Competitive exams sit at the core of the Indian higher education system.

While competitive exams are the gateways to some of the best courses and institutes in the country, the pressure to succeed in these can often drive students to the edge of despair. Students end up dropping years after completing school to preparem for these exams. Only a lucky few make it, and the vast majority are disappointed in spite of intensive efforts. Even though these exams are taken very seriously by most people, not succeeding in them is not the end of the world.
There are a lot of otherareas where your skills can find application. That said, it’sbest to plan your approach, because this will improve your chances of success, and prepare you to deal with various kinds of outcomes in a more effective way. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of exams in India that you need to clear for admission into various courses, both at the undergraduate and the postgraduate levels. Undergraduate entrance exams are conducted for various subjects, including engineering, medicine, law, fashion, etc. Engineering Engineering has always been one of the most popular choices among students, and even with many new courses coming up, engineering courses still attract a vast number of students. Most of these exams are conducted between April and May each year. While a number of colleges conduct their own exams, the largest number of students appear for the All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE). This exam is conducted by the CBSE. Held at the national level, the AIEEEexam allows admission to various courses in the fields of engineering and architecture, including BE (Bachelor of Engineering), BTech (Bachelor of Technology), and BArch (Bachelor of Architecture). The duration of the test is three hours, but the pattern of the exam varies each year. Among the institutes that accept AIEEE scores as the basis for admission are the various National Institutes of Technology spread across India. To appear for the AIEEE exam, students need to have cleared 10+2 or its equivalent,with Physics and Mathematicsamong their main subjects. Students applying for the BArch or BPlanning courses should have studied Mathematics at the 10+2 leveland scored at least a 50 per cent aggregate. Another of the most popular courses is the Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE). About 15 engineering institutes use the JEE as the basis for admission to their courses. These include the seven old and the six new Indian Institutes of Technology, along with IT-BHU Varanasi and ISMU Dhanbad. Besides these, there are various other exams that are conducted by the state governments and universities. Based on their scores in these, candidates can be given a State Rank andan All India Rank. Medicine Medical entrance exams in India are also usually held in the months of April and May. Top level colleges mostly have their own tests in place for granting admission to students, while others accept the scores of national or state level tests like the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), Delhi University Medical Entrance Test (DUMET), Punjab Medical Entrance Test (PMET), etc. The AIPMT is the test that most students aspire to crack. The preliminary paper of AIPMT, which is three hours long, has 200 objective questions on various topics from Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The final examination comprises two papers, each of which is of two hours’ duration. Paper-I has questions from Physics and Chemistry, and Paper-II has questions from Biology (Botany and Zoology). This exam also has some subjective questions. To appear for the AIPMT, you should be an Indian national, and your age should be between 17 and 25 years as on 31st December in the year of your admission to the MBBS/BDS course. There is a relaxation of five years in the upper age limit for SC/ST/ OBC category students. You should have cleared your 10+2 with at least 50 per cent(or you could be appearing for your class XII exams) with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as your main subjects.For SC/ST/OBC candidates, the required score is 40 per cent. Also, you are only allowed to appear for the AIPMT three times. Law Both undergraduate and postgraduate students can getadmission to 11 of India’s National Law Universities through the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT). In order to be eligible to appear for the CLAT, you need to be younger than 20 years as on 1st July of the year in which you are appearing for the test. You also need to have passed 10+2 or its equivalent with at least 50 per cent (45 per cent in case of SC/ST/OBCcandidates, or persons with disabilities). The CLAT is of two hours’ duration, and the areas covered in it are English (including comprehension), General Knowledge, Mathematics, Logical Reasoning, and Legal Aptitude. Fashion A wide range of courses are on offer in the field of fashion. Some of the most common areas covered include fashion, leather, accessories, textiles, knitwear and fashion communication. Various institutes carry out their own entrance exams for admission to these courses. Some of these include the Pearl Academy of Fashion Entrance Exam, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)/National Institute of Design (NID) Entrance, SNDTCET, etc. To beeligible to appear for the entrance exams for the BDesign courses in most of these institutes, students must have completed their 10+2 or its equivalent in any discipline with at least a 50 per cent aggregate. Those who clear the written test may then be called for an interview. NIFT has more specific criteria for each of its courses. There are several coaching institutes that offer coaching classes that prepare students to appear for these tests. These institutes help students to develop their design aptitude, creative thinking, picture analysis abilities, colour concepts, drawing ability, etc, and help them understand the elements and principles of design. They also offer students guidance in building their portfolios. There is also awide variety of tests that are held for admission to postgraduate courses across the country. Let’s take a look at some of these: Management Management courses are seen as the stepping stone towards a successful career. Almost everyone wants to do an MBAin their field, and management institutes are constantly coming up with new courses and specialisations to cater to every field. A lot of institutes offer MBA courses, and acceptthe scores of different tests for admissions, including CAT,MAT, NAT, XAT, GMAT, ATMA,etc. Each of these tests has a slightly different focus area, and tests candidates on different areas of their personalities. CAT, which is also known as Common Admission Test, is a national national level entrance test conducted annually by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) for admission to their various management courses. Most ofthe top colleges that offer MBA courses look for the marks scored in the CAT as well as MAT exams. There are various private coaching centres across India that offer coaching for the CAT. There are four different sections in the exam. These areas Problem Solving, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Data Interpretation. The exam is two and a half hours long, and there is negative marking for wrong answers. A Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50 per cent marks is the eligibility criterion for appearing for theCAT or MAT exams. Chartered Accountancy With the increasing importance of India as an economically strong superpower, there has been an increase in the demand forChartered Accountants, as more organisations seek to ensure that financial transactions are carried out according to the law. Common Proficiency Test or CPT is the entry level test for the CA course. It covers four subjects: Accounting, Mercantile Laws, General Economics and Quantitative Aptitude, totaling 200 marks. The test is divided into two sessions of two hours each. The questions are objective type, multiple choice and have negative marking for incorrect answers. Bachelor of Education A year’s course, this qualification endows the rightto teach at the school level. A BEd degree helps you attain the right skills to impart quality education through innovative teaching techniques. Various institutes conduct their own entrance tests for admission to the BEd course. Master of Technology Students who hold a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/ Technology/Architecture/Pharmacy (four years after 10+2) can choose to take up an MTech degree. Admissions are purely based on the GATE score and performance in the interview.The candidate is expected to appear in a paper appropriateto the discipline of his/her qualifying degree. GATE consists of a single paper of three hours’ duration which contains 65 questions carryinga maximum of 100 marks. Thequestion paper consists of objective type questions. There are various codes given to the question papers. IAS Indian Administrative Services(IAS) stands out as the pinnacle of the academic dreams of the most of Indian students. Many complete their regular degrees in fields like engineering, medical, law,management, etc, but still aspire to clear the Civil Services Exam (CSE). Conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, CSE is the gateway to the IAS. It offers around 400-600 vacancies in different servicesunder the Indian Government.The selection process covers three stages: Preliminary Examination (Prelims), Main Examination (Mains) and Interview or Personality Test. The prelims are intended to filter the candidates. They contain two papers, the marksof which are not counted during the final selection process. These are objective- type papers. Out of these twopapers, one is on General Studies, and contains 150 questions with a weightage of 150 marks. The second paper is based on one of the optional subjects of the candidate’s choice from the prescribed list of 23 optional subjects. It consists of 120 questions and carries a weightage of 300 marks. Those who clear this stage can appear in the second stage. The Mains are based ona subjective-type written test that has a total of nine papers. All these nine papers carry a total of 2,000 marks. Some combinations of papersare not allowed in the mains. Normally, the Prelims are conducted in May/June every year, and the Mains during October/November each year.The candidates belonging to the general category are allowed four attempts, the OBCs from the reserved category get seven attempts and there is no limit for SC/STcandidates. Those who clear the mains are invited for the final stage, which is the interview. This carries a weightage of 300 marks. This round of testing is aimed at evaluating the candidates on the parameters of personality,social traits, leadership qualities, teamwork abilities, aptitude and skills that may be needed in the work they might undertake in future. Both the Mains and Interview together carry 2300 marks, and your score determines your final rank. Failing in either of the two means you will have to start all over again, right from the Prelims.