).
• Apart from the exam pattern, there has been a minor change in the CUET PG 2026 application fee as well.

CUET PG 2026 Subject Wise List

CUET PG 2026 Marking scheme

CUET PG 2026 exam contains 75 MCQ’S with a total marks of 300 marks.Each correct answer is awarded with +4 marks and each incorrect answer is awarded with -1 negative marking whereas 0 marks are awarded if unanswered.

CUET PG 2026 Exam is generally single domain specific paper or a combination of general test and domain specific section depending upon the subject chosen, however in most cases all 75 questions are domain specific

The total marks remain 300 regardless of the subject combination.

Lets understand this with an example

Correct Answers- 50 × 4 = 200 marks

Incorrect Answers- 15 × (-1) = -15 marks

Final Score - 200 - 15 = 185/300

CUET PG 2026 Books

Choosing the right books to prepare for the CUET PG exam is very important as it ensures better exam preparation and better results. Some of the books recommended for the CUET PG 2026 Part A exam are mentioned in the table below:

The books recommended for CUET PG 2023 Part B exam are mentioned in the table below:

How to Prepare for CUET 2026?

Here are some helpful CUET PG 2026 preparation tips to guide your preparation process

• Understand the Syllabus: Focus on both general aptitude and subject-specific topics.
• Create a Study Schedule: Plan time for both general knowledge and subjects, balancing strengths and weaknesses.
• Practice Regularly: Solve previous papers and take mock tests to improve speed and accuracy.
• Stay Updated with Current Affairs: Follow credible news sources to stay informed.
• Stay Consistent: Study daily and avoid last-minute cramming.
• Revise: Focus on revision, key concepts, formulas, and timed practice as the exam nears.

Final 30-Day CUET PG 2026 Preparation Plan

Has CUET pattern changed?

Yes CUET exam pattern has changed. As per the latest CUET PG information brochure ,

• Each question paper will have 75 questions to be attempted in 105 minutes.
• Previously, the duration was 2 hours and the total number of questions to answer within this duration was 100.

CUET PG exam pattern has been revised last year which remained same this year too. NTA has removed the General Test which previously was to be opted with each paper. But now you can choose General Test paper as a separate subject. The comprehension part will be given in Hindi and English as opted by candidates during the registration process. Another crucial change is the selection of papers, you can choose up to 4 paper codes instead of 20 which was applicable till last year.

What are the total marks for CUET PG 2026?

CUET PG exam is conducted for a total of 300 marks. Each MCQ is awarded with a

+4 marks for correct answer , -1 negative marking for wrong answer, 0 for unanswered question.

Is CUET PG Very Tough?

The difficulty level in CUET PG largely depends on the course you are seeking admission in. Although the general ability section is easy with normal practice, the subject-specific sections are difficult. CUET PG exam is easier than IIT JAM , Similar to BHU, PET, JNU entrance exam and harder than private university entrance exams.The cut off usually differs due to various universities and categories.

Based on past 5 year data cut-off overview ranges between

• 230 to 240 marks for general category
• 220 to 230 marks for OBC category
• 220 to 230 marks for SC category
• 195 to 200 for ST category

Top colleges for CUET PG 2026 are JNU and DU analysing previous year cut offs for the same it is safe to say that

• DU has a higher cut-off for M.Com (220-250), making it tougher to get in than JNU’s M.A. Economics (79).
• JNU has high cut-offs for MBA and M.SC. computer science making these programs slight difficult.
• DU is more competitive in commerce related programs while JNU is more competitive in economics and computer science..
• Overall, both universities have tough admission processes, but the difficulty depends on the course.

The difficulty level of CUET PG exams is considered as moderate, however it can vary depending upon subject

What is a Good Score in CUET PG?

CUET PG 2026 Score Analysis

250+ can be considered as a safe score in CUET PG 2026. Candidates having 250+ score have very high chances in top universities like DU, JNU,BHU whereas score ranging between 200- 249 is also a good score and has chance of getting top and mid-tier universities.

Candidates securing score below 100 has a little chance of getting admission into top government colleges

Is 120 a good score in CUET PG ?

Scores around 120-130 are typically sufficient for less competitive programs.it can be acceptable for some mid-tier institutions, depending on the course and category. If you are aiming for top universities like JNU, DU, BHU and Hyderabad universities it might be somewhere difficult for top courses but if you want less competitive courses like M.A.Urdu ,M.A. Economics.