A CUET PG score of roughly 200–240+ can generally be considered a good score if you're targeting top universities like Delhi University (DU) or Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
That said, there's no single score that guarantees admission to either. What you actually need can shift a lot depending on the course, university, category, number of applicants, and how competitive that particular year turns out to be. Some highly sought-after programmes demand a much higher score, while others carry noticeably lower cutoffs.
So if you're aiming for a top university, don't fixate on your CUET PG score in isolation. Look at the course-wise and category-wise cutoff too.
What Is Considered a Good CUET PG Score?
If DU or JNU is your target, a score in the 200–240+ range puts you in a competitive spot for a fair number of programmes. But treat that as a rough guide, not a fixed cutoff.
The cutoff for an M.Sc. programme, for instance, can look completely different from the cutoff for an M.A. programme. Category matters here too, since universities apply reservation rules while building their admission lists. A more useful way to judge where you stand is to work through your score alongside the specific course, university, category, last year's cutoff, and how competitive the current cycle is shaping up to be.
CUET PG Cutoff for Delhi University
Here are some indicative course-wise CUET PG cutoff ranges for Delhi University:
Programme Name | General | OBC | EWS | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M.A. English | 205–225 | 165–205 | 165–185 | 155–185 | 155–180 |
M.A. Hindi | 205–235 | 155–175 | 135–155 | 205–225 | 85–105 |
M.A. History | 145–165 | 125–145 | 75–95 | 105–125 | 102–120 |
M.A. Sociology | 138–157 | 112–125 | 127–136 | 100–110 | 107–118 |
192–218 | 153–169 | 158–176 | 143–158 | 98–117 | |
M.Sc. Biochemistry | 267–286 | 252–276 | 205–227 | 206–228 | 184–206 |
M.Sc. Chemistry | 223–247 | 185–215 | 168–204 | 142–156 | 105–130 |
M.Sc. Zoology | 226–238 | 182–205 | 187–203 | 158–176 | 139–154 |
These numbers show why saying "you need 240 marks for DU" doesn't really hold up. Some M.A. programmes have cutoffs well under 200, while certain science programmes can push past 240, sometimes even 270.
It's also worth noting that for DU's current admission process, appearing for CUET PG alone isn't enough. Candidates still need to complete the university's PG admission or CSAS process to actually secure a seat.
CUET PG Cutoff for JNU
JNU runs equally competitive, especially for its popular programmes. Here's a course-wise breakdown:
Programme | UR Cutoff Mark | UR Cutoff Rank | OBC Cutoff Mark | OBC Cutoff Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
M.A. in Ancient History (ANCM) | 70.6667 | 5 | 68.3333 | 13 |
M.A. in Economics (ECOM) | 84 | 49 | 74.6667 | 38 |
M.A. in Sociology (SOCM) | 97.6667 | 38 | 93 | 36 |
M.A. in Philosophy (SPHM) | 80 | 12 | 71.6667 | 10 |
M.A. in World Economy (EILM) | 87.3333 | 27 | 74.3333 | 33 |
M.A. in English (ENGM) | 71 | 13 | 62.3333 | 13 |
M.A. in French and Francophone Studies (FRNM) | 68.6667 | 7 | 58 | 6 |
M.A. in Geography (GEOM) | 70 | 27 | 63.6667 | 27 |
M.A. in German Literature (GRLM) | 58.3333 | 4 | 40 | 3 |
M.A. in Hindi (HNDM) | 97.6667 | 16 | 77.3333 | 2 |
M.A. in Medieval History (MEDM) | 73.6667 | 16 | 65.3333 | 2 |
M.A. in Modern History (MODM) | 76 | 22 | 41.6667 | 2 |
M.A. in Persian (PERM) | 36.6667 | 11 | NA | NA |
M.A. in Politics with Specialisation in International Studies (PISM) | 84.6667 | 88 | 79.6667 | 9 |
M.A. in Political Science (POLM) | 85 | 97 | 81.3333 | 84 |
M.A. in Russian (RSNM) | 51.6667 | 4 | NA | NA |
M.A. in Arts & Aesthetics (SAAM) | 56 | 11 | 46 | 8 |
M.A. in Sanskrit (SANM) | 90 | 24 | 84 | 26 |
One thing worth flagging: JNU presents its cutoff figures differently from DU, so don't directly compare a JNU cutoff mark against a DU raw score without checking how each university scored and structured cutoffs for that particular admission year.
JNU's official admission information confirms that PG admissions run through CUET PG performance combined with its own applicable criteria, and candidates need to apply separately to JNU once the CUET PG result is out.
How Does CUET PG Score Normalization Work?
Before comparing scores across candidates, it helps to understand normalization.
CUET PG runs across multiple shifts, and the difficulty of one shift isn't guaranteed to match another. One shift's paper might turn out harder, another's noticeably easier. If raw marks were compared directly without adjusting for that, candidates in tougher shifts would end up unfairly disadvantaged compared to those in easier ones.
That's what normalization is for. It puts scores from different shifts on a common, comparable basis. So when you're looking at CUET PG scores and cutoffs, keep in mind that the raw marks alone don't tell the whole story.
CUET PG Cutoff for Major Universities: Expected Percentile
Looking at major universities through expected percentile ranges, competition roughly breaks down like this:
University | Percentile Cutoff (General Category) | OBC | SC/ST |
|---|---|---|---|
Delhi University | 98–100 | 95+ | 90+ |
Banaras Hindu University | 95–99 | 90+ | 85+ |
Jawaharlal Nehru University | 97–100 | 93+ | 88+ |
University of Hyderabad | 94–98 | 90+ | 85+ |
Jamia Millia Islamia | 93–96 | 89+ | 84+ |
Central University of Rajasthan | 85–90 | 80+ | 75+ |
Treat these as indicative, expected ranges rather than guaranteed official cutoffs. The actual figure shifts every year depending on the course, number of applicants, category, seat availability, and competition.
Is 77 a Good Score in CUET PG?
A score of 77 wouldn't generally be considered strong for the more competitive programmes. You'd likely struggle to get into high-demand courses like Political Science, English, Economics, and similar programmes.
That doesn't mean 77 rules out every option, though. Your actual chances still hinge on your category, the course you're going for, the university, how many seats are available, last year's cutoff, and competition in that particular cycle.
So the real question isn't "Is 77 a good CUET PG score?" It's "Is 77 a good CUET PG score for my course, category, and target university?"
What Are the Minimum Marks Required for CUET PG?
Qualifying the exam and actually getting admission to a top university are two different things. A score can clear the basic qualifying benchmark and still fall well short of what a competitive programme demands.
Here's an indicative range:
Category | Qualifying Marks (Out of 300) | Expected Qualifying Percentile |
|---|---|---|
General (UR) | 120–130 | 40–45 percentile |
EWS | 110–120 | 35–40 percentile |
OBC-NCL | 105–115 | 35–40 percentile |
SC | 95–105 | 30–35 percentile |
ST | 90–100 | 30–35 percentile |
PwBD (All Categories) | 85–100 | 25–35 percentile |
Qualifying marks and admission cutoffs aren't the same thing. You can clear CUET PG comfortably and still miss out on DU, JNU, BHU, or another top university if your score sits below the competitive cutoff for the programme you want.
So, What Score Should You Target for DU or JNU?
If a top university is the goal, don't prepare with the mindset of just clearing the qualifying marks. Aim considerably higher.
As a rough guide: 200+ keeps you competitive for several programmes, 220+ puts you in a stronger position across many of them, 240+ makes you very competitive for a good number of courses, and 260–280+ is a particularly strong score for the toughest programmes, depending on the specific paper or course.
Must Read: How Does CUET PG Counselling and Seat Allotment Work?
