Likhith · April 14, 2026 
Introduction
Every year, lakhs of students appear for CUET with one dream — a seat in Delhi University. And every year, the same question echoes in homes and coaching centres: “What will the DU CUET cutoff 2026 be?” It is a question that keeps students awake at night and defines the career direction of an entire generation. The numbers are real, the competition is intense, and the stakes could not be higher — especially for top colleges like SRCC, Hindu, St. Stephen’s, and Miranda House.
Understanding the DU CUET cutoff 2026 is not just about knowing a number on a sheet. It is about knowing where you stand, which colleges are within your reach, and how to plan your next move smartly. Whether you scored in the 900s or are still figuring out if a score of 750 is good enough, this blog has one goal — to give you clear, data-backed, honest answers. Let us walk through everything you need to know, college by college, category by category.
What Is the DU CUET Cutoff?
Before we dive into the numbers, let us clear up one of the most common sources of confusion among students.
The DU cutoff 2026 is expressed in raw normalized marks — not percentile, and not rank.
Here is how the three terms differ:
| Term | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Score | Marks you scored before normalization | 185/200 in Economics |
| Normalized Score | Score adjusted for difficulty across shifts | 792/1000 after normalization |
| Percentile | Your position relative to all test takers | 99.7 percentile |
| Rank | Your actual position in merit list | Rank 3,200 |
Important update: Since 2024, Delhi University releases cutoffs in normalized raw marks, not percentiles. This is a key shift from 2022–2023 when cutoffs were percentile-based. So when you see “SRCC cutoff: 917,” that means you need a normalized CUET score of 917 out of 1000 (calculated across your best four domain subjects).
Always check your scores on the official DU CSAS portal: ugadmission.uod.ac.in
How Is the DU CUET Cutoff Calculated?
The process might sound complex, but here is a simple breakdown.
Step 1: You Choose Your Subjects
CUET lets you appear in multiple domain subjects. For DU admissions, most programmes consider your best 4 subject scores, giving a maximum of 1000 marks (250 per subject).
Step 2: NTA Normalizes the Scores
Since CUET is held in multiple shifts across multiple days, the difficulty level varies. NTA applies a normalization formula to ensure fairness across shifts.
From 2024 onward, DU uses the normalized raw score directly for merit-list preparation — meaning what you see on your scorecard is what DU works with. The era of percentile-based cutoffs at DU is over, at least for now.
Step 3: DU Prepares the Merit List
Delhi University’s Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) compiles a merit list per college, per course, and per category based on these normalized scores. This is why two students with the same raw score may get different results depending on the shifts they appeared in.
Step 4: Cutoffs Are Released Round by Round
Typically, 3 rounds of cutoffs are released. If seats remain after Round 3, a spot round may follow. The Round 1 closing score is usually the highest — this is what most people refer to as “the cutoff.” Cutoffs generally ease by 2–8 marks in subsequent rounds, though at SRCC and Hindu College, the drop is often negligible.
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Historical Cutoff Trends: 2022 to 2025
Understanding where cutoffs have been is the best way to predict where they are going. Here is a clear trend analysis.
2022: The First Year of CUET — A New Beginning
CUET replaced Class 12 board marks for DU admissions for the first time in 2022. Cutoffs were expressed in percentiles, and the competition was unprecedented. Students had little historical data to go by, making it a year of uncertainty. Top colleges like SRCC and Hindu College saw 99+ percentile cutoffs for flagship courses. Many students who had scored 95–97% in boards found themselves unable to crack the cutoff — a wake-up call for the entire country.
2023–2024: Cutoffs Stabilize, Then Rise
As more students understood the CUET system, preparation quality improved, and applicant numbers grew. Cutoffs in 2023 remained broadly similar to 2022, with slight upward movement in high-demand programmes like Political Science and Economics. By 2024, NTA discontinued the normalization-to-percentile approach, and cutoffs began to be published as normalized marks. This transition created short-term confusion but brought more transparency. The highest cutoff observed was for Economics (Hons) General category in 2024 at approximately 792 out of 800, reflecting increased competition post-CUET adoption.
2025: Record Highs Across Top Colleges
2025 was a landmark year for DU admissions. Hindu College posted the highest cutoff for the general category at 950.58 for BA (Hons) Political Science, followed by BA (History + Political Science) at 936.18. English (Hons) at St. Stephen’s College had the third-highest cutoff at 926.93, closely followed by Psychology (Hons) at Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) with 926.53, and Political Science (Hons) at Miranda House with 925.98.
In the commerce stream, SRCC maintained its old dominance with the highest cutoff of 917.43 for B.Com (Hons).
Key Trend Summary (2022–2025):
| College | Course | 2022 (Approx.) | 2025 (Normalized/1000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRCC | B.Com (Hons) | ~99.5 percentile | 917.43 |
| Hindu College | BA Pol. Science | ~99.7 percentile | 950.58 |
| St. Stephen’s | BA English | ~99.4 percentile | 926.93 |
| Miranda House | BA Pol. Science | ~99.3 percentile | 925.98 |
| LSR | BA Psychology | ~99.4 percentile | 926.53 |
Expected DU CUET Cutoff 2026: College-Wise Breakdown
These are expected cutoffs based on 2025 actuals and multi-year trend analysis. DU top college cutoffs have risen steadily; SRCC B.Com (Hons) moved from 99.5 percentile in 2022 to 99.8–100 in 2025; 2026 is expected to hold or rise marginally. Official 2026 cutoffs will be released on ugadmission.uod.ac.in after CUET results.
SRCC — Shri Ram College of Commerce
SRCC is the holy grail for commerce students in India. Its cutoffs are consistently the highest in DU, and 2026 will be no different. Think of it like the IIT of commerce — the bar is set extraordinarily high, and only the sharpest scorers make it through.
| Programme | General (Expected 2026) | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Com (Hons) | 917–920 | 875–885 | 780–800 | 720–740 | 895–905 |
| BA (Hons) Economics | 910–915 | 870–880 | 775–790 | 715–730 | 888–898 |
If you are targeting B.Com (Hons) at SRCC in the General category, you need to score 917 for the unreserved category to clear the SRCC CUET cutoff for BCom (Hons). This puts you in the top 0.2–0.3% of all CUET takers — an extraordinary benchmark that demands near-perfect performance in every subject.
Hindu College
Hindu College had the single highest cutoff in all of DU in 2025 — 950.58 for BA Political Science. It is one of the most competitive colleges across streams, and its reputation for academic excellence makes it a magnet for top scorers from across the country.
| Programme | General (Expected 2026) | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) Political Science | 948–952 | 900–910 | 820–835 | 750–765 | 928–935 |
| BA (Hons) Economics | 918–922 | 880–890 | 790–805 | 725–740 | 898–908 |
| BA (Hons) English | 923–928 | 882–892 | 795–810 | 730–745 | 903–910 |
| B.Com (Hons) | 910–915 | 870–880 | 775–790 | 715–730 | 890–900 |
According to NIRF Rankings 2025, Hindu College is the top college in India, followed by Miranda House at rank 2. This further explains the fierce competition for seats here.
St. Stephen’s College
St. Stephen’s has a unique admission process — it conducts interviews alongside CUET scores for some programmes. The baseline cutoff, however, remains extremely high. If you are aiming for St. Stephen’s, treat your CUET score as your entry ticket and your overall personality and academic depth as what actually gets you the seat.
| Programme | General (Expected 2026) | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) English | 925–929 | 885–893 | 800–815 | 735–750 | 905–912 |
| BA (Hons) History | 917–921 | 875–885 | 785–800 | 720–735 | 897–905 |
| BA (Hons) Economics | 912–917 | 872–882 | 780–795 | 718–733 | 892–900 |
Even if your CUET score clears the cutoff, you will face an interview. Start preparing your extracurricular profile, reading habits, and general awareness now — not after your score is out.
Miranda House
Miranda House, ranked #2 in India by NIRF, is one of the most prestigious women’s colleges in the country. The general category cutoff 2025 at Miranda House was 850.30 for BA Economics Hons in Round 1. In Round 1, the CUET cutoff at Miranda House for Political Science was 925.97 for general category. The Miranda House cutoff for BA English Honours was 863.02 for the general category.
| Programme | General (Expected 2026) | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) Political Science | 928–933 | 888–898 | 810–825 | 742–758 | 908–916 |
| BA (Hons) English | 865–875 | 828–840 | 752–768 | 690–706 | 845–858 |
| BA (Hons) Psychology | 924–928 | 882–892 | 805–820 | 738–753 | 904–910 |
| BA (Hons) Economics | 853–863 | 818–828 | 740–758 | 678–696 | 833–845 |
| BA (Hons) Geography | 888–895 | 850–860 | 775–790 | 710–725 | 870–878 |
Lady Shri Ram College (LSR)
LSR is the dream destination for humanities and social science students. Its Psychology and Political Science cutoffs consistently rival Miranda House, making it one of the most competitive women’s colleges in the DU ecosystem.
| Programme | General (Expected 2026) | OBC | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) Economics | 913–918 | 873–883 | 782–797 | 718–733 | 893–901 |
| BA (Hons) English | 918–923 | 878–888 | 798–813 | 732–748 | 898–906 |
| BA (Hons) Political Science | 928–932 | 888–897 | 808–823 | 740–756 | 908–915 |
| BA (Hons) Psychology | 924–928 | 882–892 | 805–820 | 737–752 | 903–910 |
Other Top DU Colleges — Expected Cutoffs 2026
| College | Course | General | OBC | SC/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansraj College | B.Com (Hons) | 900–905 | 860–870 | 770–790 |
| Hansraj College | BA Economics | 895–900 | 855–865 | 762–780 |
| Kirori Mal College | BA Pol. Science | 905–912 | 863–873 | 775–790 |
| Kirori Mal College | B.Com (Hons) | 893–900 | 853–863 | 765–782 |
| Ramjas College | B.Com (Hons) | 877–885 | 840–850 | 755–772 |
| Ramjas College | BA English | 865–873 | 828–838 | 745–762 |
| Gargi College | BA Economics | 850–860 | 815–825 | 735–752 |
| Daulat Ram College | BA English | 840–852 | 808–818 | 730–748 |
| Deshbandhu College | B.Com (Hons) | 820–835 | 788–800 | 715–730 |
| Acharya Narendra Dev | B.Com (Hons) | 800–818 | 768–780 | 700–718 |
Category-Wise Cutoff Variations
This is the section most students skip — and then regret skipping. Your category is not just a column on a form; it is a significant variable that can open or close doors at every DU college.
In top DU colleges like SRCC, Hindu, Hansraj, LSR, Miranda House, and KMC, cutoffs are at the 99.9th percentile for general category candidates. The OBC and EWS cutoffs are usually 30–60 marks less than General, but are also extremely competitive. SC/ST candidates can rely on a buffer of 150–200 marks less, particularly in lower-demand courses and colleges.
Here is a practical breakdown using SRCC B.Com (Hons) as a reference:
| Category | Typical Difference from General | Example (SRCC B.Com Expected 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | Baseline | ~917–920 |
| EWS | 5–10% lower | ~895–905 |
| OBC-NCL | 10–15% lower | ~875–885 |
| SC | 15–20% lower | ~780–800 |
| ST | 20–25% lower | ~720–740 |
| PwBD | Separate relaxation norms | Varies by disability |
Even reserved category cutoffs at SRCC and Hindu College are higher than General cutoffs at many mid-tier colleges. Never take your category advantage for granted at these top institutions — you still need to be an exceptional scorer.
Delhi Quota vs. Outside Delhi Quota
DU reserves a portion of seats specifically for students from Delhi (those who studied in Delhi schools for Class 11 and 12).
- Delhi Quota: Roughly 85% of total seats
- Outside Delhi (All India) Quota: Approximately 15% of seats
The cutoff for Outside Delhi candidates is typically 5–10 marks higher because there are fewer seats and more competition from students across the country. If you are from Bihar, Rajasthan, UP, or any other state, factor this in carefully when estimating your realistic chances.
Verify your quota eligibility on: admission.uod.ac.in
Tier-Wise Expected Cutoffs for 2026: Quick Snapshot
Not every student is targeting SRCC or Hindu. Here is a broader view so you can identify which tier genuinely applies to your score:
| College Tier | Example Colleges | General Expected Range |
|---|---|---|
| Top Tier | SRCC, Hindu, St. Stephen’s, Miranda House, LSR | 900–955/1000 |
| Mid Tier | Hansraj, Ramjas, Kirori Mal, Gargi, ARSD | 750–900/1000 |
| Lower Tier | Deshbandhu, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Deen Dayal | 600–750/1000 |
“Can I Get Admission With My Score?” — A Practical Guide
Let us make this personal. Here is what your CUET score likely means for your DU 2026 chances:
| Your Score (Out of 1000) | Likely Admission Picture |
|---|---|
| 930 and above | Strong chances at SRCC, Hindu, Miranda House, LSR for flagship General category courses |
| 900–929 | Eligible for mid-to-top programmes at SRCC, Miranda House, Hansraj, Ramjas |
| 850–899 | Good prospects at mid-tier colleges; reserved categories may access some top-tier colleges |
| 800–849 | Mid-tier DU colleges; some programmes at Gargi, Daulat Ram, ARSD |
| 700–799 | Lower-mid-tier colleges; most courses accessible depending on category |
| Below 700 | Lower-tier DU-affiliated colleges; limited options at premium campuses |
A score of 930 in CUET UG 2026 will be considered excellent, as the normalized score is expected to be high this year, and the percentile is expected to be above 99.7, placing applicants among the top candidates. With this score, candidates will be eligible for top courses in DU’s top colleges like SRCC, Hindu College, Miranda House, and LSR.
A percentile of 95 in CUET UG 2026 is considered a very good score, which gives strong admission chances in different UG programmes at Delhi University, in mid-tier or off-campus colleges, and for moderately competitive courses.
Key Factors That Will Affect the DU Cutoff 2026
Why might 2026 cutoffs shift from 2025? Here are the five forces that will shape the numbers:
1. Total Number of CUET Applicants
More applicants generally means higher cutoffs. In 2025, DU received over 3.1 lakh registrations and 1.7 crore course preferences. If 2026 sees similar or higher registration numbers — which is likely given rising CUET adoption — cutoffs are unlikely to drop significantly.
2. Exam Difficulty Level
If CUET 2026 is tougher, average scores fall, which can pull cutoffs down marginally. Conversely, an easier paper means more students scoring high, pushing cutoffs up. This is something no one can predict with certainty, which is why always aiming 10–15 marks above last year’s cutoff is a smart strategy.
3. Seat Intake Changes
In 2025, the university invited 93,166 seats against a total of 71,624 available graduate seats, indicating the possibility of internal transfers and re-rejections in the coming cycles. Any increase in seat intake in 2026 could slightly ease the cutoff pressure for some programmes.
4. Score Normalization Method
NTA’s normalization approach can subtly alter final scores across exam shifts. Stay updated on any NTA announcements at nta.ac.in and the official CUET portal cuet.nta.nic.in.
5. Course Popularity Trends
Programs like Political Science, Economics, and Psychology have seen consistently rising demand. This trend is expected to continue in 2026, keeping their cutoffs sky-high at top-tier colleges. If anything, the pressure on these programmes will only grow.
How Career Plan B Helps
Career Plan B supports students in navigating the CUET-to-DU admission journey with strategic, personalized guidance:
- Personalized Career Counselling: Helps students map their CUET scores to realistic college and course options based on their strengths, interests, and goals.
- PsycheIntel & Career Assessment Tools: Identifies aptitude and preferences to guide not just where you can get in, but where you should be.
- Academic Profile Guidance & Admission Strategy: Assists students in making smart, optimized choices—even with borderline scores—to maximize outcomes.
- Career Roadmapping & Backup Planning: Provides a structured plan to explore strong alternatives beyond DU, ensuring decisions are made without panic or regret.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When will the official DU CUET cutoff 2026 be released?
The official cutoff will be released after CUET UG 2026 results are declared — expected around June–July 2026 on the official portal ugadmission.uod.ac.in. The CUET exam 2026 for candidates to secure admission in Miranda House and other reputed colleges will be conducted between 8 May to 1 June 2026. Mark these dates in your calendar now.
Q2. Is the DU cutoff 2026 in marks or percentile?
Since 2024, DU has released cutoffs in normalized marks — not percentile. For most programmes, the total is out of 1000 (best 4 subjects × 250 each). Earlier, the Delhi University CUET cutoff was announced in percentiles; however, since 2024, as the normalization process was discontinued, cutoffs have been released in raw marks. Always verify the exact scoring pattern for your specific course on the DU Admission Portal.
Q3. Does category affect the cutoff at every DU college?
Yes, absolutely. Every DU college releases separate cutoffs for General, EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwBD categories. The relaxation is more meaningful in mid and lower-tier colleges. At top-tier colleges, even SC/ST cutoffs remain highly competitive. Never assume your category reservation will easily get you into SRCC or Hindu College without a strong score.
Q4. What happens if I miss the Round 1 cutoff?
Do not panic — this is not the end. DU conducts multiple rounds of CSAS allotment (typically 3 rounds plus a spot round). If you miss Round 1, you may still secure admission in subsequent rounds as seats get vacated or redistributed. Keep updating your preferences on the CSAS portal regularly and do not withdraw your application prematurely.
Q5. Is there a difference in cutoff for Delhi and non-Delhi students?
Yes. Students who studied in Delhi schools (Class 11–12) are eligible for the Delhi quota, which carries a larger seat pool and a relatively accessible cutoff. Students from outside Delhi compete for the All India quota — approximately 15% of seats — where competition is noticeably stiffer, often by 5–10 additional marks.
Conclusion
The race for a seat at Delhi University is one of the toughest academic competitions in India — and the DU CUET cutoff 2026 will once again set extremely high bars. At colleges like SRCC, Hindu, St. Stephen’s, and Miranda House, even a score of 900+ may not guarantee admission to the most sought-after programmes. The data is clear, the trends are consistent, and the message is simple: prepare with full commitment, aim 10–15 marks higher than the expected cutoff, and always enter the admission season with a well-thought-out backup plan.
At the same time, remember that a cutoff is just a number — it does not define your worth or your future. Thousands of students who miss DU’s top colleges go on to build remarkable careers through other paths. What matters most is not just where you get in, but how clearly you understand your own strengths and how strategically you plan your next step. The right guidance, at the right time, truly can change everything.
