Major Upcoming Entrance Exams in India 2026: CUET, JEE, NEET, MHT CET, TS EAMCET & More – Complete Guide
Major Upcoming Entrance Exams in India 2026: Your Gateway to Top Colleges
After Class 12, millions of Indian students aspire to secure seats in premier institutions for engineering, medicine, pharmacy, law, management, and humanities. To achieve this, they must qualify in national or state-level entrance exams that serve as the primary gateway to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs across India.
As we approach 2026, several key entrance exams are scheduled to be conducted by bodies like the National Testing Agency (NTA), IITs, NBE, and state education boards. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the most important upcoming entrance exams in India for 2026, including eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, and key dates.
Why Entrance Exams Matter in 2026?
- Merit-Based Admissions: Ensure fair and transparent selection for top colleges.
- Access to Premier Institutions: IITs, AIIMS, NITs, Central Universities, and state universities.
- Diverse Career Paths: From engineering and medicine to agriculture and humanities.
- Standardized Evaluation: National-level benchmarking of student capabilities.
List of Major Upcoming Entrance Exams in India – 2026
Exam | Conducting Body | Level | Expected Notification | Key Programs | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUET UG 2026 | NTA | Undergraduate | February–March 2026 | BA, BSc, BCom, BBA, BCA, etc. in Central/State Universities | CBT |
CUET PG 2026 | NTA | Postgraduate | January–February 2026 | MA, MSc, MBA, MCA, LLM, etc. | CBT |
JEE Main 2026 | NTA | UG Engineering | December 2025 (Session 1), May 2026 (Session 2) | B.Tech/B.E. in NITs, IIITs, GFTIs | CBT |
JEE Advanced 2026 | IITs (Rotating) | UG Engineering | June 2026 (tentative) | B.Tech in IITs | CBT |
NEET UG 2026 | NTA | UG Medical | December 2025 – January 2026 | MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS | Pen & Paper |
NEET PG 2026 | NBE | PG Medical | March–April 2026 | MD, MS, Diploma courses | CBT |
MHT CET 2026 | Maharashtra CET Cell | State UG | January–February 2026 | B.Tech, B.Pharm, B.Sc Agriculture | CBT |
TS EAMCET 2026 | JNTU Hyderabad | State UG | February–March 2026 | Engineering, Agriculture, Pharmacy in Telangana | CBT |
WBJEE 2026 | WBJEEB | State UG | December 2025 – January 2026 | B.Tech, B.Pharm, B.Arch in West Bengal | Pen & Paper |
Note: Dates are tentative and based on previous cycles. Always refer to official websites for updates.
Detailed Exam-wise Breakdown
1. CUET UG & PG (Common University Entrance Test)
- Purpose: Single-window admission to 45+ Central Universities and many state/private institutions.
- Eligibility:
- UG: Class 12 pass with subject-specific requirements.
- PG: Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline.
- Syllabus: Based on NCERT Class 12 (UG) or graduation-level topics (PG).
- Sections:
- Section IA/IB: Language test (English, Hindi, regional languages).
- Section II: Domain subjects (e.g., Physics, Economics, Political Science).
- Section III: General Test (Maths, GK, Current Affairs, Reasoning).
- Importance: Mandatory for most Central University admissions from 2023 onward.
2. JEE Main & JEE Advanced
- JEE Main:
- Qualifying exam for NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs.
- Two attempts per year (January & April sessions).
- JEE Advanced:
- Only top 2.5 lakh JEE Main rankers eligible.
- Gateway to IITs and IISc.
- Syllabus: NCERT Class 11–12 Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics.
- Exam Pattern: MCQs + Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
3. NEET UG & NEET PG
- NEET UG:
- Sole entrance for MBBS/BDS in India (including AIIMS & JIPMER).
- 900 marks: 180 MCQs (45 each from Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology).
- NEET PG:
- For MD/MS/Diploma in government and private medical colleges.
- Conducted by NBE; 200 MCQs in 3.5 hours.
- Eligibility:
- UG: 50% in PCB (Class 12); age ≥17 years.
- PG: MBBS degree + internship completion.
4. State-Level Engineering & Medical Exams
- MHT CET (Maharashtra):
- No negative marking; 100% weightage to Class 12 marks in some cases.
- TS EAMCET (Telangana):
- Covers Engineering, Agriculture, and Pharmacy streams.
- WBJEE (West Bengal):
- Two papers: Paper I (Maths), Paper II (Physics & Chemistry).
- Used for admission to Jadavpur University, IIEST Shibpur, etc.
Preparation Tips for 2026 Aspirants
- Start Early: Begin Class 11–12 syllabus revision alongside entrance prep.
- Understand Exam Patterns: Each exam has unique marking schemes and section weightage.
- Practice Mock Tests: Use platforms like NTA Abhyas, Testbook, or Embibe.
- Focus on NCERT: Especially for NEET and JEE Main—90% of questions are NCERT-based.
- Track Application Deadlines: Most registrations open 3–6 months before the exam.
- Balance Board & Entrance Prep: Many state exams (e.g., MHT CET) consider Class 12 marks.
Official Websites to Monitor
- CUET: https://cuet.samarth.ac.in
- JEE Main: https://jeemain.nta.ac.in
- JEE Advanced: https://jeeadv.ac.in
- NEET UG: https://neet.nta.nic.in
- NEET PG: https://nbe.edu.in
- MHT CET: https://cetcell.mahacet.org
- TS EAMCET: https://eamcet.tsche.ac.in
- WBJEE: https://wbjeeb.nic.in
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Disclaimer: Exam dates, patterns, and eligibility mentioned are based on historical trends and anticipated schedules. Always refer to the latest official notification for accurate and binding information.
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