The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is all set to undergo major and most sought-after changes from the next year. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently proposed a series of changes for the CUET UG and PG exams scheduled to be conducted in the upcoming academic year 2025. One of the major changes is the plan to change the mode of the exam from hybrid mode to the original computer-based test format. After comprehensively examining various aspects of the CUET UG examination, such as the structure, number of questions, number of papers, and mode of conduct, the UGC and NTA have announced a joint decision stating that the choice to turn the CUET to a computer-based test format was primarily to smoothen the entire examination process.
The comprehensive analysis was performed in a meeting conducted by the UGC on November 13th, 2024, during which the authorities significantly considered the proposals made by various members of the specially constituted committee.
Another major in the proposed changes includes turning the CUET 2025 exam completely online and also providing the students with the opportunity to choose any subject irrespective of their previous academic background. That will ensure the elimination of rigidness and allow students to explore the subjects that they weren't allowed to study up until the 12th grade. That will break down the barrier of rigid disciplinary boundaries in higher education.
CUET 2025 exam to be conducted in CBT mode
UGC Chief M Jagadesh Kumar told PTI, "The CUET UG 2025 and PG 2025 exam will only be conducted in CBT (computer-based test) mode from 2025, unlike the hybrid mode that was being implemented previously. Candidates will also be given the freedom to choose the subjects of their choice in CUET UG. They can opt for subjects that they have not studied in Class 12 to allow them to cross over the rigid inter-disciplinary boundaries in higher education."
Students can appear in a maximum of 5 subjects, unlike 6 previously
Along with the flexibility of choosing subjects, the UGC and NTA have also proposed that the candidates will be allowed to appear for the CUET UG exam in a maximum of 5 subjects. Previously, the candidates were allowed to appear for the CUET UG exam in a maximum of 6 subjects.
The number of subjects to reduce from 63 to 37 in CUET UG
The number of subjects has also been reduced from 63 to 37. "We have also decided to reduce the total number of subjects from 63 to 37. Furthermore, the admissions for dropped subjects will be conducted on the basis of the student's score in the General Aptitude Test (GAT)."
Furthermore, previously, the CUET UG exam used to have 33 tests for separate languages. This number is expected to reduce significantly to 13 in the upcoming academic year of 2025. The 13 languages will include Assamese, Bengali, English, Odia, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Furthermore, the original number of domain-specific subjects was 29, which has been reduced to 23 for the upcoming academic year of 2025. The domain-specific subjects primarily include Entrepreneurship, Teaching Aptitude, Fashion Studies, Tourism, Legal Studies, and Engineering Studies.
CUET UG to have a standardized duration of 60 minutes
The timings of the exams are also expected to change, effective from the upcoming academic years. Previously, the CUET UG examination was conducted in three separate shifts: 9 am to 11 am, 12.30 pm to 2 pm, and 4 pm and 5.30 pm.
This year, the plan is to have a standardized duration of 60 minutes for all the subject papers. Furthermore, the concept of optional questions has also been removed.
M Jagadesh told PTI, "Earlier, the exam duration was between 4 minutes and 60 minutes, and it depended upon the subject. Now, the exam duration has been changed to a standardized 60 minutes. The concept of optional questions in the exam has also been eliminated, and all the questions will be compulsory from now on."
Negative Markings, No Optional Questions: More Changes in CUET UG
There will be negative markings for incorrect answers in the CUET UG examination. The difficulty level of the questions will be based on the NCERT examinations.
The reason behind removing the concept of optional questions is that they make students answer differently and also affect the difficulty level of the CUET examination. Kumar said, "When some questions are optional, students may answer them differently, and the difficulty level of the exam also changes."
Changes are introduced after taking feedback from the previous year's aspiring students.
All the proposed changes have been decided upon after carefully interviewing and gaining feedback from various degree college students who already cleared the CUET UG 2024. This majorly focused on discussing probable changes that could be implemented in the pattern of the upcoming CUET UG exams.
Kumar said, "Based on the feedback from previous years, it is also of utmost importance to improve the examination process to provide a better, more efficient, and conducive environment for aspiring students appearing for CUET. Keeping this in mind, the UGC has constituted an expert committee to review the conduct of CUET UG and CUET PG for 2025."
He furthermore said, "We are trying to improve the CUET UG examination every year after learning from the experience. We strive to make the CUET UG examination more conducive and smooth for all the candidates. The approved changes will soon be released in the public domain for feedback from stakeholders, and ultimately, a notification will be issued taking the feedback into account."
CUET UG 2025 Subjects
The CUET UG 2025 examination will be held for the following subjects in the upcoming academic year of 2025:
