A brief technical issue at several examination centers disrupted the morning shift of the Common University Entrance Test for Undergraduate programs (CUET-UG) on May 30, 2026.
Advertisement
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the technology partner responsible for managing the computer-based test, admitted to the glitch and expressed regret for the widespread inconvenience caused to students and parents.
In an official statement, TCS Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director K. Krithivasan confirmed that the problem caused a delay of approximately two hours.
He emphasized that the company’s technical teams promptly identified and resolved the issue, allowing the national-level examination to resume without compromising its foundational sanctity.
NTA Corrects CUET-UG Schedule and Promises Compensatory Time
Advertisement
Following the disruption, the National Testing Agency (NTA) took to social media platform X to address the situation, explicitly attributing the delay to a technical error on the part of its service provider, M/s TCS.
To ensure that no student faced an unfair disadvantage, the NTA announced that all affected candidates in the morning session would receive full compensatory time, meaning they would only exit after completing their designated test duration.
The morning setback forced the NTA to officially revise the timeline for the afternoon session across the country.
The reporting and entry window for the second shift was pushed back to 2:30 PM, while the examination commenced at 4:00 PM instead of its originally scheduled 3:00 PM slot.
Advertisement
Ground Realities: Server Errors and Student Confusion
Despite the reassurances, significant confusion emerged at various locations before the revised guidelines were formally communicated.
At specific major hubs, such as the Adarsh Pariksha Kendra in Noida, candidates reported entering facilities as early as 7:00 AM, only to find that invigilators were completely unable to download the question papers due to server-related crashes.
The unexpected multi-hour wait created severe stress for families, many of whom traveled long distances from cities like Jaipur and Delhi.
To handle subsequent student queries, the NTA highlighted its official helpline (+91-11-40759000) and dedicated email support ([email protected]).
Political opposition leaders also criticized the incident, linking the IT glitch to broader ongoing debates surrounding national examination management frameworks.
Advertisement
Note: We are also on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and YouTube to get the latest news updates. Subscribe to our Channels. WhatsApp– Click Here, YouTube – Click Here, and LinkedIn– Click Here.
About the Author
Sahiba Sharma
Contributing Writer