Entrance exams
What each exam is for, who conducts it and what happens after the result. Dates and patterns come from the official bulletin.
Medical
NEET UG
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate)
National Testing Agency (NTA)NEET PG
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate)
National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)NEET MDS
National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Master of Dental Surgery)
National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)Engineering
JEE Main
Joint Entrance Examination (Main)
National Testing Agency (NTA)JEE Advanced
Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced)
One of the IITs on rotation, on behalf of the Joint Admission Board (the organising IIT changes each year)GATE
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and seven IITs, organised each year by one of them on behalf of the National Coordination Board (IIT Madras for GATE 2027)General
Management
CAT
Common Admission Test
Indian Institutes of Management (a different IIM is the organiser each year)XAT
Xavier Aptitude Test
XLRI Jamshedpur, on behalf of the Xavier Association of Management Institutes (XAMI)CMAT
Common Management Admission Test
National Testing Agency (NTA)MAT
Management Aptitude Test
All India Management Association (AIMA)Law
Hotel Management
Pharmacy
Computer Applications
Research
UGC NET
University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET)
National Testing Agency (NTA) for the University Grants CommissionCSIR UGC NET
CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (CSIR UGC NET) for Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship
National Testing Agency (NTA) for the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)How an entrance exam turns into a seat
- 1Choose the examThe course you want decides the exam.
- 2Register and prepareApply on the official website, then prepare for the exam as set out in the bulletin.
- 3Write the examThe exam body conducts the test and publishes the result.
- 4CounsellingThe counselling authority publishes the rules, seat matrix and schedule for the year.
- 5Choice filling and allotmentYou fill choices, and seats are allotted round by round.
- 6ReportingYou pay the fees, submit documents and report to the college.
Always confirm dates, eligibility and fees on the official notice of the year. Open an exam below for what it covers and what usually follows.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to write every exam on this page?
No. Which exams you need depends on the course you want. For example, medical courses use NEET, engineering uses JEE or state exams, and law uses CLAT or similar. Open the exam page to see which courses it leads to.
Where do I find the exam dates and the syllabus?
On the official website of the exam body and in its information bulletin for the year. Dates, patterns and eligibility change, so we always point you to the official notice and never rely on last year's.
What happens after the result?
The result gives you a score or rank. A separate counselling process then allots seats on the basis of that rank, your category, domicile and the choices you fill. Our exam pages explain the counselling that follows each exam.
What if my rank is low?
There are often other routes: state counselling, private and deemed institutions, other courses in the same field, or a different exam. A counsellor can lay out these options honestly. Our rank and college predictors show where ranks were close in past years.
Can I attempt an exam again?
Attempt limits and age rules differ for each exam and are set by the exam body. Check the current bulletin. If you are weighing a drop year against another route, talk to a counsellor first.
Do you conduct any of these exams?
No. These exams are conducted by bodies such as the National Testing Agency, universities and state authorities. We explain the process and help with counselling and documents after the result.