CUET marks and percentile are two metrics to assess students’ performance in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). CUET marks are the total score obtained by students in the exam, whereas the CUET percentile indicates the percentage of students who have performed equal to or better than you in all sessions. NTA is expected to release the CUET result 2026 by June on the official website of CUET.
As per the official data by the NTA, every year, 13+ lakh students register for the CUET examination for admission to an undergraduate course at participating universities. In this highly competitive environment, it is crucial to understand what score they get and what percentile is required to gain admission to the desired university.
CUET Marks vs Percentile 2026 Overview
The following table mentions the key differences between CUET marks and percentiles, and how to calculate marks and percentiles.
| Attributes | CUET Marks | CUET Percentile |
| Definition | The raw marks obtained by the students | A relative score that shows how many candidates have performed equal to or above you. |
| Calculation | Mark is calculated as per the marking scheme. Correct: +5, Incorrect: -1 | 100*no. of candidates appeared in all sessions/number of candidates appeared in specific session. |
| Admission Role | Merit list is prepared based on CUET marks or score | Candidate’s rank is predicted for admission |
| Normalization | Marks are not normalised | Marks are normalised across all shifts. |
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What is the CUET Percentile Score?
The CUET percentile is a relative score that shows where you stand in comparison to other students who appeared for the exam in the same subject. Unlike raw, the percentile indicates the percentage of students who scored equal to or below you.
For example, if you score 90 percentile, it means you are ahead of 90% of students who took the exam in the same subject. You are among the 10% students who performed well in the exam.
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CUET Marks vs Percentile 2026: How Percentile is Calculated
To calculate your percentile, you may use the following formula:
| P = M / N * 100 |
Here, P stands for percentile, M stands for the number of candidates who took the test in your subject in multiple shifts, and N stands for the total number of students who appeared for the tests in a specific shift.
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How to Calculate Marks in CUET 2026?
To calculate your CUET marks, you can use the following methods.
CUET Marks = (No. of Correct Answers*5) – (No. of Incorrect Answers*1)
For instance, if you attempt 40 correct answers out of 50, 7 incorrect and 3 unattempted, then your score would be:
Correct response – 40 x 5 = 200
Incorrect response – 7 x 1 = 7
Unanswered questions – 3 (no marks awarded for unanswered questions)
Total CUET Score – 200 – 7 = 193
Therefore, your CUET score is 193 out of 250.
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CUET Marks vs Percentile 2026 Normalization Process Explained
In university admissions, the CUET Percentile is the primary metric used to rank you against other applicants. While your raw score tells you how many marks you earned, the percentile tells the university where you stand in comparison to all test-takers for that subject.
To understand the normalization process, go through the following examples provided below:
(Allocation of Days and shifts were done randomly)
Session | Day | Shift | No. of Candidate | Raw Score | |||
| Absent | Appeared | Total | Highest | Lowest | |||
| Session-1 | Day-1 | Shift-1 | 3974 | 28012 | 31986 | 200 | -40 |
| Session-2 | Day-1 | Shift-2 | 6189 | 35241 | 38730 | 194 | -36 |
| Session-3 | Day-2 | Shift-1 | 6036 | 41326 | 47362 | 188 | -36 |
| Session-4 | Day-2 | Shift-2 | 9074 | 40603 | 49677 | 200 | -40 |
| Total (Session-1 to Session-4) | 25273 | 142482 | 167755 | 200 | -40 | ||
Steps to calculate a high raw score and low percentile in CUET.
Session | Total Candidates Appeared | Highest Raw Score | Candidates who scored EQUAL OR LESS THAN highest Raw Score | Percentile Score | Remarks |
| Session-1 | 28012 | 200 | 28012 | 100.0000000 [(28012/28012)*100] | i.e. , All the highest raw scores would be normalized to 100 percentile Score for their respective session. |
| Session-2 | 32541 | 194 | 32541 | 100.0000000 [(32541/32541)*100] | |
| Session-3 | 41326 | 188 | 41326 | 100.0000000 [(41326/41326)*100] | |
| Session-4 | 40603 | 200 | 40603 | 100.0000000 [(40603/40603)*100] |
Steps to calculate a low score and a percentile score:
Session | Total Candidates Appeared | Lowest Raw Score | Candidates who scored EQUAL OR LESS THAN highest Raw Score | Percentile Score | Remarks |
| Session-1 | 28012 | -40 | 1 | 0.0035699 [(1/28012)*100] | I.e.,the Percentile Score of all the lowest raw scores are different i.e., Percentile score depends on the total number of candidates who have taken the examination for their respective session. |
| Session-2 | 32541 | -36 | 1 | 0.0035699 [(1/32541)*100] | |
| Session-3 | 41326 | -36 | 1 | 0.0024198 [(1/41326)*100] | |
| Session-4 | 40603 | -40 | 1 | 0.0024198 [(1/40603)*100] |
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Expected CUET Marks vs Percentile 2026 (Score Analysis)
The following table represents the CUET marks range and its corresponding expected percentile. Students may use the given data for reference purposes and get an idea about how much they should score to get a 99+ percentile in the CUET examination.
| CUET Marks Range | Expected Percentile |
| 250 – 235 | 100 |
| 234 – 213 | 99 |
| 212 – 188 | 98 – 97 |
| 187 – 163 | 96 – 95 |
| 162 – 138 | 94 – 93 |
| 137 – 113 | 92 – 90 |
| 112 – 100 | 89 – 84 |
| 99 – 88 | 83 – 80 |
| 87 – 75 | 79 – 75 |
| 74 – 63 | 74 – 70 |
| 62 – 50 | 69 – 55 |
| 49 – 25 | 54 – 30 |
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What is a Good Score in CUET 2026?
A good score in CUET depends on the cut-off of the university and the number of courses they have applied for. CUET total marks are 250, and based on this, a good score in CUET is considered to be marks above 235. However, as per the NTA rules, candidates can choose up to 5 subjects, so the total marks are now 1250. As per the past cut-off analysis, a good score in CUET is 900+ marks. The following table represents the marks range and the category they belong to.
| Category | CUET Marks Range |
| Very Good Score | 900+ |
| Good Score | 700-850 |
| Average Score | 600-700 |
| Low Score | 400-650 |
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CUET Marks vs Percentile for Top Universities
The cut-off for top universities is usually high. The cut-off range for DU, JNU, BHU and other tier 1 universities is between 750 and 800 and the expected percentile for such marks is around 99+ percentile. The detailed CUET marks vs percentile for top universities are provided below.
| List of Top Universities | Expected Percentile | Expected Marks Range (Out of 800) |
| DU, JNU, BHU, Jamia, AMU | 99+ | 750 – 800 |
| DU, BHU, JNU, Central Universities | 95-99 | 700 – 750 |
| Good Colleges in DU, BHU, JNU, AMU, Central Universities | 90-95 | 650 – 700 |
| Mid-tier colleges in DU, BHU, State Universities | 85-90 | 600 – 650 |
| Private & State Universities | 80-85 | 550 – 600 |
CUET Cut Off 2026 (Expected)
CUET cut-off differs for all categories and universities. The expected cutoff range for different categories is provided below.
| Category | Expected CUET 2025 Cutoff Range (Out of 250) |
| General (UR) | 180 – 230 |
| OBC-NCL | 150 – 200 |
| EWS | 150 – 200 |
| SC/ST | 120 – 170 |
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FAQs on CUET Marks vs Percentile
700+ can be considered the expected CUET marks for 90 percentile. The marks range may vary depending on the cutoff of the university. 700+ is a good score to get into the top CUET participating colleges.
CUET percentile can be calculated using the given formula: P = M / N * 100. Here, P stands for percentile, M stands for the number of students who took the tests in different shifts, and N stands for the number of candidates who appeared in a particular session.
To get a 100th percentile, you need to score 235+ OUT OF 250 in the CUET exam. Marks above 235 are a very good score in CUET.
Generally, 750+ out of 800 is considered a safe score in CUET. A mark range of 600 to 700 is considered a good CUET score for top colleges like DU, JMI, BHU, etc.
In CUET, the percentile range for marks 800 can be around 99 to 100. For marks above 700, the expected percentile can be 98+.
The CUET score can be calculated using the prescribed marking scheme. Once the answer key is released, you can match yours using the response sheet you get during the exam. For each correct answer, give 5 marks and deduct 1 mark for each incorrect answer.
To get into DU, your CUET score should be 750+ marks. The cut-off for DU for courses such as BA (Hons) Economics, Political Science, Statistics, Maths, etc. With 400 marks in CUET, you can get into tier 2 colleges which are affiliated to DU.