January 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal month for students across India, marking the start of registration windows for numerous undergraduate and postgraduate entrance examinations. Aspirants aiming for careers in medicine, engineering, design, management, and other professional fields need to be exceptionally vigilant as national and state-level application portals begin to go live.
National Level Entrance Exams: Key Dates and Updates
For medical aspirants, NEET UG 2026 remains the all-important gateway for MBBS and BDS admissions. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts this annual exam. While the official notification for the 2026 cycle is awaited, the National Medical Commission has already released the syllabus covering Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Based on the previous year's schedule, where NEET UG 2025 registrations ran from February 7 to March 7, students should prepare for a similar timeline.
Engineering hopefuls must track JEE Main 2026. The first session of the exam is scheduled between January 21 and January 30. Following the pattern of earlier years, the application window for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 is expected to open in the last week of January. The NTA will announce details for the April session after the conclusion of Session 1.
Meanwhile, registrations for several prominent private university exams are already active. The BITSAT 2026 application window opened on December 15 and will remain open till March 16 for Session 1. VITEEE 2026 registrations started even earlier, on October 24, 2025, with a tentative deadline of March 31. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's AEEE 2026 Phase 1 applications are open until January 15.
State CETs and Design Entrance Exams Open Doors
Major state-level Common Entrance Tests (CETs) are introducing significant changes and opening registrations. The MHT CET 2026 is undergoing a major reform; from the 2026–27 academic cycle, it will be conducted twice a year in April and May. Appearing in at least one session is mandatory for professional course admissions in Maharashtra. The CET Cell has released a tentative schedule, with PCM group exams from April 11-19 and PCB group exams from April 21-26.
Other crucial state exams are also on the horizon. AP EAMCET 2026 for engineering, agriculture, and pharmacy in Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for multiple dates in May. KCET 2026 registrations, conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority, are likely to commence this month, following last year's pattern where the window opened on January 23. WBJEE 2026 applications are also anticipated to open in January for engineering and pharmacy admissions in West Bengal.
In the design sphere, NIFT 2026 registrations are open via the NTA portal. The standard application window closed on January 6, but submissions with a late fee of Rs 5,000 are accepted until January 10.
Postgraduate and Other Important Entrances
For postgraduate studies, CUET PG 2026 registrations are in full swing. The NTA opened the application window on December 14, 2025, and it will close on January 14, 2026. This exam offers admission to master's courses at central, state, private, and deemed universities. A notable change this year allows candidates to select up to four exam city preferences, limited to their state of residence.
Other exams expected to announce details in January include OJEE 2026 (Odisha) and TANCET 2026 (for MBA and MCA admissions by Anna University), both likely to start registrations in the last week of the month. TS EAMCET 2026 is scheduled for May, with engineering exams on May 9, 10, and 11.
With this flurry of activity, students are strongly advised to keep their documents ready and regularly check the official websites of their target exams to avoid missing critical deadlines. Proactive planning in January 2026 is essential for a smooth admission process.
