Almost 14 lakh of the 16.85 applicants have turned in their applications. The Common University Entrance Exam (CUET-UG) is on track to become one of the country’s most popular entrance tests, with around 16.85 lakh registrations this year.
Around 14 lakh of the 16.85 lakh applicants have turned in their applications.12.50 lakh applicants enrolled for the exam in 2022, the year the admission test was held for the first time, while 9.9 lakh submitted their applications.
UGC Chairman Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar said that last year, students from 59 countries submitted their applications for the entrance test. “By 2023, this number will have increased to 47 countries. Overall, in 2023, there will be a 41 per cent increase in the total number of students who will sit for the CUET-UG,” he said.”We have also seen an increase in the number of participating universities. In 2022, it was 90, but in 2023, it rose to 242. This significant rise indicates that CUET-UG is becoming a popular option for admissions in UG programmes,” he added.Â
The five Central Universities that have received the largest number of applications for CUET-UG in 2023 are the University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, University of Allahabad, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Out of the 14 lakh aspirants, who will appear in the entrance test, 6.51 lakh are female and 7.48 lakh are male. Compared to 2022, this year, the number of female applicants has increased by 50 per cent, while the number of male applicants has increased by 34 per cent.
The academic year will start on August 1 and the CUET UG exams will take place from May 21 to May 31. Aspirants in the ST category have increased their application submissions significantly this year as well.Â
Besides B.A., B.Com, and B.Sc., the CUET-UG score is also used for admissions in various other programmes such as integrated dual degree BBA LL.B., B. VoC., B. Des., Bachelor of Architecture, Bachelor in Computer Application, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, integrated B.Sc.-M.Sc., or integrated BA-MA, Kumar added.
Intriguingly, a lot of universities employ the CUET-UG score for admission to B. Tech programmes. Also, it is used for lateral admission of diploma holders into the second year of the B. Tech.
The top three states from which the most candidates will apply to sit for the CUET-UG in 2023 are Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Bihar. The top three states in 2022 remained the same: the same three states.Â
The number of applicants from the Jammu and Kashmir region has increased significantly. 13,021 candidates from the area took the CUET-UG in 2022, but by 2023, that number had increased to 82,655.
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim are among the northeastern states with the highest number of applicants, up 31% from 59,208 in 2022 to 77,365 in 2023.
Kerala received the most applications out of the five southern states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu). Kerala students submitted 37,303 applications for the CUET-UG in 2022, whereas 56,111 did so in 2023—an increase of 51% from 2022.   
(Source: OTV News)
