Exam Calendar 2027: Board, Engineering, Medical, Law, MBA and UPSC Exam Dates in One Place

• CAT 2026: Sunday, November 29, 2026 (confirmed)
• CLAT 2027: Sunday, December 6, 2026, 2 pm to 4 pm (confirmed)
• JEE Main 2027, Session 1: January 22 to 30, 2027 (tentative NTA calendar)
• GATE 2027: February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21, 2027 (announced)
• CBSE Class 10 and 12 boards: February to March 2027 (date sheet awaited)
• NEET UG 2027: expected May 2027, now computer-based (date awaited)
• CUET UG 2027: expected May to June 2027 (dates awaited)
• UPSC Civil Services Prelims: Sunday, May 23, 2027 (in UPSC's calendar)

November and December 2026

CAT 2026, Sunday, November 29. The gateway to the IIMs and hundreds of other business schools, run this year by IIM Indore in three sessions. The admit card is expected in early November. Our guide covers the CAT 2026 date, pattern and admit card.

CLAT 2027, Sunday, December 6. The Common Law Admission Test for the national law universities is a two-hour, pen-and-paper exam from 2 pm to 4 pm. The Consortium of NLUs has said there are no changes to the syllabus or pattern. Registration closes on October 31.

January 2027

JEE Main 2027, Session 1, January 22 to 30. The engineering entrance exam's first session is tentatively scheduled on January 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30, in two shifts a day, according to NTA's tentative calendar. Registration was expected to open by the end of October. Read our guide to JEE Main 2027 registration and exam dates, and our explainer on JEE Main percentile vs marks.

UPSC notification, January 13. The Civil Services 2027 notification is scheduled for January 13, with applications closing on February 2.

CBSE practicals. Class 12 practical exams usually run from January to mid-February in most schools.

February 2027

GATE 2027, February 6 to 21. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, organised this year by IIT Madras, will be held as a computer-based test over three weekends: February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21. Results are expected around March 19. GATE scores are used for MTech admissions and for recruitment by many public-sector companies.

CBSE board exams begin. The main Class 10 and 12 exams are expected to start in mid-February and run through March, with some Class 12 papers possibly into early April. The date sheet had not been released as of mid-October 2026.

March to April 2027

CBSE boards continue through March.

JEE Main Session 2 is expected in April, with registration in February. Candidates can take one or both sessions; the better score counts.

State board exams in most states also run from February to March. Check your state board's website.

May to June 2027

CBSE Class 10 second exam, May 2027. Under the two-exam system introduced in 2026, Class 10 students can take a second board exam in May to improve their scores, after the first results are out. Our explainer covers CBSE's two board exams.

NEET UG 2027, expected May. The medical entrance exam, taken by more than 22 lakh candidates in 2026, is moving from pen-and-paper to a computer-based test from 2027, after the 2026 exam was cancelled and held again. The date has not been announced; the exam has traditionally been held in early May. Our report explains what changes with NEET's switch to CBT.

JEE Advanced 2027, expected May or June. Open to the top scorers in JEE Main, and the route to the IITs. Dates will be announced by the organising IIT.

CUET UG 2027, expected May to June. The Common University Entrance Test for central and many state and private universities. NTA had not announced dates as of October 2026; registration is expected around January to February.

UPSC Civil Services Prelims, Sunday, May 23. The first stage of the IAS, IPS and IFS selection process, held on the same day as the Indian Forest Service prelims.

July to August 2027

Counselling season. JoSAA (for IITs, NITs and IIITs), the Medical Counselling Committee (for MBBS seats), and CUET-based university admissions run through June to August.

UPSC Civil Services Mains, from Friday, August 20. The written main exam runs for five days for those who clear the prelims.

Exam by exam: what each test is for

CAT decides admission to the IIMs and most top MBA programmes. Scores are given as percentiles, and IIMs then add their own written tests, interviews and weightage for academics and work experience.

CLAT is the entry point for five-year integrated law degrees (BA LLB and similar) at the national law universities, and for their one-year LLM. Many private law schools also accept CLAT scores.

JEE Main has two roles: it decides admissions to NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes, and it screens candidates for JEE Advanced, the exam for the IITs. Results are given as an NTA percentile, which is different from marks.

GATE is used for MTech and PhD admissions at IITs, NITs and IISc, and many public-sector companies recruit engineers on GATE scores. The score is valid for three years.

CBSE board exams matter for college admissions that still use Class 12 marks, for the NIT eligibility rule (a minimum Class 12 percentage or a top-20 percentile on your board), and for scholarships.

NEET UG is the single entrance test for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses across India, including AIIMS and JIPMER. With about 1.08 lakh MBBS seats and more than 22 lakh candidates, it is one of the most competitive exams in the world.

CUET UG is used by central universities such as Delhi University, BHU and JNU, and by many state and private universities, for undergraduate admissions. Students choose the subjects relevant to their chosen courses.

UPSC Civil Services has three stages: a prelims screening test in May, a written mains exam in August, and a personality test (interview) the following year. It selects officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services.

How to use this calendar

1. Mark the confirmed dates first: CAT, CLAT, GATE and UPSC prelims are fixed unless officially changed.
2. Note the expected windows: for NEET, CUET and JEE Advanced, plan around the expected month and update when notices are out.
3. Watch registration deadlines. They often fall months before the exam, and missing one means waiting a year.
4. Check clashes. JEE Main session 1 overlaps with school pre-boards for many Class 12 students, and board exams overlap with JEE Main session 2 registration.
5. Keep documents ready: Aadhaar, Class 10 and 12 certificates, category and disability certificates, and recent photos in the formats exam portals require.

Tips for students and parents

• Follow only official sources. NTA (nta.ac.in), CBSE (cbse.gov.in), UPSC (upsc.gov.in), the GATE and CLAT consortium websites. Fake "leaked date sheets" circulate every year.
• Plan revision backwards from each exam date: final revision in the last four weeks, full mock tests in the last two.
• Practise on the format: computer-based tests need practice with on-screen tools and timing.
• Look after sleep and health in the board-exam months. A rested brain recalls more than a crammed one.
• Have a backup plan. Keep a second-choice exam or college in mind so one bad day does not decide everything.

Common questions

What if two exams clash? Conducting bodies try to avoid clashes with major national exams. If a clash appears, it is usually resolved through a revised schedule, so keep checking official notices rather than social media.

Can I change my exam city after registering? Most exams allow corrections, including the city, during a short correction window after registration closes. After that, changes are rarely possible.

Are the NEET and JEE syllabuses changing for 2027? Any change is announced by NTA in the information bulletin. Follow the bulletin released with registration, not older coaching material.

When should I start revising for boards? Most teachers suggest finishing the syllabus by December, so January and February can go to revision and the sample papers CBSE publishes on its academic website.

This calendar reflects dates announced or reported as of October 15, 2026. We will update it as official date sheets and notifications are released.

Guides in this series

• CBSE Board Exam 2027: Two Exams for Class 10 and the Date Sheet
• JEE Main 2027: Registration and Exam Dates
• JEE Main Percentile vs Marks, Explained
• NEET UG 2027: What Changes With the Computer-Based Test
• CAT 2026: Exam Date, Admit Card and Pattern