CUET Exam Cities 2026: Ultimate Guide & Stress-Free Travel Checklist
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Appearing for the CUET 2026? One of the most commonly asked and often underemphasized questions in the preparation process is “Where will my exam center be?”
Your selected CUET exam city can be a determining factor in your CUET examination experience. Whether it is travel tiredness or mental calmness, all can be achieved if you organize your examination logistical requirements well in advance.
This all-encompassing CUET PLUS guide will unravel the mystery underlying the CUET Exam Cities 2026 List, help you understand how to identify the appropriate CUET Exam Center, and give you the CUET travel checklist so you are always prepared, punctual, and stress-less.
Understanding CUET Exam Cities 2026
CUET Exam Cities is the list of places where the Common University Entrance Test will be held by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the year 2026. There are several C-BE centers established at each city.
Why CUET Exam Cities Matter:
- These will directly influence your journey time and stress.
- However, some of the centers provide proper infrastructure and can be easily accessed
- The time of your examination, weather, and environment could differ based on the city you are in.
The NTA normally offers more than 350 exam centers in India and other foreign centers to accommodate the presence of lakhs of students wanting to get admission in central, state, and private universities.
Our advice here, of course, is to begin understanding your CUET cities well before the exam, perhaps several months before, since the better your logistics, the better your peace of mind when it comes to CUET.
How CUET Exam Cities Are Allotted
Your examination city isn’t random – there’s actually a certain set of rules involved.
The factors used in:
- Preferences entered in the CUET application form: You are allowed to enter a maximum of four cities.
- Availability of seats: Urban areas that are fully saturated may not allow additional candidates.
- Convenience at the Regional Level: “What NTA attempts to provide, where possible, is the first choice test center nearest to your location.”
- Technical readiness: Prioritization of cities depends on the presence of reliable network configurations
Example:
Then, if a student from Ghaziabad prefers Delhi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and Jaipur, and after Delhi, the slots get filled, they will be chosen as the second or third option.
We track the allotment patterns of examination cities on a yearly basis on CUET PLUS and inform you about the examination cities that fill up faster and the ones available for longer periods of time.
Full List of CUET Exam Cities 2026 (Zone-Wise)
Below is a provisional and data-informed CUET Exam Cities list for 2026, compiled using NTA’s past notifications and CUETPLUS’s verified records.
| Zone | CUET Exam Cities (Major Centers) |
|---|---|
| North India | Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Dehradun, Jammu, Kurukshetra, Hisar |
| South India | Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, Madurai, Vijayawada |
| West India | Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Jaipur, Udaipur, Nashik, Rajkot |
| East India | Kolkata, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Guwahati, Siliguri, Dhanbad, Gaya, Cuttack, Purnea |
| Central India | Bhopal, Indore, Raipur, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Bilaspur, Satna, Ujjain |
| Northeast & International | Shillong, Imphal, Aizawl, Agartala, Itanagar, Kohima, Dubai, Doha, Kathmandu, Riyadh |
International CUET Exam cities in 2026 will help Indian students in international locations take the same pattern of examinations. International centres usually get filled faster. International centres will also require more validation. Students must register early.
To explore in-depth city insights, visit dedicated pages on CUETPLUS such as:
- CUET Exam City – Delhi Travel & Stay Guide
- CUET Exam City – Chennai Student Essentials
- CUET Exam City – Kolkata Connectivity Tips
How to Choose the Correct CUET Exam Center
While filling out your CUET application form, you can choose your city preferences. But the question is, how should you make your choices?
“Here’s how CUETPLUS’s expert approach can help you make the right decision:
Location Accessibility:
Select an exam city in CUET to which you can travel quickly. The preferred distance is between 200 to 250 km from your home address.
Transport Connectivity:
Make sure that the test center is easily accessible by metro, train, or bus. For instance, if you live in Delhi, Lucknow, or Kolkata, test centers have been established near main railway stations.
Comfort & Safety:
Do not choose unknown or distant cities. Safety and familiarity are important factors, especially if you will be traveling alone.
Infrastructural Efficiency:
The computer facilities, power, and monitoring in cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad are relatively good.
Family or Peer Support:
If possible, choosing a city in which a relative resides can make life easier, such as finding a place to stay or transportation.
Exam Slot Flexibility:
There are cities that have multiple testing times per day, giving you more options in terms of the timing of the test.
CUETPLUS Insight:
Our studies found that when students took their exams within their own home state, they scored higher in both Section I of the test of language and in Section II consisting of domain subjects, perhaps on account of less travel fatigue.
How to Check CUET Exam City Allotment
In May 2026, you will receive your CUET Exam City Intimation Slip – a pre-admit card containing information regarding the city (not the exact center) allocated to you.
Steps to Check:
- Visit cuet.samarth.ac.in.
- Click on “CUET 2026 Exam City Intimation”.
- Enter your application number and password to log in.
- Download and print a copy of your city information slip.
It assists you in planning traveling and lodging arrangements before the final admit card.
Important:
- The examination city may also change very slightly in your admit card allocation due to seats having been reshuffled.
- The city intimation slip must not be mistaken for the CUET Admit Card, as the latter contains the precise CUET examination center address and schedule.
CUET Travel Checklist 2026 – Plan Ahead, Stay Relaxed
A careful CUET travel checklist will help you to prepare for your entire exam process in an organized manner. Many students overlook this part of preparations. Then they suffer from panic in the end.
The following is CUETPLUS’ three-phase checklist
Before traveling:
- Check the exam city name, as well as the test center, on the admit card.
- Buy train, bus, or flight tickets at least 2 weeks ahead of time.
- Book a cheap place to stay close by, since you’ll be doing the CUET exam
- Two passport size photographs, ID proof, and admit card.
- Pack the ‘bare essentials’ bag to take to the exams. ID, snacks, light water bottle, pen (if permitted).
- Visit the City Convenience Guide on CUETPLUS for real-time instructions and center reviews.
On the Exam Day:
- Arrive at the CUET exam center in the city at least 90 minutes prior to the reporting time.
- Carry a physical form of the admit card and a valid photograph ID (Aadhaar, PAN, or Passport).
- Leave your electronic devices, calculators, and metal accessories inside.
- Eat a light breakfast to keep alert.
- Remain calm—helpful center invigilators are always on hand.
After the Exam:
- Reconfirm your return tickets before you leave the city.
- Always maintain the soft and hard copies of the admit card.
- Share your CUETPLUS exam city experience on CUET PLUS Feedback Board. It will help other aspirants to prepare wisely.
Local Guidance, Support & Community Help- CUETPLUS
Each location of a CUET exam has its own environment, be it transportation, food, or places to stay. CUETPLUS currently has a circle of students where they exchange help, such as:
- Offering details of budget hotels within 3 kilometers of major CUET exam locations.
- Hand-made maps and transportation guides produced by students.
- WhatsApp and Telegram city-based support groups where candidates shared last-minute updates.
The CUETPLUS city pages for Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Kolkata currently contain embedded Google maps showing clusters of examination centers, bus routes, and eating stalls or hostels in the vicinity.
CX Tip: Download the maps the day before your departure, as there can be issues with the network around the exam locations.
Common Mistakes CUET Aspirants Make When Traveling
“A large number of first-timers commit small but costly errors in regards to CUET test location and travel. Avoid these so that everything goes smoothly in the test itself:”
Arriving late due to overconfidence in city routes.
Commute time should always be verified through Google Maps for the same day and time period.
Not verifying the test center address.
There may be more than one institution with a similar name in some cities; double check using the pin codes.
Booking accommodation too far.
Commutes that are lengthy can result in delays and added stress.
Regional festivals or traffic events.
Large CUET exam centers, such as Varanasi or Chandigarh, might have processions in their local areas.
Lack of identification documents or online permissions.
The document verification process in CUET has to be followed rigorously. Failure to produce a document may result in the cancellation Stay informed and plan ahead – CUET PLUS frequently updates its pre-exam travel advisories on major cities.
Final Tips – Plan Smart with CUETPLUS
Your CUET Exam City 2026 is more than the line on your admit card – it is an integral part of your preparation process.
A strategic plan on how to tackle your travel will help you retain your focus on content revision as well as keep your cool during the exam. This is exactly what CUETPLUS points out as your 3-step strategy to follow at the end:
- Research early. lock_up Use our CUET City Database to finalize your list of possible CUET exam cities.
- Prepare logistically. Make use of the CUET travel checklist, which can be found within this article.
- Stay updated: The best thing about CUETPLUS is that it allows you to stay updated with the latest news and announcements from the NTA.
