What 3 Years of CUET PG Registrations Data Tells Us About The Exam?

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET PG) has been a significant entry way for admission to various postgraduate courses into some of the top universities in India. Over the last few years, the quantity focused aspect has been greatly emphasised resulting in the increase of CUET PG participating universities.

Over the years, the numbers of registered vs appeared students have significantly risen, from approx 75% to 80%. Students are showing more awareness towards exam difficulty and requirements, leading to fewer casual registrations. As more premier institutes have started accepting CUET PG scores, the cost of not attending exams is much higher now. A large number of private and deemed universities have also joined the list, which allows more students to attend CUET PG exam. Read the entire article to learn more about CUET PG statistics over the years, as well as other important factors and reasons behind the change in statistics for CUET PG 2026.

CUET PG Registrations over the years

Why Participation Rates are Increasing in CUET PG

While CUET PG 2025 saw a decrease in the number of registrations as compared to previous year, the attendance percentage jumped from 75% to 80%. This clearly shows the decline in casual registrations, students who register but do not appear for the exam. As the number of CUET PG universities increase, the cost of not appearing for the exam is much higher now, meaning students will now lose access to a larger number of universities for not attending the exam. The increase in CUET PG participating universities has allowed students to choose from a wider range of options through a single window. This leads to an increase in the number of CUET PG registrations, simplifying the process for students.

CUET PG Attendance over the years

Increase of Private and Deemed Universities in CUET PG

The number of CUET PG participating universities grew from 190 in 2024 to 203 in 2026. This is happening maybe because private universities are realising it is cheaper and more efficient to use NTA’s infrastructure than to host their own entrance tests. For a student, a single application fee now covers 200+ choices, making CUET the most cost-effective pathway to post-graduation. From a students’ point of view, a single application fee now covers a large number of university opportunities, making CUET one of the most sensible PG entrance exams in the country.

Changes in CUET PG Universities Number

The ROI Factor of CUET PG

In this section, we will focus primarily on students who are applying for courses like MBA, LLB through CUET PG. As the number of MBA and LLB colleges under CUET PG increase, postgraduates in India are prioritising professional degrees with an immediate job market. The difficulty level of top tier MBA exams like CAT, XAT or law exams like CLAT PG is typically higher than CUET PG.

Why are more female students choosing CUET PG?

The number of female candidates have always been higher than male candidates, both in terms of registration and attendance, 3.1 Lakh females vs 2.6 Lakh males in 2024. This could be because of the expansion of over 572 CUET PG centres and across 262 cities which means, girls from tier 2 and tier 3 cities do not need to travel far to appear for the exam.

Gender-Wise Distribution in CUET PG

NTA's Approach to CUET PG Logistics Issues

The NTA has cut down the CUET PG exam 2026 duration to a 15 day window. Spreading an exam through a long window creates a difficult situation for both NTA and students. By shortening the exam duration, NTA can ensure more students attend the same exam paper, which makes the score and percentile calculation much easier, eliminating the requirement for normalisation.

Tier 2 and Tier 3 Exam Centres for CUET PG

Due to the increase in CUET PG exam centres in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, there has been a significant increase in participation. In CUET PG 2025 alone, there has been an attendance percentage of 82.6% for the EWS category. This initiative greatly reduces metro city advantage and allows many other students from rural areas to aspire for top institutions like DU, JNU, BHU and more.

CUET PG Participation Over the years

University participation in CUET PG over the years

Gender-wise participation in CUET PG over the years

Category-wise participation in CUET PG over the years

Top 5 most appeared subjects in CUET PG

Final thoughts on CUET PG

The National Testing Agency has indeed optimised the CUET PG process. The data from the last few years show a rise of attendance and an increase in the number of CUET PG participating universities. After the CUET PG result 2026 is announced on May 6, we can expect an increase in the number of applications in participating universities.