The National Testing Agency delayed the afternoon session of the CUET UG 2026 exam at several Indian centres on May 30 [3].
This disruption affects thousands of students seeking university admission, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in the digital infrastructure used for high-stakes national examinations.
The original start time for the afternoon session was scheduled for 3 p.m. [1]. However, a technical glitch reported by Tata Consultancy Services, the agency's technology partner, forced a schedule change [1], [2].
As a result of the failure, the NTA revised the start time to 4 p.m. [1] at the affected locations. The agency issued an official notice to clarify the timing changes for candidates arriving at the centres [4].
The delay occurred across several exam centres in India [1], [2]. The glitch disrupted the initial launch of the testing sequence, necessitating the one-hour postponement to resolve the technical issues reported by Tata Consultancy Services [2], [3].
This incident follows a series of challenges facing the NTA. Educational officials and the public have previously raised concerns regarding the administration of other major tests, including the NEET and CBSE exams [2].
“The original start time for the afternoon session was scheduled for 3 p.m.”
The repeated technical failures across multiple national-level exams suggest a systemic struggle to scale digital testing infrastructure to meet the demands of India's massive student population. When a single technology partner's glitch can delay a national entrance exam, it raises questions about the redundancy and reliability of the NTA's operational protocols.
