The National Testing Agency released its examination calendar for December 2026 to March 2027 on September 16, 2026, through a public notice. The calendar lists tentative dates for nine national-level examinations, including JEE Main Session 1, UGC NET, Joint CSIR UGC NET and CUET PG. NTA published the schedule on its official website, nta.ac.in, to help candidates, institutions and other stakeholders plan their academic and exam-related activities. The agency has clarified that the dates are provisional and that the calendar does not count as a formal notification for any individual exam.
Key Highlights
- NTA published its exam calendar for December 2026 to March 2027 on September 16, 2026.
- JEE Main Session 1 2027 is proposed for January 22–24 and 28–30, with January 31 as a buffer date.
- UGC NET December 2026 cycle is proposed for December 14–19, with December 20–21 as buffer dates.
- Joint CSIR UGC NET December 2026 cycle is proposed for December 20–21.
- CUET PG 2027 has the longest window, spread across March 1–5, 8, 12–20 and 24–25, with March 30–31 as buffer dates.
- CMAT 2027 is proposed for February 7, and the NIFT entrance exam for January 10.
- The calendar also lists exam dates for RIMC, Rashtriya Military Schools, Army Cadets College, Sainik Schools, SHRESHTA and NITTT.
- NTA says detailed information bulletins and exam-specific notices will follow separately for each exam.
Full NTA Exam Calendar: December 2026 to March 2027
| Examination | Proposed Date(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rashtriya Indian Military College | 06 December 2026 | 1 day |
| SWAYAM | 08–12 December 2026 | 5 days |
| Rashtriya Military Schools | 13 December 2026 | 1 day |
| UGC NET (December Cycle) | 14–19 December 2026 (buffer: 20–21 Dec) | 6 days |
| Joint CSIR UGC NET (December Cycle) | 20–21 December 2026 | 2 days |
| Army Cadets College | 04 January 2027 | 1 day |
| SHRESHTA (NETS) | 10 January 2027 | 1 day |
| NIFT Entrance Examination | 10 January 2027 | 1 day |
| JEE (Main) — Session 1 | 22–24, 28–30 January 2027 (buffer: 31 Jan) | 6 days |
| All India Sainik Schools Entrance Exam | 31 January 2027 | 1 day |
| Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) | 07 February 2027 | 1 day |
| NITTT — Part 1 | 26–27 February 2027 | 2 days |
| CUET (PG) 2027 | 1–5, 8, 12–20, 24–25 March 2027 (buffer: 30–31 Mar) | 17 days |
| NITTT — Part 2 | 05 & 07 March 2027 | 2 days |
Note: Dates are tentative and may change owing to administrative, academic, statutory or logistical reasons, as stated in the NTA notice.
JEE Main Session 1 2027: What Candidates Should Know
JEE Main Session 1 2027 is proposed to run across six days in January: January 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30. NTA has kept January 31 as a buffer date. Registration dates, the exam pattern and city-wise scheduling will come through a separate information bulletin closer to the exam.
UGC NET and CSIR NET December 2026 Cycle
The UGC NET December cycle is proposed for a six-day window from December 14 to 19, with December 20 and 21 held as buffer dates. The Joint CSIR UGC NET December cycle follows immediately after, on December 20 and 21. Subject-wise shift timings for both exams will appear in their respective notices.
CUET PG 2027 Gets the Longest Exam Window
CUET PG 2027 has been allotted 17 days spread across March, the widest window in the calendar. The proposed dates are March 1–5, 8, 12–20 and 24–25, with March 30 and 31 kept as buffer dates. The spread suggests NTA is planning to stagger the test across shifts and cities for a large number of postgraduate entrance candidates.
Other Exams in the Calendar
CMAT 2027 is proposed for a single day, February 7. The NIFT entrance exam is set for January 10, the same day as the SHRESHTA (NETS) exam for students in high schools in targeted areas. Defence and military school exams round out the list: RIMC on December 6, Rashtriya Military Schools on December 13, Army Cadets College on January 4, and the All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination on January 31. The two-part National Initiative for Technical Teachers Training (NITTT) exam is scheduled for February 26–27 and March 5 & 7.
What the Calendar Does Not Include
The published calendar runs only up to March 2027, so it does not carry dates for NEET (UG) 2027 or JEE Main Session 2, both of which are typically held in April and May. NTA is expected to announce these separately once the current cycle’s calendar is followed up with the next phase.
Official Website and Important Links
- NTA official website: nta.ac.in
- Official notice: NTA Examination Calendar PDF
