Is General Test Compulsory for CUET 2026 Exam?

Overview: While planning to appear for the CUET exam, one question that you may definitely have is: 'Is general test compulsory for CUET 2026'? Discover the qualifying requirements and benefits of taking the General Test (now General Aptitude Test) to increase your chances of admission to your desired university. 

The National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admission to over 280 universities in India. CUET General Test or CUET General Aptitude Test is one of the important subjects mapped with many courses as a mandatory qualifying requirement.

If you are preparing for CUET, learn is general test compulsory for CUET 2026 exam or not and get ready to take the exam. 

Download Free Study Material for CUET 2026 by cuet.com

CUET General Aptitude Test Overview 2026

The CUET exam has 3 sections, and the General Test is the 3rd section. This is why the General Aptitude Test is important in 2026:

• The domain-specific subject/paper on ‘Entrepreneurship', ‘Teaching Aptitude', 'Fashion Studies', 'Tourism', ‘Legal Studies' and ‘Engineering Graphics' have been discontinued. For these programmes, admissions are based on performance in the General Aptitude Test.
• For all 20 foreign languages, admissions to the programmes in these languages will be made based on performance in the General Aptitude Test.

Now, talking about Is General Test compulsory for CUET or not, the answers are given below. Considering the changes suggested, it is definitely one of the most important test papers to take in the CUET exam. 

Regarding What is CUET General Test, here are the details: 

Particulars	Details
Sections	General Knowledge, Current Affairs, General Mental Ability, Numerical Ability Reasoning (simple application of basic mathematical concepts quantitative arithmetic/algebra geometry/mensuration/statistics), Logical and Analytical Reasoning
Type of questions	MCQ
Duration	60 Minutes
Marks	250

Is General Test Compulsory for CUET 2026?

Test Takers frequently ask if is it compulsory to give general test in CUET?. The general test exam section evaluates your understanding of current events and current affairs. 

• No, The CUET General Test is not necessary for all programmes at the major institutions. Only 60% of programmes require the General Test. It is fully dependent on the specifications of the targeted university. 
• You can still take the general test for the remaining 40% of programmes. It is useful since the general component of the CUET question paper can boost one's chances of being admitted to a specific university. 
• To answer the question, "Is general test compulsory for CUET 2026 Examination?" No, it doesn't. However, taking the exam is recommended because it can improve a candidate's chances of acceptance into various CUET universities and colleges. 

Eligibility Criteria and Syllabus of CUET GAT 2026

According to the CUET Eligibility Criteria, to take the CUET GAT Exam 2026, you must have finished your Class 12th or equivalent from a recognised institution.

• You must, however, examine the age requirements of your chosen university.
• You should look into the programme details on the university's website for more information because different universities may have different qualifying standards for admission.

The syllabus for CUET General Aptitude Test includes: 

Topic	Sub-Topics	Expected No. of questions
GK/ Current Affairs	Geography, Current affairs, Discoveries, Economics, History, Science	12-19 Questions
Logical Reasoning	Analytical Reasoning, Direction, Arrangement Based, Series and Coding	11-15 questions
Quantitative Aptitude	Mensuration, Geometry, SI-CI, Statistics, Time and work, Mixture and Alligation	8-15 questions

Know more: How many Universities can we select in CUET?

Attempt Supergrads CUET Scholarship Test

How should you prepare for CUET GAT?  

Now that you know the answers to: 'is General Test compulsory for CUET 2026', you must know the tips to prepare for the CUET GAT also. Here are the CUET preparation tips for the General Test: 

• Reading is required for general knowledge. You should read a variety of publications, novels, and other literary works, both online and offline, to broaden your perspective and stay informed about current events. 
• Reading or listening to the news is significant in staying well-informed about the world. 
• Interacting with other individuals is another way to increase broad awareness.
• Take note of the significant aspects of the news and review them again before the exam. 
• Several websites offer tests on the latest news. You can take tests to determine your level of preparedness. 
• You should be familiar with science, technology, Indian history, books, authors, countries, cities, innovations, awards, sports, and notable events to understand general knowledge topics well. 

In conclusion, regarding is it compulsory to give general test in CUET or not, the answer is while it is not compulsory, taking the general test for CUET 2026 is recommended because it broadens your options for admission to many central universities. Prepare appropriately for this key component to improve your general knowledge and increase your chances of academic achievement. 

Refer: CUET General Test Question Papers with Solution

Key Takeaways

The article answers all the questions regarding 'Is general test compulsory for CUET?' CUET's General Aptitude Test is not required for all programs; it depends on the university's criteria and is needed for about 60% of programs.

• The General Test assesses general knowledge and reasoning, enhancing admission chances.
• Adequate General Test preparation involves reading, staying updated on current events, and practising with news quizzes.
• Prepare with CUET Mock Tests 2026 for CUET GAT to get comfortable with the exam format.