New Delhi, September 30, 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released its examination calendar for December 2026 to March 2027, announcing tentative schedules for several important national-level entrance and eligibility examinations.

The calendar covers major examinations, including the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET), Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main) 2027, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Entrance Examination, Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) and Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate admissions (CUET PG).

The examination calendar is intended to help students, universities and educational institutions plan their academic activities and examination preparation in advance.

Important update: NTA subsequently revised its examination calendar on October 27, 2026. Candidates should refer to the revised dates provided below rather than relying on the original September schedule.

NTA Examination Calendar 2026-27: Important Dates

The revised examination calendar covers several competitive examinations scheduled between December 2026 and April 2027.

Here are the important examination dates:

Examination	Tentative Examination Dates
Rashtriya Indian Military College	December 6, 2026
SWAYAM December 2026	December 8–12, 2026
Rashtriya Military Schools	December 13, 2026
UGC NET December 2026	December 14–18 and December 21, 2026
Joint CSIR UGC NET	December 19, 22 and 27, 2026
Army Cadets College	January 4, 2027
SHRESHTA (NETS)	January 10, 2027
NIFT Entrance Examination	January 10, 2027
JEE Main 2027 – Session 1	January 20–24 and January 28, 2027
All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination	January 31, 2027
CMAT 2027	February 7, 2027
CUET PG 2027	March 2–5, 8–9, 12, 15–19, 24–25 and 29–31, 2027

JEE Main Session 2 is additionally scheduled for April 2–7, 2027.

UGC NET December 2026 Examination

The UGC NET December 2026 examination is scheduled to take place from December 14 to 18 and on December 21, 2026, according to the revised calendar.

The examination is conducted to determine eligibility for Assistant Professor positions, Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and PhD admissions in Indian universities and higher education institutions.

Candidates preparing for the December session should complete their preparation and regularly monitor NTA notifications for examination-related instructions.

JEE Main 2027 Session 1: January Examination Schedule

Engineering aspirants preparing for admission to undergraduate engineering programmes should take note of the revised JEE Main 2027 Session 1 schedule.

The examination is scheduled for January 20–24 and January 28, 2027.

JEE Main is one of India’s most important engineering entrance examinations. It is used for admission to undergraduate engineering programmes at institutions such as NITs, IIITs and other participating institutions.

The examination also serves as the qualifying examination for JEE Advanced, which is required for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Candidates should regularly check the official JEE Main portal for registration deadlines, application corrections, admit cards and examination city information.

NIFT Entrance Examination 2027

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Entrance Examination 2027 is scheduled for January 10, 2027.

The examination is conducted for admission to various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in fashion design, fashion technology, management and related disciplines.

Students interested in pursuing careers in fashion design, textile design, fashion communication and fashion management can consider applying for the entrance examination.

Candidates should check the official NIFT admission notification for programme-specific eligibility requirements and application details.

CMAT 2027 Scheduled for February 7

The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) 2027 is scheduled to be conducted on February 7, 2027.

CMAT is a national-level management entrance examination used by participating management institutions for admission to MBA and other postgraduate management programmes.

The examination evaluates candidates across areas such as:

• Quantitative Techniques and Data Interpretation
• Logical Reasoning
• Language Comprehension
• General Awareness
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Management aspirants should prepare for the examination while keeping track of application deadlines and the latest examination guidelines.

CUET PG 2027 Examination in March

The Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate admissions (CUET PG) 2027 is scheduled to take place across multiple dates in March.

According to the revised calendar, the examination will be conducted on:

• March 2–5, 2027
• March 8–9, 2027
• March 12, 2027
• March 15–19, 2027
• March 24–25, 2027
• March 29–31, 2027

CUET PG provides a common entrance examination platform for postgraduate admissions at participating central universities and other higher education institutions.

The examination covers various postgraduate disciplines, including science, humanities, commerce, management and other specialised subjects.

Candidates should check the participating university list and individual programme eligibility requirements before applying.

Other Examinations Included in the NTA Calendar

Apart from the major entrance examinations, the NTA calendar also includes several other national-level examinations.

These include:

SWAYAM: The December 2026 examination is scheduled from December 8 to 12.

Rashtriya Indian Military College: The entrance examination is scheduled for December 6, 2026.

Rashtriya Military Schools: The examination is scheduled for December 13, 2026.

SHRESHTA (NETS): The entrance examination for residential education opportunities for students from targeted areas is scheduled for January 10, 2027.

All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination: AISSEE 2027 is scheduled for January 31, 2027.

NITTT: The National Initiative for Technical Teachers Training examinations are scheduled in February and March 2027.

These examinations provide opportunities for students and professionals across different educational categories.

NTA Advises Candidates to Check Official Notifications

The NTA has clarified that the examination dates mentioned in its calendar are tentative and may change due to administrative, academic, statutory, logistical or other unforeseen circumstances.

Candidates should therefore avoid treating the calendar as a substitute for individual examination notifications.

The agency will issue separate notifications containing detailed information about application procedures, eligibility criteria, examination fees, admit cards, examination centres and other instructions.

Students are advised to regularly visit the official NTA website and the respective examination portals for the latest announcements.

Conclusion

The NTA Examination Calendar 2026-27 provides an important roadmap for students preparing for national-level entrance and eligibility examinations.

With UGC NET scheduled for December, JEE Main and NIFT examinations in January, CMAT in February and CUET PG in March, students have an opportunity to plan their preparation well in advance.

Candidates should carefully follow the revised examination schedule and keep track of official notifications to avoid missing important registration deadlines and examination-related announcements.

Official Website: https://nta.ac.in/

JEE Main: https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/

UGC NET: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/