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Entrance exams in India at a glance
5 min read · Updated 9 Nov 2026
Most competitive courses in India admit through a national entrance exam. Here's which exam leads where — the map, not the syllabus.
After Class 12
| Exam | Leads to | Conducted by |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main | B.Tech/B.E. at NITs, IIITs, many state and private colleges; qualifier for JEE Advanced | NTA |
| JEE Advanced | B.Tech and related programmes at the IITs | An IIT, by rotation |
| NEET-UG | MBBS, BDS, AYUSH degrees and some allied health courses | NTA |
| CUET-UG | UG programmes at central universities and many others | NTA |
| CLAT | Integrated 5-year law at national law universities | Consortium of NLUs |
| NATA | B.Arch | Council of Architecture |
After a degree
| Exam | Leads to | Conducted by |
|---|---|---|
| CAT | MBA/PGDM at IIMs and many B-schools | An IIM, by rotation |
| GATE | M.Tech, some Ph.D. admissions, PSU recruitment | An IIT/IISc, by rotation |
| CUET-PG | PG programmes at central and other universities | NTA |
| NEET-PG | MD/MS/PG diploma after MBBS | NBEMS |
| UGC-NET | Assistant professor eligibility, JRF, Ph.D. admission | NTA |
Things that trip students up
- Age and attempt limits differ by exam and change over time — read the latest bulletin.
- Class 12 subject requirements apply: PCM for JEE, PCB for NEET.
- Percentile is not rank. NTA exams report a percentile; your rank depends on how many people sat.
- Counselling is separate. Seat allotment happens through JoSAA, MCC, state bodies or the universities themselves.
In short
- Pick the exam from the course you want, not the other way round.
- Eligibility rules live in each year's information bulletin.
- Score → percentile → rank → counselling → seat.
Sources
Official exam websites and information bulletins: NTA (JEE Main, NEET-UG, CUET, UGC-NET), JEE Advanced, CLAT Consortium, Council of Architecture (NATA), IIMs (CAT), GATE, NBEMS (NEET-PG). Check the current year's bulletin for dates and eligibility.