CUET UG 2027: “one student, one day” exam, shorter duration proposed for 15 lakh candidates

In short

Around 15 lakh students are expected to appear for CUET UG 2027, with the notification anticipated between December 2026 and January 2027.
Proposed changes include students taking all selected subject papers on a single day, reducing the previous requirement of multiple test centre visits.
The duration of each paper may be shortened to 40-45 minutes from 60 minutes, and the total questions could decrease from 50 to 35-40.
The maximum number of subjects a student can choose might be reduced from five to four, potentially lowering the total exam time.
For CUET PG 2027, the exam may not be mandatory for courses where applications are fewer than available seats, affecting over 30 subjects.

The Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission (UGC), and National Testing Agency (NTA) are in the process of finalising a roadmap for significant administrative and structural changes to the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) 2027. These proposed modifications, which include alterations to the exam pattern and dates, aim to address concerns regarding test fatigue, reduce outstation travel expenses and time, and speed up university eligibility criteria for candidates.

These changes are expected to impact approximately 15 lakh students who might appear for CUET UG 2027. The official notification for CUET UG 2027 is anticipated around December 2026 to January 2027, with the examination expected to be held in the usual May, June window. As of 5 October 2026, the NTA has not released the CUET UG 2027 Information Bulletin, and none of these proposed changes are official.

Proposed Changes to CUET UG 2027 Exam Pattern

A central proposal for CUET UG 2027 is the shift to a “one student, one day” exam system. This means that each candidate would complete all their selected subject papers on a single day, a departure from previous years where candidates visited test centres two to three times across a 12 to 15-day window. This change is intended to alleviate inconvenience, anxiety, and costs associated with multiple trips, particularly for outstation and rural students.

Further adjustments include a potential reduction in the duration of each CUET exam paper from 60 minutes to 40-45 minutes. The total number of questions in CUET UG 2027 may also decrease from 50 to 35-40. Also, the maximum number of subjects students can pick might be reduced from five to four. With five subjects, the total exam hours would be 200 minutes (3 hours and 20 minutes), while with four subjects, this would reduce to 160 minutes (2 hours and 40 minutes). These reductions are aimed at enabling examination agencies to conduct tests more swiftly.

Parameter	CUET UG 2026 (current)	Reportedly proposed for 2027	Status
Exam days per student	2–3 days, multiple visits	All selected subjects on one day	Proposal
Duration per paper	60 minutes	40–45 minutes	Proposal
Questions per paper	50	35–40	Proposal
Maximum subjects	5	Possibly 4	Under review by NTA and UGC
Overall exam window	Spread across several days 12–15 days, each student allotted one slot	Proposal	Proposal
Syllabus	Class 12 NCERT-based	No change reported	—
Mode	Computer-based test	No change reported	—

Impact on University Admission Criteria and General Aptitude Test

The proposed reduction in the maximum number of subjects from five to four could necessitate adjustments to admission requirements across CUET participating universities. Currently, there is no uniform admission criteria among these institutions. For instance, Delhi University has strict subject combination rules, while many state universities in Uttar Pradesh have made the general aptitude test mandatory.

If the total subject cap is set at four, the UGC might be instructed to ensure that CUET 2027 participating universities adjust their admission requirements accordingly. It is also being considered that every university may be required to formally recognise and accept the general aptitude test. CUET offers 37 subjects, comprising 13 languages, 23 domain subjects, and one general aptitude test. The current CUET exam pattern requires attempting 40 out of 50 questions for Language Test and Domain Subjects, and 50 out of 60 questions for the General Test, with negative marking in place.

Changes for CUET PG 2027 and Exam Logistics

For postgraduate admissions, the CUET PG exam 2027 might not be mandatory for various courses where candidate applications fall below the available seat capacity. For example, if a CUET PG course offers 500 seats and the NTA receives fewer than 500 applications, the exam for that specific course will be scrapped, and admissions will shift to a direct merit-based system. Over 30 CUET PG subjects currently fall under this low-application category.

The CUET exam mode remains a Computer-based Test (CBT), and the syllabus is based on Class 12 NCERT. In 2024, the CUET-UG exam was completed in seven days and 16 shifts, with 15 subject tests in pen-paper mode and 48 subjects delivered on computer-based mode. This was a significant reduction from 2023, when the exam was delivered in 34 days and 93 shifts. The shortened duration in 2024 aimed to avoid technical glitches and the need for score normalisation. In 2024, all candidates were allotted centres within their states, with the majority closer to their homes.