Exam Calendar 2026: Check all key dates for JEE, NEET, CUET, CBSE, ICSE, UPSC and other exams
Below is a simple, flow and exam-wise breakdown of the main exam dates announced or tentatively stated for 2026.
National level entrance exams in 2026
This year will start with engineering and medical aspirants getting into exam mode early.
JEE Main 2026 It will be held in two sessions. Session 1 will be held from January 21 to January 30, and Session 2 will be held from April 2 to April 9.
JEE Advanced 2026It is tentatively scheduled for May 17, 2026, which is the gateway to IITs.
CUET 2026 (Common University Entrance Examination) Although exact dates are awaited, it is expected to take place in May 2026.
NBEMS medical exams will be held on different dates, including FMGE on January 17 and GPAT on March 7.
NEET UG 2026 Exam Date
Medical aspirants need to mark their calendars early as NEET remains one of the most competitive exams in the country.
Exam date: 3 May 2026 (Sunday)
Accept the release of the card: April 2026
Temporary answer key: Fourth week of May 2026
Final answer key and results: Second week of June 2026
Consulting begins: July 2026
UPSC exam schedule 2026
Civil service aspirants will also step into a long testing cycle in 2026 and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is expected to stick to the traditional examination window. From the pre-test to the personality interview, the process will stretch throughout the year and require constant preparation and patience.
UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2026 It is expected to be held in late May or early June 2026.
UPSC Civil Services Main Exam 2026 It will most likely start in September 2026 and last for five days.
UPSC Civil Services Personality Test (Interview) Tours are expected to be held in early 2027 after the overall results are announced.
Apart from the Civil Services Examination, UPSC will also conduct other recruitment tests at the national level throughout the year, including Engineering Services, CDS, NDA, CAPF and Indian Forest Service exams, each with its own notification and exam schedule published separately.
CDS 2026 exam date
UPSC conducts the CDS exam twice a year, offering admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and Officer Training Academy.
- CDS(I) 2026: expected time February 2026
- CDS(II) 2026: expected time September 2026
The written exam is followed by the SSB interview process, which continues for several months after the results.
NDA 2026 exam date
The NDA exam is the main entry point for candidates who want to join the Army, Navy and Air Force right after school.
- Privacy Agreement (I) 2026: expected time April 2026
- NDA (II) 2026: expected time September 2026
The selection process includes a written test followed by SSB interview and medical tests.
CAPF 2026 Exam date
CAPF (AC) exam is conducted once a year for recruitment to forces like BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.
- CAPF (AC) 2026 written exam: expected time August 2026
Candidates who pass the written exam proceed to physical standard tests, physical proficiency tests and interviews.
CBSE Board Exams 2026 Date Sheet
CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board exams will begin on February 17, 2026 and continue until April 9, 2026. Class 10 exams will be conducted in two phases, while Class 12 exams will follow a flow-based schedule.
CBSE Class 10 board exam date sheet 2026 (main subjects)
All exams will be held between 10.30-13.30.
- Mathematics: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
- English: Tuesday, February 21, 2026
- Science: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
- Sanskrit: Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Hindi: Monday, March 2, 2026
- Social Sciences: Saturday, March 7, 2026
CBSE Class 12 board exams 2026: Streaming overview
- Science stream: 17 February – 27 March 2026
- Trade flow: 22 February – 28 March 2026
- Humanities (Arts): 24 February – 4 April 2026
CBSE Class 12 Science stream date sheet 2026
(All exams are between 10:30 – 13:30)
- Physical Education – February 18
- Physics – February 20
- Chemistry – February 28
- Mathematics / Applied Mathematics – March 9
- English Core / Elective – March 12
- Computer Science / Informatics Applications – March 25
- Biology – March 27
CBSE Class 12 Commerce stream date sheet 2026
- Business Studies – February 22
- Mathematics / Applied Mathematics – March 9
- English Core / Elective – March 12
- Accounting – March 24
- Economy – March 28
CBSE Class 12 Arts (Humanities) date sheet 2026
- Geography – February 24
- English Core / Elective – March 12
- Hindi Elective / Core – March 16
- Economy – March 18
- Political Science – March 23
- Date – March 30
- Regional Languages – April 6
- Sociology – April 8
ICSE Class 10 board exams dates 2026
ICSE Class 10 exams in English Medium will start on 17 February 2026 and end on 30 March 2026.
Important issue dates include:
- Mathematics – March 2
- Physics – March 9
- Chemistry – March 11
- Biology – March 13
- History and Civics – March 16
- Geography – March 18
Practical exams will be held earlier in January 2026.
ISC Class 12 board exams dates 2026
ISC Class 12 exams will be held between 12 February and 6 April 2026, starting earlier than in previous years to provide students with more preparation time.
- Start date: February 12, 2026 (Psychology)
- End date: April 6, 2026 (Geography)
- Core subjects include Chemistry (February 23), History (February 25) and Commerce (February 27).
