CUET UG 2026: Students Report Technical Glitches and Hours of Waiting at Noida Exam Centre

The National Testing Agency (NTA) continues to face questions about its ability to conduct smooth examinations. Just weeks after the NEET-UG controversy sparked nationwide anger, another major test has run into trouble. This time, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) 2026 has left students frustrated and confused.

At one Noida examination centre, technical failures and poor communication turned what should have been a routine exam day into hours of waiting and uncertainty. For some students, the exam never even started.

What the NTA Said

On Saturday afternoon, the NTA posted an update on X (formerly Twitter). The agency announced revised timings for the evening shift at some centres. It also stated that students appearing in the morning shift were given the full duration of the paper.

But the statement did not mention any technical glitches during the morning session. It only acknowledged that the evening session at some centres would start an hour late.

The gap between what the NTA announced and what students experienced raises serious concerns.

Students Were Left Waiting for Hours

Jatin, who appeared for the exam at a centre in Noida Sector 64, told TOI that students were given no information. "We were not told anything. We were simply asked to keep waiting inside the examination hall. No one was willing to listen to us, and in the end, we were told to go home. After that, chaos broke out at the centre," he said.

Akanksha, another CUET-UG candidate, described the day as confusing and stressful. Students completed all formalities, including biometric verification and attendance, but the exam never began.

Entry time was between 7:00 am and 8:30 am. The exam was scheduled to start at 9:00 am. But that time came and went. Students sat in the hall, waiting for an update that never came.

Server Down, No Clear Answers

Akanksha said, "The exam was scheduled to begin at 9:00 am, but no one informed the students about the delay. They were simply told that they would be updated once the examination started and that the server was down."

By 10:30 am, students grew anxious. They began asking questions. Some officials left the room. Others ignored the students and kept repeating that an update would come in 10 to 15 minutes. That update never arrived.

"This continued until around 11:30 am, after which the students were suddenly told to leave the premises without any proper explanation," Akanksha said.

Claims of Being Forced Out

What happened next, according to Akanksha, was even more disturbing. "The students began protesting and creating a commotion. Some bouncers threatened candidates, saying they would be beaten if they did not leave. Students were then forcibly removed from the centre."

After students were asked to leave, police arrived at the venue. Protests broke out outside the examination centre.

These are serious allegations. Students who had prepared for months were asked to leave without appearing for the exam. No explanation was provided. No alternate date was announced on the spot.

The Irony of a Computer-Based Test Failing

CUET-UG is already conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. This is the same format that the government recently chose for NEET to prevent malpractices and paper leaks.

But here, the CBT format itself appears to have failed. The very system that was supposed to be more secure and reliable ran into technical trouble.

This raises a bigger question. Is the problem with the exam format, or with the systems and people responsible for running it?

A Month After NEET, Another Exam Fails

The NTA conducts both NEET-UG and CUET-UG. Over the past few years, the agency has faced intense scrutiny. Allegations of paper leaks, security breaches, and operational failures have damaged its reputation.

The NEET-UG paper leak earlier this year triggered a nationwide debate. Lakhs of medical aspirants lost confidence in the system. Parents demanded accountability. The matter went to court.

Just days before the CUET-UG exam, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan spoke about reforms. He announced a "zero tolerance" policy towards exam malpractices. He said NEET would shift to CBT mode from next year to curb cheating.

But barely a month later, a CBT exam itself has run into serious trouble.

What Students Expect on Exam Day

For thousands of students, the concern is no longer just about whether an exam is online or offline. The real question is whether the system can deliver what every student expects on exam day.

A fair process. A smooth experience. Clear communication. And above all, predictability.

When students arrive at an exam centre after months of preparation, they should not have to sit for hours without information. They should not be threatened or forced out. They should not leave without knowing when they will get another chance.

Smooth Conduct or Repeated Failures?

Every NTA admit card carries a printed instruction. It states that "Candidates must not create obstacles in the smooth conduct of the exams."

But now, questions are being raised about the agency's own ability to ensure that smooth conduct. Another exam failure has surfaced less than a month after the NEET-UG row.

The NTA needs to answer some hard questions. What caused the server failure? Why were students not informed in time? Why was there no backup plan? And most importantly, when will these students get another chance to appear for the exam?

Until these answers come, the trust deficit between students and the testing agency will only grow.