The National Common Entrance Test (NCET) is the entrance test of the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), the B.A. B.Ed., B.Sc. B.Ed. and B.Com. B.Ed. that a student joins straight after Class 12. The National Testing Agency (NTA) holds it, and Central and State universities, IITs, NITs, Regional Institutes of Education and government colleges admit on its score. NTA had not announced NCET 2027 as of 14 November 2026. This guide sets out how the 2026 cycle ran, what the paper looks like and how the seats are filled, so a Class 12 student can plan for it now.
How NCET 2026 ran
| Step | NCET 2026 |
|---|---|
| Form opened | 12 February 2026 |
| Last date of the form | 10 March 2026, 11:50 PM (fee by 11 March) |
| Correction window | 12 to 14 March 2026 |
| Exam | 17 and 18 April 2026, computer based, in 145 cities |
| Final answer key and result | 4 June 2026 |
73,608 candidates registered and 58,995 sat the test, an attendance of about 80%. Women were close to two-thirds of those who appeared. NCET 2027 will have its own dates in its own notice; the table above is the best guide to the season until then.
The paper
NCET has 181 questions, of which a candidate attempts 160, in 180 minutes, on computers.
| Section | Questions | To attempt |
|---|---|---|
| Language 1 | 23 | 20 |
| Language 2 (different from Language 1) | 23 | 20 |
| Domain subject 1 | 28 | 25 |
| Domain subject 2 | 28 | 25 |
| Domain subject 3 | 28 | 25 |
| General Test | 28 | 25 |
| Teaching Aptitude | 28 | 25 |
The domain subjects follow the Class 12 syllabus and should match the ITEP stream a student wants: science subjects for B.Sc. B.Ed., commerce subjects for B.Com. B.Ed. The paper is offered in 13 languages. Read the marking scheme in the bulletin of 2027 when it comes out.
NAAC A++
NIRF #4 (2025)Jamia Millia IslamiaNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1920 · 239 acresView details
NAAC A++
NIRF #5 (2025)University of DelhiNew Delhi, DelhiAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, JEE MainEst. 1922View details
NAAC A
NIRF #6 (2025)Banaras Hindu UniversityVaranasi, Uttar PradeshAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1916 · 1300 acresView details
NAAC A+
NIRF #10 (2025)Aligarh Muslim UniversityAligarh, Uttar PradeshAdmission: CUET UG, NET/JRF, NEET UGEst. 1920View details
NAAC A++
NIRF #37 (2025)Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar UniversityLucknow, Uttar PradeshAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 1996View details
NAAC A+
NIRF #77 (2025)Central University of PunjabBathinda, PunjabAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 2009 · 500 acresView details
NAAC A
NIRF #83 (2025)Central University of Tamil NaduTiruvarur, Tamil NaduAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 2009View details
NAAC A++
NIRF #89 (2025)Central University of RajasthanAjmer, RajasthanAdmission: CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRFEst. 2009 · 518 acresView detailsWho can sit NCET
- Students who have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination, and those appearing in it.
- Each institute sets its own eligibility for each ITEP course, such as the marks needed in Class 12 and the subjects for the B.Sc. B.Ed. Read the institute’s own notice before choosing it.
How the seats are filled
NTA holds the test and declares the result. Admission is made by the institutes that take part, each on its own schedule, on the NCET score and their own eligibility rules. A student therefore has to apply to the institutes of their choice after the result, watch each one’s merit lists, and report by their dates.
ITEP at Central Universities
Many Central Universities now offer ITEP alongside their B.Ed. and M.Ed. The NCET page of this site lists the ITEP programmes of Central Universities with their seats, and files the admission notices of those universities with the steps of the exam. Since ITEP is a teaching degree, its graduates go on to sit CTET or a State TET; see the CTET page for that step.
What to do now
- Choose the stream of ITEP you want and check that your Class 12 subjects fit it.
- Prepare the three domain subjects from the Class 12 syllabus, and practise Teaching Aptitude and the General Test from past NCET papers.
- Watch for the NCET 2027 notice on NTA’s website from February, going by last year.
