NTA weighs CUET UG overhaul: one exam day per student, shorter papers, fewer subjects
The National Testing Agency is preparing changes to the CUET UG pattern so that students sit all their papers on a single day, with shorter papers and possibly fewer subjects.
Major changes are likely in the next CUET UG examination process. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is preparing to alter the current pattern to make the exam simpler and less time-consuming. The proposal could spare students the trouble of travelling repeatedly to the examination centre.
Under the present system, students have to take their papers on different days depending on the subjects they choose. Those who choose the maximum of five subjects have to go to the centre two or three times. This adds to travel costs, time and the rush.
Under the proposed changes, the plan is to complete each student's entire exam on a single day. Although the CUET exam window runs for 12 to 15 days, each student could be given a slot to take the exam on one day within that period. In other words, even if the exam spans 12 to 15 days, a student would have to give only one of those days.
A change in paper duration has also been suggested. In the current CUET UG pattern, 60 minutes are fixed for each subject paper. The new proposal considers cutting this to about 40 to 45 minutes. A shorter duration will also affect the number of questions. At present there are 50 questions in a subject, and this could come down to 35 to 40 in the new pattern. The exam would thus be shorter, but students would have to solve questions more accurately in less time.
The number of subjects is also being reconsidered. At present, students can choose a maximum of five subjects in CUET UG. The number of subjects is being restructured in the new pattern. At the level of the UGC and the NTA, the possibility of reducing this maximum from five to four is being examined. If the five-subject option stays and each paper is 40 minutes, students could finish their exam in about 200 minutes (3 hours 20 minutes). With four subjects, this would come down to about 160 minutes.
The changes will not be limited to UG. For CUET PG as well, a plan to drop subjects that receive few applications from the exam is under consideration. For courses that receive very few applications compared with the available seats, the option of granting admission on merit, instead of holding an entrance test, may be adopted.
