New Delhi: Nearly 14 lakh applications have been received for the Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG) this year. There has been an increase of 41 per cent in the number of applications in comparison the debut edition last year, UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said Tuesday.
CUET-UG remains the second largest entrance exam in India in terms of applicants. In the debut edition of CUET-UG, 12.50 lakh students registered themselves and 9.9 lakh of them submitted their applications.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) for medical admissions is the largest entrance test in India with an average of 18 lakh registrations.
“In 2023 CUET-UG, a total of 16.85 lakh students registered (themselves). Out of 16.85 lakh, 13.95 lakh paid the application fee and submitted the application form – an increase of 4 lakh students (from last year). In 2023, there is a 41 per cent increase in the total number of students who will sit for CUET-UG,” Kumar said.
The maximum number of applications for CUET-UG has been received for Delhi University. It is followed by Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Among the applicants, the maximum are from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi and Bihar.
“We have also seen an increase in the number of participating universities. In 2022, it was 90, but in 2023 it rose to 242. This significant rise indicates that CUET-UG is becoming a popular option for admissions in undergraduate programmes,” Kumar informed.
Also read: Over 200 universities on board for CUET-UG, up from 90 last year: UGC
There is a considerable jump in the number of applicants from Jammu and Kashmir. “In 2022, a total of 13,021 students took CUET-UG from this region. But in 2023, this number is 82,655 representing an increase of 6.3 times,” Kumar stated.
“Last year students from 59 countries submitted their applications for CUET-UG. In 2023, this number increased to 74 countries with 1,000 students spread across Europe, Asia, America, and Gulf countries,” added Kumar.
From the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, the number of students who will take CUET-UG has increased by 31 per cent as compared to 2022. While 59,208 students from these states took CUET-UG in 2022, it is 77,365 in 2023.
The last date for applications for CUET-UG was March 30 and the exam is scheduled to be conducted from May 21-31. In a deviation from the usual pattern, the exam will be conducted in three shifts this year.
Of 13.99 lakh students who will sit for CUET-UG this year, 6.51 lakh are girls and 7.48 lakh boys. Last year, of the 9.90 lakh students who submitted applications for CUET-UG, 4.34 lakh were girls and 5.56 lakh boys.
The debut edition of the CUET-UG was conducted in July last year and was marred by glitches, prompting the National Testing Agency (NTA) to cancel the exam at multiple centres. While several students were informed about cancellation a night before the exam, many of them were turned away from centres.
