Students face a good number of competitive exams in their course of study. It is mostly after their 12th-grade class and graduation. At this moment in their lives, they are the most ambitious candidates and also deal with a lot of pressure. What should they choose after 12th, which competitive exam will lead to their course? Are some of the questions asked? In this article, you will get to know about different competitive exams in India and abroad.
- All major competitive exams continue in 2026
- UPSC Civil Services Exam 2026: Prelims on May 24, Mains from August 21, with 933 vacancies
- JEE Main, NEET, GATE, CAT, and banking exams (RBI Grade B, SBI PO, IBPS PO) are all scheduled as per their annual cycle
- Check official portals like upsc.gov.in for the latest notification dates and schedules.
What Are Competitive Exams?
Competitive exams are standardised tests held at the national or state level to select candidates for educational institutions or government service roles. They are held annually and open to candidates from 10th grade through graduation. Major examples include UPSC Civil Services, JEE, NEET, CAT, GATE, and banking exams such as SBI PO and RBI Grade B.
Most of the competitive exams are held on the national level. There are various ways to apply for the exams. They’re held on different times of the year like NEET and JEE exams are held right after the board results are out which is in the month of June or July. In India, students join several coaching classes to get a good score in their exams. Let us look at some of the popular competitive exams in India:
- Civil Service Examination
- Combined Defence Services Examination
- GATE
- National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination
Which Are the Top Competitive Exams for Government Jobs?
Government jobs are among the most stable careers in India, attracting lakhs of candidates every year. The top competitive exams for government jobs include the UPSC Civil Services Examination (IAS/IPS), RBI Grade B, SBI PO, SSC CGL, IBPS PO, and state-level PSC exams. The UPSC CSE 2026 is scheduled with Prelims on May 24 and Mains from August 21.
Government jobs are considered to be the most secure ones in India. Hence, parents want their kids to secure a government job. There are many competitive exams through which they can get a good position in the government firms. Students mostly apply to them after their graduation. Let us look at some of them:
- UPSC Civil Services Examination
- RBI Grade B Examination
- SBI PO Examination
- RRB NTPC Examination
- IBPS SO Examination
- IBPS PO Examination
- LIC AAO Examination
- IBPS and SBI Clerk Examination
- Teacher’s Eligibility Test
- SSC CGL Examination
What Are the Competitive Exams After 12th?
After completing 12th grade, students can attempt several competitive exams depending on their stream. Science students can take JEE and NEET for engineering and medical admissions. Commerce students can prepare for CA Foundation, CLAT, and banking exams. Humanities students may attempt CLAT for law or NDA for defence. All students can also appear for SSC exams and state-level recruitment tests.
There are major decisions taken after a student finishes their 12th-grade class. The decision to attempt a particular competitive exam depends upon the candidate of what stream they wish to proceed with. The most popular exams for science students are JEE and NEET. There are various other exams for students who take commerce and arts. Let us look at some of them
- JEE ( Joint Entrance Exam)
- NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)
- Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test
- NIFT Entrance Test (National Institute of Fashion Technology)
List of competitive exams after 12th science
Engineering and Medical are the most popular streams chosen by science students. Apart from these major streams some of them go for research, biotechnology, computer informatics, architecture etc. The difficulty level of these exams is very high, students often drop a year to prepare well for the exam. There are different coaching classes for such entrance exams. Let us look at some of them:
- JEE ( Joint Entrance Exam)
- JEE – Advanced
- NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)
- BITSAT
- Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test
List of competitive exams after 12th commerce
Many students opt for law, banking, finance, management after their 12th. They’re very good with numbers hence they often take subjects of accounting and statistics as well. These exams have a different kind of difficulty level, which needs a lot of practice. Let us look at some of them:
- CLAT (Common Law Admission Test)
- AILET (All India Law Entrance Test)
- Indian Statistical Institute Admission
Which Are the Best Books for Competitive Exams?
Books play a crucial role in competitive exam preparation. Popular choices include Objective Mathematics by R.D. Sharma, Objective Biology by Ansari for science students, and RS Aggarwal's Quantitative Aptitude for banking and SSC exams. For UPSC, NCERT textbooks from class 6 to 12 remain foundational. Publishers like Arihant, Disha, and McGraw Hill offer strong subject-specific guides.
There are many publications which help the students to excel in subjects like JEE, NEET, CLAT etc. They compile all sorts of questions like the previous year, difficulty level etc. For physics, books by H.C Verma are very popular. For chemistry, Modern Approach to Chemical Calculations by R.C Mukherjee is a good choice. Let us look at some of the other books for subjects like maths, biology etc.
- Objective Mathematics by R.D Sharma
- Algebra by Dr SK Goyal Arihant Publications
- Objective Biology by Ansari
- Manorama Year Book
What Are the Best Resources for Competitive Exam English?
English is tested in most competitive exams and requires systematic preparation. Top books include High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren and Martin, Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, and Verbal Reasoning by R.S. Aggarwal. For reading comprehension, regular reading of newspapers like The Hindu and Indian Express is highly recommended by UPSC and banking exam toppers.
Many exams consider English as one of their topics. Hence, it is important for the student to excel in English as well. Questions based on grammar, editing, reading comprehension are asked in these exams. With a little practice and knowledge, students can score well in English. Let us look at some of the popular books for English
- High School English Grammar and Composition book by Wren and Martin
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Verbal Reasoning by R.S Agarwal
- Objective General English by SP Bakshi
What Are the Major Competitive Exams in 2026?
All major competitive exams continue in 2026. UPSC Civil Services 2026: Prelims on May 24, Mains from August 21, with 933 vacancies. RBI Grade B, SBI PO, GATE, JEE Advanced, and NEET are among other prominent national-level exams this year. Candidates should check official websites for exact notification and exam dates.
All the competitive exams are held yearly. Students who pass their 12th or graduate are eligible to give the exams according to the eligibility criteria. Given below are some of the government and national level exams held every year:
- UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026
- RBI Grade B Examination 2026
- SBI PO Examination 2026
- RRB NTPC Examination 2026
- IBPS SO Examination 2026
- IBPS PO Examination 2026
- LIC AAO Examination 2026
- IBPS and SBI Clerk Examination2026
- JEE 2026
- NEET 2026
What Are the Competitive Exams After Graduation?
After graduation, students can take competitive exams based on their career goals. For management: CAT, CMAT, XAT, GMAT, or GRE. For technical postgraduate studies: GATE and CEED. Law graduates can sit for CLAT PG and judicial services exams. UPSC CSE is open to graduates of any discipline aged 21 and above, covering government and civil service roles.
It is a very crucial time for students to choose a career after their graduation. Most of them study further by giving entrance tests for various streams. There are a variety of entrance exams available for both government and non-government jobs. Subjects like MBA, Law, Medicine, Defence, and Research have entrance exams. Let us look at some of them below:
- MBA – CAT, CMAT, GMAT, GRE, MH – CET
- MTech, ME and MA – GATE, CEED
- Law – LSAT India, CLAT
- Medical – JIPMER PG Medical Entrance Exam
Which Are the Best Resources for Competitive Exam Maths?
Mathematics is tested in most national competitive exams including UPSC, SSC CGL, IBPS PO, and engineering entrance tests. Recommended books include Objective Mathematics by R.D. Sharma, Quantitative Aptitude by R.S. Aggarwal, and Algebra by Dr. SK Goyal. Daily practice, timed mock tests, and focus on number theory, percentages, and algebra yield the best results.
How to Prepare for Competitive Exams?
Effective preparation starts with understanding the syllabus and exam pattern. Build a structured daily timetable, set weekly targets, and practise previous year papers consistently. Focus on time management during mock tests. Regular revision and joining a reliable test series are essential. Stay updated with current affairs for UPSC and banking exams.
It is very important for the candidate to understand the importance of these competitive exams. Each of them has a unique level of difficulty which one has to conquer. Students take year drop and coaching classes to excel in the competitive exams. Hence, it is very important to prepare well before going to the examination hall for the same. Let us look at some quick tips for succeeding competitive exams:
- Understand the syllabus
- Prepare and Effective Daily Timetable
- Fix weekly targets and achieve them
- Revise and practice
What Are the Top Competitive Exams in India?
India hosts some of the world's largest competitive exams by applicant numbers. The UPSC Civil Services Examination selects IAS, IPS, and IFS officers. JEE and NEET select students for engineering and medical premier colleges. Banking exams like IBPS PO and SBI PO attract millions of applicants. CAT and GATE are crucial for management and technical postgraduate admissions respectively each year.
Government jobs are considered to be the most secure ones in India. Hence, parents want their kids to secure a government job. There are many competitive exams through which they can get a good position in the government firms. Students mostly apply to them after their graduation. Let us look at some of them:
- UPSC Civil Services Examination
- RBI Grade B Examination
- SBI PO Examination
- RRB NTPC Examination
- IBPS SO Examination
- IBPS PO Examination
- LIC AAO Examination
- IBPS and SBI Clerk Examination
- Teacher’s Eligibility Test
- SSC CGL Examination
What Are the Competitive Exams After 10th?
The search for competitive exams typically starts for students after 10th grade results are announced. Key exams include NTSE for scholarship and talent recognition, INMO and the International Mathematical Olympiad for mathematics, and Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) exams. Students interested in early defence careers can also prepare for NDA, which becomes available after 12th grade.
The search for competitive exams starts for class 10th students mostly after their results are out. Some of them are scholarship based which can help them for their further studies. Over the years various organisations have bought up exams to test the skills of students and not just their intelligence. Digital Learning platforms in the form of interactive classes, recorded lectures, and online tests help the students to prepare for these exams. Let us look at some of the exams students can give after class 10th:
- NTSE (National Talent Search Examination)
- INMO (Indian National Mathematical Olympiad)
- SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation)
- NEET
What Is the Complete Competitive Exams List?
India conducts a large number of competitive exams at the national and state level. Key exams include UPSC Civil Services, RBI Grade B, SBI PO, IBPS PO, JEE Main, NEET, GATE, CAT, XAT, GMAT, GRE, CLAT, NDA, CDS, SSC CGL, and state PSC exams. Check official portals like upsc.gov.in for the latest 2026 schedule details.
Students face a good number of competitive exams in their course of study. It is mostly after their 12th-grade class and graduation. At this moment in their lives, they are the most ambitious candidates and also deal with a lot of pressure. What should they choose after 12th, which competitive exam will lead to their course? Are some of the questions asked? Let us look at some of the exams given by the students:
- UPSC Civil Services Examination
- RBI Grade B Examination
- SBI PO Examination
- RRB NTPC Examination
- IBPS SO Examination
- IBPS PO Examination
- LIC AAO Examination
- IBPS and SBI Clerk Examination
- Teacher’s Eligibility Test
- SSC CGL Examination
- CLAT (Common Law Admission Test)
- JEE ( Joint Entrance Exam)
- JEE – Advanced
- NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test)
- GATE
- GMAT
- GRE