Entrance Exams After 12th: Complete List for Every Stream

The main entrance exams after 12th are JEE Main and JEE Advanced for engineering, NEET UG for medical, CUET UG for central university degrees, CLAT for law, NATA for architecture, NIFT entrance for design, NCHM JEE for hotel management, IPMAT for integrated management, IAT for IISER, NEST for NISER, BITSAT for BITS and NDA for defence officers. Most good government college seats in India now come through one of these tests. This page groups them by field, with who conducts each exam, what it is for and who can apply, and links to our detailed guides.

A word from experience: do not fill ten forms and prepare for none. Pick two or three exams that match your subjects and goal, and prepare properly. Exam dates, fees and seat numbers change every cycle, so always check the official website before you apply.

List of entrance exams after 12th

Engineering entrance exams after 12th

JEE Main is the biggest engineering test in India. NTA holds it in two sessions a year as a computer based test, and your better score counts. Paper 1 is for BE and BTech. Paper 2A is for BArch and Paper 2B is for BPlanning. JEE Main has no age limit of its own, though institutes may set one. It is used for NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes, and it is also the qualifying step for JEE Advanced, which decides IIT admission. Many states use JEE Main ranks or their own CETs for state colleges.

BITSAT exam: what is BITSAT exam? It is the computer based online test of BITS Pilani for its Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad campuses. To be eligible you need at least 75% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Maths (or Biology for BPharm) in 12th, with at least 60% in each of these subjects. PCB students can apply only for BPharm. BITSAT has two sessions. The BITSAT exam pattern, syllabus, fees and slot booking steps are given in the official brochure each year. Some board toppers get direct admission.

See BTech courses for branches and engineer salary for pay after graduation.

Medical, agriculture and biotechnology entrance exams

NEET UG is the single test for MBBS and other undergraduate medical courses, and for BAMS, BUMS, BSMS and BHMS. Many BSc Nursing colleges also use it; the nursing council has set a minimum age of 17 years by 31 December of the admission year for nursing. See medical courses after 12th and BSc Nursing.

Entrance exam for agriculture after 12th: ICAR now fills its all India quota seats in agriculture and allied degrees through CUET (ICAR-UG), conducted by NTA. This covers 20% of seats in agricultural universities, and all seats at a few ICAR institutes. You need at least three of Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology and Agriculture in 12th, with 50% marks (40% for SC, ST, PwBD), and you must be at least 16 years old. State agricultural universities fill most other seats through state tests. See agriculture courses.

Entrance exam for biotechnology after 12th: BTech Biotechnology comes through JEE Main or state CETs. BSc Biotechnology comes through CUET or merit. Research minded students can also try IAT and NEST. See biotechnology career.

IISER entrance exam and NEST exam for science research

These two exams are for students who want a career in pure science and research.

What is IISER exam (IAT)?

The IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) is now the only route into the BS-MS dual degree at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, such as IISER Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Kolkata. Admission is handled by a joint admissions committee of all IISERs through one central portal. You need 12th in the science stream, passed in the current or the previous year. The IISER exam syllabus covers Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics at the 12th level; the exact IISER exam pattern and eligibility are in the IAT brochure.

IISER courses and fees: IISER courses include the five year BS-MS dual degree, and some IISERs also offer four year BS and BTech degrees. At IISER Mohali, students can exit with a BS after the third or fourth year. Fees and fee waivers are listed in the IAT brochure each year. Graduates go into research, teaching, PhD and science jobs in labs like ISRO and DRDO.

What is NEST exam?

NEST (National Entrance Screening Test) is the exam for the five year integrated MSc at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai, both set up by the Department of Atomic Energy. So, NEST exam is for which course? It is for the integrated MSc in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

• NEST exam eligibility: at least three of Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics in 11th and 12th, with 60% aggregate in 12th (55% for SC, ST and Divyangjan). 12th passed in the last two years or appearing. No age limit.
• NEST exam pattern: a 3 hour online test with four sections (Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics), 20 questions each, 3 marks for a right answer and minus 1 for a wrong one. Your best three sections count.
• NEST exam syllabus: printed in the official NEST brochure, based on the 11th and 12th science syllabus.
• Scholarship: admitted students get a DISHA scholarship of ₹60,000 a year, plus a summer internship grant.

NEST exam colleges are only these two institutes, so seats are limited. Check NEST exam fees and dates on the official site.

Law, management, design, architecture and hotel entrance exams

CLAT UG is the main entrance exam for law after 12th. It has 120 questions in 2 hours, with 0.25 marks cut for each wrong answer, covering English, current affairs, legal reasoning, logical reasoning and quantitative techniques. There is no upper age limit. See lawyer career.

IPMAT exam: what is IPMAT exam? It is IIM Indore's test for its five year Integrated Programme in Management, which ends with a BA (Foundations of Management) and an MBA. The IPMAT exam pattern has three sections: Quantitative Ability (multiple choice), Quantitative Ability (short answer) and Verbal Ability, 40 minutes each. Shortlisted students face a personal interview. There is an age limit, with 5 years relaxation for SC, ST and PwD. NTA also runs JIPMAT for a similar course at other IIMs. See BBA course and MBA career.

NIFT entrance exam: NTA conducts it for NIFT. BDes applicants take a General Ability Test on computer and a Creative Ability Test on paper. BFTech needs Maths. You must be under 24 on 1 August of the admission year, with 5 years relaxation for SC, ST and PwD. The NIFT entrance exam syllabus is published on the NIFT website. See fashion designer.

NATA by the Council of Architecture has a drawing part on paper and a computer based multiple choice part, 200 marks in all. For BArch admission you need Physics and Maths with 45% aggregate. See architect.

NCHM JEE is a computer based test by NTA for the 3 year BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration. See hotel management.

Use the age checker below to see if you meet an exam's age limit on its cut-off date.

CUET UG for central university admission

CUET UG is the common test for undergraduate admission to all central universities and many state, deemed and private universities. Its syllabus covers 37 subjects: 13 languages, 23 domain subjects and one General Aptitude Test. You pick subjects that your chosen course asks for. CUET has no age limit of its own, but universities may set their own rules. Clearing CUET alone does not give a seat; each university sets course wise eligibility. Most BA, BCom and BSc seats in central universities now come through CUET. See courses after 12th.

Competitive exams after 12th for government jobs

Some exams after 12th lead straight to a job, not a college seat. These are the common competitive exams after 12th:

The most common SSC exam after 12th is CHSL. For the full picture, see govt jobs after 12th and the government exams list.

How to choose the right entrance exams after 12th

1. Start from your subjects. PCM opens JEE, NATA, BITSAT, NDA (all wings). PCB opens NEET UG and agriculture. Any stream can take CUET, CLAT, IPMAT, NIFT and NCHM JEE.
2. Pick one main exam and one or two backups. For example, JEE Main as main, with CUET and a state CET as backup.
3. Start in class 11. Most of these exams test the 11th and 12th syllabus together.
4. Check eligibility rules early. Some need minimum 12th marks (BITSAT, NEST, CLAT), some have age limits (NIFT, IPMAT, NDA).
5. Use only official websites for forms, fees and admit cards.

Not sure of your field yet? Read courses after 12th science, courses after 12th commerce, courses after 12th arts, or take our career counselling test.