Top 10 Challenging Questions from CUET 2025 Exam

Published by Shikha Kumari on Sep 25, 2025

CUET UG 2025’s top 10 challenging questions spanned Language Reading Comprehension inference on environmental passages (May 20 Shift 2, 4 questions testing “mitigate” context), Domain Physics projectile motion numerical (May 22 Shift 1, 3 questions on range formulas), Chemistry SN1 vs SN2 mechanisms (May 28 Shift 2, 4 questions on reaction rates), History 1857 Revolt chronology (May 15 Shift 1, 3 questions on timeline sources), Economics elasticity curve shifts (June 3 Shift 2, 2 questions on demand cases), Biology cell diagram labeling (May 31 Shift 1, 2 questions on structures), Accountancy financial ratio calculations (May 25 Shift 1, 2 questions on statements), General Test syllogism patterns (May 19, 2 questions on logic), quantitative profit-loss with interest (May 13, 1 question on compound), and GK 2024 election policies (May 28, 1 question on affairs), contributing to 70% moderate difficulty across 19 shifts.

In this guide, you’ll learn the top 10 challenging questions from CUET 2025 categorized by section like Language vocabulary twists and Domain Biology diagrams, shift-wise details such as May 15’s moderate History events, why they stumped students with 20-30% lower attempts, and avoidance strategies for 2026 prep to hit 120-140 total attempts and 180-220 scores for BA History or B.Sc Physics at DU or BHU.

CUET UG 2025 Exam Structure

CUET UG 2025 operated in hybrid CBT mode from May 13 to June 3 across 19 shifts for 13 languages, 23 domain subjects, and General Test, with 50 questions per Language/Domain (attempt 40, 200 marks in 45 minutes) and 60 for General (attempt 50, 250 marks in 60 minutes), no negatives.

This format amplified challenges in moderate shifts like May 20’s RC inferences, where 65% questions demanded application beyond rote, leading to average 120-140 attempts when timed well. The 90% NCERT base meant top difficult items tested deeper understanding, as seen in 70% moderate overall trends, guiding 2026 students to prioritize mocks simulating these variances for higher percentiles.

Language Section’s Top Challenges

• CUET 2025 Language challenges revolved around Reading Comprehension with 12-14 passages on social themes like climate mitigation, where May 20 Shift 2’s 4 inference questions on “ambiguous” environmental impacts stumped students by requiring context over literal reading, dropping attempts to 30 from 35-40 in 45 minutes.
• Verbal Ability’s 10-12 synonyms/antonyms, such as “mitigate” as lessen in cloze tests, trended tricky in June 3 easy shift but moderate overall, with 15% skips due to multiple meanings.
• Grammar’s 8-10 error spotting in sentences on tenses like past perfect in May 13 factual shift proved easy, but May 20’s nuanced prepositions caused 10% errors.
• These areas, 50% RC-focused, rewarded quick scans but punished overthinking, so for 2026, practice 40 RC weekly with 2-minute timers to secure 35+ attempts and 200 marks.

Domain Physics Difficult Questions

• Physics Domain in CUET 2025 highlighted mechanics as top challenge with 15-18 numericals on velocity-time graphs and projectile motion range formulas in May 22 Shift 1, where 3 questions on angled launches required vector resolution, leading to 25-28 attempts in moderate difficulty versus 35-38 ideal.
• Optics ray diagrams (10-12 items) in May 28 easy shift included 2 mirror formula applications with virtual images, tricky for 20% due to sign conventions.
• Modern physics half-life calculations (8-10) in June 3 theory shift featured 2 decay rate problems with exponential models, moderate for formula recall.
• These 80% NCERT-heavy items tested application, so 2026 aspirants should solve 35 numericals weekly focusing graphs for 36+ attempts.

Domain Chemistry’s Key Tough Spots

• Chemistry challenges in CUET 2025 centered on organic reactions with 18-20 mechanisms like SN1 vs SN2 rate dependencies in May 28 Shift 2, where 4 questions on carbocation stability caused 25-30 attempts in easy shifts from 36-40 target.
• Physical equilibrium pH calculations (12-15) in May 25 tough shift included 3 buffer solution problems with Henderson-Hasselbalch, moderate for logarithmic errors.
• Inorganic trends (10 questions) in May 15 featured 2 periodic table exception queries on ionization energies, tricky for 15% due to anomalies.
• With 40% organic weightage, these rewarded flowcharts, guiding 2026 prep with 20 reaction maps weekly for 37+ attempts.

Domain History and Economics Challenges

• History in CUET 2025 trended challenging in chronology with 15-18 ancient India events like Indus Valley timelines in May 15 Shift 1, where 3 source-based questions on Harappan scripts required cross-referencing, moderate difficulty dropping attempts to 25 from 32-36.
• Modern Gandhi-era policies (12 items) in June 3 easy shift included 2 non-violence application queries, but May 20 moderate twist on 1857 Revolt alliances stumped 20%.
• Economics top tough spots were micro theory with 12-15 elasticity cases in June 3 Shift 2, 2 demand curve shift questions on subsidies causing 25 attempts from 30-34 in easy-moderate.
• Macro inflation policies (10 questions) in May 13 factual shift featured 1 fiscal deficit calculation, basic but 10% misread.
• These 75% NCERT humanities favored sequencing, so quiz 15 timelines and 12 cases weekly for 2026.

General Test’s Notable Difficulties

• General Test challenges in CUET 2025 included GK with 15-18 current affairs on 2024 elections in May 19 moderate shift, where 2 policy impact questions on voter turnout required recent news, leading to 35 attempts from 40-45.
• Quantitative arithmetic (12 items) in May 13 easy shift had 3 profit-loss with compound interest, but May 28 moderate sequences like Fibonacci in logic (10 questions) caused 8 skips.
• Computer basics (5-7) in June 3 theory featured 1 binary conversion error trap.
• With 30% GK weightage, prioritize known answers first for 42+ attempts in 60 minutes.

Shift-wise Challenge Variations

CUET 2025 shift variations amplified difficulties, May 13 easy factuals in Language synonyms allowed 40 attempts, but May 31 moderate Biology diagrams with 15 cell labeling questions dropped to 28 in 45 minutes. June 3 easy Economics theory saw 34 attempts on elasticity, while May 20 moderate RC inferences in English limited to 30. These 70% moderate patterns stress mock rotations for 2026 timing.

2026 Preparation from CUET 2025 Challenges

• CUET 2025 challenges suggest October 2025 start with 3-month plan: Month 1 Language RC (40 weekly for inferences), Month 2 Domain mechanisms (35 numericals/reactions), Month 3 General GK (45 affairs for impacts).
• Incorporate NCERT for 90% base, daily 2-minute question timers to counter overthinking.
• From 2025’s moderate inferences like SN2 rates, avoid 3+ minutes per question by flagging 5 per section for 5-minute review.
• CUET 2025 trends show 1.5 minutes per RC or numerical for moderate shifts, so practice 50 questions daily under timers.
• Drill 15 chronology and 18 reactions weekly from 2025 recalls to match May 15/28 levels.
• Take 4 mocks monthly from November, recreating May 20 RC twists for 140 attempts.

Conclusion

CUET UG 2025’s CBT pattern with Language (200 marks, 45 minutes, 35-40 attempts moderate RC 12-14), Domain (200 marks, 45 minutes, Physics projectile 3 35-38 moderate, Chemistry SN1 4 36-40 easy, History 1857 3 32-36 moderate, Economics elasticity 2 30-34 easy-moderate, Biology labeling 2 34-38, Accountancy ratios 2 30-34), and General Test (250 marks, 60 minutes, election impact 2 40-45 moderate) over May 13-June 3 shifts showed 70% moderate difficulty, good attempts 120-140 for 180-220 scores. For 2026, weekly 40 RC, 35 numericals, 45 GK in a 3-month plan starting October to exceed these, securing BA or B.Sc at DU—use insights for your advantage.