Challenges Facing the CUET Framework

GS2 – Social Sector

Context:

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has drawn criticism due to administrative delays, centralisation issues, and concerns over equity in education.

About CUET:

• Introduced in 2022, conducted by NTA under NEP 2020.
• Mandatory for admissions in Central Universities.
• Covers 13 languages and 27 domain subjects.
• University-specific autonomy is retained for merit criteria and counselling.

Benefits of CUET:

• Standardisation: Ensures parity across different school boards.
• Mobility: Promotes access to diverse universities via a single exam.
• Curricular Alignment: Based on NCERT syllabus, reducing coaching dependency.
• Inclusivity: Multilingual format improves access across regions.
• Process Efficiency: Uniform academic calendar and digital testing formats.

Key Challenges:

• Unfilled Seats: Reflects mismatch in capacity and student readiness.
• Rise in Coaching: Undermines goal of equal access.
• Board Bias: CBSE-centric structure disadvantages state board students.
• Administrative Delays: Admission cycles remain uncertain.
• Digital Divide: Affects students from underserved regions.
• Centralisation: Curtails institutional flexibility in admissions.

Way Forward:

• Link applications to counselling to avoid vacant seats.
• Ensure diverse board representation in test design.
• Fix a national calendar for testing and admissions.
• Provide offline exam options and more CBT centres.
• Respect university autonomy in cut-offs and interviews.

Strengthen NTA capacity and transparency mechanisms.