.jpg)
NTA Clarifies Issues Raised on Social Media Regarding CUET PG 2026
The National Testing Agency (NTA) provided clarification on issues posed on social media regarding the Common University Entrance Test Postgraduate (CUET PG) 2026, concerning multiple exam dates for certain subjects and the lack of score normalisation. NTA explained that the exams that were rescheduled were done so for a select number of candidates who were unable to take the exam on their allotted date due to unavoidable and, more particularly, extenuating circumstances.
As stated by NTA, the disruption of law and order in Tura, Meghalaya, in addition to concerns for security at some overseas exam centres, caused 565 candidates to be unable to take the exam for 28 subjects on the scheduled dates. NTA explained that to not disadvantage these candidates, a special and rescheduled exam was conducted on March 29 and March 30, 2026.
NTA emphasised that the rescheduled exam was done as a goodwill measure for only the impacted candidates.
- 565 candidates for 28 subjects were impacted
- Rescheduled exams were done on March 29 and 30, 2026.
- The impacted candidates were unable to take the exam due to security and law and order concerns.
- NTA explained that no candidate was at fault for the circumstances which led to the rescheduling.
Numerous candidates were looking forward to the clarification to gain transparency concerning the evaluation process.
Why NTA Did Not Employ Normalisation in CUET PG 2026
Addressing this long-standing issue, NTA has confirmed that score normalisation for CUET PG 2026 was not used for any of the candidates. NTA has explained that in line with their policy for CUET PG, candidates are given their actual marks. This policy was consistent for both the main exam and the exam that was conducted on a later date.
NTA has stated that there was no separate process of evaluation for those candidates who appeared for the exam on the rescheduled date. Their scores were determined through the same process that was used for all candidates who appeared for the exam on the main date. Therefore, there was no exemption for candidates who appeared for the exam on the rescheduled date.
The agency further stated that due to the large discrepancy in the number of candidates, the statistical normalisation of the two groups would be meaningless. For instance, around 16,000 candidates appeared for the main exam in English, while around 120 candidates appeared for the exam in the rescheduled session. Similar discrepancies were observed in the subjects of Political Science and History, where the rescheduled groups consisted of approximately about 100 and around 80 candidates, respectively.
What Students Should Know
- CUET PG 2026 scores are based on absolute marks.
- No candidate received normalised scores.
- Main and rescheduled exams were evaluated by the same process.
- NTA considers normalisation statistically unsuitable for such small rescheduled groups.
This clarification is likely to assuage candidate concerns about the fairness of the process and score calculation.
Question Papers Certified as Equally Challenging
NTA has also stated that the question papers used for the rescheduled exam were not newly created post-disruption. Rather, they were pre-prepared approved papers, subjected to vetting by the subject experts. The agency stated that these experts certified that the difficulty level of the rescheduled papers was equal to that of the papers used in the main exam for the same subjects.
NTA stated that every candidate for the CUET PG 2026 was evaluated under the same scoring system, irrespective of the exam date. NTA stated that to achieve fairness in the exam process, it aimed for the same scoring system and the same level of difficulty in the question papers.
Key Points for CUET PG Candidates
- Rescheduled papers were pre-approved and finalised
- Subject experts certified equivalent difficulty
- All candidates were scored in absolute terms
- NTA asserts that the evaluation process was not modified due to rescheduling
NTA has reiterated that it is committed to conducting exams in a fair, transparent and candidate-centric manner. This clarification intends to dispel doubts and assure candidates that the rescheduled exam did not offer any undue advantage or disadvantage to the candidates in question.
Click Here for More Exams / Admission