The Book

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Every entrance exam in this book

No dates are printed here, on purpose. They move every year, and a wrong date costs a student a year. Each exam below names the authority that runs it and its official website — that website is always right.

KCET

  • Run by: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
  • Official website: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in
  • Usually held: Usually April
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based. Separate papers for Physics, Chemistry and Maths/Biology. Government-quota seats need 7 years of study in Karnataka.
  • Admits you to: Engineering, farm science, nursing and allied courses in Karnataka
  • Relevant if you take: Science

NEET UG

  • Run by: National Testing Agency (NTA)
  • Official website: neet.nta.nic.in
  • Usually held: Usually May
  • What sitting it is like: Pen-and-paper OMR, single shift of 3 hours 20 minutes, offered in 13 languages. 200 questions of which 180 are attempted, +4 for a correct answer and -1 for a wrong one.
  • Admits you to: MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, B.Sc Nursing and notified allied health courses
  • Relevant if you take: Medical

JEE Main

  • Run by: National Testing Agency (NTA)
  • Official website: jeemain.nta.nic.in
  • Usually held: Two sessions, usually January and April
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based, held in two sessions with the better score counting. The top 2.5 lakh qualifiers become eligible for JEE Advanced, which allows only 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years.
  • Admits you to: NITs, IIITs, CFTIs and the JEE Advanced qualifier for IITs
  • Relevant if you take: Science

COMEDK UGET

  • Run by: Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka
  • Official website: comedk.org
  • Usually held: Usually May
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based, held across roughly 400 centres nationwide. Open to candidates from any state.
  • Admits you to: Private and deemed engineering colleges in Karnataka
  • Relevant if you take: Science

CUET UG

  • Run by: National Testing Agency (NTA)
  • Official website: cuet.nta.nic.in
  • Usually held: Usually May
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based. You may now choose a subject even if you did not study it in Class 12.
  • Admits you to: Central and participating universities for BA, B.Sc, B.Com and more
  • Relevant if you take: All streams

DCET

  • Run by: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
  • Official website: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in
  • Usually held: Usually mid-year
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based, with a separate paper for each engineering stream. Needs 45% in the final year of the diploma (40% for reserved categories in Karnataka).
  • Admits you to: Lateral entry to 2nd year BE/B.Tech for diploma holders
  • Relevant if you take: Diploma

CLAT

  • Run by: Consortium of National Law Universities
  • Official website: consortiumofnlus.ac.in
  • Usually held: Usually December, for the following academic year
  • What sitting it is like: Pen-and-paper. Needs 45% at Class 12 for the general category and 40% for SC/ST. There is no age limit. AILET is a separate exam with a similar syllabus, run only for National Law University Delhi.
  • Admits you to: 5-year integrated LLB at National Law Universities
  • Relevant if you take: Law

NDA & NA Examination

  • Run by: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
  • Official website: upsc.gov.in
  • Usually held: Twice a year
  • What sitting it is like: Written exam followed by a five-day SSB interview and a medical board. Age 16.5 to 19.5 at course start with no relaxation, and candidates must be unmarried. Class 12 pass for the Army wing; PCM required for Navy and Air Force. Women are eligible for all three wings.
  • Admits you to: National Defence Academy and Naval Academy, leading to a commission as an officer
  • Relevant if you take: Defence

NATA

  • Run by: Council of Architecture (CoA)
  • Official website: nata.in
  • Usually held: Multiple phases each year
  • What sitting it is like: 200 marks split between a drawing section and multiple-choice questions. Needs PCM with 50% at Class 12. JEE Main Paper 2 is the alternative route for NITs and centrally funded institutes.
  • Admits you to: B.Arch, the 5-year professional architecture degree
  • Relevant if you take: Architecture

UCEED / NID DAT / NIFT

  • Run by: IIT Bombay, National Institute of Design, and NIFT respectively
  • Official website: uceed.iitb.ac.in · admissions.nid.edu · nift.ac.in
  • Usually held: Prelims usually late in the year, mains early the next
  • What sitting it is like: Aptitude and drawing tests rather than syllabus exams. Open to any Class 12 stream — no Maths or Science needed. Seats are few nationally, so apply to several institutes.
  • Admits you to: B.Des programmes in product, communication, fashion and interaction design
  • Relevant if you take: Design

IMU CET

  • Run by: Indian Maritime University
  • Official website: imu.edu.in
  • Usually held: Usually mid-year
  • What sitting it is like: Covers Physics, Chemistry, Maths, English, general knowledge and aptitude. Typically needs 60% in PCM and 50% in English, plus a DG Shipping approved medical including 6/6 eyesight and no colour blindness.
  • Admits you to: DNS, B.Sc Nautical Science and B.Tech Marine Engineering
  • Relevant if you take: Merchant Navy

NCET

  • Run by: National Testing Agency, for NCTE
  • Official website: ncet.samarth.ac.in
  • Usually held: Usually alongside the other NTA UG exams
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based, taken straight after Class 12 in any stream.
  • Admits you to: ITEP — the 4-year integrated B.A B.Ed / B.Sc B.Ed degree
  • Relevant if you take: Teaching

CTET / State TET

  • Run by: CBSE for CTET; state boards for their own TET
  • Official website: ctet.nic.in
  • Usually held: Usually twice a year
  • What sitting it is like: Not an admission exam — an employment eligibility test taken AFTER your teaching qualification. Paper 1 is for Classes 1-5 and needs D.El.Ed; Paper 2 is for Classes 6-8. A B.Ed alone does not qualify you for primary-teacher posts.
  • Admits you to: Eligibility to be appointed as a teacher in government schools
  • Relevant if you take: Teaching

DGCA Remote Pilot Certificate

  • Run by: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
  • Official website: digitalsky.dgca.gov.in
  • Usually held: Year-round at approved training organisations
  • What sitting it is like: Not a school-style entrance exam. You train 5 to 7 days at a DGCA-authorised RPTO, pass written and practical assessments and hold a medical certificate. Minimum age 18 and a Class 10 pass — no degree needed.
  • Admits you to: Legal commercial drone flying in India
  • Relevant if you take: Skills

CSEET

  • Run by: Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
  • Official website: icsi.edu
  • Usually held: Several sessions each year
  • What sitting it is like: Computer-based, covering business communication, legal aptitude and reasoning, economics and current affairs. Open after 10+2 in any stream except fine arts.
  • Admits you to: CS Executive programme after 10+2
  • Relevant if you take: Commerce

CA Foundation

  • Run by: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
  • Official website: icai.org
  • Usually held: Usually May and November
  • What sitting it is like: Pen-and-paper, four papers covering accounting, business law, maths/statistics and economics. You can register after Class 12 and sit it after a short mandatory study period.
  • Admits you to: CA Intermediate, the first formal step toward becoming a Chartered Accountant
  • Relevant if you take: Commerce

CMA Foundation

  • Run by: Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI)
  • Official website: icmai.in
  • Usually held: Usually June and December
  • What sitting it is like: Pen-and-paper, four papers covering accounting, laws and ethics, maths/statistics and economics. Open after Class 12 in any stream.
  • Admits you to: CMA Intermediate, the first step toward becoming a Cost and Management Accountant
  • Relevant if you take: Commerce

UPSC CSE

  • Run by: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
  • Official website: upsc.gov.in
  • Usually held: Notification usually February, through to the interview the following year
  • What sitting it is like: Three stages: an objective Preliminary exam, a descriptive Mains exam of nine papers, and a Personality Test (interview). Open to any graduate; most candidates spend a year or more preparing.
  • Admits you to: IAS, IPS, IFS and other central civil services
  • Relevant if you take: Civil Services