NTA announces revised timings after 'technical glitch' delays CUET-UG 2026
New Delhi, May 30
The National Testing Agency on Saturday announced revised timings for the Common University Entrance Test for admission to undergraduate courses 2026, after a "technical glitch" delayed the examination at some centres on May 30.
In a post on X, the NTA blamed its service provider, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for the glitch. "M/s TCS has reported that a technical glitch at their end delayed the commencement of CUET (UG) 2026 at some centres on 30.05.2026," it said.
However, the NTA stated that the issue has now been resolved.
"The issue has since been resolved, and the exam is being conducted with full compensatory time so that no candidate is disadvantaged."
Announcing the revised timings of the exams, the NTA posted: "Afternoon session timing (revised): Reporting/entry: from 2:30 p/m.; Examination begins: 4:00 p.m. (instead of 3:00 p.m.)."
It added that the morning-session candidates are being given "the full duration of the paper and may exit only after completing it".
The NTA said that it sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to students and parents.
Along with the update, the testing agency has shared its official helpline number: +91-11-40759000 and email support for candidates facing any issues.
According to the Ministry of Education's website, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) provides a common platform and equal opportunities to candidates across the country, especially those from rural and other remote areas, and help establish better connections with the universities.
A single examination enables the candidates to cover a wide outreach and be part of the admissions process to various of Central Universities/ Participating Universities (State/Deemed/Private).
The registration for CUET-UG 2026 began from the first week of April.
In 2025, 13.54 lakh students had registered for CEUT-UG 2025. The exams were held for admission in the first year of college in more than 260 universities across the country, including all Central universities. The exam had 37 subjects, and it was conducted in 13 languages at 300 centres across the country.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, CUET is a great idea for equal opportunity, but the execution is pathetic. My cousin was at a center in rural UP and they had no idea what to do when the system crashed. They just sat there for 2 hours. NTA should have backup plans, not just tweets.
Blaming TCS won't solve anything. NTA signed the contract. They should have tested the system thoroughly before the exam. My daughter was in the afternoon session and we got the revised timing message only at 2 PM. Chaos! Hope they fix this for future sessions. 🙏
I appreciate that they gave compensatory time, but the mental pressure on students is immense. We prepare for months, and then on exam day, this happens. The helpline number is a good step, but they need to ensure it's actually responsive. Let's hope the remaining days go smoothly.
This is frustrating. My sister was in the morning session and they kept her waiting for 1.5 hours. The invigilators didn't know anything. NTA should at least send SMS updates directly to students instead of just posting on X. Not everyone checks social media during an exam.
While I understand technical issues happen, this is becoming too common with NTA. Last year it was NEET, now CUET. At least they acknowledged the problem and offered compensation. But the real question is: will they learn from this? Students deserve better. 🌟
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.