CUET or State Entrance Exams: Which Is Tougher for B.Sc Chemistry Students?

Soham Mitra

Updated On: October 28, 2025 11:48 AM

Are you a BSc Chemistry aspirant and confused between CUET & state entrance exams? This article provides a comparative analysis between both in terms of syllabus structure, difficulty level, question pattern, to help you determine which is tougher. 


 
CUET or State Entrance Exams: Which Is Tougher

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and State level entrance exams are both popular gateways for admission into B.Sc Chemistry program. However, the degree of difficulty in both the exams vary depending on the syllabus and structure, standard of questions, competition among sudents etc. If you are a BSc Chemistry aspirant, you might be curious whether CUET or state entrance exams are tougher? Worry not, as we are here to solve your confusions. In this article, we will take a comparative look at CUET & state entrance exams to help you get a clear picture of both.

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CUET vs State Entrance Exams for B.Sc Chemistry: Key Highlights

A general overview between the CUET exam as well as the State entrance exams has been provided below.

Particulars

CUET (UG)

State Entrance Exams (e.g., MHT CET, PUCET etc.)

Exam Conducting Body

National Testing Agency (NTA)

Individual state agencies (Maharashtra CET Cell for MHT CET, Punjab University for PUCET etc.)

Purpose

Centralized exam for providing admission into Central, Deemed, and some Private Universities (like DU, BHU, JNU etc.).

Conducted by the state governments for admission to state universities and colleges.

Subjects tested

Based upon NCERT Class 12 syllabus (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics /Biology + Language + General Test).

Often state board–based; pattern can vary by state.

Scope of Admission

National-level reach (hundreds of universities)

Limited to that particular state or region

CUET vs State Entrance Exams for B.Sc Chemistry: Question Pattern & Syllabus

The syllabus & question pattern of CUET & state level entrance exams have been tabulated below.

Aspect

CUET (UG) – Chemistry Domain

State Entrance Exams (Chemistry Section)

Sections

Section II (Domain subjects), optional General Test.

Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/ Biology combined (one integrated paper).

Syllabus Base

Strictly NCERT Class 12 (and some Class 11 topics).

Mix of Standard 11 & 12 — often state board-oriented (can differ slightly from NCERT).

Question Type

Multiple choice questions only; straightforward, concept-based.

Objective type questions, often more application- and calculation-heavy.

CUET vs State Entrance Exams for B.Sc Chemistry: Difficulty Level

The CUET exam is conceptually easier, but competitively tougher. However, state entrance exams are technically harder, but competition is more localized.

Aspect

CUET (UG)

State Entrance Exams

Question type

Theory-based and factual recall from NCERT.

Application-based; numericals, derivations, and tricky concepts.

Concept depth

Moderate — direct NCERT questions.

Moderate to High — some states evaluate numerical/problem-solving depth.

Time pressure

Easier time management; single subject focus.

Higher time pressure; multi-subject paper (PCM/PCB).

Competition

Extremely high due to national-level participation.

Relatively less competition, but fewer seats.

CUET Vs State Entrance Exams for B.Sc Chemistry: Which Is Tougher?

The majority of B.Sc Chemistry aspirants find CUET relatively tougher due to the high level of competition, moderately to high level of difficulty in the pattern of questions, strict time management, and the need for conceptual clarity in science sections at large. On the contrary, State entrance exams may be easier to qualify owing to the low competition, less complicated nature of questions, and familiarity with State Board syllabus.

If you’re a CBSE/ ICSE student, emphasize upon CUET as your NCERT preparation overlaps well. In case you are from a State Board (like Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal), State exam pattern might suit you better since it reflects your syllabus.

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FAQs

What are the career options after CUET?

Jobs after the CUET exam are diverse and depend on your chosen undergraduate degree (through CUET UG) or postgraduate degree (through CUET PG). For UG, common career paths include IT/software, banking, journalism, government jobs, and teaching, while PG graduates can pursue roles in research, corporate management, government services, or even entrepreneurship.  

Is CUET difficult to crack?

No, the CUET exam is not considered "hard to crack" in isolation, but its difficulty is moderate and highly dependent on a student's preparation and strategy. 

How many marks of chemistry paper are in CUET?

NTA lays down the marking scheme for the Common University Entrance test. The total marks for the CUET exam is 250 marks per subject.

Is CUET more difficult than board?

CUET (UG) is often seen as comparable in difficulty to board exams, especially because its syllabus aligns with the NCERT curriculum followed by boards. 

Is chemistry hard in CUET?

CUET UG Subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry are expected to have a higher difficulty level in the CUET exam than others. 

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