• Source:JND
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FOR THE Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG) this year, Nearly 14 lakh applications have been received, registering a 41 per cent increase from the debut edition last year, UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said on Tuesday.

"In 2023 CUET-UG, a total of 16.85 lakh students registered (themselves). Out of 16.85 lakh, 13.995 lakh paid the application fee and submitted the application form -- an increase of 4 lakh students (from last year). In 2023, there is a 41 per cent increase in the total number of students who will sit for CUET-UG," Kumar said.

The maximum number of applications for CUET-UG have been received for Delhi University, followed by Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

Among the applicants, the maximum is from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi and Bihar.

"We have also seen an increase in the number of participating universities. In 2022, it was 90, but in 2023 it rose to 242. This significant rise indicates that CUET-UG is becoming a popular option for admissions in undergraduate programmes," Kumar said.

There is a considerable jump in the number of applicants from Jammu and Kashmir.

"In 2022, a total of 13,021 students took CUET-UG from this region. But in 2023, this number is 82,655 representing an increase of 6.3 times," he said.

"Last year students from 59 countries submitted their applications for CUET-UG. In 2023, this number increased to 74 countries with 1,000 students spread across Europe, Asia, America, and Gulf countries," he said.

From the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, the number of students who will take CUET-UG has increased by 31 per cent as compared to 2022. While 59,208 students from these states took CUET-UG in 2022, it is 77,365 in 2023.

The last date for applications for CUET-UG was March 30 and the exam is scheduled to be conducted from May 21-31. In a deviation from the usual pattern, the exam will be conducted in three shifts this year.

Of 13.99 lakh students who will sit for CUET-UG this year, 6.51 lakh are girls and 7.48 lakh are boys. Last year, of the 9.90 lakh students who submitted applications for CUET-UG, 4.34 lakh were girls and 5.56 lakh were boys.

There is a substantial growth in the number of submitted applications by ST category students.

"In 2022, it was 58,881. In 2023, it is 95,119, indicating a rise of 61.5 per cent. A similar increase is observed in other categories too. For SC category students, the submitted applications in 2023 are 1,40,307, an increase of 35.5 per cent compared to 2022," Kumar said.

"The number of submitted applications in 2023 for OBC-NCL (OBC-Non Creamy Layer), General-unreserved, and EWS category students is 4,61,022; 6,42,443; and 60,611, respectively. This indicates a rise of 45.2 per cent, 39.6 per cent and 20.5 per cent in the OBC-NCL, General-unreserved and EWS category applications compared to 2022," he added.

Meanwhile, CUET-UG remains the second-largest entrance exam in the country in terms of applicants. In the debut edition of CUET-UG, 12.50 lakh students registered themselves and 9.9 lahks of them submitted their applications.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) for medical admissions is the largest entrance test in India with an average of 18 lakh registrations.

The debut edition of the CUET-UG was conducted in July last year and was marred by glitches, prompting the National Testing Agency (NTA) to cancel the exam at multiple centres. While several students were informed about cancellation a night before the exam, many of them were turned away from centres. The UGC chairman had then said the exam at certain centres have been cancelled following reports of "sabotage".