Top Entrance Exams After 12th Science
You Should Start Preparing for
Engineering & Technology Exams (PCM students)
| Exam | What you get / Colleges & Courses | Typical schedule / frequency |
|---|
| JEE Main | Gateway to NITs, IIITs, many government & private engineering colleges (B.E./B.Tech/B.Arch/B.Planning) | Twice a year (usually Jan + April) |
| JEE Advanced | For admission to premier institutions like IITs (B.Tech / B.E.) — only if you qualify JEE Main and get top rank | Once a year (after JEE Main results) |
| BITSAT | Entry to BITS campuses (Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad) for B.E., B.Pharm etc. | Usually once a year (or sometimes two sessions) |
| VITEEE | Admission to engineering courses at VIT campuses (various branches) | Annual exam |
| SRMJEEE | Engineering admission (private university) options for PCM students | Frequency may vary (often once a year) |
| State-level & regional CETs (like WBJEE, MHT-CET, others depending on state) | Entry to engineering / B.Tech / B.Pharm etc. in state colleges and some private institutions | Once a year (exam date depends on state) |
Tip: If you are from outside a particular state, check eligibility for that state CET — sometimes it's restricted to residents of that state.
Medical / Health / Pure-Science / Research-Oriented Exams (PCB or PCMB students)
| Exam | What you get / Courses | Notes |
|---|
| NEET UG | For MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, other medical / dental / paramedical courses across India | Must have PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in 12th |
| NEST (National Entrance Screening Test) | Admission to 5-year Integrated M.Sc programmes in basic sciences at institutes like NISER (Bhubaneswar) and UM-DAE CEBS (Mumbai) | For class 12 science students (PCM / PCMB), usually held once a year — e.g. the 2025 exam was on 22 June. |
| Other science-course routes (via central universities or specialised institutes) — sometimes through exams like CUET UG (for B.Sc, B.Sc Hons, integrated programmes) | Good fallback if you want B.Sc / B.Sc-Hons / general science / interdisciplinary courses instead of engineering or medicine | |
Other Courses — Architecture / Design / Alternative Paths (If you don’t want pure PCM/PCB engineering/medical)
If you are open to Architecture, Design, Law, or alternative degrees — and if your interest lies beyond conventional engineering/medical — these entrance exams may suit:
- UCEED, NID DAT— For design courses (B.Des, B.I.D, etc.) at design institutes.
- Architecture entrance tests (or architecture-streams via engineering exams) — some institutes accept PCM + architecture aptitude tests (but eligibility and requirements vary).
- If you re-orient after 12th, central-university entrance via CUET UG / other entrance tests, especially for science-allied, interdisciplinary, or new age courses.
How to Choose — Based on Your Interest & Stream
- If you are PCM and like engineering / technology / core-engineering branches → aim for JEE Main → JEE Advanced / BITSAT / VITEEE / SRMJEEE + state CETs.
- If you are PCB (or PCMB) and want medicine / health / allied-health sciences → NEET UG.
- If you like pure science, research, basic science courses → NEST (for integrated MSc), or courses via central universities using CUET UG.
- If you are interested in design / creative fields / architecture / alternative streams → UCEED, NID DAT, design entrance paths, or other central-university courses.
- If you want flexibility / fallback options — give 2–3 exams (for example: one engineering-level, one science/research-level, one design/alternative) — this keeps many paths open, especially if board exams + entrance prep need balancing.