The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) examinations began all over the country on Sunday, with students appearing for the examination in three slots throughout the day starting at 8.30 in the morning. The entry gates of the digital testing centre in Noida were bustling with nervous students standing in a long queue to enter the examination centre, while the parents stood outside waiting for them and wishing them good luck. “Today, we are here to give our English and general test. I have chosen the centre in Gurgaon as I come from Rhiwadi, but unfortunately, I was not allotted Gurgaon, so I had to travel for more than four hours to get to Noida here, which was a little inconvenient. We have to stay at a hotel tonight as I have an examination tomorrow as well,” said Yash Sharma, 20, a Delhi University aspirant. Yash scored 94.6 per cent in his 12th board and aims to pursue engineering in the Cluster Innovation Centre at the DU. Apart from the compulsory language test, a candidate’s participation in the domain-specific part of the CUET and the general test will depend on whether a central university wants it for the programme they are applying for. Students, before entering the examination centre, were requested to produce their admit cards, photographs and Aadhaar cards to verify identification along with biometrics that were taken at the centre. This time, the CUET UG 2023 exam is scheduled to be conducted from May 21 to June 5 with some gaps in between. Earlier, the exam dates were May 21 to 31, but the NTA decided to use the reserve dates of June 1 to 7 as the number of candidates increased manifold this year. Several students have also said they have been taking extra coaching classes to prepare for the CUET. “I have been going to a coaching institute post school hours every day to study for English, general tests and my other science subjects. We shelled out a lot of money on the coaching and worked hard in the preparation hoping for the best results,” said a 17-year-old, a Class 12 pass-out student from Mount Carmel School, R K Puram.
