How CUET Cutoffs Work

Direct answer: A CUET cutoff is the lowest CUET score at which a college–course closed for a category in a given round. Universities (for DU, via CSAS) release them — NTA does not. Because they depend on demand, seats and applicant scores, they emerge after the exam and typically drop across later rounds.

How a cutoff emerges

Cutoffs are an outcome, not an input. When applicants accept seats in a round, the score of the last admitted candidate (per category) becomes that round's closing cutoff. Higher demand and fewer seats push it up; a softer score distribution pulls it down.

Why cutoffs move across rounds

Later rounds usually close lower. As top scorers lock seats early, subsequent CSAS rounds and spot rounds often admit at lower scores. Popular college–course combinations are the exception and can stay competitive throughout. Plan your preference order around this — see freeze vs upgrade.

Category-wise cutoffs

Each category has its own cutoff. General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS and PwBD close at different scores for the same college–course. Browse the figures on the CUET cutoff dataset, or estimate your fit with the college predictor.

Frequently asked questions

Are CUET cutoffs decided before the exam?
No. Cutoffs are not pre-set — they emerge after the exam from that year's demand, available seats and the distribution of applicant scores, then settle as seats fill across rounds.
Who sets CUET cutoffs — NTA or the university?
The university. NTA conducts CUET and releases scores; each university (for DU, via CSAS) sets and releases its own cutoffs by college, course, category and round.
Why is my category's cutoff different?
Cutoffs are computed separately per category (General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, PwBD). Reserved-category closing scores are usually lower than General for the same college–course, reflecting category-wise seat allocation.
In this section