Use NEET for M.B.B.S. and B.D.S., JEE for engineering at NITs, IIITs and IITs, and CUET for bachelor's courses at universities that use it. The exam belongs to the course and the college, not to you, so always check the college's own prospectus.
Last checked on 1 November 2026. We use the JEE (Main) 2027 bulletin, the NEET (UG) 2026 bulletin, the CUET (UG) 2026 bulletin and the latest university guides we could read. Rules can change each year.
Which exam applies to which course?
| You want | The exam | Run by |
|---|---|---|
| M.B.B.S. or B.D.S. | NEET (UG) | NTA |
| B.E. or B.Tech. at NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes | JEE (Main) Paper 1 | NTA |
| B.Tech. at IITs | JEE (Advanced), after qualifying through JEE (Main) | Set out at jeeadv.ac.in |
| B.Arch. or B.Planning, through JEE | JEE (Main) Paper 2A or 2B | NTA |
| B.A., B.Sc., B.Com. at a central or participating university | CUET (UG), if the university uses it | NTA conducts it. Universities admit |
| Five-year law at National Law Universities | CLAT UG | Consortium of NLUs |
The JEE (Main) 2027 bulletin says the top 2,50,000 candidates in the B.E. or B.Tech. paper, across all categories, may go on to JEE (Advanced). Check the JEE (Advanced) site for the current conditions.
Why is the same degree different at each university?
Because the university decides. Jamia and AMU show this well. Both are central universities, and both are in the CUET bulletin's list. Yet in 2026-27 they chose differently for several courses.
| Course | Jamia, 2026-27 | AMU, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| B.Tech. | JEE (Main) | AMU's own admission test |
| B.D.S. | NEET | NEET |
| Physiotherapy | NEET, plus Jamia's form | NEET |
| B.Arch. | NATA | AMU's own Paper I plus NATA |
| B.A. LL.B. | Jamia's own test | AMU's own test |
| B.Com. (Hons) | Jamia's own test | AMU's own test |
| B.A. (Hons) Hindi | CUET | CUET |
| B.A. (Hons) English | Jamia's own test | AMU's own test |
Neither university used CLAT for its law degree in 2026-27. So a student who took only JEE would have missed AMU's B.Tech. A student who took only CUET would have missed many of Jamia's and AMU's B.A. courses.
Can you take more than one exam?
Yes. These are separate exams, run on separate dates and with separate forms. Many students apply to more than one. A Class 12 PCM student could sit JEE (Main) and CUET in the same year. Plan your time honestly, though, because each one has its own syllabus and fee.
What should you do first?
These steps are our advice, not an official rule.
- Write down three courses and three colleges you would actually join.
- Open each college's latest prospectus and find the admission route for that course.
- Note the exam name, the form date and any extra form the college wants.
- Only then make your study plan. Your plan should follow the exams you actually need.
Keep the official name and website of every exam in one note. Fill in forms only on the official sites.
How do the exams differ in eligibility?
| NEET (UG) 2026 | JEE (Main) 2027 | CUET (UG) 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and English | The paper tests Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Colleges set their own subject rules | You choose papers, but the university sets the rules for its course |
| Age | At least 17 by 31 December of the exam year. No upper limit stated | No age limit. Institutes may set one | No age limit. Universities may set one |
| Year of Class 12 | Must be passed by the first counselling round | Passed in 2025 or 2026, or appearing in 2027 | Passed, or appearing in 2026. University rules apply |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need CUET if I am preparing for NEET?
No, not for M.B.B.S. or B.D.S., which use NEET. You may still choose CUET as a backup if you want a B.Sc. at a university that uses it.
Can JEE get me into any engineering college?
No. JEE (Main) covers NITs, IIITs, other centrally funded institutes and institutions in participating states, but some universities run their own tests. AMU is one example.
Is CUET harder than JEE or NEET?
They are built differently, so a direct comparison does not help. Look at the syllabus and sample questions of the exam you actually need.
Does a good board percentage replace these exams?
Not for the courses above. Some colleges have other routes, so read their prospectus.
Our [NEET](/neet), [JEE Main](/jee-main) and [JEE Advanced](/jee-advanced) pages cover those three exams. Nikaalle does not prepare students for CUET or CLAT.
Official sources
- https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3f8e59f4b2fe7c5705bf878bbd494ccdf/uploads/2026/10/202610241890224107.pdf
- https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s37bc1ec1d9c3426357e69acd5bf320061/uploads/2026/02/202602081576322299.pdf
- https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3d1a21da7bca4abff8b0b61b87597de73/uploads/2026/01/202601031633478370.pdf
- https://cuet.nta.nic.in/
- https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2027/
- https://admission.jmi.ac.in/application/assets/pdfFile/prospectus/UniversityProspectus/University_Prospectus_2026_2027.pdf
- https://www.amucontrollerexams.com/uploads/files/c7cabd0dcdcb3d7793446b0ea7c88a49.pdf
Written from the official sources listed above, with no second reader yet. Notices change, so confirm every date on the official website. Nikaalle is not linked to any exam body.