NTA Exam Calendar 2026-27: Revised Dates and Schedule

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued a revised examination calendar for December 2026 to April 2027, updating the tentative dates for several national-level entrance and eligibility examinations. The schedule includes UGC NET, Joint CSIR-UGC NET, JEE Main, CUET PG, CMAT and other examinations.

The agency said the calendar was revised for administrative reasons. Candidates preparing for these examinations should use the updated schedule rather than rely on the earlier calendar. NTA has advised applicants to visit its official website, nta.ac.in, for further announcements and updates.

The revised calendar outlines an examination schedule spanning December 2026 through April 2027. It places the December cycles of UGC NET and Joint CSIR-UGC NET in December, JEE Main Session 1 in January 2027, CUET PG across multiple dates in March, and JEE Main Session 2 in April.

NTA Revised Exam Calendar 2026-27: Important Dates

The following table lists the tentative examination dates provided in the revised NTA calendar. Candidates should check the official notices for any subsequent changes and examination-specific instructions.

UGC NET December 2026 Exam Dates

The December cycle of the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is tentatively scheduled for December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026. The examination is relevant to candidates seeking to qualify for eligibility pathways associated with teaching and research in Indian higher education.

Candidates should use the revised dates when planning their preparation and checking examination-related announcements. The calendar provides the proposed examination window, but candidates should consult the official UGC NET notice for details about their individual examination schedule, subject allocation and other instructions.

Joint CSIR-UGC NET December Cycle

The Joint CSIR-UGC NET December cycle is scheduled for December 19, 22 and 27, 2026, according to the revised calendar. The examination serves candidates pursuing eligibility related to research fellowships and academic careers in science-related disciplines.

Applicants should keep track of official updates and verify the examination-specific details released by NTA. The dates in the calendar are tentative and should not be treated as a substitute for individual examination information or subsequent official notifications.

JEE Main 2027: Session 1 and Session 2 Dates

Engineering aspirants preparing for JEE Main should note the revised dates for both sessions. Session 1 is tentatively scheduled for January 20 to 24 and January 28, 2027. Session 2 is scheduled for April 2 to 7, 2027.

The two examination windows give candidates a clear timeline for organising their preparation. Students should account for the relevant session dates while planning revision, mock tests and other academic commitments.

Applicants must also monitor official JEE Main announcements for registration deadlines, admit cards, examination-city information, paper schedules and other instructions. These details should be confirmed through the relevant official notice rather than inferred from the broader examination calendar.

CUET PG 2027 Exam Dates

The Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate programmes (CUET PG) is scheduled across several dates in March 2027. The tentative dates listed in the revised calendar are March 2 to 5, March 8 to 9, March 12, March 15 to 19, March 24 to 25 and March 29 to 31.

Because the examination spans multiple dates, candidates should not assume that every applicant will appear on all the listed days. Applicants should refer to official examination updates for the schedule and instructions applicable to their individual papers.

Postgraduate aspirants should continue preparing according to their chosen subjects and keep checking for announcements about application procedures, admit cards and examination arrangements. The revised calendar provides the overall window, while subsequent notices may contain more specific information.

Other Examinations Included in the Revised NTA Calendar

In addition to UGC NET, Joint CSIR-UGC NET, JEE Main and CUET PG, the calendar includes several other examinations scheduled between December 2026 and February 2027.

• Rashtriya Indian Military College: December 6, 2026.
• SWAYAM: December 8 to 12, 2026.
• Rashtriya Military Schools: December 13, 2026.
• Army Cadets College: January 4, 2027.
• SHRESHTA (NETS): January 10, 2027.
• NIFT Entrance Examination: January 10, 2027.
• All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination: January 31, 2027.
• CMAT: February 7, 2027.

Candidates preparing for these examinations should confirm the eligibility requirements, application process and examination-specific instructions through the relevant official notifications. The dates above reflect the tentative schedule supplied in the revised calendar.

Why Did NTA Revise the Examination Calendar?

NTA said the calendar was revised for administrative reasons. The information provided does not specify the individual administrative factors behind each date change, so candidates should avoid relying on unverified explanations circulating online.

For applicants, the immediate priority is to follow the latest published schedule. Using an outdated calendar could lead to confusion when arranging study plans, travel or other commitments around an examination.

As the calendar covers multiple examinations over several months, candidates should also distinguish between tentative examination dates and other important deadlines. Registration, correction windows, admit-card releases, examination-city details and result announcements may be communicated separately through official notices.

How to Check the Latest NTA Exam Schedule

Candidates can use the following steps to locate official examination updates:

• Visit the official NTA website at nta.ac.in.
• Look for the latest examination calendar or notification relevant to the examination being taken.
• Open the relevant notice and check the examination name, dates and applicable instructions.
• Monitor examination-specific announcements for registration details, admit cards and other updates.
• Recheck the official website before making travel or other arrangements based on the tentative schedule.

Candidates should rely on official NTA notices for confirmation if a later announcement changes any of the dates. The calendar is a planning reference, and examination-specific instructions remain important for applicants.

What Candidates Should Do Next

With the revised calendar covering examinations from December 2026 through April 2027, candidates should update their study schedules and note the dates relevant to their respective tests. Those preparing for more than one examination should review possible overlaps and plan revision time accordingly.

JEE Main aspirants should note the January and April sessions, while UGC NET and Joint CSIR-UGC NET candidates should prepare around the December examination windows. CUET PG applicants should pay particular attention to the multiple dates listed for March and follow the official updates for their individual examination schedules.

The key takeaway is that NTA has revised its tentative examination calendar for 2026-27, and candidates should refer to the latest official schedule rather than an earlier version. As dates and examination-specific arrangements can be updated through subsequent notifications, regularly checking nta.ac.in remains essential for staying informed.