CUET 2026 Preparation Guide
Prepare for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) 2026 with our comprehensive guide, including Exam
Pattern, Marking Scheme, Preparation Tips, and Subject-Wise Reference Books.
CUET 2026 UG Exam Pattern
After having a better understanding of the CUET Syllabus 2026, the candidate must check out the CUET Exam Pattern 2026. NTA has divided the CUET 2026 Exam into three sections, and each section comprises 50 questions.
| Section | Number of Questions per Section | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Section I: Language | 50 | 60 minutes or 1 hour |
| Section II: Domain-Specific | 50 | |
| Section III: General Test | 50 |
CUET Marking Scheme 2026
The candidate must take care of the CUET Marking Scheme 2026 that is prescribed by the NTA. There will be negative marking for incorrect answers. Read more about the CUET Marking Scheme 2026 below:
- For each correct answer, +5 marks will be awarded.
- For each incorrect answer, a penalty of 1 mark will be imposed.
- For unanswered/marked for review questions, zero marks will be given.
- If more than one option is correct, +5 marks will be awarded to those who attempt the question.
- If all options are correct, then +5 marks will be awarded to those candidates who attempt the question.
- If no options are found to be correct or the question is wrong or dropped, the candidate who will attempt the question will be awarded +5 marks.
CUET UG 2026 Preparation Tips
The candidate must follow the steps mentioned below to start their preparation for the CUET 2026 Exam:
- Before starting the preparation, candidates must analyse the CUET 2026 Syllabus, Exam Pattern, and Marking Scheme carefully.
- The candidate must approach their Class 12th NCERT notes first, rather than running behind reference books.
- After making a strong base, the candidate can refer to other books. The reference books are provided in the section below.
- Next, candidates can start practising daily by solving previous year question papers and sample questions.
- The candidates are advised to start their preparation section-wise. The CUET 2026 Exam consists of three sections, i.e., Languages, Domain-Specific Subjects, and a General Test.
- The Language Section comprises reading comprehension that will be based on the factual, narrative, literary and verbal ability. So, the candidates are advised to solve the reading comprehension-based questions as much as they can.
- For the General Test, the candidate must read newspapers and news to keep themselves updated.
CUET Preparation 2026 Subject-Wise Preparation Tips
The CUET 2025 is required for admission to various undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including Science, Humanities, Arts, Commerce, and Engineering. Given below are the preparation tips for each subject:
| Subjects | Preparation Tips |
|---|---|
| Accountancy/Bookkeeping | Solving numerical problems, making notes using NCERT textbooks, focusing on Computerised Accounting System, DBMS, and Electronic Spreadsheet Application |
| Agriculture | Staying updated with current news related to agriculture, practising questions from sample papers |
| Anthropology | Reading and understanding each chapter, focusing on areas like Evolutionary Biology, Cultural Theories, etc. |
| Biology | Practising flowcharts and illustrations, reading NCERT textbooks, making notes and drawing diagrams |
| Business Studies | Solving numerical problems related to national income auditing, fiscal policy impacts, etc., solving mock tests and previous years’ questions |
| Geography/ Geology | Studying different maps, diagrams, and graphical representations, and staying updated with current affairs |
| History | Understanding the context of historical events, memorising dates, and taking detailed notes while studying |
| Mathematics | Solving mathematical problems, practising rigorously, and memorising the formulas |
| Physical Education | Studying all the topics thoroughly and solving mock tests |
| Physics | Working on problem-solving skills, understanding the ‘why’ behind concepts, and regularly taking mock tests |
| Political Science | Evaluating political theories, watching documentaries, reading academic articles, and practising questions from sample papers |
| Psychology | Reading case studies and real-life examples, focusing on understanding concepts, and revising regularly |
| Sociology | Understanding sociological concepts, studying real-life case studies, and attempting questions from the sample papers |
CUET Subject-Wise Reference Books 2026
Participating candidates of the CUET 2026 Exam need to prepare for the exam from reference books as well. Here is the list of some of the best reference books, subject-wise:
| Subject | Book | Author |
|---|---|---|
| English | Objective General English | S P Bakshi |
| English Grammar in Use | Raymond Murphy | |
| Word Power Made Easy | Norman Lewis | |
| Competitive English Grammar & Composition | Arihant | |
| Physics | Oswal’s Topper Handbook | - |
| Fundamental Physics | Pradeep | |
| Concepts of Physics | H C Verma | |
| Objective Physics | D C Pandey | |
| Problem in General Physics | IE Irodov | |
| Chemistry | Organic Chemistry Objective | Arihant |
| Handbook of Chemistry | Arihant | |
| Chemistry for Competitive Exams | Shriniwas Gurjar | |
| Modern’s ABC of Chemistry | - | |
| Biology | Objective Biology | Ansari |
| Objective Biology | Dinesh | |
| Biology | GR Bathla Publications | |
| Biology | S C Verma | |
| Mathematics | Handbook of Mathematics | Arihant |
| Complete Mathematics | Lucent’s Publication | |
| Senior Secondary School Mathematics Class 12 | R.S. Aggarwal | |
| History | India’s Ancient Past | R.S. Sharma |
| CUET UG History Guide | Arihant | |
| CUET History Practice Paper | GKP | |
| Geography | Geography: A Comprehensive Study Guide | Mahesh Kumar Barnwal |
| India and World Geography | R.C. Mukherjee | |
| Go To Guide For CUET Geography/Geology | Disha Publication | |
| Accountancy | Accountancy | TS Grewal |
| NTA CUET Commerce Practice Paper | AV Publication | |
| Oswal NTA CUET Sample Papers | - | |
| Economy | CUET Economics | Arihant |
| Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh | |
| CUET Business Economics | Arihant | |
| Go To Guide For CUET UG Economics | Disha Economics |