Of the many entrance exams, two may confuse students more than others due to certain similarities: CUET and NEET.
Both are national-level entrance exams for degree programs and are crucial for landing a place in prestigious colleges and universities. But the doors that these exams open are different. Let’s delve into the details to better understand what they have to offer.
What is CUET?
CUET (Common University Entrance Test) is an entrance exam designed for individuals to gain admission into numerous degree programmes in various central universities and some institutes across India. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), this exam covers a wide range of subjects including arts, science, commerce and vocational studies.
To meet the eligibility criteria for this exam, irrespective of the stream, students must pass their Class 12 exams.
CUET: Test format
The CUET multiple choice exam is divided into three sections: Section 1 A and B: Language Test; Section 2: Subject Mastery Test; and Section 3: General Test. In Section 1, language is tested through reading comprehension, literary aptitude, and vocabulary test. In Section 2, students are assessed for potential through the class 12 board examination syllabus. In Section 3, they have to answer questions related to current affairs, general knowledge, quantitative reasoning, logical and analytical reasoning, and numerical ability. All questions are worth 5 marks each. There is a negative marking of 1 for every wrong answer. The duration of the exam varies depending on the subjects a candidate chooses. This year, candidates were allowed to choose only 6 subjects in any two categories: 4 mastery subjects, 1 language subject, and 1 general test; or 3 mastery subjects, 2 language subjects, and 1 general test.
However, it is important to note that candidates must choose a subject for the exam. The choice of subject helps them align their course preference with the universities that look at the admission scores.
For example, if a candidate wants to pursue a degree in English, he or she will need to choose English as a subject and some subjects from the field of humanities. English should be his or her main focus. Similarly, if someone is interested in pursuing a degree in Physics, he or she will need to choose subjects like Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry to broaden his or her prospects.
This year, the NTA registered around 13.48 lakh students for the CUET exam. Most of the students registered for the English and General papers.
What is NEET?
NEET or National Entrance cum Eligibility Test is a national-level entrance exam designed for medical aspirants to gain admission into one of the undergraduate medical courses at one of the top medical colleges in the country. In 2020, NEET was made the single entrance test requirement for all medical institutions in the country, replacing the state-level medical examinations, to standardize the medical examination system.
Like CUET, this exam is also conducted by NTA. However, it focuses only on subjects related to medical sciences such as biology, chemistry, and physics. Those who have passed the 12th grade board exam with these subjects and English are eligible to register for this exam.
NEET: Test Format
The test lasts 3 hours and 20 minutes. Students have to answer 180 multiple choice questions and each correct answer is worth 4 points. For each incorrect answer, one point is deducted.
Additionally, the exam includes subjects such as Physics, Chemistry and Biology, which are further divided into Botany and Zoology. Each of these subjects is divided into Sections A and B: Section A has 35 questions and Section B has 15. All questions are compulsory in Section A, while students are required to answer only 10 questions in Section B.
According to NTA statistics, 24,06,079 students have registered for NEET 2024. The agency has witnessed a 16.85% increase in applicants compared to the previous year.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.