For the 2025-26 admission cycle, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) admitted its undergraduate batch entirely through CUET-UG for the third consecutive year. CUET cutoffs at BHU rose across nearly every popular programme — BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, BCA — driven by record applications and a tightening Round-1 ceiling.
If you took CUET 2026 and you're worried your score falls just short of BHU's Round 1, this guide is for you. We'll walk through 2025's actual BHU and Allahabad University CUET cutoffs, explain what each score range realistically means, and show what BITE Varanasi offers students whose CUET attempt was credible but didn't make the BHU allotment.
How CUET-UG cutoffs work
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is a national-level exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Each university — BHU, Allahabad University, Delhi University, JNU and ~250 others — uses CUET scores to admit undergraduate students. The same score card travels across colleges; cutoffs differ.
BHU publishes cutoffs in three phases:
1. Round 1 — the merit ceiling. Top scorers in each programme + category combination get their first preferences. 2. Round 2 / 3 — lower cutoffs as Round 1 candidates choose alternative universities or programmes. 3. Spot Round — final clearance, often 100-150 marks below Round 1.
A student who narrowly misses Round 1 often makes Round 2 or the Spot Round. A student who misses even the Spot Round has "near-CUET" merit — strong scores that simply didn't fit BHU's specific seat math that year.
2025 BHU CUET cutoffs by programme (general category, Round 1)
Based on cutoff data published on BHU's official portal during the 2025 admission cycle:
| Programme | BHU Round 1 cutoff (approximate) | BHU Final Round cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. (Humanities) | 460 – 500 marks | 280 – 340 marks |
| B.Com (Hons.) | 540 – 600 marks | 450 – 499 marks |
| B.Sc (Maths Group) | 580 – 650 marks | 400 – 449 marks |
| B.Sc (Bio Group) | 540 – 600 marks | 400 – 449 marks |
| B.Voc / Professional UG | 380 – 460 marks | 280 – 339 marks |
These ranges reflect general-category cutoffs across BHU's main and South Campus units. Reserved-category cutoffs (OBC, EWS, SC, ST) sit 30-80 marks lower depending on category.
For MBA-track aspirants asking about CUET-PG: BHU FMS (Faculty of Management Studies) does not use CUET-PG — it uses CAT exclusively at percentile cutoffs typically above 95. CUET-PG students target IIT-BHU's MBA, AKTU-affiliated MBAs, or Delhi University's department.
2025 Allahabad University CUET cutoffs (the secondary benchmark)
Allahabad University (AU) is the second-largest CUET-admitting Central University in Eastern UP. AU's cutoffs typically sit 50-100 marks below BHU's for the same programme:
| Programme | AU Round 1 cutoff | AU Final Round cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| B.A. | 340 – 420 marks | 200 – 279 marks |
| B.Com | 450 – 520 marks | 330 – 449 marks |
| B.Sc | 460 – 540 marks | 300 – 399 marks |
A student whose CUET 2026 score sits above AU's last round cutoff but below BHU's Round 1 has done genuinely good academic work — the score simply landed in a competitive gap. India's CUET allocates seats based on absolute scarcity, not absolute merit.
What if your CUET 2026 score doesn't make these cutoffs?
Three realistic options:
1. Take a drop year — appear in CUET 2027 and aim higher. Cost: one year of opportunity + coaching expenses. 2. Accept a state-merit college — UP's MGKVP-affiliated colleges admit via direct merit (no CUET required). Cost: lose the prestige + signal of a CUET-validated admission. 3. Find a CUET-aware private college that values your score — admit via direct merit + receive recognition for the CUET attempt. This is where BITE Varanasi's CUET Merit Scholarship fits.
BITE Varanasi's CUET Merit Scholarship — 3-tier waiver for 2026-27
BITE recognises CUET 2026 scorers with a Year-1 tuition fee waiver in three tiers, calibrated against BHU and AU's published cutoff data. We treat your CUET attempt as a credential — not a hurdle.
🥇 Platinum — 50% Year-1 waiver
Audience: Scored within 5% of BHU's Round 1 cutoff. The cohort that genuinely could have studied at BHU but for a few marks or a category-seat shortage.
Programme-wise score bands:
- B.Com: 500 – 540 marks
- B.A.: 340 – 460 marks
- B.Sc: 450 – 580 marks
- BBA: ≥ 450 marks
- BCA: ≥ 450 marks
🥈 Gold — 30% Year-1 waiver
Audience: Scored above BHU's Spot Round / AU's Round 1 cutoff. Strong CUET performance, just outside Round 1's tight ceiling.
Programme-wise score bands:
- B.Com: 450 – 499 marks
- B.A.: 280 – 339 marks
- B.Sc: 400 – 449 marks
- BBA: 380 – 449 marks
- BCA: 380 – 449 marks
🥉 Silver — 15% Year-1 waiver
Audience: Scored above Allahabad University's last-round cutoff. Clear above-median CUET performance.
Programme-wise score bands:
- B.Com: 330 – 449 marks
- B.A.: 200 – 279 marks
- B.Sc: 300 – 399 marks
- BBA: 280 – 379 marks
- BCA: 280 – 379 marks
The scholarship covers B.Com, BA (10 specialisations available), B.Sc (PCM and PCB streams), BBA, and BCA for the 2026-27 admission cycle.
Stackability with other scholarships
The CUET Merit Scholarship at BITE is stackable with:
- UP State scholarships — SC / ST / OBC / EWS / Minority / Single-girl-child category waivers
- National Scholarship Portal (NSP) benefits — for eligible categories
- Private trust or foundation scholarships — bring your own award; BITE waives its share first
For a Platinum-tier reserved-category candidate, combined effective Year-1 fees can drop to near-zero on B.A. or B.Com.
How to claim the scholarship
There's no separate application form:
1. Apply to BITE at /admissions/apply. The application form has a dedicated CUET 2026 score input field. 2. Upload your CUET 2026 score card as a PDF or clear image. BHU/AU rejection letters are NOT required — just your CUET score. 3. Admission committee verifies the score and assigns your tier automatically. 4. Your tier appears in the offer letter before you pay any fees. You'll know your effective Year-1 cost upfront.
Documents to keep ready
- CUET 2026 score card (PDF)
- Class 10 + 12 marksheets
- Aadhaar card
- Category certificate (if applicable for stacked state scholarship)
- 6 passport photographs
What if my CUET score is below the Silver band?
The CUET Merit Scholarship is one of several pathways at BITE. Students below the Silver band can still apply via the regular direct-merit admission process — no CUET required for admission itself. Class 12 marks become the primary criterion. Other scholarships (UP State, NSP, BITE's need-based aid) remain available.
Deadlines and timeline
- CUET 2026 result — typically declared by NTA in early July 2026
- BITE application deadline — 31 July 2026
- Platinum / Gold tier seats — limited per programme; first-applied, first-served within each tier
- Final tier confirmation — within 5 working days of complete application submission
A note on calibration
The 2026 score bands published in this guide are derived from 2025 BHU and Allahabad University final-round cutoffs. After NTA publishes 2026's normalisation data and BHU releases its Round 1 cutoff list, BITE's admission committee may re-calibrate the bands by ±5-10% to reflect actual score distributions. The tier waiver percentages (50% / 30% / 15%) remain fixed — only specific score thresholds may shift modestly.
For the most current scholarship details, see our CUET Merit Scholarship 2026 page. For broader 2026-27 admission information, visit /admissions.
If your CUET attempt was credible but didn't quite make BHU or AU's final allotment, you don't have to take a drop year or settle for a college that ignores your effort. BITE Varanasi recognises CUET 2026 effort the way it deserves to be recognised — with concrete fee relief and a fast-track admission path.
For specific queries, email enquiry@bitevns.ac.in or call +91-7704033222 (Mon-Sat, 10 AM – 4 PM).
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