CUET 2026 Answer Key (21 May Shift 1): Question Paper Analysis, Difficulty Level & Topics Asked

The National Testing Agency (NTA) successfully concluded the first phase of the CUET UG 2026 examination on May 21, conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode at various centers across India and abroad. The first phase of the examination was held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and covered key subjects of the CUET UG 2026 syllabus, including Hindi, the General Aptitude Test (GAT), and Quantitative Aptitude.

Students can access detailed information here regarding subject-wise question paper analysis, answer key updates, and the important topics covered in the exam. Based on initial feedback from students, the GAT paper placed a greater emphasis on General Knowledge, while the Hindi paper included chapters covering both prose and poetry, featuring questions based on Sandhi (conjunctions) and antonyms.

Candidates appearing for the examination in the second shift on May 21 are advised to keep their admit cards, valid identity proofs, and other necessary documents ready. The NTA has established strict timelines; therefore, it is mandatory to arrive at the examination center well in advance of the scheduled gate-closing time.

CUET UG 2026 May 21 Shift 1: Subject-Wise Difficulty Level

Here's the complete subject-wise difficulty breakdown for the CUET UG 2026 May 21 Shift 1 exam, based on early student feedback:

CUET UG 2026 May 21 Shift 1: Section-Wise Highlights

Here's a quick snapshot of how each subject played out in Shift 1:

• Hindi stayed easy to moderate, with balanced weightage on Prose (50 marks) and Poetry (50 marks).
• GAT was moderate, with GK being the toughest section carrying 20 questions.
• Mathematics in GAT was easy to moderate, with Mean/Median/Mode, AP, GP, and Time-Work dominating.
• Reasoning stayed comfortable with Calendar, Clock, Coding-Decoding, and Direction Sense as key topics.
• Author-Book matching, Vice President, and 2023 Awards were the standout GK topics.
• Sandhi (दुःख + का), Samas (Tatpurush, Karmadharaya), and Ras (शांत) appeared in Hindi grammar.

CUET UG 2026 May 21 Shift 1: Hindi Paper Analysis

The Hindi paper for May 21 Shift 1 was easy to moderate overall. The paper covered both गद्यांश (Prose) and पद्यांश (Poetry) sections with 50 marks each, along with grammar-based questions on sandhi, samas, and vilom shabd.

CUET UG 2026 May 21 Shift 1: General Aptitude Test (GAT) Analysis

The GAT paper was rated moderate by students. GK had the highest weightage with around 20 questions, followed by Maths and Reasoning with 13–15 questions each.

GAT Section-Wise Breakdown

GAT — Mathematics Important Topics

GAT — Reasoning Important Topics

GAT — General Knowledge Important Topics

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CUET UG Study Material 2026