NTA to consider holding CUET twice a year from next session: UGC chairperson

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions in undergraduate courses at 45 central universities, will consider conducting the exams twice a year from the next session, University Grants Commission (UGC) chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said on March 29.

CUET will not just be limited to admissions in central universities as several prominent private universities have indicated that they would like to come on board for using the scores from the common entrance exam for undergraduate admissions, the UGC chief said a day after at least eight deemed varsities expressed their desire to admit students to selected courses through CUET.

"To begin with, CUET will be conducted once this year but NTA will consider conducting the exam at least twice a year from the next session. The entrance exam will not just be limited to central universities but also private varsities. Several prominent private universities have indicated that they would like to come on board and admit students through CUET," Kumar said.

CUET will not give a push to a culture of private coaching, Kumar said, asserting that students from state boards will not be at a position of disadvantage in the undergraduate admissions process.

"Eight deemed-to-be universities including the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Jamia Hamdard have also expressed a desire to use CUET scores to admit students to undergraduate courses. I held a meeting yesterday (March 28) with vice-chancellors and directors of these eight deemed universities which receive maintenance grants from UGC," Kumar said.

Kumar had last week announced that CUET scores, and not Class-XII scores, will be mandatory for admission to 45 central universities and the central universities can fix their minimum eligibility criteria.

Asked whether the exam will encourage private coaching for undergraduate admissions, Kumar said, the exam will simply not require any coaching so there is no question of it giving push to a coaching culture. The exam will be completely based on Class-XII syllabus, he said.

“A lot of students are getting concerned whether the exam will also have questions from Class-XI syllabus. The answer is a clear no. There will be no disadvantage to state board students and the exam will also provide a level playing field to students from all boards," Kumar added.