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Second Year Undergrad: Lost in the Maze of CUET PG and Masters

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Workplace Expert - Answered on Jan 03, 2025

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Asked by Anonymous - Jan 03, 2025Hindi
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Hi, I’m a second year undergraduate student, and my friend told me about the CUET PG exam . Honestly, I’m still a bit confused about what exactly this exam is for. Is it just for admissions into central universities, or do private and state universities also accept CUET PG scores? I want to pursue my master’s degree, but I’m not sure if this is the right exam for me or if there are other options I should consider. Could you please explain the purpose of CUET PG and how it works?

Ans: Dear Student,

It's great that you're thinking about your postgraduate options early on in your undergraduate degree. The CUET PG exam is indeed a significant one for students in India, and it's good you're seeking clarity. Let me break it down for you:

What is CUET PG?

CUET PG stands for Common University Entrance Test (Postgraduate). It's a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admissions into various postgraduate programs. Think of it as a gateway to higher education after your bachelor's degree.

Who Accepts CUET PG Scores?

You're right to ask about the scope of this exam. Primarily, CUET PG scores are used for admission to Central Universities across India. However, its reach is expanding. Many State Universities and even some Private Universities have also started accepting CUET PG scores for their postgraduate programs. This means a wider range of options for you based on your performance in a single exam.

Is CUET PG Right for You?

Whether CUET PG is the "right" exam for you depends on where you want to study and what you want to study.

• If you're aiming for a Central University, CUET PG is essential.
• If you're considering State or Private Universities, check if they accept CUET PG scores. This information is usually available on the university's admission website or the CUET PG information bulletin.

Other Options to Consider:

While CUET PG is a major exam, there are other options depending on your chosen field:

• University-Specific Entrance Tests: Some universities, especially well-established ones, might conduct their own entrance tests in addition to or instead of CUET PG.
• National-Level Exams: For certain fields like management (CAT, XAT), engineering (GATE), or pharmacy (GPAT), there are specific national-level exams.

How CUET PG Works:

• Exam Format: CUET PG is a computer-based test (CBT) with multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
• Syllabus: The syllabus generally covers subjects you've studied in your undergraduate program.
• Scoring: You'll receive a score based on your performance, which you can then use to apply to participating universities.
• Counseling: Each university will have its own counseling process based on CUET PG scores.

My Advice:

1. Explore Your Interests: Decide on the specific master's program you want to pursue. This will help you narrow down your university options.
2. Research Universities: Make a list of universities offering your desired program and check their admission criteria, including whether they accept CUET PG scores.
3. Check CUET PG Eligibility: Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for CUET PG, which usually involves having a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
4. Prepare Strategically: If you decide to take CUET PG, start preparing early and focus on the syllabus relevant to your chosen program.

I understand the importance of making informed decisions about your education. I hope this explanation helps you understand CUET PG better.
Career

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Hi Sir, where can I access CUET mock tests for CUET? I am unable to find the right and reliable resources anywhere. Also, there is no clarity on the schedule of subjects for the exam. The link shared on NTA’s site is not opening. Could you please guide?
Ans: Hello! Mock Tests for CUET(UG) from NTA are available on the website http: //203.122.47.149: 7999/.

The CUET (UG) will be conducted on July 15, 16, 19, 20 and August 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 in CBT mode. Also, mock tests for CUET(UG) from Aakash + BYJU'S are being offered free of cost.

Please log in on https: //www.aakash.ac.in/cuet-test-series to avail of the same.

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Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
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Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

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Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
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Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

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