UGC mulling JEE-like common counselling for undergraduate admissions using CUET scores

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) is exploring the idea of conducting a common counselling for undergraduate admissions based on CUET scores on the lines of medical and engineering courses, according to sources.

The UGC has formed a committee with officials from different universities to discuss the idea and five renowned universities have been roped in for a pilot run, they added.

However, there is no clarity on when the idea will be implemented if the committee finds it feasible.

"A panel has been formed to study the idea and the pilot will be conducted internally to study the pros and cons. Such a system will provide a single window for admissions and students can give their choices on a single portal instead of applying separately to universities," a source said.

"Whether or not the idea will take off is not certain right now. It depends on the panel's findings and then we will have stakeholder consultations," the source said.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar declined to comment on the issue.

The commission had earlier said it was contemplating the merger of engineering entrance exam JEE and medical entrance NEET with Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG), which was introduced in 2022. However, there has been no development on the plan.

With more than 14.9 lakh registrations, the CUET, the common gateway for undergraduate admissions in all central universities, is now the second biggest entrance exam in the country, surpassing JEE-Main's average registration of nine lakh.

NEET-UG is the biggest entrance test in India with an average of 18 lakh registrations. While JEE-Mains is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) conducted twice a year, NEET is conducted in pen-and-paper mode.

This year, the exam is scheduled to be conducted from May 15 to 31.

The standardised test was introduced in 2022 to streamline admission processes across central, state, deemed and private universities nationwide.

A notable departure from tradition, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has outlined a hybrid examination format for CUET-UG 2024, including both computer-based testing and pen-and-paper modes for different subjects.

Officials have indicated that subjects witnessing high registration volumes will adopt a pen-and-paper format using optical mark recognition (OMR), while others will remain computer-based.

In the previous cycle, approximately 14.9 lakh registrations were recorded for CUET-UG, highlighting its significance in the higher education landscape.