The new year of 2026 brings a crucial window for millions of aspirants across India, as the registration processes for several major national and state-level entrance examinations are set to commence in January. These exams are the gateway to undergraduate programmes in engineering, medicine, pharmacy, design, and other professional fields.
Major National Entrance Exams: NEET UG and JEE Main
All eyes are on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET UG 2026), the single national-level medical entrance exam for MBBS and BDS admissions. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the official notification is awaited, but the National Medical Commission has already released the syllabus for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Historically, applications for NEET UG 2025 opened on February 7, 2025, indicating a similar timeline for 2026.
For engineering aspirants, while JEE Main 2026 Session 1 registration has concluded, the application window for Session 2 is anticipated to open in the last week of January 2026. The NTA will announce the exact dates after the conclusion of the first session exams, scheduled for January 21-30, 2026.
State-Level and University-Specific Examinations
Several prominent state and institutional exams will also kickstart their application processes this month.
BITSAT 2026: The BITS Aptitude Test for admission to BITS Pilani is already accepting applications from December 15. The deadline for Session 1 is March 16, 2026, while for Session 2, applications can be submitted between April 20 and May 2, 2026.
MHT CET 2026: In a significant change, the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test will be conducted twice a year from the 2026-27 session. The tentative schedule places the PCM group exams from April 11-19 and the PCB group from April 21-26. Appearing in at least one session is mandatory.
KCET 2026: The Karnataka Common Entrance Test registration is expected to begin in late January, following last year's pattern where it opened on January 23, 2025.
WBJEE 2026: The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination registration is also likely to commence in January on the official WBJEEB website, with the submission deadline expected in February.
AP EAMCET & TS EAMCET 2026: The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana engineering and medical entrance exams have their exams scheduled for May 2026, with registrations expected to open soon.
Other Crucial Exams with January Deadlines
Several other important exams have active or closing registration windows in January.
NIFT 2026: The National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam registration is open until January 6, 2026, without a late fee. Applications with a late fee of Rs. 5,000 will be accepted until January 10.
CUET PG 2026: Registration for the Common University Entrance Test for postgraduate courses is underway from December 14, 2025, and will close on January 14, 2026. A new feature allows candidates to select up to four exam city preferences within their state.
AEEE 2026 Phase 1: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's engineering entrance exam has its application deadline for Phase 1 on January 15, 2026.
OJEE 2026: The Odisha Joint Entrance Examination notification is expected, with registration likely to begin in the last week of January 2026.
TANCET 2026: For MBA and MCA admissions in Tamil Nadu, the registration for the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test is expected to start in late January, similar to the 2025 schedule which began on January 24.
VITEEE 2026: The VIT Engineering Entrance Exam registration is open with a tentative deadline of March 31, 2026. The exam is scheduled for April 28 to May 3, 2026.
Students are advised to regularly check the official websites of the respective exam conducting bodies for the latest notifications, exact dates, and detailed eligibility criteria to ensure they do not miss any critical deadlines in their academic journey.
