The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released its tentative examination calendar covering major national-level examinations scheduled from December 2026 to March 2027. The calendar includes important exams such as UGC NET, JEE Main 2027 Session 1, NIFT Entrance Examination, CMAT 2027 and CUET PG 2027.
For students preparing for competitive and entrance examinations, knowing the tentative dates in advance can make it easier to plan preparation, revision, applications and mock tests.
According to the NTA calendar, the examination cycle begins in December 2026 and continues through March 2027. NTA has also clarified that the dates are tentative and may be changed because of administrative, academic, statutory, logistical or other unforeseen circumstances.
NTA Exam Calendar 2026–27: Highlights
Table of Contents
Here are the key dates students should know:
| Examination | Proposed Exam Date |
|---|---|
| UGC NET – December 2026 Cycle | December 14–19, 2026 |
| NIFT Entrance Examination 2027 | January 10, 2027 |
| JEE Main 2027 – Session 1 | January 22–24 & January 28–30, 2027 |
| CMAT 2027 | February 7, 2027 |
| CUET PG 2027 | March 1–5, 8, 12–20 & 24–25, 2027 |
The calendar also includes other examinations such as Joint CSIR-UGC NET, AISSEE, SHRESHTA, SWAYAM and NITTT.
Complete NTA Exam Calendar 2026–27
December 2026
The first month of the NTA’s new examination cycle includes five examinations.
1. Rashtriya Indian Military College Examination
Date: December 6, 2026
The Rashtriya Indian Military College examination is scheduled to begin the December examination cycle.
2. SWAYAM Examination
Date: December 8–12, 2026
The SWAYAM examination is scheduled over five days.
3. Rashtriya Military Schools Examination
Date: December 13, 2026
4. UGC NET December 2026
Exam dates: December 14–19, 2026
Buffer dates: December 20–21, 2026
The UGC NET December 2026 cycle is one of the major examinations in the calendar. Candidates preparing for eligibility for Assistant Professor/JRF-related opportunities should keep this period in mind while planning their preparation.
5. Joint CSIR-UGC NET
Date: December 20–21, 2026
The Joint CSIR-UGC NET December cycle is scheduled immediately after the main UGC NET examination window.
January 2027: JEE Main & NIFT
January is particularly important for students preparing for engineering, fashion and other entrance examinations.
NIFT Entrance Examination 2027
Date: January 10, 2027
The NIFT Entrance Examination is scheduled for January 10, 2027. Students targeting undergraduate and other programmes associated with the National Institute of Fashion Technology should use the tentative date to structure their preparation.
JEE Main 2027 Session 1
Proposed dates:
- January 22, 2027
- January 23, 2027
- January 24, 2027
- January 28, 2027
- January 29, 2027
- January 30, 2027
Buffer date: January 31, 2027
JEE Main 2027 Session 1 will therefore be conducted across six proposed examination days, with January 31 kept as a buffer date.
Students should remember that the calendar provides the examination window; their individual examination date and shift will depend on the official JEE Main schedule and admit card issued by NTA.
February 2027: CMAT
CMAT 2027
Proposed examination date: February 7, 2027
The Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) is scheduled for February 7, 2027.
CMAT is used by participating institutions for admission to management programmes. Students targeting MBA and other management programmes can use the tentative date to plan their preparation and application timelines.
NTA’s calendar also schedules NITTT Part 1 for February 26–27, 2027.
March 2027: CUET PG
CUET PG 2027
The Common University Entrance Test – Postgraduate (CUET PG) has one of the longest examination windows in the calendar.
Proposed CUET PG dates:
- March 1–5, 2027
- March 8, 2027
- March 12–20, 2027
- March 24–25, 2027
Buffer dates: March 30–31, 2027
The examination is spread across multiple dates because CUET PG covers a large number of postgraduate programmes and participating institutions.
Students should not assume that every candidate will appear on every date. The detailed subject-wise schedule and individual examination information will be provided through the relevant official notification.
NTA Exam Calendar 2026–27: Month-Wise Schedule
For quick reference:
December 2026
- December 6 — RIMC
- December 8–12 — SWAYAM
- December 13 — Rashtriya Military Schools
- December 14–19 — UGC NET
- December 20–21 — Joint CSIR-UGC NET
- December 20–21 — UGC NET buffer dates
January 2027
- January 4 — Army Cadets College
- January 10 — SHRESHTA (NETS)
- January 10 — NIFT Entrance Examination
- January 22–24 — JEE Main Session 1
- January 28–30 — JEE Main Session 1
- January 31 — JEE Main buffer date / AISSEE
February 2027
- February 7 — CMAT
- February 26–27 — NITTT Part 1
March 2027
- March 1–5 — CUET PG
- March 8 — CUET PG
- March 12–20 — CUET PG
- March 24–25 — CUET PG
- March 30–31 — CUET PG buffer dates
- March 5 and 7 — NITTT Part 2
The full calendar contains 14 examinations scheduled between December 2026 and March 2027.
What Does the NTA Calendar Mean for Students?
The release of the calendar gives students an opportunity to work backwards from their examination dates.
For example, a JEE Main aspirant can divide the preparation period into:
Syllabus completion → Concept revision → Question practice → Mock tests → Final revision
Similarly, CUET PG and UGC NET candidates can create separate timelines for completing their syllabus, practising previous questions and taking mock examinations.
The important point is that the calendar should be treated as a planning document rather than the final examination notification.
Are These NTA Exam Dates Final?
No.
NTA has described the dates as tentative/proposed. The agency has stated that dates can change because of administrative, academic, statutory, logistical or unforeseen circumstances. The publication of the calendar also does not replace the individual examination notification or information bulletin.
Therefore, students should:
- Use these dates to plan their preparation.
- Wait for the individual examination notification.
- Check the official information bulletin when released.
- Verify application deadlines separately.
- Check their admit card for the final examination date, centre and shift.
How Students Can Prepare Using the NTA Calendar
1. Mark your examination date
Start by putting your tentative examination date on your study calendar.
2. Set a syllabus completion deadline
Try to finish the first complete syllabus cycle well before the examination.
3. Keep time for revision
Completing the syllabus is only one part of preparation. Reserve dedicated time for revision and practice.
4. Start mock tests early
Mock tests can help candidates become familiar with the examination format and identify topics that require additional practice.
5. Track official notifications
The calendar does not provide every detail about registration, application fees, eligibility, syllabus, examination centres or admit cards.
Students should therefore monitor NTA’s official announcements rather than relying only on social-media posts or third-party schedules.
JEE Main, UGC NET, CMAT, NIFT or CUET PG: Which Exam Are You Preparing For?
The NTA calendar covers examinations for students with very different academic goals:
- JEE Main — engineering admissions
- UGC NET — eligibility for Assistant Professor/JRF-related pathways
- CMAT — management admissions
- NIFT Entrance Examination — fashion and design education
- CUET PG — postgraduate admissions
- CSIR-UGC NET — research and academic eligibility in relevant science subjects
Because the examinations have different eligibility criteria, syllabi and admission processes, candidates should check the specific information bulletin for their chosen examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will JEE Main 2027 Session 1 be conducted?
JEE Main 2027 Session 1 is tentatively scheduled for January 22–24 and January 28–30, 2027, with January 31 listed as a buffer date.
When is UGC NET December 2026?
The UGC NET December 2026 cycle is proposed for December 14–19, 2026, with December 20–21 kept as buffer dates.
When is NIFT 2027?
The NIFT Entrance Examination is tentatively scheduled for January 10, 2027.
When is CMAT 2027?
CMAT 2027 is tentatively scheduled for February 7, 2027.
When will CUET PG 2027 be conducted?
CUET PG 2027 is proposed across multiple dates in March: March 1–5, March 8, March 12–20 and March 24–25, 2027, with March 30–31 kept as buffer dates.
Are the NTA 2026–27 dates final?
No. They are tentative dates and can be revised by NTA. Candidates should follow the individual examination notification and information bulletin for final details.
Final Takeaway
The release of the NTA Exam Calendar 2026–27 gives students an early view of the major examinations scheduled from December 2026 through March 2027.
The most important dates to remember are:
UGC NET: December 14–19, 2026
NIFT: January 10, 2027
JEE Main Session 1: January 22–24 & January 28–30, 2027
CMAT: February 7, 2027
CUET PG: Multiple dates from March 1–25, 2027
Since these dates are tentative, candidates should use them for preparation planning while waiting for the respective official notifications and detailed schedules.
Bookmark this page and check back for updates when NTA releases the individual examination notifications, application dates and detailed schedules.
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