CUET PG Cutoff 2026: University Wise Cutoffs Out, Category Wise Cutoff and Merit List

The CUET PG 2026 cutoff refers to the minimum marks required for admission to postgraduate programmes at CUET PG-participating universities. The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the CUET PG 2026 result on April 24, 2026. Universities have since released their own course-wise and category-wise admission cutoffs at individual portals. You can download your scorecard from the official NTA portal at exams.nta.nic.in/cuet-pg.

CUET PG 2026 result was declared on April 24, 2026 — university-wise cutoffs and merit lists are rolling out through July–August 2026, with Pondicherry University’s final PG merit list expected in early July 2026.

Key highlights about the CUET PG 2026 cutoff:

• The CUET PG 2026 result was declared on April 24, 2026 by NTA at exams.nta.nic.in/cuet-pg.
• NTA does not release a single qualifying cutoff for CUET PG. Each of the 191 participating universities publishes its own cutoff by course and category.
• For Delhi University PG admission, the General category closing score for MA English was 261 marks out of 300 in 2025 — the most competitive CUET PG benchmark.
• A CUET PG score of 250 or above out of 300 is broadly safe for top central universities in popular PG courses for the General category.
• Around 4.11 lakh candidates registered for CUET PG 2026 across 157 subjects and 292 exam cities.
• Pondicherry University released its provisional CUET PG 2026 rank list on June 19, 2026. The final merit list is expected in early July 2026 at admissions.pondiuni.edu.in.
• The CUET PG 2026 paper had 75 questions worth 300 marks — +4 for each correct answer and –1 for each wrong answer.

CUET PG Cutoff 2026: Important Dates

The table below lists key events in the CUET PG 2026 admission cycle. Upcoming events appear first, followed by completed events in chronological order.

Factors Affecting CUET PG Cutoff 2026

The CUET PG cutoff varies across universities, courses, and categories. Several factors shape where it lands each year. Knowing these helps you gauge your admission chances more accurately.

• Total candidates per paper: More students competing for the same subject paper drives the cutoff higher. MA English, MA Economics, and MBA papers consistently attract large applicant pools.
• Available seats at each university: A university with fewer PG seats for a course will have a higher closing cutoff. DU and JNU have limited seats, making their cutoffs the highest among CUET PG universities.
• Exam difficulty: If a subject paper is tougher than previous years, average scores drop and cutoffs adjust downward. An easier paper does the opposite — it can push cutoffs up.
• Category-wise reservation: All participating universities follow government reservation norms. OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, and PwD candidates have separate cutoffs that are lower than the General category cutoff.
• University reputation and location: Premier universities in major cities attract higher-scoring applicants. This raises their cutoffs compared to newer central universities or state universities.
• Specific CUET PG paper code: Each course uses a designated paper code. Your score on that paper determines eligibility for linked courses. Cutoffs are paper-specific — not exam-wide.
• Year-on-year registration growth: Registrations grew from around 2.80 lakh in 2022 to 4.11 lakh in 2026. Higher participation each year keeps upward pressure on cutoffs.

CUET PG 2026 University-Wise Cutoff

Each CUET PG-participating university releases its own cutoff after the result. The table below shows expected CUET PG 2026 cutoff ranges (marks out of 300) for flagship PG courses at major central universities. These are based on 2025 actual admission cutoffs and 2026 applicant trends.

JNU scores above are based on JNU’s subject-specific paper. JNU uses a per-paper merit system. Confirm the paper maximum marks on JNU’s official admission portal before comparing.

Pondicherry University released its provisional CUET PG 2026 rank list on June 19, 2026. The final merit list is expected in early July 2026. Check admissions.pondiuni.edu.in for the current status.

These figures are based on 2025 actual university admission data and 2026 trend projections. Actual 2026 cutoffs may differ. Always confirm with the official admission portal of each university.

CUET PG 2026 Category-Wise and Course-Wise Cutoff

All CUET PG-participating universities follow government reservation norms. The table below shows approximate minimum marks by category to be competitive at a top central university in popular PG courses for 2026. Figures are based on 2025 admission data and expected 2026 trends.

EWS candidates generally follow the General category cutoff at most universities. PwD cutoffs are typically 15 to 30 marks below the General closing score, varying by university and course.

CUET PG Previous Year Cutoff Trends

CUET PG was introduced in 2022. The table below shows year-on-year cutoff movement for DU MA English in the General category — the most closely tracked course in CUET PG across all four cycles.

The General closing cutoff for DU MA English has risen by 26 marks over four years. It moved from 235 in 2022 to 261 in 2025. The annual rise slowed — from 11 marks in 2022-23 down to 6 marks in 2024-25. This suggests the cutoff is approaching a ceiling for this course. For 2026, expect a further shift of 2 to 6 marks. This depends on the final pool of MA English paper applicants.

BHU shows a parallel trend. Its MA English General closing cutoff rose by 25 marks over four years. The gap between DU and BHU closing cutoffs held steady at around 80 marks throughout. This reflects the persistent difference in applicant demand between the two universities.

CUET PG 2026 Tie-Breaking Rules

When two candidates score the same marks, universities use a tie-breaking order to decide who gets the seat. Most central universities follow a standard sequence.

• Fewer incorrect responses: Among candidates with equal scores, the one with fewer wrong answers gets priority. This reflects more accurate performance rather than aggressive guessing.
• Higher score in the specific subject paper: Some universities cross-check the per-paper score if candidates attempted multiple papers. The one with the higher subject-specific score ranks above.
• Age (date of birth): If scores and wrong-answer counts are equal, the older candidate gets priority. This is the most commonly cited tiebreaker in NTA-exam admission guidelines.
• Alphabetical order of name: Used as a final tiebreaker when all other criteria remain equal after comparison.

Each university may have a slightly different policy. Check the tie-breaking rule in the admission prospectus of the university you applied to. DU, JNU, and BHU each publish this in their PG admission guidelines.

CUET PG 2026: Counselling Process

CUET PG does not have a single centralised counselling like JoSAA or MCC. Each participating university runs its own admission process independently. Here is how it works at most central universities.

• Step 1 – Download your scorecard: Log in at exams.nta.nic.in/cuet-pg with your application number and date of birth. Download your scorecard. It shows your paper-wise raw score and percentile.
• Step 2 – Apply separately to each university: Register on the admission portal of every university you want to apply to. Each has its own form, application deadline, and fee. There is no combined application portal for CUET PG.
• Step 3 – University releases merit list or cutoff: After the application window closes, universities prepare a merit list for each course-category combination. DU releases round-wise cutoffs. JNU, BHU, and Pondicherry University release ranked merit lists.
• Step 4 – Document verification: If your score meets the cutoff, you are called for verification. Bring originals of your CUET PG scorecard, graduation marksheets, category certificate (if applicable), and photo ID.
• Step 5 – Pay admission fee: After verification, pay the admission fee within the deadline given by the university. Not paying on time means losing your seat to the next candidate.
• Step 6 – Subsequent rounds: If seats remain after Round 1, universities release Round 2 (and sometimes Round 3) cutoffs with adjusted scores. Some universities also hold a spot round in August for remaining vacancies.

Track each university’s schedule independently. Most publish their PG admission schedules within two to four weeks of the NTA result declaration.

How to Check CUET PG Cutoff 2026

CUET PG 2026 cutoffs are not on a single portal. You need to visit each university’s official admission website. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the official admission portal of the university you applied to — du.ac.in for DU, jnuee.jnu.ac.in for JNU, bhucuetpg.samarth.edu.in for BHU, admissions.pondiuni.edu.in for Pondicherry University.
2. Go to the "PG Admission 2026" or "Admissions" section on the homepage.
3. Look for the "Merit List 2026" or "Cutoff 2026" link for your course.
4. Download the PDF for your course and category. Most universities provide these as separate PDFs by course and category.
5. Check whether your CUET PG score for the relevant paper meets or exceeds the closing score for your course-category combination.
6. If you qualify, follow the university’s next steps — document verification date and admission fee payment — to confirm your seat.

For Pondicherry University, visit admissions.pondiuni.edu.in. Enter your mobile number or registration number to view your rank status and admission eligibility for the 2026-27 PG intake. The final merit list is expected there in early July 2026.