12th grade is the critical period determining a student’s college course eligibility. In India, a student can pursue 11th and 12th grade from different education boards – State Board, CBSE, ISC, IGCSE or IB. Every board has its approach to education and merit. For instance, on state and CBSE boards, students must choose science, commerce, or arts and study those subjects. In IGCSE and IB, they can choose interdisciplinary subjects that are requisite for the college programme they wish to pursue.
Most colleges and universities have introduced entrance exams to bring uniformity to the admission selection process and assess if the candidate meets the primary criteria for the course. Thus, giving opportunity and fairness in the selection process. In this blog, we have listed all the entrance exams a student can appear for 12th.
There are some college courses for which only students who are studying in the science stream or have science subjects can apply. Some of the courses are –
For medical science courses like MBBS, BDS, and veterinary science biology is a core subject and other science subjects such as chemistry are compulsory.
B. Tech and B.E. aspirants must have Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as core subjects in 12th grade.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) is a dedicated programme for science students interested in the pharmaceutical industry. So, biology and chemistry are compulsory subjects.
This field combines biology and technology, making it another popular choice for science students. For courses in this field, students must study biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. They also have the alternative of choosing electronics or computer science instead of Physics.
Several specialised B.Sc. programmes in areas like microbiology, genetics, aviation, environmental science, and forensic science are also typically only accessible to science stream students.
Let us discuss some of the popular entrance exams for science students after the 12th.
| Test | Eligibility | For courses/institution |
| JEE Main | Passing class 12th from a recognised board). There is no age limit, but you can attempt the exam only for three consecutive years after the 12th class. | It is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) Courses - B. Tech, B. Arch, Engineering courses at NIT (National Institutes of Technology) and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT), JEE - Advanced |
| JEE Advanced | Maximum of two attempts in two consecutive years. There is an age limit of around 25 years based on the category. | Courses – Programmes in IITs, IISc, IIST (Indian Institute of Space and Technology), etc. |
| BITSAT | Must have passed class 12th from a recognised board within two years. PCM stream and 70% aggregate marks in all subjects. | For courses at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad and Goa. |
| VITEEE | 12th science with a minimum aggregate of 55% in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology | Undergraduate engineering programmes in VIT group of Institutions. |
| SRMJEE | 12th Science with a minimum of 50% marks having Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as main subjects. | B. Tech programmes offered at SRM Institute. |
| COMEDK | 12th or equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English with a minimum of 45% marks | Admission into dental and engineering colleges in the state of Karnataka |
| KIITEE | 12th Science with a minimum of 50% marks having Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as main subjects. | Common entrance test for admission to courses offered by the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology. *Not eligible for MBBS, BDS, PG Medical & PG Dental |
| WBJEE | 12th or equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics with a minimum of 45% marks | For medical, engineering and technological courses in universities and institutions in West Bengal. |
| MET | 12th with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English as compulsory subjects. | BBA, B.Pharm, B.A, B.Tech, M.Tech, M.E, M.Pharm, M.Sc and many more at Manipal Academy of Higher Education |
| IAT | Candidates must have passed the class 12 Science stream within two years with at least 60% marks (50% for SC/ST/PWD). Candidates must meet board-specific cutoff percentages set by IISERs. | For courses at IISERs, IISc and IIT Madras. |
| Test | Eligibility | For courses/institution |
| NEET | 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/ Biotechnology with a minimum of 50% marks | MBBS, BDS and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS etc) courses in government and private institutions in India |
| IMU CET | 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English | Admission to 6 campuses of the Indian Maritime University (IMU) |
| NDA (National Defence Academy) entrance exam | 12th with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics | To apply for the Air Force and Naval Department of the NDA. |
| ICAR AIEEA | 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/ Mathematics/Agriculture/Home. | For admission to courses by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) |
| Test | Eligibility | For courses/institution |
| NID DAT | 12th grade or its equivalent from a recognised board | For admissions to undergraduate courses at the National Institute of Design (NID) |
| GAT (General Ability Test) and CAT to be considered for NIFT (Creativity Ability Test) | 12th grade from a recognised board. | Admission to NIFT programmes |
| AIEED | 12th grade from a recognised board. | For AIEED Screening for Design Studies |
| BHU UET | 12th class examination with a score of at least 50%. The age cut-off is between 20 to 25 years old. | For undergraduate courses like B.A., B.Sc., B. Com, B.A. (Social Sciences), Engineering and Pharmacy courses in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and its affiliated colleges. |
| Christ University Entrance Test (CUET) | 12th grade from a recognised board with at least 45% in any stream. | B. Tech, BBA, BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons), B Com BA-CEP and BHM courses at Christ University |
| TISS BAT | 12th grade in any subject stream from a recognised board. | Various UG courses offered by Tata Institute of Social Sciences |
| NCHMCT JEE | 12th grade with English as a core subject. | For admission to BSc Hospitality & Hotel Administration courses at institutes affiliated with the Council. |
| IMPAT | 12th grade with at least 60% marks | For admission to dual degree Five Year Integrated Programme in Management (BBA+MBA) programmes at IIM Indore, IIM Rohtak, IIM Ranchi, IIFT, TAPMI, and other premier business schools. |
| CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) | 45% overall in class 12 exams from a recognised board | National level entrance exam for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes at 22 National Law Universities across India. |
| LSAT-India Exam | At least 50% marks in aggregate for class 12 exams | Standardised test created for law school admissions in India. |
| ISI Admission Test | 12th with Mathematics and English as their subjects. | For admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses which are offered at the ISI. |
| CMI Entrance Exam | 12th standard from a recognised board | Admissions in Bachelor of Science (BSc) courses in Mathematics, Computer Sciences and Physics |
| CUET | For admission to 249 universities, including 45 prestigious central universities. Courses are – BA in Humanities & Social SciencesBA in Arts (Fine/ Visual/ Performing)Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)BDes in AnimationBA LLBBDes in DesignBSc in Hospitality & TravelBSc in DesignBachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC)BHM in Hospitality & TravelBachelor of Journalism (BJ)Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM)BA in Hospitality & TravelBA in AnimationDiploma in Education (D. Ed)BBA LLBBCA (IT and Software) |
Several competitive entrance tests will lead to admissions to leading university and college programmes across India. For admission to universities in countries such as the UK, Australia or New Zealand, students will take the IELTS or TOEFL. You must evaluate the career paths that you are interested in and the subjects that you are good at and decide which entrance exams to appear for.
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