Technical glitch delays CUET-UG 2026 exam: NTA

The CUET-UG 2026 for admissions into undergraduate degree programmes across India was delayed at some centres on Saturday due to a technical glitch, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said.

“TCS has reported that a technical glitch at their end delayed the commencement of CUET UG 2026 at some centres on Saturday. The issue has since been resolved, and the exam is being conducted with full compensatory time so that no candidate is disadvantaged,” the NTA said on social media platforms.

“Afternoon session timing (revised): Reporting/entry from 2:30 pm; examination begins at 4:00 pm instead of 3:00 pm,” the NTA said. Morning session candidates were given the full duration of the paper and were allowed to exit only after the completion of the test, it said. “NTA sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the students and parents,” the agency said. In a statement, K Krithivasan, CEO and MD at TCS, said that “a brief technical issue” caused a delay of around two hours in the morning shift of CUET-UG.

“The issue was promptly identified and resolved by our technical teams, and the examination has since resumed without any impact on the sanctity of the exam. We regret the inconvenience,” the statement said.

It added that its teams are “actively monitoring all systems” and remain committed to working closely with the NTA “to ensure seamless conduct of the computer-based tests.” Several students and parents reported the delay on the social media platform X and alleged a lack of communication at the examination centres.

The Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate, or CUET-UG, is a standardised, national-level entrance exam conducted by the NTA for admissions into undergraduate degree programmes across central, state, and select private universities.

The CUET-UG has been conducted in the computer-based test (CBT) mode since the 2025 cycle, with the NTA citing improved standardisation, efficiency and logistics in the conduct of the nationwide entrance test.