The number of universities admitting students through CUET-UG has dropped by 15 per cent this year.
The National Testing Agency, the government-controlled body that conducts the Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET-UG), declared the results for 2025 on Friday.
While 13.55 lakh candidates had applied for the centralised exam, 10.72 lakh appeared for it. The exam was conducted between May 13 and June 4 for 37 subjects at 300 centres. Candidates could choose up to five subjects. Every student was awarded a rank based on performance.
In 2022, 90 universities granted admission through CUET-UG. The number of participating universities increased to 197 in 2023 and 283 in 2024. However, only 239 varieties participated in CUET-UG in 2025.
The CUET was first conducted in 2022 against the backdrop of controversy over some state school boards awarding high scores to help their students get seats in national institutions. The CUET was projected to be a single-window solution for institutions to admit meritorious students and for students to apply in multiple institutions through a single exam.
The education ministry had instructed the central universities to admit students through the CUET, while the University Grants Commission nudged the state-run universities and also the private and deemed institutions to participate in the process.
Ranjan Welukar, former vice-chancellor of the University of Mumbai, said: "After a year or two, many universities might have realised that they are not getting adequate students to fill their seats through the CUET. By merely joining the CUET, a university may not attract students unless it is a well-established, value-providing institution."
Abha Dev Habib, a faculty member at Miranda House College, said the CUET was usually conducted late, thereby disrupting the academic calendar of institutions.