CUET Exam Pattern [Latest]: Exam Duration, Question Pattern, and Marking Scheme

CUET 2025 Exam Pattern: The NTA prescribes a set of structure and pattern that all the CUET question papers across 3 sections must follow. Students must be thoroughly aware of the CUET exam pattern and put their best foot forward to prepare. CUET 2025 will be conducted in hybrid mode and will have 3 sections -

  • Section I (A & B) - Language
  • Section II - Domain subjects
  • Section III - General Test]

The medium of the CUET question paper will be in 13 languages (English, Hindi, & 11 regional languages). The paper will have multiple choice-based questions. For every correct answer, students will be awarded 5 marks; for wrong answers, there will be a penalty of 1 mark. A student can choose a maximum of 6 subjects from all three sections, which must include 1 language.

Follow this article till the end to get a brief insight into the latest CUET 2025 exam pattern and CUET marking scheme.

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CUET Exam Pattern: Overview

NTA conducts the CUET for UG admissions to all the participating universities across India. 250+ universities (including 44+ central universities - DU, JNU, Hyderabad University, Allahabad University… and many more) will be a part of the CUET (UG) 2025. A brief highlight of the CUET exam pattern and the CUET marking scheme for 2025 has been provided below.

Highlights of the CUET 2025 Exam pattern and CUET marking scheme:

Particulars

Details

Mode of Exam

Hybrid [Online (CBT mode) & Offline (pen & paper mode)]

Number of Sections

3 Sections [Language (section IA & IB), Domain-Specific subjects (section II), and General Test (section III)]

Exam Slots

All the exams, irrespective of modes, will be conducted in a single slot (for each subject)

Marking Scheme

+5 - for the right answer

-1 for the wrong answer

0 for unattempted question

Number of Questions

Section IA & IB:

Languages (40 Questions to be marked out of 50 Questions)

Section II:

Domain-Specific (40 Questions to be marked out of 50 Questions)

Section III:

General Test (50 Questions to be marked out of 60 Questions)

Exam Language

The exam will be conducted in 13 languages (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi, English, Hindi and Urdu)

Concerned candidates must take note of the following:

  • Compensatory time for PwBD Candidates eligible for scribe (whether such candidate uses the facility of scribe or not): 20 minutes for each hour of examination will be extended as per Govt. policy.
  • Such extra time will be extended test-wise and not in the aggregate duration of the slot.

Once students are well versed with the CUET 2025 exam pattern and CUET marking scheme, they must thoroughly check the CUET syllabus. This would enable them to prepare comprehensively for the test and maximize their CUET scores.

Detailed CUET 2025 Exam Pattern

The CUET exam pattern is detailed information regarding the number and types of questions asked in the exam, paper-wise exam duration, CUET marking scheme, etc. There have been a few major changes in the CUET 2025 exam pattern. Students must understand the latest CUET exam pattern to align their CUET preparation accordingly.

The detailed CUET exam pattern has been discussed in the table below.

The Latest CUET 2025 Exam Pattern

Sections

Subjects/ Tests

No. of Questions

To be Marked

Duration

Section IA

13 Languages 

50

40 in each language

45 minutes for each language

Section IB

20 Languages 

Section II

29 Domain subjects

50

40

60 minutes for - [Accountancy, Economics, Physics, Computer Science/Informatics Practices, Mathematics (Applied & Core), and Chemistry]


45 minutes - for the rest of the subjects

Section III

General Test

60

50

60 minutes

CUET 2025 Exam Pattern: Highlights

  • A candidate can choose a maximum of 6 subjects from all three sections combined.
  • The combination should include at least one language.
  • CUET (UG) will be conducted in a hybrid mode (both online and offline). 
  • The exams will be conducted offline for subjects in which NTA will receive over 1,50,000 applications.
  • The exam will be conducted online for subjects with fewer than 1,50,000 applications.
  • CUET (UG) 2024 will also be conducted offline in Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, and a few Northeastern states.

Below is the list of subjects and their respective modes in CUET 2024. This should give students a fair idea of what they can expect in CUET 2025.

Offline Exams

Online Exams

Chemistry, Biology, English, GT, Economics, Physics, Hindi, Maths, Geography, Physical Education, Business Studies, Accountancy, History, Political Science, Sociology

Kannada, Odia, Punjabi, Telugu, Arabic, Chinese, French, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Nepali, Russian, Santhali, Sindhi, Agriculture,
Fine Arts, Sanskrit, Psychology, Fashion Studies, Computer Science / Information Practices, Sanskrit, Entrepreneurship, Home Science,
Teaching Aptitude, Anthropology, Legal Studies, Assamese, Gujarati, Malayalam, Tamil, Urdu, Bodo, German, Manipuri, Mass Media, Dogri, Persian, Spanish. Environmental Studies, Performing Arts, Bengali, Marathi, Italian, Japanese, Engineering Graphics, Tourism

Suggested Readings

Before you embark on the CUET preparation journey, you might find it helpful to go through the following details of CUET. Click on “read more” to get detailed information.

CUET Question Paper

CUET (UG) Syllabus

CUET Eligibility

CUET 2025 Prep.Plan


CUET Marking Scheme

The CUET exam pattern also includes detailed guidelines regarding the CUET marking scheme. It includes details for mark distribution per correct, incorrect, and unattempted questions in the CUET paper. According to the latest information, there will be no change in the CUET marking scheme for the upcoming exam in 2025. The following is the brief CUET marking scheme for 2025.

Detailed CUET 2025 marking scheme:

Type

Marks

Right answer

+5

Wrong answer

-1

Unattempted question

0 (No negative marking)

Note:-

  • The English version will be upheld and considered for any discrepancy in the question paper.
  • If there are any wrong questions, all the students who have attempted it will be awarded the full marks.

CUET Exam Pattern: Medium

The CUET 2025 exam pattern allows students to attempt the test in 13 languages. English & Hindi are two languages that the candidates can choose from any state of India. The other 11 regional languages are available mostly in the states where the population mainly speaks it. A detailed list of the CUET exam pattern and the medium of the exam (language option) for each language is provided below.

Sl. No.

Language

Exam centers

1

English

All Examination Centres 

2

English and Hindi

All Examination Centres

3

English and Assamese

Examination Centres in Assam

4

English and Bengali

Examination Centres in West Bengal, Tripura, and

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

5

English and Gujarati

Examination Centres in Gujarat, Daman & Diu,

Dadra & Nagar Haveli

6

English and Kannada

Examination Centres in Karnataka

7

English and Malayalam

Examination Centres in Kerala and Lakshadweep

8

English and Marathi

Examination Centres in Maharashtra

9

English and Odia

Examination centres in Odisha

10

English and Punjabi

Examination Centres in Punjab, Chandigarh, and

Delhi/New Delhi (including Faridabad, Ghaziabad,

Gurugram, Meerut, Noida/Greater Noida)

11

English and Tamil

Examination Centres in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry,

and Andaman & Nicobar Islands

12

English and Telugu

Examination Centres in Andhra Pradesh and

Telangana

13

English and Urdu

All Examination Centres in India

Candidates are requested to go through this list with minute attention. The language option for the question papers should be opted correctly while filling out the application form, as students might not get a chance to change it at a later stage. Please note that the English version will be considered final for any discrepancies in the question paper in any language.

CUET Exam Syllabus

To ramp up CUET 2025 preparation, candidates should thoroughly check the CUET syllabus and grasp the CUET exam pattern. We have already covered the CUET 2025 exam pattern. Below is a brief overview of the CUET 2025 syllabus for all three sections.

Syllabus

Language (section IA & IB) - Language is to be tested through reading comprehension (based on different types of passages), grammar, literary aptitude, vocabulary, etc.

Domain Subject (section II) - Complete NCERT Class 12 Syllabus for respective subjects.

General Test (section III) - General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability, Quantitative Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts arithmetic/algebra geometry/mensuration/stat), Logical and Analytical Reasoning, etc.

Check the detailed syllabus for all the subjects from 3 sections; click the tab below.

This briefly overviews the CUET exam pattern 2025  and the CUET Marking Scheme. Students must ramp up their preparation with a comprehensive coaching program. This would enable them to score maximum marks in the test and secure admission to their dream colleges.


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