PG Programmes

Frequently Asked Questions on Normalisation of CUET (PG) Scores for TISS Admissions

1. Why does TISS apply normalisation to CUET (PG) scores?

TISS postgraduate programmes may permit candidates to qualify through more than one eligible CUET (PG) subject paper. Since different subject papers can have different candidate pools, score distributions, and ranges of marks, raw scores across different papers may not be directly comparable. Normalisation is therefore applied to place candidates from different eligible papers on a common scale for the purpose of preparing programme-wise merit lists.

2. Is normalisation permitted under the CUET (PG) admissions framework?
Yes. CUET (PG) scores are used by participating universities and institutions for admission purposes, and participating institutions are responsible for applying their notified eligibility criteria and admission procedures. TISS applies normalisation as part of its programme-wise merit preparation process to ensure fairness, objectivity, and comparability across candidates who have appeared in different eligible subject papers.

3. Does normalisation change a candidate’s CUET (PG) score issued by NTA?
No. TISS does not alter or revise the CUET (PG) score issued by NTA. The CUET (PG) score remains the candidate’s official test score. TISS uses the CUET (PG) score data to compute a normalised admission score only for the limited purpose of preparing TISS programme-wise merit lists where more than one eligible CUET subject paper is accepted.

4. What is the normalisation method used by TISS?

For each eligible CUET (PG) subject paper, TISS considers the all-India score distribution and identifies the candidate’s relative position within that paper. For the preparation of merit-list, candidates above the 25th percentile are considered. Scores are then converted to a common 0 to 1 scale using the following formula: Normalised Score = (Candidate’s Score − Lowest Score in the qualifying pool) ÷ (Highest Score in the qualifying pool − Lowest Score in the qualifying pool). The resulting value is then multiplied by 100 to obtain the final normalised score on a 0–100 scale. This enables comparable merit preparation across different eligible papers while preserving the order of merit within each paper.

5. Why is the 25th percentile used?

The 25th percentile is used to create a meaningful competitive reference group for normalisation. It helps avoid distortion that may arise from extreme low-end scores when scaling candidates across different subject papers.

6. Does normalisation disadvantage candidates from any particular subject paper?
No. The purpose of normalisation is to reduce unfair advantage or disadvantage arising from differences in subject-wise score distributions. Within the same subject paper, a candidate who has scored higher than another candidate continues to remain ahead after normalisation. Across subject papers, normalisation provides a common basis for comparison where a programme accepts multiple eligible CUET (PG) papers.

7. Can TISS disclose individual-level score distributions or other candidates’ data?
Individual-level data of other candidates, confidential score distributions, or personally identifiable information cannot be disclosed. Any request for information will be handled in accordance with applicable law, institutional policy, data-protection obligations, and the admissions schedule.