What changes in CUET 2025? no optional questions, fewer subjects

NEW DELHI: The University Grant Commission has announced a number of changes in Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG. Following a meeting on November 13, 2024, the committee outlined the changes in the CUET 2025 exam. The changes in CUET 2025 are in terms of exam mode, number of subjects, exam duration, and others.

The CUET 2025 exam date is yet to be announced by NTA. The CUET UG 2024 exam was conducted between May 15 and 18 in pen and paper mode and between May 21 and 24 in online mode. CUET exam date 2025 will be announced at nta.ac.in. CUET 2025 registrations will commence tentatively in the last week of February 2025.

Changes in CUET 2025

The following changes has been introduced in CUET 2025.

CUET UG 2025: Back to online mode

Firstly, the CUET 2025 exam will be conducted in online mode entirely, unlike hybrid mode which was observed last year. This decision has been taken to avoid paper leaks and operational challenges.

UGC Chairman, Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, earlier told PTI, "The exam will be conducted only in CBT mode from 2025 unlike hybrid mode last year. We have also reduced the number of subjects from 63 to 37 and admissions for the dropped subjects will be conducted on the basis of scores of the General Aptitude Test (GAT)."

CUET 2025 Changes: Flexibility in choice of subjects

In CUET UG 2025, students are now allowed to take the exam in any subject, regardless of the subjects they studied in their Class 12 exams. This decision broadens the scope for students, offering them more flexibility in choosing subjects that align with their interests. Earlier, candidates were required to select subjects based on the subjects they had studied in school.

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CUET UG 2025 Changes: Reduction in number of subjects

As per the latest changes in CUET UG 2025, the number of subjects offered has been reduced from 63 to 37. This aims to make the exam more focused and manageable for both students and the exam authorities. Some of the subjects that have been removed from the list include entrepreneurship, teaching aptitude, and legal studies, which were part of CUET UG 2024.

CUET 2025 Changes: No optional questions

Another major change in CUET 2025 is the removal of optional questions. In CUET UG 2025, candidates will not be able to select questions as per their convenience. Candidates will now be required to answer a total of 50 compulsory questions in CUET 2025.

CUET UG 2025: Selection of subjects

Earlier, students had the option to select six subjects from a wide range of available options. IN CUET UG 2025, candidates are restricted to choosing only five subjects. This reduction in the number of subjects aims to streamline the exam process and ensure that students focus on a manageable number of subjects.

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CUET 2025 Changes: Standard exam duration

The CUET 2025 exam duration has been changed to 60 minutes (1 hour) for all subjects. Previously, different subjects had varying time limit depending on their complexity and the number of questions. However, with the change in CUET 2025 exam duration, every subject will have the same time limit, ensuring consistency across the exam.

CUET UG 2025: Language-specific papers

The language-specific papers for 13 languages (English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu) will continue as per CUET UG 2024 to assess proficiency. For all other languages, including foreign languages (20 as per CUET UG 2024), admissions will be based on performance in the General Aptitude Test.