CUET aspirants complain of 'late' admit cards, lack of information about exam pattern

With the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) around the corner, students seeking admission to several central universities, including Delhi University, said that they have “no idea” about the new exam pattern.

The CUET UG will be conducted from July 15 to August 10, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced last week. Over 11 lakh candidates have registered for the first edition of CUET. The NTA released the admit cards for CUET UG on Monday, July 11, which is “too late”, students said, as stated in a report by PTI. 

Delhi-based Ramya Shukla, who is aiming to get into DU, said there is panic among the students regarding the examination pattern. "We don't know what will come, what we should study, what we should not. No sample papers were provided to us. Admit cards came very late and it is the first time such exams are being conducted. I have no idea what kind of paper will come. We are just hoping that whatever we have studied comes," she said.

When asked how she is preparing for the examination in the absence of any sample papers, Ramya said, "I am just revising whatever I have studied in Class XII. I have no other options and I am hoping that the exams will come from within the syllabus." 

In fact, Ramya is not the only one facing this problem. Many of her peers shared her anxiety. Akash Gupta from Faridabad, who is also dreaming of securing admission into DU, said the delay in issuing the admit cards was a “little unfair".

"Only after admit cards are released, do students take their studies seriously. For us, admit cards have come too late. Moreover, we have no idea what will come in the exams which is the most important exam of our life. It is a little unfair to us considering we are giving such an examination for the first time," he said. 

As a result, several students have turned to coaching institutes for help. "I have enrolled into a coaching centre, as I was unaware of what will come and what will not. Now I feel a little secure but the pattern should have been clarified earlier as we don't know what will come," said Jaishree, another university aspirant. Meanwhile, some teachers also expressed concerns over the lack of clarity around CUET and accused the government of blocking admission to all central universities and many state universities of repute.

Abha Dev Habib, an associate professor at DU's Miranda House, believes that the admission process will stretch up to November with the CUET. "Who knows when the results will be out? How universities will use the results is also not very clear. Will counselling be done for all universities put together, or will each university use percentile results independently to declare their admissions. “So, we are again looking at admission process stretching up to November or so," Habib said.

The UGC Chairman had announced in March that CUET scores — and not Class XII  marks — would be mandatory for admission to 45 central universities and that the central universities can fix their minimum eligibility criteria. He had also clarified that the students from state boards will not be at a disadvantage in the new system and had assured people that the exam will not give a push to the coaching culture.

A total of 44 central universities, 12 state universities, 11 deemed universities and 19 private universities have applied to adopt the CUET for UG admissions in the 2022-23 academic session.