Select the Top Engineering Colleges in Delhi With Guidance Shiksha
Test 19/06/2025
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun the online registration process for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG 2026. Candidates seeking admission to undergraduate courses in central, state, and participating universities can now submit their applications through the official website, cuet.nta.nic.in.
Apply Link: https://examinationservices.nic.in/ExamSysCUETUG26/Registration/Instruction.aspx
| Event | Date / Details |
|---|
| Exam Name | Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Registration Start Date | 3 January 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | May 2026 (Tentative) |
| Examination Window | 11 May to 31 May 2026 |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Official Website | cuet.nta.nic.in |
| Category | Fee for up to 3 Subjects | Fee for Each Additional Subject |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | ₹1,000 | ₹400 |
| OBC (NCL) / EWS | ₹900 | ₹375 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third Gender | ₹800 | ₹350 |
| Centres Outside India | ₹4,500 | ₹1,800 |
Note:
Service charges and GST (as applicable) will be charged additionally by the bank.
CUET UG serves as a common entrance test for admission to multiple universities across India, aiming to provide a fair and uniform admission process. The exam will be held over multiple days in computer-based mode.
Candidates are advised to carefully read the official instructions and complete the registration process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.
AICTE or All India Council for Technical Education is not required for universities in India to conduct technical programs, as clarified by Supreme Court judgments and the AICTE Act, 1987.
Universities established under state or central acts or deemed universities operate autonomously under UGC oversight. However, affiliated technical colleges and standalone PGDM institutes must secure AICTE approval for courses like engineering and management.
The primary role of AICTE involves regulating technical education by:
Granting approvals to non-university institutions
Setting norms for infrastructure, faculty, and curriculum
Promoting quality through accreditation
AICTE oversees AICTE approved colleges through annual inspections, maintains lists of unapproved institutions on its portal, and facilitates schemes like the AICTE internship portal for student placements.
Additional duties include:
Policy formulation
Funding research
Standardizing exams through AICTE Parakh for skill assessments
Universities skip prior AICTE nod as per the Bharathidasan University vs AICTE (2001) ruling. However, their affiliated colleges need AICTE approval for B.Tech/MBA validity.
Degrees from unapproved setups risk non-recognition by employers and PSUs.
Standalone institutes apply via the AICTE portal (AICTE login/registration), submitting EOA applications with fees, documents, and site visits. The 2025–26 handbook details norms like 1:20 faculty–student ratio.
Mandatory for institutes and students at www.aicte-india.org for approvals and scholarships.
National portal connecting students with 1 lakh+ opportunities in PSUs and tech firms.
Lists approved programs and job notifications via AICTE recruitment.
The official site hosts the AICTE approved colleges list, which must be verified before admission to avoid fake approvals.
AICTE ensures technical education standards without micromanaging universities, focusing instead on affiliated institutions for degree credibility.
Students benefit from its verified lists and internship portals, supporting career security and employability.
AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and UGC (University Grants Commission) contribute multiple roles in India’s higher education regulation.
UGC focuses on universities and degree-granting authority, while AICTE oversees technical programs like engineering and management.
UGC was established in 1956 under an Act of Parliament that coordinates and maintains standards for all higher education institutions, recognizing central, state, and deemed universities and ensuring degree validity.
AICTE was formed in 1945 and became statutory in 1987. It regulates technical education (B.Tech, MBA, pharmacy) by approving affiliated colleges and standalone institutes based on infrastructure, faculty, and curriculum norms — this is what AICTE approved means.
Aspect
UGC Approved
AICTE Approved
Scope
Universities, general degrees (arts / science / commerce)
Technical courses (B.Tech / MBA / architecture)
Institutions
Universities only
Colleges / institutes affiliated to universities
Degree Validity
Mandatory for all degrees
Mandatory for technical programs
Exemptions
IITs / IIMs as Institutes of National Importance
Universities for their own technical departments
Universities need UGC approval to provide degrees, while their technical affiliates require AICTE approval.
PGDM institutes must be AICTE-approved, but UGC recognition is required only if a degree is awarded.
Both are required:
UGC-recognized university
AICTE-approved college
Dual compliance ensures validity for jobs and exams.
AICTE is crucial as it is a technical program.
AICTE ensures program quality
UGC ensures university status
Private B-schools prioritize AICTE approval.
UGC-approved degrees are valid abroad via equivalency.
AICTE adds technical credibility.
So, is a UGC approved degree valid abroad? — Yes, if from a recognized university.
Download:
AICTE approved university list PDF
AICTE and UGC approved university list PDF
From aicte-india.org and ugc.gov.in. Always verify before admission to avoid fake approvals.
UGC and AICTE will not be replaced by a single body. The Higher Education Commission of India proposal lapsed. They coexist, with NEP 2020 pushing coordination while retaining separate roles.
Prioritize UGC for university legitimacy and AICTE for technical course authenticity.
Dual approval maximizes employability, especially for PSUs and government jobs.
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