This update covers a 2026 admission/exam cycle that has ended. Kept here for reference; check our Exams & Admissions hub for current-year updates.
Scorecard Action Steps
- Locate the ‘Normalised Score’ column on your official scorecard.
- Write down the normalised scores for every subject you appeared for.
- Ignore your raw marks when comparing yourself against university merit lists.
- Check the individual admission portals of universities to see how they calculate combined scores.
CUET Scorecard Portal
Download and verify your exact NTA scores here.
Your CUET scorecard carries several data points, which can cause immediate confusion when matching them against college cutoffs. To plan your admissions accurately, you must know exactly which number matters. Many university portals use the relevant CUET/NTA score and subject mapping while preparing merit lists, but each university may define its own rules.
Raw Marks vs Normalised Scores
Your raw marks are simply the total number of questions you answered correctly minus any negative marking. However, CUET is conducted across multiple days and shifts. A paper on day one might be inherently more difficult than a paper on day three.
To ensure fairness, the NTA uses a statistical method to convert these raw marks into a Normalised Score (also called the NTA Score). This process levels the playing field, ensuring no student is disadvantaged by a harder question paper.
What Does Your Percentile Actually Mean?
Your percentile indicates your relative performance against everyone who took the exam in your specific shift. If you have a 95 percentile, it means you scored better than 95 percent of the candidates in your exact testing session.
While percentiles are useful for understanding your comparative standing, they cannot be used to merge candidates from different shifts into a single university merit list. That is why the percentile is an indicator, not the final admission metric.
Why Universities Only Use Normalised Scores
When a university like Delhi University or BHU compiles its merit list, it receives applicants from hundreds of different testing shifts. The only mathematically sound way to compare these students is by using the Normalised Score.
When you apply, the university’s portal will automatically fetch your Normalised Scores from the NTA database. They will add the scores of your specific subjects to create your aggregate total for their specific course.
Calculating Your Aggregate for Specific Courses
You cannot just look at your scorecard and know your final admission chances. You must calculate your aggregate based on the university’s specific formula. If a B.Com program requires one language and three domain subjects, you must add the Normalised Scores of those four specific subjects.
Do not add the percentiles together, as percentiles cannot be mathematically added. Only use the raw NTA Normalised Score numbers for your calculations.
Addressing Score Discrepancies
If your normalised score is significantly lower than your calculated raw score, it usually indicates that your specific shift had an easier paper compared to the average, resulting in a downward normalisation adjustment.
This is a standard statistical occurrence in multi-shift exams and cannot be challenged or re-evaluated by the NTA. Focus on using your final normalised score to register for university counselling portals.
FAQs
Which score will colleges use to give me admission?
Colleges and universities will use your Normalised Score (NTA Score) to create their merit lists and determine cutoffs. They do not use raw marks or percentiles.
Why is my normalised score lower than my raw marks?
This happens through the equi-percentile method if the question paper in your specific shift was statistically easier than papers in other shifts. It is an adjustment to ensure fairness.
Can I add my subject percentiles together to find my total?
No. Percentiles are statistical rankings and cannot be added together. You must only add your Normalised Scores to calculate your aggregate for university admissions.
Official Links
- NTA CUET Score Explainer – Verifying the official normalisation process.