CUET UG 2026 Exam Postponed: May 28 Exam Cancelled — New Dates, Reason and What You Must Do Now

If you had your CUET UG 2026 exam on May 28 — stop everything and read this right now. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially cancelled both shifts of the CUET UG 2026 examination that was scheduled for May 28, 2026. And honestly? The reason behind it is something most students never saw coming. Right here on EduDock, we have broken down everything you need — why it happened, exactly who is affected, a step-by-step action plan, and a complete deep-dive into CUET UG 2026 so you are walking into that rescheduled exam fully armed and confident.

And here is the part everyone is missing: CUET 2026 itself has undergone some sweeping structural changes this year — changes that could completely affect your subject strategy, your admit card, and your university eligibility. Let us get into all of it!

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Table of Contents

• What Happened: The May 28 Postponement Explained
• Key Dates at a Glance
• Which Candidates Are Affected
• What Affected Candidates Must Do Now
• CUET UG 2026 Complete Overview
• Major New Changes in CUET UG 2026
• CUET UG 2026 Exam Pattern
• Application Fee Structure
• Eligibility Criteria
• Top Participating Universities and Expected Cutoffs
• How to Check Your Rescheduled Exam Date
• Frequently Asked Questions
• About This Article

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What Happened the May 28 Postponement Explained

Here is the full story, told clearly.

Every year, the exact calendar date of Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) — a major Islamic public holiday — is determined by moon sighting, not a fixed date on the calendar. The Government of India confirms the official holiday date through the Department of Personnel and Training, commonly known as DoPT.

This year, the Centre issued an official office memorandum dated 22 May 2026 revising the national public holiday for Bakrid to 28 May 2026. Because conducting a high-stakes national entrance examination — one involving over 15 lakh students across hundreds of cities — on a declared central government holiday would create enormous logistical, legal, and administrative complications, the NTA acted swiftly and decisively.

On 24 May 2026, the NTA posted an official public notice on its website and social media confirming the postponement. The agency's official statement read: the CUET UG 2026 examinations scheduled to be held on 28 May 2026 in both shifts stand postponed, in view of the change in the date of the Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) holiday as per the Government of India notification. The NTA further stated that revised examination dates for the affected candidates would be announced shortly.

There is one more development worth noting: separately from the Bakrid postponement, the NTA official portal also issued a notice rescheduling exams for a smaller group of candidates affected by a technical glitch during Shift 1 on 30 May 2026. Fresh admit cards for those candidates have been issued separately. So if you were impacted by the May 30 technical issue, also watch your inbox carefully.

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Key Dates at a Glance

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Which Candidates Are Affected

This is critically important to understand clearly. Not all 15.68 lakh CUET UG 2026 candidates are affected. The postponement is very specifically scoped.

Affected candidates are only those who were scheduled to appear in CUET UG 2026 on 28 May 2026, in either Shift 1 (morning session: 9 AM to 12 PM) or Shift 2 (afternoon session: 3 PM to 6 PM).

Key clarifications:

• Candidates with exam dates on any date other than May 28 are completely unaffected and must appear as per their original schedule.
• The entire CUET UG 2026 exam window from May 11 to May 31 continues normally for all other dates.
• Only the May 28 slots across both shifts stand cancelled and will be rescheduled.
• Your original May 28 admit card is now invalid. A brand new hall ticket will be issued by NTA once the rescheduled date is confirmed.
• No re-registration is required — your application and all submitted details remain intact.

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What Affected Candidates Must Do Now

If your exam was scheduled on May 28, here is your clear and complete action plan, broken down step by step.

Step 1 — Stay calm and do not panic. Your application is absolutely safe. NTA has confirmed that no candidate needs to re-register or pay any additional fee. The postponement is administrative, not a reflection of any problem with your application.

Step 2 — Bookmark the official CUET UG 2026 website right now. The link is cuet.nta.nic.in. This is the single most reliable source for the rescheduled date announcement. Do not rely on third-party WhatsApp forwards or unverified social media posts.

Step 3 — Check your registered email ID and mobile number regularly. NTA will send official communication via SMS and email once the revised date is announced. Make sure to check your spam or junk folder as well, since NTA emails sometimes get filtered.

Step 4 — Once the new date is announced, log in to cuet.nta.nic.in immediately and download your fresh admit card. Verify every detail on it — exam date, shift timing, exam centre address, and the subject(s) you are appearing for. Your old May 28 hall ticket must not be carried to the exam centre.

Step 5 — Use the bonus time strategically. Go back to your NCERT Class 12 textbooks for your domain subject(s). Attempt at least two full-length mock tests per subject using the new 2026 exam pattern. Review the marking scheme (+5 for correct, -1 for incorrect) and practice time management for the 60-minute per-subject format.

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CUET UG 2026 Complete Overview

The Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET UG) is India's single largest window for undergraduate university admissions. Introduced in 2022 by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), CUET replaced dozens of individual university entrance tests, giving students across all boards and backgrounds a level playing field to compete for seats in 240+ prestigious institutions through a single standardised exam.

Of the 15,68,866 registered candidates, NTA confirmed that 96.6% were successfully allotted exam cities within their stated preferences, with 79% getting their first choice of city. That is an impressive logistical feat for an exam of this unprecedented scale.

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Major New Changes in CUET UG 2026

This is the section every student and parent needs to read carefully, because CUET 2026 is not the same exam it was in 2024 or 2025. The UGC and NTA have introduced several significant changes, some of which are genuinely game-changing for your preparation strategy.

Change 1 — No Subject Restrictions (The Biggest Change)

This is massive. For the first time, students can choose ANY subject for CUET UG 2026, completely regardless of what subjects they studied in Class 12. Previously, you were effectively restricted to subjects from your own stream. Now, a Science student can attempt History or Accountancy if a particular university's course requires it. This opens up a world of flexibility and cross-stream university applications.

Change 2 — Domain Subjects Reduced from 27 to 23

The UGC has discontinued several domain subjects for CUET UG 2026. Subjects like Entrepreneurship, Teaching Aptitude, Legal Studies, Fashion Studies, Tourism, Engineering Graphics, and Performing Arts have been removed from the domain subject list. Admissions to courses previously linked with these subjects will now be based on the General Aptitude Test score instead.

Change 3 — CBT Mode Only, No Hybrid

CUET UG 2026 will be conducted exclusively in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across all exam centres. The hybrid pen-and-paper option that was available in certain previous years has been fully discontinued.

Change 4 — No Optional Questions

The option for candidates to choose which questions to attempt within a section has been removed. Every candidate will now answer the same fixed set of questions, ensuring complete uniformity in evaluation across all test-takers.

Change 5 — Fixed 60-Minute Duration Per Subject

Each subject paper now carries a standardised, fixed duration of exactly 60 minutes. There are no more varied timings across different subject papers.

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CUET UG 2026 Exam Pattern

Understanding the exam structure is non-negotiable for effective preparation. The CUET UG 2026 exam is divided into three sections.

Additional Pattern Details:

• Maximum subjects a candidate can select: 5 total (from any combination of the three sections)
• Questions per subject paper: 50 MCQ questions
• Marking scheme: +5 marks for each correct answer, -1 mark for each incorrect answer
• If a question is officially dropped or all options are correct, full marks are awarded to all candidates who attempted it
• Syllabus base: NCERT Class 12 curriculum for all domain subjects
• The General Test covers general knowledge, current affairs, numerical ability, quantitative reasoning, logical reasoning, and language comprehension

The language section allows candidates to demonstrate proficiency in the language medium of their choice. Universities specify which language paper(s) they require as part of their admission criteria, so always check your target university's requirements carefully.

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Application Fee Structure

The registration window for CUET UG 2026 has already closed (it ran from 3 January 2026 to 4 February 2026, with a reopened window until 26 February 2026). This fee table is provided for complete reference and for future applicants planning ahead.

Payment was accepted exclusively online through UPI, Debit Card, Credit Card, and Net Banking. Note that processing charges and GST (as applicable) are charged additionally by the concerned bank or payment gateway. Applications without successful fee payment are not considered valid by NTA.

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Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification:

• Candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board such as CBSE, ICSE, any State Board, NIOS, or an equivalent recognised body.
• Students currently appearing in their Class 12 examinations in 2026 are also eligible to apply and appear for CUET UG, but they must pass Class 12 before their admission is finalised by the university.

Age Limit:

• There is no upper age limit set by NTA for appearing in CUET UG 2026.
• However, individual universities may have course-specific age restrictions. Always check the target university's official admission policy.

Nationality:

• Indian nationals are eligible.
• Foreign nationals, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) are also eligible as per NTA guidelines.

Minimum Marks (University-Specific — Not NTA's Rule):

• Most central universities require approximately 45-50% marks in Class 12 for General category candidates.
• SC/ST/OBC candidates typically receive a 5% relaxation on this minimum marks requirement.
• Appearing in CUET UG or even scoring well does not automatically guarantee admission. Universities independently set their own merit-based cutoffs.

Reservation Norms (as per Government of India):

• OBC-NCL: 27% reservation
• SC: 15% reservation
• ST: 7.5% reservation
• EWS: 10% reservation
• PwD (persons with benchmark disability): 5% horizontal reservation

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Top Participating Universities and Expected Cutoffs

Over 240 universities across India accept CUET UG 2026 scores for undergraduate admissions. This includes Central Universities (mandatory), State Universities, Deemed Universities, and select Private Universities. Some of the most prominent names include the University of Delhi (DU) and all its 90+ affiliated colleges, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), University of Hyderabad, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Punjab, Central University of Karnataka, and many more.

University of Delhi remains the single most sought-after destination for CUET UG aspirants. Admission to every DU undergraduate course, across all 90+ colleges, is strictly based on CUET scores with no weightage given to Class 12 board marks.

Expected CUET UG 2026 Cutoffs (Subject-Level, General Category):

Note: These are expected estimates based on previous year trends and registration volume. Official cutoffs are released by each university after CUET UG 2026 results are declared. High-demand courses like B.Com (Hons.), Economics, BBA, Computer Science, and Psychology consistently see the steepest cutoffs year on year.

For a 99+ percentile in the General Test specifically, candidates typically need to score above 230 marks out of 250.

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How to Check Your Rescheduled Exam Date

Once NTA officially announces the new date for the postponed May 28 exam, here is the complete step-by-step process to access your rescheduled details and download your fresh admit card.

Step 1: Open any browser on your phone or computer and navigate to the official CUET UG website: cuet.nta.nic.in

Step 2: On the homepage, look for the notification link titled "Rescheduled Exam Date for May 28 Candidates" or "Fresh Admit Card Download." NTA prominently displays all active notices on its homepage.

Step 3: Click the admit card download link and log in using your CUET UG 2026 Application Number along with your Date of Birth or registered password.

Step 4: Download the new admit card as a PDF. Cross-check every single detail — the new exam date, the shift timing, the exam centre name and full address, and the subject name(s) you are appearing for. If any detail appears incorrect, contact NTA immediately through the official helpdesk.

Step 5: Take a clear printout of the admit card (black and white print is acceptable) and carry it to the exam centre along with a valid, original government-issued photo ID document — Aadhaar card, PAN card, Voter ID, Passport, or Driving Licence. Both documents are mandatory for entry.

Important tip: NTA sends SMS alerts and emails to your registered mobile number and email ID simultaneously whenever a major notice is issued. Make sure your phone number and email are active. Check your spam and junk folders regularly, as NTA official emails sometimes land there. Historically, NTA has rescheduled postponed exam slots within one to two weeks of announcement, so the new date should come soon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the CUET UG 2026 May 28 exam postponed?

The National Testing Agency postponed the CUET UG 2026 exam scheduled on May 28 because the Government of India issued a revised notification through the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on May 22, 2026, changing the national public holiday for Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) to May 28, 2026. Conducting a national-level examination on a declared central government public holiday is administratively not feasible, which led to the NTA's swift decision to reschedule.

What is the new date for the postponed May 28 CUET UG 2026 exam?

As of May 31, 2026, NTA has not yet announced the specific new date. The agency has officially stated that revised examination dates will be announced shortly. Based on NTA's historical pattern with similar reschedules, the new date is expected to be notified within one to two weeks. Candidates must keep monitoring cuet.nta.nic.in as well as their registered email ID and mobile number for the official announcement.

Do I need to re-register or pay any additional fee for the rescheduled exam?

Absolutely not. No re-registration is needed and no additional fee payment is required. Your application remains fully valid. NTA will issue a brand new admit card for the rescheduled date automatically. You only need to download the new hall ticket from cuet.nta.nic.in once it is released.

Are all CUET UG 2026 exam dates affected by this postponement?

No. This postponement is strictly limited to the exams scheduled on May 28, 2026 (both Shift 1 and Shift 2). All other exam dates within the May 11 to May 31, 2026 examination window have continued and are proceeding as originally planned. If your exam date was any day other than May 28, you are completely unaffected.

How many universities accept CUET UG 2026 scores, and which are the top ones?

Over 240 universities across India accept CUET UG 2026 scores for undergraduate admission. These include all Central Universities (where CUET is mandatory), many State Universities, Deemed Universities, and select Private Universities. The most sought-after institutions include the University of Delhi (DU), JNU, BHU, AMU, Hyderabad University, and Jamia Millia Islamia, among many others. Candidates should always verify the specific subject requirements and eligibility criteria of their target universities on those universities' official websites.

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About This Article

Sources Consulted: NTA Official CUET Portal (cuet.nta.nic.in), DoPT Office Memorandum dated May 22, 2026, Outlook India, PW.live, Careers360, Vedantu, CollegeDunia, Testbook, Shiksha, and SciAstra.

Last Updated: 31 May 2026

Fact Checked by: EduDock Editorial Team

EduDock is committed to providing fully accurate, rigorously verified, and timely information on Indian competitive exams, government jobs, scholarships, and educational updates. Every data point in this article has been cross-verified against official NTA notifications and multiple trusted educational portals before publication. If you spot any discrepancy or have a question, drop it in the comments below and our team will respond promptly.