CUET 2026 runs from May 11 to May 31, 2026. With over 25 lakh registrations and more than 260 colleges accepting a single CUET score — including every Central University in India — your college strategy begins the moment you know the expected cutoffs. That's exactly what this guide is built for.
Whether you're aiming for SRCC's coveted B.Com Hons (2025 closing score: 917), a BA Economics seat at Hindu College or Miranda House, a BSc Physics programme at top DU colleges, or exploring options at BHU, JNU, and Jamia Millia Islamia — this complete, college-wise and course-wise CUET 2026 cutoff guide has everything you need.
This post covers: DU North Campus elite colleges (SRCC, Hindu, St. Stephen's, Miranda House, LSR), DU South & off-campus colleges, 8 other central universities (BHU, JNU, Jamia, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Punjab, AUD), a score-to-college mapping guide, category-wise relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/EWS, a step-by-step DU CSAS strategy, and a curated list of good colleges for CUET scores under 600.
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET UG) 2026 is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) and serves as the single gateway to undergraduate admissions at all 45 Central Universities and 200+ other participating institutions. Understanding how CUET works is essential before interpreting any cutoff data.
Here's the complete timeline for CUET 2026 — from registration to final college reporting:
| Section | Content | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section IA — Language | Reading comprehension in chosen language (13 options) | 50 (attempt 40) | 200 |
| Section II — Domain Subjects | Subject-specific MCQs (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, History, Economics, etc.) | 50 (attempt 40) | 200 per subject |
| Section III — General Test | General knowledge, current affairs, logical reasoning, numerical ability | 75 (attempt 60) | 300 |
| Marking: +5 for correct | −1 for incorrect | 0 for unattempted. Scores are normalised across exam slots. | |||
DU has over 90 colleges accepting CUET. Merit for each college programme is calculated based on your best CUET subject score combination relevant to that course. Class 12 board marks are NOT used in DU CSAS merit calculation — only CUET scores matter.
This is the most searched section for CUET 2026 — specific college and course combinations. Delhi University's North Campus houses some of India's most competitive undergraduate programmes. Cutoffs below are for the General (Unreserved) category. Scores are out of 800 for domain subjects; DU calculates merit across the best subject combination for each programme.
| College | BA Eco. Hons | BA Eng. Hons | BA Pol. Sci. Hons | BSc Physics | BSc Maths |
|---|
⚠️ Accuracy note: All figures are verified against actual 2025 CSAS Round 1 closing scores where available (sourced: DU CSAS portal, Careers360, Shiksha — April 2026). Arts/Humanities scores out of 1,000 (4-subject combination). Science scores marked * are out of 750 (3-subject combination). "—" = not offered or unavailable. 2026 figures are expected projections — official cutoffs release July 2026 via DU CSAS.
SRCC does not offer BA courses, only B.Com (Hons) and BA (Hons) Economics — both with cutoffs in the 930–960 range. St. Stephen's College conducts an additional interview/GD round, so its CUET cutoff is the qualifying threshold rather than the sole admission criterion.
For other popular courses not listed above — BA History Hons at Miranda House expected at 820–850, BA Sociology at Lady Shri Ram expected at 830–860, and BA Psychology at Gargi expected at 780–810. Check individual college CSAS preference lists for comprehensive programme-wise cutoffs.
Beyond the North Campus elite, Delhi University has over 70 more colleges — and beyond DU, CUET is accepted by BHU Varanasi, JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, University of Allahabad, Central University of Hyderabad, Pondicherry University, and many more. One CUET score unlocks all of them.
| College | BA Hons (Arts) Range | BSc Hons (Science) Range | Category | Campus |
|---|
* Category refers to gender-specific admissions (Women's colleges admit only female students).
| University | State | Arts Cutoff (Gen.) | Science Cutoff (Gen.) | Popular Course |
|---|
* All figures are expected ranges for General category. These universities use their own merit lists based on CUET scores. AUD does not offer science programmes via CUET (shown as —).
Not sure which college to aim for based on your expected CUET 2026 score? Use this quick score-to-college mapping guide. Scores are out of 800 for domain subjects (or 1,000 if you include Language + General Test). Share this with your CUET study group — it's designed to be screenshot-friendly.
CUET UG 2026 itself does not have category-specific cutoffs — NTA scores every student on the same normalised scale. However, each participating university applies its own reservation policy during seat allotment. Delhi University, being a Central University, follows the Central Government reservation policy.
This means DU reserves: 27% for OBC-NCL, 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 10% for EWS, and 5% horizontal reservation for PwD across all categories. The practical effect is a significant reduction in the effective cutoff for reserved categories.
| Category | Seats Reserved (%) | Expected CUET Score Range | Approx. Relaxation vs. General |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | — | 930–952 | — |
| EWS | 10% | 875–900 | ~45–60 marks |
| OBC-NCL | 27% | 850–880 | ~60–90 marks |
| SC | 15% | 740–780 | ~150–200 marks |
| ST | 7.5% | 700–740 | ~200–240 marks |
| PwD (Horizontal) | 5% across categories | 720–760 (Gen-PwD) | ~180–220 marks |
* Category relaxation varies by college and course. These are estimates for one of DU's most competitive BA Hons programmes.
DU's Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) is the centralised admission portal that converts your CUET score into an actual college seat. Understanding CSAS is as important as knowing the cutoffs themselves — filling your preference list strategically can mean the difference between your 1st and 5th choice college.
DU typically releases 3 rounds of seat allotment: Round 1 has the highest cutoffs as the most competitive students secure their preferred seats. Cutoffs drop slightly in Round 2 as those students exit the pool. The Mop-Up Round has the lowest cutoffs but the fewest remaining seats. Key principle: if Round 1 allots you your 5th preference, do not withdraw — stay in the pool and participate in Round 2 for a possible upgrade to your 1st or 2nd preference.
Not everyone scores 850+, and that is completely fine. Excellent higher education exists across the entire CUET score spectrum. A mid-tier Central University with a great faculty often provides better academic experience than a bottom-tier DU college with a premier name. If your expected CUET score is in the 400–600 range, here are genuinely good options to consider.
Below are the 8 most commonly asked questions about CUET 2026 cutoffs, answered with current data and expert guidance from Success Masters Academy's admission counsellors.
The CUET 2026 cutoff data above gives you the clearest possible picture of what scores are needed — but data alone doesn't get you admission. Strategy does. Here's how to use this guide effectively:
Step 1 — Know your score range. Based on your CUET mock test performance, estimate your expected score range and use our Score Guide above to identify your realistic college tier. Step 2 — Apply wide. With one CUET score, apply to 8–10 universities — DU CSAS, BHU, JMI, JNU, Allahabad, Pondicherry, and your home state central university. Application fees are modest; the cost of missing a backup is enormous. Step 3 — Check your category. Reserved category students have meaningfully more options — always apply under your correct reservation category and verify OBC-NCL status if applicable. Step 4 — Fill your preference list with 15–20 combinations in CSAS, participate in all 3 rounds, and never reject a seat without a clear upgrade path.
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