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CUET Reservation Policy 2026: Complete Guide to Quotas, Category-Wise Cutoffs & Relaxation

By EduSaint Team · Updated 13 Aug 2026
CUET Reservation Policy 2026: Complete Guide to Quotas, Category-Wise Cutoffs & Relaxation
Table of Contents

Introduction

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is the screening test; actual reservation is applied seat-by-seat at each participating university during counselling. For 47+ Central Universities that follow Government of India norms, reservations follow UGC guidelines. State Universities, Deemed Universities and Private Participating Universities may follow their own reservation rules.

This guide decodes every category — SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwBD and Kashmiri Migrants — with reservation quotas, cutoff trends from 2024-2025, relaxation rules, and document requirements.

CUET Reservation Policy Overview

NTA conducts CUET as a centralised admission test for UG programmes across participating universities. The reservation policy provides benefits in application fees, cutoff marks, and course fees for reserved categories. Candidates should always refer to the official CUET portal at cuet.nta.nic.in and the Information Bulletin for the most updated details.

Category-Wise Reservation Quotas for Central Universities

Standard category-wise reservation for all central universities accepting CUET scores:

Category Reservation Percentage
Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) — OBC-NCL 27%
Scheduled Castes (SC) 15%
Scheduled Tribes (ST) 7.5%
General Economically Weaker Sections (GEN-EWS) 10%
Persons with Disabilities (PwD) — Horizontal Reservation 5% in each category

Reserved seats follow 27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 10% EWS, and 5% PwD quotas, with supernumerary for CW/EWS.

SC Reservation: 15% with Strict Certificate Discipline

Scheduled Caste candidates get a flat 15% of seats in every Central University programme. The cutoff relaxation is typically 10 percentile points below the unreserved cutoff at most CUs. You must upload an SC certificate issued in the prescribed Central Government format by a competent revenue authority — Tehsildar, SDM or District Magistrate.

ST Reservation: 7.5% and the Domicile-Versus-Tribe Question

Scheduled Tribe candidates claim 7.5% of seats. The certificate format mirrors SC, but you must double-check whether your tribe is recognised in the Central List of STs for the state in which the certificate was issued.

OBC-NCL Reservation: 27% with Certificate Date Validity

OBC-Non-Creamy Layer candidates get 27% reservation. The OBC-NCL certificate must be issued on or after April 1, 2025, in Annexure-IIA/IIB format from the Central List.

EWS Reservation: 10% with Income and Asset Criteria

General Economically Weaker Sections candidates get 10% reservation. The EWS certificate must be issued on or after April 1, 2025, in Annexure-IA/IB format.

PwD Reservation: 5% Horizontal Reservation

Persons with Disabilities receive a 5% horizontal reservation within each category. Only candidates with a minimum of 40% benchmark disability are eligible. PwD candidates must possess a UDID card or certificate in Annexure-IV/V/VI format from a notified medical authority.

CUET cutoffs vary significantly by category (UR, OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD) as per Delhi University's reservation policy. Reserved categories such as OBC, SC, ST, EWS, and PwD usually have lower cutoffs than the General category.

Hansraj College (Delhi University) — 2025 1st Round Cutoffs

Program UR OBC SC ST EWS PwBD
B.A. (Hons.) Economics 864.50 721.90 642.63 502.87 770.33 471.15
B.A. (Hons.) English 851.11 770.66 715.62 690.63 777.80 595.20
B.A. (Hons.) History 875.01 832.33 777.59 779.18 844.69 620.90
B.Com (Hons.) 901.71 828.58 764.02 709.09 860.77 675.87
B.Sc (Hons.) Computer Science 784.35 688.66 638.28 487.25 741.10 483.12

Source: Hansraj College CUET UG 2025 1st Round Cutoff

Ramjas College (Delhi University) — 2025 1st Round Cutoffs

Program UR OBC SC ST EWS PwBD
B.A. (Hons.) Political Science 894.95 851.90 787.33 803.11 847.60 733.41
B.Com (Hons.) 889.39 813.27 745.21 670.18 849.04 624.17
B.A. (Hons.) History 846.32 798.06 729.99 747.99 807.18 543.80
B.A. (Hons.) English 824.27 726.39 683.44 660.88 746.88 478.22
B.A. (Hons.) Economics 841.16 676.43 608.69 441.30 735.72 272.54

Source: Ramjas College CUET Cutoff 2025 1st List

Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (Delhi University) — 2025 1st Round Cutoffs

Program UR OBC SC ST EWS PwBD
B.Com (Hons.) 834.60 750.82 668.07 561.05 792.20 148.32
B.A. (Hons.) Political Science 791.07 736.22 666.44 672.31 739.02 386.57
B.A. (Hons.) English 743.90 622.52 585.64 551.23 634.96 397.56
B.A. (Hons.) Economics 791.74 612.34 545.40 287.16 670.99 —

Source: Shaheed Bhagat Singh College CUET Cutoff 2025 1st List

DU BBA (FIA), BMS & BBE — 2025 Cutoffs

For CUET-UG 2025, cut-offs are out of 750 marks, as CUET-UG considers three subject scores (each out of 250).

College Program UR EWS OBC SC ST PwBD
Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (CBS) BBA (FIA) 577.20 522.03 470.35 410.39 312.85 378.42
Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS) BMS 555.00 484.29 436.12 378.85 264.39 —

Source: CUET-UG 2025 Cut-offs for DU BBA (FIA), BMS & BBE

In 2024, cutoffs were quite high for famous colleges because competition was very strong.

JNU — 2024 Category-Wise Cutoffs (Percentile)

JNU released category-wise cutoffs for B.A. (Hons) programmes:

Category CUET UG Cutoff 2024 (Percentile)
General (UR) 91.9
OBC 89.2
SC 82.7
ST 77.3
PwD 43.8

Source: CUET UG cut off 2024 for JNU

Rajdhani College (Delhi University) — 2024 1st Round Expected Cutoffs

Program General OBC SC ST PwD EWS
B.A. (Hons.) Economics 98.00 92.50 90.00 90.00 90.00 97.50
B.A. (Hons.) Political Science 97.00 95.00 93.00 90.00 90.00 96.00
B.Sc (Hons.) Mathematics 97.00 95.00 91.00 90.00 85.00 96.00

Source: Rajdhani College CUET Cutoff 2024 Round 1 (Expected)

Maharaja Agrasen College (Delhi University) — 2024 1st Round Expected Cutoffs

Program General OBC SC ST PwD EWS
B.A. (Hons.) English 96.00 90.00 87.00 86.00 86.00 93.00
B.A. (Hons.) Political Science 98.00 95.00 94.00 90.00 93.00 94.00
B.Com (Hons.) 97.00 92.00 88.00 81.00 87.00 96.00

Source: Maharaja Agrasen College CUET Cutoff 2024 Round 1 (Expected)

For top DU colleges (percentile): General 98-100, OBC-NCL 94-97, EWS 95-98, SC 85-92, ST 80-88, PwD 75-90. For BHU UG courses (score): General 480-500, OBC-NCL 430-450, EWS 440-460, SC 330-350, ST 310-330, PwD 250-300.

Category-Wise Cutoff Relaxation Rules

Reserved category candidates receive significant relaxation in cutoff marks compared to the General category:

Category Typical Cutoff Relaxation
SC 10-15% lower than General; 80-150 points below General at DU
ST Lowest cutoff among all categories; 10-15% lower than General
OBC 3-5% lower than General; typically 10-60 marks relaxation
EWS Very similar to OBC; 5-15% relaxation on General cutoff
PwD Significantly lower — e.g., JNU 2024: General 91.9 vs PwD 43.8 percentile

Cutoffs for reserved categories like OBC, SC, ST, EWS, PwD, and Kashmiri Migrants vary slightly, with most programs showing a 3-6 percentile difference compared to the General category.

Minimum Qualifying Marks in Class 12

CUET eligibility criteria for minimum qualifying marks differ based on category:

Category Minimum Aggregate in Class 12
General 50% aggregate (varies by university)
SC/ST 45% aggregate
General (B.Tech) 45% aggregate
Reserved (B.Tech) 40% aggregate for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD candidates

Special Category Provisions

Kashmiri Migrants

UGC and NTA have outlined specific benefits for Kashmiri Migrants: increased course-wise seat intake capacity (up to 5%), relaxation in cut-off (up to 10%), and waiving off domicile proofs for migrants from the Kashmir region. The cut-off relaxation is subject to minimum eligibility criteria.

Sports, ECA & NCC Quota

For admissions through Sports, ECA, and NCC categories: CUET UG Scores have 25% weightage, while Trials & Certificates have 75% weightage.

Application Fee Waiver for Reserved Categories

Reserved category students are given a waiver in the CUET application fee:

Subjects General (UR) OBC (NCL)/EWS SC/ST/PwBD/Third Gender
Up to 3 Subjects ₹750/- ₹700/- ₹650/-
Up to 7 Subjects ₹1500/- ₹1400/- ₹1300/-
Up to 10 Subjects ₹1750/- ₹1650/- ₹1550/-

Important Document Requirements

Each category requires specific documents in the prescribed format:

  • GEN-EWS: Annexure-IA/IB, issued on/after April 1, 2025
  • OBC-NCL: Annexure-IIA/IIB, Central List, issued on/after April 1, 2025
  • SC/ST: Annexure-III, as per latest Government of India guidelines
  • PwBD: UDID/Annexure-IV/V/VI from notified medical authority
  • Kashmiri Migrant: Valid migration certificates and supporting documents

NTA does not entertain category changes post-application; failure to provide documents leads to default General categorization.

Key Takeaways

  • SC: 15% reservation, Central Government format certificate
  • ST: 7.5% reservation, tribe must be in Central List
  • OBC-NCL: 27% reservation, certificate issued on/after April 1, 2025
  • EWS: 10% reservation, certificate issued on/after April 1, 2025
  • PwD: 5% horizontal reservation, 40%+ disability, UDID required
  • Cutoff Relaxation: Reserved categories get 5-20% relaxation vs General
  • Class 12 Marks: General 50%, SC/ST 45%, Reserved B.Tech 40%

Always refer to the official NTA website (cuet.nta.nic.in) and the latest Information Bulletin for the most current guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the reservation percentages for different categories in CUET 2026?

For Central Universities, the reservation percentages are: OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, GEN-EWS 10%, and PwD 5% horizontal reservation within each category. State, Deemed, and Private universities may follow their own reservation rules.

What was the CUET 2025 cutoff for Hansraj College B.Com (Hons.) across categories?

Hansraj College's 2025 1st Round cutoff for B.Com (Hons.) was: General 901.71, OBC 828.58, SC 764.02, ST 709.09, EWS 860.77, and PwBD 675.87. Reserved category cutoffs were significantly lower than General.

What was the JNU CUET 2024 cutoff for different categories?

JNU's 2024 category-wise cutoffs (percentile) were: General 91.9, OBC 89.2, SC 82.7, ST 77.3, and PwD 43.8. PwD cutoff was notably lower than other categories.

What documents are required for OBC-NCL reservation in CUET?

OBC-NCL candidates must submit an Annexure-IIA/IIB certificate from the Central List, issued on or after April 1, 2025. The certificate must be in the prescribed format and issued by a competent authority.

What is the cutoff relaxation for SC/ST candidates in CUET?

SC candidates typically get 10-15% lower cutoffs than General, with DU showing 80-150 points difference. ST cutoffs are the lowest among all categories. Most programs show a 3-6 percentile difference compared to the General category for reserved categories.

Are there any special provisions for Kashmiri Migrants in CUET?

Yes, Kashmiri Migrants receive increased course-wise seat intake capacity (up to 5%), relaxation in cut-off (up to 10%), and waiving off domicile proofs. The cut-off relaxation is subject to minimum eligibility criteria.