The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the NTA Exam Calendar 2026-27 through a Public Notice dated 16 September 2026, signed by the Director. The calendar has been placed in the public domain on the official website, nta.ac.in, and lists the tentative schedule for all examinations proposed to be conducted from the December 2026 cycle up to March 2027. It covers 14 examinations in total, including JEE (Main) Session 1, UGC NET December Cycle, Joint CSIR UGC NET, CUET (PG), CMAT, NIFT and the various Sainik and Military School entrance tests.
NTA Exam Calendar 2026-27
The NTA conducts entrance examinations for admission to higher education institutions and for fellowships across the country. According to the official notice, the calendar has been published to ensure greater transparency, predictability and convenience for candidates, so that students, educational institutions and other stakeholders can plan their academic and examination-related activities in advance.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Notice Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Calendar Period | December 2026 cycle to March 2027 |
| Total Exams Listed | 14 |
| Nature of Dates | Tentative |
| Official Website | nta.ac.in |
NTA Exam Dates December 2026
| Name of Examination | Proposed Date(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rashtriya Indian Military College | 06 Dec 2026 | 1 Day |
| SWAYAM | 08 – 12 Dec 2026 | 5 Days |
| Rashtriya Military Schools | 13 Dec 2026 | 1 Day |
| UGC NET (December Cycle) | 14 – 19 Dec 2026 (buffer: 20 – 21 Dec 2026) | 6 Days |
| Joint CSIR UGC NET (December Cycle) | 20 – 21 Dec 2026 | 2 Days |
NTA Exam Calendar 2027 (January – March)
January 2027
| Name of Examination | Proposed Date(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Army Cadets College | 04 Jan 2027 | 1 Day |
| SHRESHTA (NETS) — Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas | 10 Jan 2027 | 1 Day |
| NIFT Entrance Examination | 10 January 2027 | 1 Day |
| JEE (Main) — Session 1 (January) | 22 – 24, 28 – 30 Jan 2027 (buffer: 31 Jan 2027) | 6 Days |
| All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination | 31 Jan 2027 | 1 Day |
February 2027
| Name of Examination | Proposed Date(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) | 07 Feb 2027 | 1 Day |
| NITTT — National Initiative for Technical Teachers Training (Part 1) | 26 – 27 Feb 2027 | 2 Days |
March 2027
| Name of Examination | Proposed Date(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CUET (PG) — Common University Entrance Test (Post-Graduate) | 01 – 05, 08, 12 – 20, 24 – 25 March 2027 (buffer: 30 – 31 March 2027) | 17 Days |
| NITTT (Part 2) | 05 & 07 March 2027 | 2 Days |
Note: Dates are tentative and may undergo changes owing to administrative, academic, statutory, logistical or other unforeseen circumstances.
Key Highlights of the NTA Calendar
- JEE Main Session 1 is the biggest engineering entrance in the list, spread over six days between 22 and 30 January 2027, with 31 January kept as a buffer day.
- CUET (PG) 2027 is the longest examination in the calendar at 17 days, running across March 2027 with two additional buffer days at the end of the month.
- UGC NET December 2026 will be held over six days from 14 to 19 December 2026, with 20–21 December reserved as buffer dates — the same window in which Joint CSIR UGC NET is scheduled.
- Three school and defence entrance exams — RIMC, Rashtriya Military Schools and the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination — are spread across December 2026 and January 2027.
- NIFT Entrance Examination and SHRESHTA (NETS) are both scheduled on 10 January 2027, which is worth noting for candidates considering both.
- The calendar published now runs only up to March 2027. Exams that usually fall in April, May or later — such as JEE Main Session 2, NEET UG and CUET UG — are outside this window and will be announced separately.
Notification and Registration Dates
The NTA notice makes it clear that publication of this calendar does not constitute a notification for any particular examination. Detailed Information Bulletins and examination-specific notices — which carry the application start and end dates, fees, eligibility, syllabus and exam city details — will be issued separately at the appropriate time.
| Exam Name | Proposed Exam Date |
|---|---|
| Rashtriya Indian Military College | 06 Dec 2026 |
| SWAYAM | 08 – 12 Dec 2026 |
| Rashtriya Military Schools | 13 Dec 2026 |
| UGC NET (December Cycle) | 14 – 19 Dec 2026 |
| Joint CSIR UGC NET | 20 – 21 Dec 2026 |
| Army Cadets College | 04 Jan 2027 |
| SHRESHTA (NETS) | 10 Jan 2027 |
| NIFT Entrance Examination | 10 Jan 2027 |
| JEE (Main) Session 1 | 22 – 30 Jan 2027 |
| All India Sainik Schools Entrance Exam | 31 Jan 2027 |
| CMAT | 07 Feb 2027 |
| NITTT (Part 1) | 26 – 27 Feb 2027 |
| CUET (PG) | 01 – 25 Mar 2027 |
| NITTT (Part 2) | 05 & 07 Mar 2027 |
Candidates are advised to visit the NTA website and the respective examination portals regularly for the latest updates, including detailed information, application schedules, examination city intimation, admit cards, answer keys and results.
Exams Conducted by NTA
The examinations appearing in this calendar fall into a few broad groups:
Higher education entrance: JEE (Main), CUET (PG), CMAT, NIFT Entrance Examination
Fellowship and eligibility tests: UGC NET, Joint CSIR UGC NET
School and defence admissions: Rashtriya Indian Military College, Rashtriya Military Schools, All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination, Army Cadets College, SHRESHTA (NETS)
Teacher training and online learning: NITTT (Part 1 and Part 2), SWAYAM
How to Check the NTA Exam Calendar
- Visit the official website of the National Testing Agency at https://nta.ac.in/.
- Look for the Public Notice dated 16 September 2026 regarding the publication of the Examination Calendar up to March 2027 on the homepage.
- Click on the notice link to open the PDF.
- The PDF contains the public notice on the first page and the full examination calendar table on the second page.
- Download and save the file for future reference, and check back periodically as dates may be revised.
The NTA has specifically advised candidates and stakeholders to rely only on information published on the official NTA website and the respective examination portals, rather than on unofficial sources.
Check Official Exam Calender Here
Related Links
FAQs
Q1. Has the NTA Exam Calendar 2026-27 been released?
Yes. The NTA released the examination calendar through a Public Notice dated 16 September 2026, covering the December 2026 cycle up to March 2027.
Q2. What is the JEE Main 2027 Session 1 exam date?
JEE (Main) Session 1 is proposed for 22–24 and 28–30 January 2027, with 31 January 2027 kept as a buffer day.
Q3. When will UGC NET December 2026 be conducted?
The UGC NET December cycle is scheduled from 14 to 19 December 2026, with 20–21 December 2026 as buffer dates.
Q4. What is the CUET PG 2027 exam date?
CUET (PG) 2027 is proposed for 01–05, 08, 12–20 and 24–25 March 2027, with 30–31 March 2027 as buffer dates.
Q5. Are the dates in the NTA calendar final?
No. The NTA has stated that the dates are tentative and may change owing to administrative, academic, statutory, logistical or other unforeseen circumstances.
Q6. Does this calendar mean applications are open?
No. The notice clarifies that publication of the calendar is not a notification for any exam. Separate Information Bulletins and exam-specific notices will be issued for each examination.
Q7. Why are NEET UG, JEE Main Session 2 and CUET UG not in the calendar?
This calendar covers only the period up to March 2027. Exams held after March will be announced in a subsequent calendar or through individual notifications.