VITEEE 2026 exam pattern & cutoff — +4 for correct, -1 for wrong
Article updated: Mar 27, 2026
VIT has revised the VITEEE 2026 exam pattern to award +4 for each correct answer and impose -1 for each incorrect answer . The paper now totals 500 marks from 125 MCQs , taken as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) across multiple shifts.
VITEEE 2026 exam pattern & cutoff — Key facts
- Mode: Online CBT in multiple shifts over several days.
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes) .
- Total questions: 125 MCQs . Total marks 500 .
- Marking scheme: +4 for correct, -1 for incorrect .
- Engineering aspirants take PCM; biology aspirants take PCB.
- Speed and accuracy matter because of negative marking and multiple shifts.
Section-wise breakup
| Section | Questions | Marks | Approx % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 35 | 140 | 28% |
| Chemistry | 35 | 140 | 28% |
| Mathematics / Biology | 40 | 160 | 32% |
| Aptitude | 10 | 40 | 8% |
| English | 5 | 20 | 4% |
| Total | 125 | 500 | 100% |
Mathematics/Biology carries the highest weightage with 40 questions . Aptitude and English are short, higher-accuracy sections you can use to boost score quickly.
VITEEE 2026 exam pattern & cutoff — Expected marks vs rank
The institute will normalise scores across shifts; final ranks depend on normalisation, difficulty and candidate pool. These are expected ranges based on the revised +4/-1 scheme:
| Marks (out of 500) | Predicted Rank Range |
|---|---|
| 470–500 | 1–250 (top ranks, 480+ expected for 1–250) |
| 450–469 | 251–750 |
| 400–449 | 751–3,000 |
| 360–399 | 3,001–6,000 |
| 280–319 | 10,001–15,000 |
| Below 280 | Likely above 35,000 |
For campus and branch specifics: Category 1 CSE at Vellore is expected to close under 950 rank, while Category 1 CSE at Chennai may close under 8,000 .
What the official update does not give
Officials have not published exact fee amounts for Categories 1–5 in the update. Counselling dates, detailed normalization formula, reservation specifics, and program-wise PDFs were not provided in the same release.
Short checklist for test day
- Focus on accuracy; avoid random guesses due to -1 penalty.
- Attempt Aptitude and English early for quick marks.
- Manage time: 150 minutes for 125 questions — pace ~1.2 minutes per question.
FAQs
Q: Is there negative marking in VITEEE 2026? A: Yes. The revised pattern has -1 for each incorrect answer.
Q: What are total marks and questions in VITEEE 2026? A: 125 questions , 500 total marks ; each correct answer gives +4 .
Q: Which section has the highest weightage? A: Mathematics (or Biology) with 40 questions and 160 marks .
Q: What is the exam duration? A: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes) .
Q: Will scores be normalised across shifts? A: Yes. The exam is in multiple shifts and final cutoffs will use normalisation; officials did not publish the exact formula.
Q: Are exact fee amounts for Categories 1–5 available? A: Not in the official update; the categories are mentioned but exact fees were not specified.
Q: What score is needed for CSE at Vellore (Category 1)? A: Cutoff is rank-based; Category 1 CSE Vellore closing rank is expected under 950 , which typically requires a very high score (often 450+ depending on normalisation).
Q: Where can I find official PDFs and counselling dates? A: Officials will publish campus-wise PDFs and counselling schedules later; they were not part of this update.