Entrance Exams
20 examsEverything you need to know about entrance exams in India: eligibility, patterns, and preparation.
Navigating Entrance Exams in India
If you want to get into a top college in India, chances are you will need to clear an entrance exam. Whether it is engineering, medicine, law, management, or design, almost every competitive course has a standardised exam you need to pass. JEE Main, NEET UG, CUET, CAT, GATE... millions of students appear for these every year, and state-level or university-specific exams give you even more options.
Every exam is different. The eligibility, syllabus, question pattern, and scoring all vary, so it helps to understand these details early on, ideally 12 to 18 months before the exam date. That gives you enough runway to prepare properly. Look into the conducting body, how many attempts you get, age limits, subject-wise weightage, and whether the questions are MCQ, descriptive, or aptitude-based.
How you prepare matters just as much as how hard you work. Start with the official syllabus, go through previous year papers to understand what actually gets asked, and focus on high-weightage topics first. Some students do well with coaching, others prefer self-study with online resources and mock tests. The exam profiles below give you all the details you need, including eligibility, patterns, syllabus, and direct links to official websites.
Showing 18 of 20 matching exams
CAT
Conducted by IIMs (rotating basis)
Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% aggregate (45% for reserved categories); final year students can apply
ManagementXAT
Conducted by XLRI Jamshedpur
Bachelor's degree from recognised university; final year students can apply
LawCLAT
Conducted by Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs)
10+2 with minimum 45% aggregate (40% for SC/ST); no age limit for UG-CLAT; maximum 3 attempts
ManagementCMAT
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% aggregate; final year students can apply; no age limit
Engineering/PostgraduateGATE
Conducted by IITs and IISc (rotating basis)
Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technology/Architecture or Master's in Science/Arts/Commerce; final year students eligible
MedicalNEET
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology; minimum 50% aggregate (40% for reserved categories); age limit 17-25 years
ManagementSNAP
Conducted by Symbiosis International University (SIU)
Bachelor's degree with minimum 50% aggregate; final year students can apply
DefenceAFCAT
Conducted by Indian Air Force (IAF)
Bachelor's degree with 60% aggregate for most branches; age 20-26 years (varies by branch); Indian citizen
BankingIBPS PO
Conducted by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)
Bachelor's degree from recognised university; age 20-30 years; Indian citizenship
GovernmentSSC CGL
Conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
Bachelor's degree from recognised university; age 18-32 years (varies by post)
Teaching/ResearchUGC NET
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
Master's degree with minimum 55% marks (50% for reserved categories); no age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility
EngineeringJEE Main
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics; no age limit; up to 3 consecutive attempts
GovernmentRRB NTPC
Conducted by Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs)
Graduation from recognised university for most posts; age 18-33 years (varies by post and category)
Hotel ManagementNCHMCT JEE
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
10+2 from any stream; minimum 45% aggregate; age limit 25 years (3-year relaxation for reserved categories)
EngineeringJEE Advanced
Conducted by IITs (rotating basis)
Must qualify JEE Main and be in top 2,50,000 candidates; age limit 25 years; maximum 2 attempts in consecutive years
DesignNIFT Entrance
Conducted by National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)
10+2 from any stream for B.Des/B.FTech; relevant bachelor's degree for M.Des/M.FTech/MFM
MedicalAIIMS Entrance
Conducted by AIIMS New Delhi (now merged with NEET for MBBS)
10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology; minimum 60% aggregate; NEET qualified for MBBS; separate exams for PG and nursing
DefenceNDA Entrance Exam
Conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
10+2 or appearing; age 16.5-19.5 years; unmarried males (and females for certain entries); physically fit as per standards