Impact of Indo-Pak Tensions on CUET UG 2025 Exam

“We Just Wanted to Write an Exam—Now We’re in a Security Crisis”

For many students in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir, this isn’t just about a postponed exam—it’s about facing blackouts, sirens, and an atmosphere of tension. Imagine preparing for one of the biggest entrance tests of your life while your city is on high alert. It’s not just stressful—it’s unsettling. If you’ve had to cancel travel, shift locations, or revise in the middle of civil-defence drills, your frustration is valid. This isn’t the exam environment anyone hoped for.

Revised Exam Schedule

CUET-UG 2025 was originally slated for May 8 – June 1, 2025. In early May, however, media and official sources confirmed a postponement. The Times of India reported that the exam was “put off” by five days amid communication gaps. An NTA public notice issued May 7 explicitly set the new dates as May 13 to June 3, 2025. (NTA advised students to check official websites for updates.) Although NTA has not publicly blamed the border conflict, insiders say the busy exam calendar and heightened security concerns prompted the shift.

Border-Region Security Measures

Multiple states along the Indo-Pak border took sweeping precautions that directly affect exam centers (often located in schools/colleges). For example, Punjab and Rajasthan ordered all schools and colleges in key border districts to shut. Times of India noted closures in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Fazilka (Punjab) and in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer (Rajasthan) as a “precautionary safety measure”. Economic Times likewise reports that Punjab closed every educational institution statewide for 3 days, and Rajasthan did the same in its frontier districts. Jammu & Kashmir authorities also closed schools in major border districts (Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch in Jammu division; Baramulla, Kupwara, Gurez, Awantipora near Srinagar) on May 7–8. These shutdowns imply that CUET centers in those regions were unavailable or had to be relocated. Meanwhile, police and security forces were redeployed: Punjab cancelled all police leaves and placed border districts on high alert, and Rajasthan imposed nightly blackout drills in border areas. Even neighboring states joined in (e.g. Haryana closed schools in Panchkula district). In short, border-zone exam centers face extreme security measures and limited access.

• State-level closures: Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana shut schools in all border districts. J&K closed schools in its border districts.
• Security measures: Punjab police leaves cancelled; Arun Arora said “all districts near the border have been placed on high alert”. Rajasthan enforced red alerts and blackout drills in frontier districts.
• Exam-center impact: Many CUET centers (e.g. in border towns) would have been closed or under military convoy, requiring NTA to consider alternate arrangements.

Travel and Connectivity Disruptions

The security situation also disrupted student travel. Commercial flights in the northwestern sector were curtailed: IndiGo announced “cancelled 165 flights” on May 8 and urged passengers to “allow extra time” for new security checks. It offered fee waivers for travel to/from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur and other affected airports. (Air India likewise rerouted international flights out of Amritsar that day.) The government clarified that not all airports were closed nationwide, but did issue NOTAMs shutting about 24 regional airports (notably in J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan) as a precaution. On the rail side, the North Western Railway cancelled several services in Rajasthan, especially those serving Barmer/Munabao, citing “blackout and emergency situations”. For example, trains between Bhagat Ki Kothi–Barmer and Jaisalmer–Jaipur were withdrawn or truncated. In summary, students could face flight cancellations or train halts when traveling to exam centers in the northwestern states.

• Flights: Indigo cancelled dozens of flights and provided flexible rebooking for journeys to/from border airports (Amritsar, Srinagar, etc). The government noted only specific airports were under NOTAM, not a blanket shutdown.
• Trains: Western Zone (Rajasthan) suspended trains into Barmer and Munabao “due to blackout and emergency”. Key routes (e.g. Jaisalmer–Jaipur) were partially cancelled.
• Local advisories: Some district administrations urged residents (and by extension, students) to stay indoors. For instance, Panchkula (Haryana) told all people to remain home and closed all schools/colleges until May 11.

“Safety First, But Our Dreams Matter Too”

In cities like Amritsar, Bikaner, Jammu, and Kupwara—where schools and colleges are shut—students are caught between national safety protocols and personal academic goals. The decision to delay exams in these regions is clearly for your protection, but that doesn’t make the wait easier. If you feel stuck or unheard, know that your concerns are being echoed nationwide. Your goals are important, and so is your voice.

Official and Institutional Responses

Authorities sought to manage the situation for students. NTA/Ministry: The NTA issued public notices with the rescheduled dates and advised students to rely on its website for authentic updates. (The Ministry of Education did not directly cancel any exams, but UGC warned students against fake “war-time” cancellation orders circulating online.) UGC: It publicly refuted a viral notice that falsely claimed all exams were cancelled in a “war-like situation”, urging students to trust only official announcements. State & Exam Boards: State governments explicitly linked school closures to security. Punjab’s Education Minister said shutdowns were “precautionary” for student safety. Haryana’s authorities directly closed educational institutes until further notice. Even non-academic bodies reacted: the Chartered Accountants regulator (ICAI) postponed its May exams, explicitly citing the “tense and security situation”. The Home Ministry also ordered nationwide civil-defence mock drills (air-raid sirens, evacuations) on May 7, indirectly involving students in preparedness exercises. State Alerts: Uttar Pradesh issued a “red alert” for its police, coordinating closely with the military. Thus far, no CUET-specific advisory has been issued, but students are watching NTA and state advisories closely.

• NTA: Released the city-intimation slip on May 7 and confirmed the new exam dates (May 13–June 3). No official reference to border tensions was made.
• UGC/Education Ministry: Debunked fake circulars; reaffirmed exams will proceed as scheduled.
• ICAI (example of exam board): Postponed CA May exams (scheduled May 9–14) “in view of the tense and security situation”.
• State advisories: Punjab and Rajasthan governments framed closures as safety measures. Haryana’s Panchkula DM and UP’s DGP explicitly closed schools and mobilized police (red alert) to protect students.
• Home Ministry: Ordered civil-defence drills (siren tests, evacuations) involving students on May 7, underscoring heightened alert (though not exam-specific).

For Border-Area Students: Your Resilience Is the Real Victory

If you’re preparing for CUET UG from a conflict-prone zone, your ability to stay focused despite the uncertainty speaks volumes. Exams can be postponed, centers can change—but your effort, your calm under pressure, and your dreams for a better future are stronger than any red alert or shutdown. Keep going. The nation sees you.

Past Precedents

Large-scale exam disruptions for security are rare in India, but a notable recent example is illuminating. In May 2025, the ICAI formally delayed all Chartered Accountant exams scheduled for May 9–14, explicitly citing the “tense and security situation” after the Pahalgam attack. This parallels the current scenario: educational bodies have treated the conflict as a valid reason to postpone high-stakes tests. Other entrance or board exams have seen minor changes (e.g. centre relocations after floods or local unrest), but not on this scale. Thus, the CUET postponement aligns with a new pattern where national exams are being flexibly rescheduled or secured in response to the border emergency.

Overall, major news outlets and officials emphasize student safety. They note that exam centers in border districts may require additional security or relocation, that student travel could be hampered by transport disruptions, and that exam dates have been moved by at least a few days. Education authorities have urged calm and patience, advising candidates to monitor official channels. Sources conclude that while CUET UG 2025 will proceed, its conduct in frontier states will be heavily influenced by the ongoing Indo-Pak tensions.

Sources: News reports and advisories from the National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education/UGC, and state governments.

Join Our WhatsApp Group For latest information Regarding CUET.

Also Read :

CUET UG 2025 Dress Code Guidelines Released: What Students Need to Know Before Exam Day

CUET UG 2025 Exam City Intimation Slip Released: Check Your Center Now