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NOU Term-End Examination 2026: Rules and Preparation

Updated 3 October 2026 Exams 4 min read

Nalanda Open University (NOU) conducts term-end examinations in two daily shifts (10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM). For the CBCS 4-Year UG Semester-I (2025–2029 session), the online examination form fee is Rs. 200 per paper. Students must submit mandatory assignments and attend practical exams to be eligible to sit for term-end examinations.

Key facts

CBCS Exam Form Fee Rs. 200 per paper
CBCS Sem-I Form Dates 01 April 2026 to 15 April 2026
Exam Shifts 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM & 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Exam Eligibility Rule Assignments and practicals mandatory
Login Credentials Enrollment Number & Date of Birth
Past Question Papers Available from 2017 to 2025

CBCS Semester-I Examination Form Rules and Fees

For the Four-Year UG Programme Under CBCS (B.A./B.Sc. Session 2025–2029), NOU published the official Semester-I term-end examination notice on 28 March 2026. Online form submission was scheduled from 01 April 2026 to 15 April 2026.

Students are required to pay an examination fee of Rs. 200 per paper while submitting the examination form online.

  • Practical Exam Requirement: Students who were absent during practical examinations are strictly ineligible to submit the examination form.
  • Assignment Submission: Students who failed to submit their required assignment work (sattriya karya) to the university on time are not allowed to submit the examination form or take the exam.

Steps to Submit the Examination Form Online

  1. Open the Nalanda Open University portal login.
  2. Enter your Enrollment Number as the User ID and your Date of Birth as the Password to log in.
  3. Fill out the online examination form for your enrolled subjects.
  4. Pay the online examination fee calculated at Rs. 200 per paper.
  5. Download and print the generated admit card to carry to the examination hall.
NOU: Steps to Submit the Examination Form Online — step-by-step
Steps to Submit the Examination Form Online: the steps at a glance.

Term-End Examination Schedules Released in 2026

NOU publishes programme-wise examination schedules on the NOU examination programme section. The table below outlines exam schedules released during 2026.

NOU 2026 Examination Schedules

Programme Examination Event Release Date
B.Com Part-III Examination Programme 2026 31 July 2026
BCA & BBA Part-III Examination Programme 2026 30 July 2026
B.A. / B.Sc. (Hons) All Subject Part-III Examination Programme 2026 30 July 2026
M.A. & M.Sc. (Various Subjects) Part-I Examination Programme 2026 13 July 2026 – 16 July 2026
M.A. / M.Sc. / M.Com / MCA Part-II & Part-III Revised Examination Programme 2026 22 June 2026
Four-Year UG CBCS Semester-I Examination Programme 2026 01 April 2026
BLIS, MLIS & Certificate Courses Examination Programme 2026 24 February 2026
Intermediate (I.A., I.Sc., I.Com.) Part-I & Part-II Examination Programme 2026 24 February 2026

Examination Pattern and Question Paper Structure

In standard NOU annual term-end theory examinations, candidates must answer any five questions out of the total items listed on the question paper. All questions carry equal marks.

Examinations are conducted in two shifts: Morning Shift from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and Afternoon Shift from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Designated exam centres include Nalanda Open University, 2nd Floor, Biscomaun Bhawan, Patna.

Previous Year Question Papers for Exam Preparation

NOU hosts digital question paper archives from previous term-end examinations to aid candidate preparation across UG, PG, Diploma, and Certificate courses.

What you can do Official page
check 2026 exam timetables www.nou.ac.in/noticenewall/Students%20Corner/Examination%2
download 2025 exam papers nou.ac.in/all/Downloads/All Courses Question Papers of 202
download 2024 exam papers nou.ac.in/all/Downloads/All Courses Question Papers of 202
log in to exam portal admin.nou.ac.in/
access student portal services nou.ac.in/student-services

Official documents (PDF)

  • View PDF — official CBCS Semester-I 2026 examination form notice

Frequently asked questions

What is the fee for the NOU CBCS Semester-I examination form?

For the 4-Year UG CBCS Semester-I (2025–2029 session), the examination fee is Rs. 200 per paper.

Who is ineligible to submit the NOU term-end examination form?

Students who were absent from practical examinations or who failed to submit their mandatory assignments to the university on time are not eligible to fill out the examination form.

How do students download their NOU examination admit card?

Students must log in to the NOU student portal using their Enrollment Number and Date of Birth as the password. After completing form submission and paying the fee, the admit card can be downloaded directly from the portal.

What are the daily shift timings for NOU examinations?

NOU examinations are held in two shifts: the morning shift runs from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and the afternoon shift runs from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

What is the standard question paper pattern for NOU annual exams?

NOU theory question papers generally ask students to answer any five questions out of the total questions provided, with all questions carrying equal marks.

Where can students find past question papers for exam preparation?

NOU maintains annual download archives on its portal containing past question papers from 2017 through 2025 for UG, PG, Diploma, and Certificate courses.

What were the submission dates for the 2026 CBCS Semester-I exam form?

For the B.A./B.Sc. CBCS Semester-I (2025–2029 session), online form submission was open from 01 April 2026 to 15 April 2026.

Sources

Written from the official NOU pages and documents below, as read on 2 October 2026.

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