What Is Cutoff Marks In CUET 2026: Rank, Percentile, & Admission Criteria
What Is Cutoff Marks In CUET: a crucial benchmark for university admissions, with top institutions like Delhi University often requiring a percentile around 98-99 for competitive courses in 2025. This cutoff is the minimum score or percentile candidates need to achieve to be considered for admission into various undergraduate and postgraduate programs. While the CUET UG 2026 cutoff is currently awaited, expected to be released in late July 2026, previous year trends indicate that scores above 700 out of 800 are typically considered strong for securing admission in prominent central universities. 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
What Is Cutoff Marks In CUET 2026: Notification, Application & Exam Date Schedule
The following table outlines the key dates for the CUET UG 2026 examination and its associated processes.
| Activity/Event | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | February |
| Application Start | January 3 |
| Application Close | February 4 (Re-opened Feb 23-26) |
| Admit Card Release | Second week of May |
| Exam Date | May 11-31 (Rescheduled: June 6-7 for some candidates) |
| Result Announcement | First week of July (Expected) |
CUET 2025 Branch-wise Closing Ranks (Latest — 2026 awaited): B.Com (Hons), B.A. (Hons) Economics & B.Sc. Physics
The table below presents the expected closing ranks for popular undergraduate programs in top universities based on CUET 2025 scores.
| University/College | Program | Category | Expected Cutoff (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi University (DU) | B.Com (Hons) | General | 98.5-99.3 percentile |
| Delhi University (DU) | B.A. (Hons) Economics | General | 660-670 marks |
| Delhi University (DU) | B.Sc. (Hons) Physics | General | 625-635 marks |
| Delhi University (DU) | B.A. Programme (History + Pol. Sci.) | General | 595-605 marks |
| Banaras Hindu University (BHU) | B.A., B.Sc., B.Com | General | 80-95 percentile |
CUET 2025 Category-wise Cutoff (Latest — 2026 awaited): General, OBC & SC Percentile & Marks
The expected CUET 2025 cutoff scores and percentiles for various categories are detailed below, reflecting the minimum requirements for admission.
| Category | Expected Percentile Range (2025) | Approximate Marks (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 75-90 percentile (for top universities) | 450+ (safe), 700+ (top universities) |
| OBC | 65-80 percentile | 400+ (safe), 600+ (competitive courses) |
| SC | 55-70 percentile | Lower than OBC |
CUET 2025 Round-wise Cutoff (Latest — 2026 awaited): Round 1, Round 2 & Round 3 Closing Ranks
The following table illustrates the counselling schedule and seat allotment rounds for CUET UG 2025, providing insight into the multi-stage admission process.
| Counselling Round | Activity/Event | Date (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Display of Category-Wise allotment list and offer of admission | July 28 |
| Round 1 | Online payment of Fees for first round allottee | July 28-30 |
| Round 2 | Display of Category-Wise allotment list and offer of admission | August 1 |
| Round 2 | Online payment of Fees for second round allottee | August 1-3 |
| Round 3 | Display of Category-Wise allotment list and offer of admission | August 5 |
| Round 3 | Online payment of Fees for third round allottee | August 5-7 |
CUET Cutoff Trends: Closing Ranks 2023 vs 2024 vs 2025 by Branch
Analyzing the cutoff trends over recent years provides a perspective on the evolving competitiveness for various CUET programs.
| Program (General Category) | 2023 Closing Marks | 2024 Closing Marks | 2025 Expected Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.A. (Hons) Economics (DU) | 702 | 675 | 660-670 |
| B.Sc. (Hons) Physics (DU) | 662 | 640 | 625-635 |
| B.A. Programme (History + Pol. Sci.) (DU) | 628 | 609 | 595-605 |
What Is Cutoff Marks In CUET 2026 Counselling Schedule: Registration, Choice Filling & Seat Allotment Dates
The CUET UG 2026 counselling process will commence after the results are declared, with the following dates based on the 2025 schedule as an indicator.
| Activity/Event | Date (2025 – Latest, 2026 awaited) |
|---|---|
| Counselling Registration Start | July 14 |
| Last Date for Online Registration & Choice Filling | July 22 |
| Display of Comprehensive Merit List | July 25 |
| Seat Allotment Round 1 | July 28 |
| Classes Begin | August 7 |
FAQs
Q: What is considered a good score in CUET 2026?
A: A score above 700 out of 800 is generally considered very good for top universities, often corresponding to a 98-99+ percentile. For admission to any central university, aiming for 150+ marks in domain subjects is a good goal.
Q: When will the CUET 2026 cutoff be officially released?
A: The CUET UG 2026 cutoff marks are expected to be released by participating universities starting from the last week of July 2026, following the declaration of results in the first week of July.
Q: How is CUET percentile cutoff calculated?
A: The CUET percentile cutoff indicates a candidate’s relative standing among all test-takers for a particular subject or combination. It represents the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or below a particular score after normalization, which adjusts for varying paper difficulty across shifts.
Q: Does CUET cutoff vary by university and course?
A: Yes, CUET cutoff marks vary significantly across different participating universities, specific courses, and candidate categories. Each university releases its own cutoff lists based on factors like seat availability, number of applicants, and exam difficulty.
Q: What factors primarily affect CUET cutoff marks each year?
A: Several factors influence CUET cutoff marks, including the total number of test-takers, the total number of seats available for a particular course, the difficulty level of the examination, the category of the candidate (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS), and the overall performance of candidates in the exam.
Q: Are CUET cutoffs the same every year, or do they fluctuate?
A: CUET cutoffs are not the same every year; they fluctuate based on various factors like exam difficulty, the number of applicants, and available seats. However, a slight increase in competitiveness has been observed in recent years.
