Bhubaneswar: The Common University Entrance Test-Undergraduate (CUET-UG) 2026, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), experienced delays at several examination centres across Odisha on Saturday due to technical glitches. Students who appeared for the test in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack reported that after completing biometric registration, they were informed about technical issues that affected the smooth conduct of the examination.
Compensatory Time Provided
At some centres, candidates were given additional time to complete the test. Preteesha Mohapatra, a student of Rajdhani College, said, "We had the exam in the morning shift, but we were told that the server was down. When the examination finally started, the invigilators gave us extra time to complete the paper."
Second Shift Delayed
The second-shift examination was also delayed. Subham Sahoo, a student of the College of Basic Science and Humanities who appeared for the afternoon session, said his examination began an hour late. "The three-hour examination was scheduled to begin at 3 pm, but it started at 4 pm and ended at 7 pm. However, we did not face any server issues during the examination," he added.
NTA's Explanation
In Odisha, the computer-based test was conducted across 20 cities. Later in the day, the NTA attributed the disruption to a technical issue involving its technology partner, M/s TCS, which resulted in delays in the commencement of CUET-UG at some centres. CUET is a national-level entrance examination for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes offered by central, state, deemed and private universities across the country.
