SmartStudy.School

JEE Main Joint Entrance Examination (Main) Gateway to B.E./B.Tech and B.Arch/B.Planning seats in the 31 NITs, 26 IIITs and other centrally funded institutes via JoSAA, and the sole qualifier for JEE Advanced (IIT admission). Scores are also accepted by many state and private universities. Apps open: Late Oct-Nov 2026NTA JEE Advanced Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) The sole entrance for B.Tech, integrated M.Tech and BS programmes at the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs); scores are also used by IISc, IISERs, RGIPT and a few other institutes. Apps open: Dec 2026 BITSAT Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test Admission to integrated first-degree programmes (B.E., B.Pharm, M.Sc.) at BITS Pilani's three Indian campuses — Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad. Apps open: Dec 2026 - Mar 2027BITS COMEDK UGET Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka — Undergraduate Entrance Test Admission to B.E./B.Tech seats in around 190 private engineering colleges in Karnataka (including RV, BMS, MS Ramaiah, Dayananda Sagar and PES-affiliated institutes) — open to students from every state. Notification: Jan 2027 VITEEE Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Examination Admission to B.Tech programmes across the four VIT campuses — Vellore, Chennai, VIT-AP (Amaravati) and VIT Bhopal. Apps open: Late Oct - Nov 2026VIT State Engineering CETs State Common Entrance Tests for Engineering (MHT-CET, WBJEE, KCET, AP & TG EAPCET) Admission to government and private engineering colleges within each state — Maharashtra (MHT-CET), West Bengal (WBJEE), Karnataka (KCET), Andhra Pradesh (AP EAPCET) and Telangana (TG EAPCET). State-quota seats make these the highest-value backup to JEE for most students. Apps open: Oct-Nov 2026WBJEEB

NEET-UG National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) The single national gateway to MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, BVSc and B.Sc Nursing seats in all Indian medical, dental, AYUSH and veterinary colleges, including AIIMS and JIPMER. MCC counselling for NE: Sept–Oct 2026NTA NEET-PG National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate) The single entrance for MD, MS, PG Diploma and DNB/NBEMS postgraduate seats in all medical colleges across India, including the armed forces medical services intake. Admit card: 27 Aug 2026NBEMS INI-CET Institutes of National Importance Combined Entrance Test Entrance for MD, MS, MDS and DM/M.Ch (6-year) seats at India's Institutes of National Importance — all AIIMS campuses, JIPMER Puducherry, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram. Apps open: Sept–Oct 2026AIIMS FMGE Foreign Medical Graduate Examination The mandatory screening test that Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India with a medical degree from a foreign university must pass to obtain provisional registration and practise medicine in India. Apps open: Oct–Nov 2026NBEMS AIAPGET All India AYUSH Post Graduate Entrance Test The single national entrance for MD, MS and PG Diploma admissions in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy colleges across India, conducted for the Ministry of Ayush. Provisional answer key: Late Aug–early Sept 2026NTA

CAT Common Admission Test The gateway to the 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and the primary MBA entrance score for 1,000+ B-schools including FMS Delhi, MDI, SPJIMR and most IITs' management programmes. Apps open: 3 Aug – 15 Sep 2026 XAT Xavier Aptitude Test Entrance test for XLRI Jamshedpur's flagship management programmes and 250+ B-schools including XIM University Bhubaneswar, IMT Ghaziabad, TAPMI, MICA and GIM Goa. Apps open: 15 Jul – 6 Dec 2026 CMAT Common Management Admission Test A national-level MBA/PGDM entrance conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA); its score is accepted by 1,300+ All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)-approved institutes, including JBIMS Mumbai (via state rules), GIM Goa, KJ Somaiya and Welingkar. Notification: Oct–Nov 2026NTA NMAT NMAT by GMAC (Narsee Monjee Management Aptitude Test) The primary entrance for NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies) campuses, also accepted by 50+ schools including SPJIMR (PGMPW), K J Somaiya, XIM University, TAPMI and several international universities. Apps open: 20 Aug – 10 Oct 2026GMAC SNAP Symbiosis National Aptitude Test The common entrance for MBA programmes across the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) institutes, including SIBM Pune, SCMHRD, SIIB and SIBM Bengaluru. Apps open: 21 Aug – 25 Nov 2026 MAT Management Aptitude Test A quarterly MBA entrance conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA); its score is accepted by 600+ B-schools and is a common route into mid-tier MBA/PGDM programmes across India. Apps close: 1 Sep 2026AIMA

CLAT Common Law Admission Test Gateway to the five-year B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programmes at the National Law Universities (NLUs) of the 26-member Consortium (NLU Delhi is the notable exception), and used by many private law schools and PSUs (for the PG paper) as well. Apps open: 3 Aug – 31 Oct 2026 AILET All India Law Entrance Test Admission to the five-year B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programme at National Law University (NLU) Delhi, which stays out of the CLAT admission process and runs its own test. Apps open: 7 Aug – 10 Nov 2026 CUET-UG Common University Entrance Test (Undergraduate) Single-window admission test for undergraduate programmes at central universities (Delhi University, BHU, JNU, Jamia, AMU and others) plus many state, deemed and private universities — 250+ institutions in all. Apps open: Feb 2027NTA NATA National Aptitude Test in Architecture Qualifying aptitude test for admission to five-year B.Arch programmes at most architecture schools in India (other than the IITs/NITs, which use JEE Main Paper 2). Apps open: Mar 2027 (expected)CoA NID DAT National Institute of Design — Design Aptitude Test Admission to the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Graduate Diploma programmes at NID Ahmedabad and the newer NIDs (Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Assam), plus M.Des via the PG paper. Apps open: Sep – Oct 2026 NIFT Entrance NIFT Entrance Examination (NIFTEE) Admission to B.Des and B.FTech programmes across the 19 campuses of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), plus M.Des/M.FTech/MFM at PG level. Apps open: Dec 2026NTA UCEED Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design Admission to the four-year B.Des programmes at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur; scores are also accepted by many other design schools. Apps open: Early Oct 2026 NCHM JEE National Council for Hotel Management Joint Entrance Examination Admission to the three-year B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (jointly awarded with IGNOU) at the central, state and private Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs) affiliated to NCHMCT. Apps open: Dec 2026NTA

GATE Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Gateway to M.Tech/M.E./MS and direct PhD admissions at the IITs, IISc, NITs and IIITs, and the primary screening test for engineer recruitment at Maharatna/Navratna PSUs such as IOCL, ONGC, NTPC and PGCIL. Scores are also accepted by NUS and NTU Singapore and for some fellowships. Apps open: 27 Aug 2026 (revised from 14 Aug) IIT JAM Joint Admission Test for Masters Admission to M.Sc., M.Sc.-PhD dual degree, joint M.Sc.-PhD and other postgraduate science programmes at the IITs (around 3,000 seats), with a further 2,000-plus seats at NITs and other centrally funded institutes filled through CCMN counselling using JAM scores. Apps open: 5 Sep 2026 CUET-PG Common University Entrance Test (Postgraduate) Single-window entrance for admission to postgraduate programmes (M.A., M.Sc., M.Com., LL.M., M.Tech at some universities, and more) at 190-plus participating central, state, deemed and private universities, including Delhi University, BHU and Jamia Millia Islamia. Apps open: Dec 2026 – Jan 2027NTA GPAT Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test National entrance for admission to M.Pharm programmes at AICTE-approved institutions; GPAT-qualified students in approved M.Pharm courses receive the AICTE monthly stipend, and scores are also weighed by some pharma recruiters and PhD programmes. Apps open: Dec 2026 – Jan 2027NBEMS CEED Common Entrance Exam for Design Qualifying exam for admission to Master of Design (M.Des) programmes at IIT Bombay (IDC), IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIITDM Jabalpur and IISc Bengaluru, and to design-related PhD programmes at several institutes. Apps open: Early Oct 2026 (notification by 1 Oct)

UPSC CSE Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination Recruits officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS and around two dozen other Group A and B central services — the standard route into India's top administrative careers. Notification: 13 Jan 2027UPSC UPSC CAPF AC UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant) Examination Recruits Assistant Commandants — the entry-level Group A officer rank — in the five Central Armed Police Forces: BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Result: Oct–Nov 2026 (expected)UPSC UPSC EPFO UPSC EPFO Enforcement Officer / Accounts Officer and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Recruitment Recruits Enforcement Officers/Accounts Officers (EO/AO) and Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners (APFC) in the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Apps open: 22 Aug – 11 Sep 2026UPSC State PSC Exams State Public Service Commission Examinations (UPPSC, BPSC, MPSC and others) Each state's Public Service Commission runs its own civil-services exam (PCS/CCE/Rajyaseva) to recruit Deputy Collectors, DSPs, tehsildars, block officers and other state administrative posts — a parallel track to the UPSC CSE at state level. MPSC Rajyaseva 2026 Ma: 3, 17, 18 and 24 Oct 2026UPPSC

SSC CGL SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination Recruits graduates to Group B and Group C posts in central government ministries, departments and organisations — Income Tax Inspector, Central Excise/GST Inspector, Assistant Section Officer, Auditor, Accountant, Sub-Inspector in CBI/NIA, Junior Statistical Officer and more. Exam: Aug–Sep 2026 (date-wise schedule via admit card)SSC SSC CHSL SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level (10+2) Examination Recruits Class 12 pass candidates as Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC), Junior Secretariat Assistant (JSA), Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant and Data Entry Operator in central government offices. Notification: Aug–Sep 2026SSC SSC MTS SSC Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff and Havaldar (CBIC & CBN) Examination Recruits Class 10 pass candidates as Multi-Tasking Staff (Group C) in central government departments, and as Havaldar in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN). Exam: Sep–Nov 2026 window (per SSC calendar)SSC SSC JE SSC Junior Engineer (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical) Examination Recruits Junior Engineers (Group B, non-gazetted) in Civil, Mechanical and Electrical disciplines for central departments such as CPWD, MES (Military Engineer Services), Central Water Commission, Border Roads Organisation and Farakka Barrage Project. Notification: Aug–Sep 2026SSC SSC GD Constable SSC Constable (General Duty) in CAPFs, SSF, Assam Rifles and Narcotics Bureau Examination Recruits Constables (General Duty) into the Central Armed Police Forces — BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB — plus the Secretariat Security Force, Assam Rifles (Rifleman) and Narcotics Control Bureau (Sepoy). Notification: 30 Sep 2026SSC SSC Stenographer SSC Stenographer Grade 'C' and Grade 'D' Examination Recruits stenographers for central ministries and departments — Grade 'C' (Group B, non-gazetted) and Grade 'D' (Group C) — combining a written exam with a shorthand skill test. Exam: 9–12 Sep 2026SSC

IBPS PO Institute of Banking Personnel Selection — Probationary Officer / Management Trainee (CRP PO/MT) Common recruitment process for Probationary Officer / Management Trainee posts in 11 public sector banks (all nationalised banks except State Bank of India). Result: Sep 2026IBPS IBPS Clerk Institute of Banking Personnel Selection — Customer Service Associate (CRP CSA), formerly Clerk Recruits Customer Service Associates (the renamed clerical cadre) in 11 public sector banks; postings are state-wise, so candidates apply for one state. Apps close: 1-28 Aug 2026 (open)IBPS SBI PO State Bank of India — Probationary Officer Recruits Probationary Officers for State Bank of India, the country's largest bank — the most sought-after entry-level officer post in Indian banking. Exam: 12 Sep 2026SBI SBI Clerk State Bank of India — Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales) Recruits Junior Associates (clerical cadre) for State Bank of India branches; recruitment and posting are state/circle-wise. Apps open: 11-31 Aug 2026 (open)SBI IBPS RRB (PO + Clerk) Institute of Banking Personnel Selection — Common Recruitment Process for Regional Rural Banks (Officer Scale I/II/III and Office Assistant) Single recruitment process for the country's Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) — 28 banks after the 2025 'One State One RRB' amalgamation — covering Officer Scale I (PO-equivalent), Office Assistant (clerk-equivalent) and senior Scale II/III posts. Notification: Sep 2026IBPS RBI Grade B Reserve Bank of India — Grade B Officer (General, DEPR, DSIM) Recruits Grade B officers — the central bank's flagship direct-entry officer post — in the General stream and the specialist Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR) and Department of Statistics and Information Management (DSIM) streams. Interviews (2026 cycle: Aug-Sep 2026 (underway)RBI RBI Assistant Reserve Bank of India — Assistant Recruits Assistants (clerical-cum-support cadre) in the Reserve Bank of India's regional offices — among the best-paid clerical posts in the government-banking space. Result: Q3-Q4 2026RBI NABARD Grade A National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — Assistant Manager Grade 'A' (RDBS and other streams) Recruits Assistant Managers (Grade A) into NABARD's Rural Development Banking Service (RDBS) and specialist streams — an officer role in India's apex rural-development bank. Notification: Sep-Nov 2026 (last cycle was notified 8 Nov 2025)NABARD LIC AAO Life Insurance Corporation of India — Assistant Administrative Officer Recruits Assistant Administrative Officers (Generalist and specialist streams such as IT, Legal, Chartered Accountant and Actuarial) — the flagship officer entry into India's largest insurer. Notification: Late 2026-2027 (no fixed calendar; previous cycle concluded Apr 2026 — watch licindia.in)LIC

RRB NTPC Railway Recruitment Board Non-Technical Popular Categories (NTPC) Examination Recruits for non-technical posts on Indian Railways such as Station Master, Goods Train Manager (Guard), Senior/Junior Clerk-cum-Typist, Commercial-cum-Ticket Clerk, Traffic Assistant and Accounts Clerk. Result: 4th week of Aug 2026RRBs RRB Group D (Level 1) Railway Recruitment Board Group D / Level 1 (7th CPC) Examination — CEN 09/2025 Recruits for Level 1 posts on Indian Railways — Track Maintainer Grade IV, Helper/Assistant in Electrical, Mechanical, Signal & Telecom and other departments, Assistant Pointsman and Porter. Exam: 25 Aug 2026RRBs RRB ALP Railway Recruitment Board Assistant Loco Pilot (and Technician) Examination — CEN 01/2026 Recruits Assistant Loco Pilots — the co-drivers of Indian Railways' locomotives and the entry route to becoming a Loco Pilot — a safety-category post with allowance-rich pay at Level 2. Exam: Sep 2026RRBs RRB JE Railway Recruitment Board Junior Engineer Examination — CEN 04/2026 Recruits Junior Engineers (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, IT and allied streams), plus Depot Material Superintendent and Chemical & Metallurgical Assistant, at pay Level 6 on Indian Railways. Apps open: 14 Aug - 13 Sep 2026RRBs

NDA National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) Entry after Class 12 into the National Defence Academy (Army, Navy and Air Force wings) and the Indian Naval Academy's 10+2 Cadet Entry, leading to a permanent commission as an officer along with a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) degree. Admit card: Aug 2026 (released)UPSC CDS Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) Graduate-entry route to an officer's commission via the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Officers' Training Academy (OTA, for Short Service Commission including women). Admit card: Aug 2026 (released)UPSC AFCAT Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) Selection of Class-I gazetted officers for the Indian Air Force's Flying branch and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches, for Short Service and Permanent Commission. Result: Late Aug-Sept 2026 (expected) Agniveer Agniveer Recruitment under the Agnipath Scheme (Army, Navy and Air Force) Four-year enrolment as a soldier, sailor or airman in the Indian Army (Agniveer GD/Technical/Clerk etc.), Indian Navy (Agniveer SSR/MR) or Indian Air Force (Agniveer Vayu), with up to 25% retained in the regular cadre thereafter. Result: From Aug 2026 (tentative, on candidate dashboard)DMPR Coast Guard Navik Indian Coast Guard Navik (GD/DB) and Yantrik Recruitment — Coast Guard Enrolled Personnel Test (CGEPT) Enrolled-personnel (sailor-equivalent) entry into the Indian Coast Guard as Navik (General Duty), Navik (Domestic Branch) or Yantrik (technical), with pay at Level 3 (Rs 21,700 basic) plus allowances. Notification: Awaited — the usual mid-year window has slipped; watch late 2026

CTET Central Teacher Eligibility Test Mandatory eligibility certificate for teaching Classes 1-8 in central government schools (Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Army schools) and in many private and state schools that accept CTET. Exam: 6 Sep 2026 (may extend to 5 Sep if candidate numbers require)CBSE UGC-NET University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test Determines eligibility for Assistant Professor posts in Indian universities and colleges, award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), and — since 2024 — admission to PhD programmes in place of separate entrance tests. Exam: 9-10 Sep 2026NTA CSIR-NET Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC NET) Determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor/lectureship in science subjects, and is accepted for PhD admission in science departments across India. Result: Sep 2026NTA KVS/NVS Recruitment Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) Common Teacher Recruitment Direct recruitment of Primary Teachers (PRT), Trained Graduate Teachers (TGT), Post Graduate Teachers (PGT), principals and non-teaching staff in Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas — central government teaching jobs with Level 7-8+ pay. Exam: Sep - Oct 2026CBSE Punjab Master Cadre Punjab Master Cadre Teacher Recruitment (Education Recruitment Directorate, Punjab) Direct recruitment of Master Cadre (subject) teachers for Classes 6-10 in Punjab government schools, in subjects such as Mathematics, Science, English, Punjabi, Hindi, Social Studies and Physical Education. Exam: 5, 6, 12, 13 & 20 Sep 2026ERD State TETs State Teacher Eligibility Tests (UPTET, Bihar STET, REET, HTET, MAHA TET, PSTET, TNTET and others) State-level eligibility certificates required for teacher recruitment in each state's government schools — the state counterpart of CTET, and usually a prerequisite for state teacher-recruitment exams (e.g. Bihar TRE, Punjab Master Cadre, UP Super TET). Apps open: 17-31 Aug 2026UPTET

GRE Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test Standard admission test for master's, PhD and increasingly MBA and law programmes in the US, Canada, Europe and Singapore. Scores are valid for five years. Apps open: Open year-round via your ETS account (book 4-6 weeks ahead for peak Sept-Dec slots)ETS GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) The standard admission test for MBA and business master's programmes worldwide, including the Indian School of Business (ISB), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) executive programmes and top schools in the US and Europe. Scores are valid for five years. Apps open: Open year-round on mba.com; centre slots in Indian metros fill 3-4 weeks ahead in the Sept-Dec admissions seasonGMAC IELTS International English Language Testing System (IELTS) The world's most widely accepted English proficiency test, used for university admission (Academic) and for work visas, migration and professional registration (General Training) in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Exam: From Sept 2026 TOEFL iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT) English proficiency test accepted for university admission in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and Europe, with particular weight in American graduate admissions. Scores are valid for two years. Exam: Since 21 Jan 2026ETS SAT Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) — Digital SAT Undergraduate admission test for universities in the US and many other countries; also accepted with scholarships by several Indian private universities (e.g. Ashoka, Shiv Nadar, FLAME) via India Global Higher Ed Alliance. Exam: 12 Sept 2026 (registration closes 28 Aug 2026)College Board Duolingo English Test Duolingo English Test (DET) A low-cost, at-home English proficiency test accepted by over 6,000 institutions worldwide (including most US universities) as an alternative to IELTS and TOEFL. Results are certified within 48 hours and score sharing is free and unlimited. Exam: Anytime, 24/7, year-round from homeDuolingo, Inc.