Entrance Exam Calendar India — Key Dates, Deadlines & Planning
India's biggest admission decisions are decided by a handful of entrance exams — and by the deadlines that come with them. This hub gives you an indicative, month-by-month view of when the major exams typically open, run and release results, so you can plan preparation and never miss a registration window. It is a planning guide, not an official notice.
Why an Exam Calendar Matters for Planning
An entrance exam calendar matters because it turns a scattered set of registration deadlines, exam dates and result timelines into one clear picture you can plan around. Most students discover exam deadlines one at a time — often too late to prepare properly, and sometimes too late to register at all. Seeing the whole year in one view changes how you plan.
With an indicative calendar in front of you, a family can align preparation with school and board exams, spot months where two important exams fall close together, and start early on the exams that actually matter for the student's direction. The goal is not to memorise dates — it is to build a realistic plan and then confirm each exact date on the official source when the time comes.
See the whole year at once
Registration windows, exam months and result timelines side by side — so nothing surprises you.
Protect your deadlines
Knowing the typical window means you register early, with buffer, instead of scrambling at the last minute.
Balance boards and entrances
Board exams are fixed. Planning entrance prep around them keeps both on track instead of clashing.
Dates Are Indicative — Always Verify Officially
⚠️ Every month and window on this page is indicative only. Dates are indicative — always verify with the official exam authority.
The windows below reflect the months in which each exam has typically run in recent years. They are not official dates and may change without notice. Exam bodies such as the NTA, the Consortium of NLUs, IIMs, NIFT, IIT-hosted GATE and international testing agencies revise schedules every year. Before you register, prepare a timeline, or make any decision, confirm the exact dates on the official website of that exam authority.
CCO does not publish or predict precise exam dates, and this page should never be used as the source of truth for a deadline. Use it to plan; use the official notification to act.
Major Entrance Exams in India — An Overview
A grouped view of the exams students most often plan for, with each exam's purpose and its typical timing window. Treat every window as indicative.
🎓 After Class 12
CUET (UG)
Admission to central and many participating universities across streams. Typically: registration around early in the year; exam usually around May.
JEE Main & Advanced
Engineering admissions (NITs, IIITs, IITs). Typically: JEE Main in two sessions, usually around January and April; JEE Advanced usually around May–June.
NEET (UG)
Medical and allied (MBBS, BDS, AYUSH) admissions. Typically: exam usually held around May.
CLAT
Admission to National Law Universities for 5-year integrated law. Typically: held around the end of the calendar year / start of the next.
NIFT / NID / UCEED
Design entrances for fashion, communication and product design programmes. Typically: exams usually around the start of the year.
IPMAT
Integrated (5-year) management programmes at the IIMs. Typically: exam usually around May–June.
BBA & Hotel Management
Undergraduate management and hospitality tests (various university and national tests, e.g. NCHM JEE). Typically: windows usually around spring.
🧑🎓 After Graduation
CAT / XAT
MBA admissions to the IIMs and other top B-schools. Typically: CAT usually around late in the year; XAT usually around the start of the year.
GATE
M.Tech admissions and many PSU recruitments. Typically: exam usually held around early in the year.
CUET-PG
Postgraduate admissions across participating universities. Typically: windows usually around the start of the year.
Law (LLM & PG entrances)
CLAT-PG and university law entrances for postgraduate study. Typically: aligned with the respective UG exam cycles.
🌍 Study Abroad
SAT
Undergraduate admissions to many overseas universities. Typically: offered on multiple test dates through the year — choose to suit application deadlines.
IELTS / TOEFL
English-proficiency tests required by universities and for visas. Typically: available on frequent dates year-round.
GRE
Graduate (mostly master's) admissions worldwide. Typically: available year-round; book to fit intake deadlines.
GMAT
MBA and business master's admissions globally. Typically: available year-round on demand.
📝 Board Exams
Class 10 & 12 Boards (CBSE, ICSE, State)
The fixed anchor of the school year and a key input for several admissions. Typically: written exams usually around February–March, results usually around April–May. Confirm your board's schedule officially.
Why boards drive the calendar
Because board dates are relatively fixed, most entrance-exam planning is built around them — you protect board prep first, then slot entrance windows into the gaps.
Not sure which of these actually matter for your child? The right answer is usually two or three exams — not all of them. A short call helps you pick.
Indicative Month-by-Month Overview
A rough, planning-only view of when major exams tend to be active. This table is indicative — not a schedule. Always confirm exact dates with the official exam authority.
| Typical Month | Exams Often Active (Indicative) | Usual Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Jan – Feb | JEE Main (Session 1), design entrances (NID/NIFT/UCEED), GATE, XAT, CLAT results | Early-year exam & registration season |
| Feb – Mar | Class 10 & 12 Board exams (CBSE/ICSE/State) | Board exam window — the fixed anchor |
| Apr | JEE Main (Session 2); board results begin | Second-session & results phase |
| May | CUET (UG), NEET (UG), JEE Advanced prep, IPMAT | Peak national-exam month |
| May – Jun | JEE Advanced, IPMAT, CUET results begin | Late-spring exams & results |
| Jun – Aug | CUET counselling & choice-filling, admission rounds | Admission & counselling season |
| Sep – Oct | Registrations open for many year-end / next-year exams | Registration & planning window |
| Nov – Dec | CAT, CLAT; SAT/GRE/GMAT/IELTS available on demand year-round | Post-graduate & abroad exam season |
Study-abroad tests (SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT) run on many dates through the year — choose a date that fits your application deadlines rather than a fixed month.
How to Build Your Own Exam Plan
An exam calendar only helps if it becomes a plan. Here is a simple, five-step way to turn these indicative windows into a timeline that fits your child.
Start from the career, not the exam
Decide the direction first. The right two or three exams fall out of the career goal — preparing for every exam wastes the year. College Admission Guidance can help map this.
List only the exams that matter
From the groups above, pick the exams that genuinely serve the target careers and colleges. Ignore the rest — a focused list is a stronger list.
Anchor around board exams
Board dates are relatively fixed. Place them first, then slot entrance windows into the gaps so nothing collides.
Mark registration windows early
Registrations usually close weeks before an exam. Note each indicative window, then set a reminder to confirm the official date and register with buffer.
Verify, then lock the plan
Check every date against the official exam authority, adjust your timeline, and commit. For CUET specifically, CUET Counselling Guidance covers subject choice and choice-filling in depth.
How CCO's Guidance Helps You Prioritise the Right Exams
CCO is not a coaching institute and does not predict exam dates. What CCO does is help you decide which exams are worth your time in the first place.
Direction before deadlines
Through a Psychometric and Brain Mapping assessment, CCO identifies careers that genuinely fit the student — so the exam list is built on aptitude and interest, not peer pressure or fear of missing out.
Two or three exams, not ten
Most students only need a focused set of entrance exams. CCO helps you cut the list to the exams that actually support the target careers and colleges.
A realistic, sequenced plan
Guidance covers how to sequence preparation around board exams and across the year, so entrance prep and boards support each other instead of clashing.
Unbiased and transparent
No seat-selling, no coaching upsell. Guidance is grounded in the student's profile — with a free first call to start, backed by 15+ years of experience and a 4.9/5 rating from 1,474 verified reviews.
Entrance Exam Calendar — Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Are the exam dates on this page accurate for 2026 or 2027?
No — the dates on this page are indicative windows only, based on the months in which each exam has typically run in recent years. Exam authorities revise schedules every year. Always verify the exact dates with the official exam authority (for example NTA, the Consortium of NLUs, or IIM websites) before making any decision.
Q2. Why should I follow an entrance exam calendar?
An exam calendar lets you see registration windows, exam months and result timelines side by side, so you can plan preparation, avoid clashing dates, and never miss a registration deadline. It turns a scattered set of deadlines into one clear picture you can plan around.
Q3. Which entrance exams should a Class 12 student track?
It depends on the student's target careers. Common exams after Class 12 include CUET, JEE Main and Advanced, NEET, CLAT, NIFT/NID/UCEED, IPMAT, and various BBA and hotel-management tests. CCO helps a student identify the two or three exams that actually match their direction, rather than preparing for everything.
Q4. When do most Indian entrance exam registrations open?
Many national exams open registration in the winter months and hold the exam a few months later — for example, several register late in the calendar year or early in the new year and are held in spring or summer. These windows shift annually, so treat them only as a rough guide and confirm each exam's current schedule officially.
Q5. How far in advance should I start planning for entrance exams?
Ideally 12–18 months before the exam. Starting early gives time to choose the right exams, align school subjects, plan preparation, and keep board exams and entrance prep in balance. For Class 12 exams, that usually means beginning serious planning in Class 11.
Q6. What happens if I miss a registration deadline?
Most exam authorities do allow a short late-registration window with an extra fee, but not always — and some deadlines are firm. Missing a registration can cost a full year. That is exactly why an indicative calendar plus official verification matters: you plan around the window early and confirm the exact closing date on the official site.
Q7. How does CCO help with entrance exam planning?
CCO does not run coaching or predict exact dates. Through a Psychometric and Brain Mapping assessment and 1:1 counselling, CCO helps a student identify which careers fit them, which two or three entrance exams genuinely support those careers, and how to sequence preparation around board exams — so effort goes into the right exams rather than every exam.
Related Pages
Turn your exam calendar into a decision with these next steps.
CUET Counselling Guidance
Subject selection, university shortlisting and choice-filling strategy for CUET UG.
Explore →DU Admission Guidance
How Delhi University admissions work and how to plan your application.
Explore →College Admission Guidance
The full picture — from shortlisting colleges to finalising your admission.
Explore →Career Counselling After 12th
Choose the right course and direction once school is behind you.
Explore →Career Roadmaps
Step-by-step paths from subjects and exams to degrees and jobs.
Explore →All Resources
Guides, roadmaps, blogs and success stories in one place.
Explore →Plan around the right exams — not every exam.
Free 20-min call · founder-led · unbiased guidance. Dates are indicative — always verify with the official exam authority.