NEET UG-CUET 2026: Application process for NEET UG and CUET will start from February-March, exams will be held in May..
NEET UG – CUET 2026: Important information regarding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG and Central University Entrance Test (CUET) UG. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun preparations for the NEET UG and Central University Entrance Test (CUET) UG 2026. The NTA has prepared an exam calendar for 2026, which proposes to conduct NEET UG and CUET UG in May 2026. The application process will begin in February-March. The NTA has sent the proposal for the 2026 exam calendar to the Union Ministry of Education for approval.
Let's find out which dates in May, according to the NTA's exam calendar, NEET UG and CUET UG are scheduled to be held. We'll also learn why the NTA is insisting on conducting both competitive exams in May.
Why are NEET UG and CUET UG important?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG is conducted for admission to medical colleges after the 12th grade. Approximately 2 million students appear for NEET UG each year. Top-scoring students are admitted to approximately 300,000 MBBS, BAMS, BDS, BHMS, and nursing courses in medical colleges across the country.
Similarly, the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) UG is conducted after the 12th grade for admission to central and state universities across the country. Over 1 million students appear for CUET UG each year. Top-scoring students are admitted based on their ranking. DU alone has over 70,000 undergraduate seats.
NEET UG on May 3rd, Application Process to Begin in February
According to the NTA's calendar, NEET UG is scheduled to be held on May 3rd in 2026. If the calendar is approved by the Ministry of Education, the application process for NEET UG could begin in the second week of February. Students will have one month to apply, and the results will be released in the last week of May or the first week of June.
CUET UG in the second week of May, Application Process to Begin in March
According to the NTA's exam calendar, CUET UG is scheduled to be held after the second week of May in 2026. If the Union Ministry of Education approves the NTA's academic calendar, CUET UG will begin in the first week of March, and the results will be released in June.
The results were released late, which is why there is a push for early exams.
NEET UG and CUET UG exams are held in May. In 2025, NEET was held on May 4th, while CUET UG was held from May 14th to June 4th. However, there was a potential delay in releasing the CUET UG results. The CUET UG results were released on July 4th, a move that many universities objected to.
In a meeting held at the Ministry of Education, universities stated that the delay in CUET UG results was preventing their undergraduate seats from being filled. This delay in the session led students to enroll in private colleges. BHU was a leader in this. Therefore, an agreement was reached to conduct CUET UG early and release the results soon. While the NEET UG results were released early, the delay in the start of counseling has prevented the medical college session from commencing.
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