Major Competitive Exams Conducted in India

India has one of the world’s largest examination ecosystems covering:

Civil Services
Banking
Railways
Defence
Engineering
Medical
Law
Teaching
Judiciary
State Government Recruitment
PSU Recruitment
Higher Education Entrance Tests
Scholarships and Fellowships

Below is a structured and webpage-ready categorized list of major exams conducted in India.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

The Union Public Service Commission conducts India’s top national-level civil services and recruitment examinations.

Civil Services & Administrative Exams

Civil Services Examination (CSE)
- IAS
- IPS
- IFS
- IRS
Indian Forest Service (IFoS)
Engineering Services Examination (ESE/IES)
Combined Defence Services (CDS)
National Defence Academy (NDA)
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
Combined Medical Services (CMS)
Indian Economic Service (IES)
Indian Statistical Service (ISS)
Geo-Scientist Examination
EPFO Enforcement Officer / APFC
Special Class Railway Apprentice (historical)

Staff Selection Commission (SSC)

The Staff Selection Commission recruits for central government departments and ministries.

SSC Exams

SSC CGL
SSC CHSL
SSC MTS
SSC GD Constable
SSC JE
SSC Stenographer
SSC CPO
SSC Selection Post
SSC JHT
SSC Delhi Police Exams

Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS)

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection conducts recruitment exams for public sector banks.

IBPS Exams

IBPS PO
IBPS Clerk
IBPS SO
IBPS RRB PO
IBPS RRB Clerk
IBPS RRB Officer Scale Exams

State Bank of India (SBI)

State Bank of India conducts independent banking recruitment exams.

SBI Exams

SBI PO
SBI Clerk
SBI SO
SBI CBO

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

The Reserve Bank of India conducts prestigious banking and finance recruitment exams.

RBI Exams

RBI Grade B
RBI Assistant
RBI JE
RBI Legal Officer
RBI Managerial Recruitment

Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB)

The Railway Recruitment Board conducts recruitment for Indian Railways.

RRB Exams

RRB NTPC
RRB Group D
RRB JE
RRB ALP
RRB Technician
RRB Paramedical
RRB Ministerial & Isolated Categories

Defence & Armed Forces Exams

Army, Navy & Air Force

NDA
CDS
AFCAT
Agniveer Recruitment
INET
Navy SSR / AA
Territorial Army Exams

Paramilitary & Security Forces

CAPF AC
BSF Recruitment
CRPF Recruitment
CISF Recruitment
ITBP Recruitment
SSB Recruitment
Assam Rifles Recruitment

Medical Entrance Exams

Undergraduate

NEET UG

Postgraduate

NEET PG
INI CET
FMGE

Medical Research & Nursing

AIIMS Nursing
NORCET
ESIC Medical Recruitment

Engineering Entrance Exams

National-Level Engineering Exams

JEE Main
JEE Advanced
BITSAT
VITEEE
SRMJEEE
COMEDK UGET
WBJEE
MHT CET
KCET
AP EAMCET
TS EAMCET

Engineering Recruitment

GATE
ESE/IES
PSU Recruitment through GATE

Law Entrance Exams

Undergraduate Law

CLAT UG
AILET
SLAT
LSAT India

Postgraduate Law

CLAT PG
Judiciary Exams
APO Exams

MBA & Management Entrance Exams

CAT
XAT
CMAT
MAT
SNAP
NMAT
IIFT Exam
TISSNET
MAH MBA CET

Teaching & Education Exams

National Teaching Exams

CTET
UGC NET
CSIR NET
NTA PhD Entrance Exams

State-Level Teaching Exams

TET
SET
DSSSB Teaching Exams
KVS Recruitment
NVS Recruitment

State Public Service Commission (PSC) Exams

Every Indian state conducts its own civil services and recruitment examinations.

Major State PSCs

Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC)
Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC)
Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC)
Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC)
Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC)
Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC)
Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC)
West Bengal Public Service Commission (WBPSC)
Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC)
Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC)

Common State PSC Exams

State Civil Services
Assistant Professor Recruitment
Engineering Recruitment
Medical Officer Recruitment
Administrative Services
Police Services

State Recruitment Boards & Subordinate Services

Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB)

Other State Boards

DSSSB
HSSC
OSSSC
RSMSSB
PSSSB
KSP Recruitment
State Police Recruitment Boards

Police & Security Recruitment Exams

SSC GD
Delhi Police Recruitment
State Police SI Exams
State Police Constable Exams
Intelligence Bureau (IB) Exams
NIA Recruitment
CID Recruitment

Insurance Sector Exams

LIC

LIC AAO
LIC ADO
LIC Assistant

Insurance Companies

NIACL AO
UIIC AO
NICL AO
OICL AO

Intelligence & Investigation Exams

IB ACIO
RAW-related recruitment
NIA Recruitment
CBI Sub-Inspector (through SSC)

Central Government Specialized Exams

FCI Recruitment
ESIC Recruitment
DRDO Recruitment
ISRO Recruitment
BARC Exams
NIC Scientist Recruitment
ECIL Recruitment
ONGC Recruitment
GAIL Recruitment
SAIL Recruitment
BEL Recruitment

Research & Fellowship Exams

CSIR NET
UGC NET JRF
GATE
INSPIRE Scholarship
KVPY (historical)
ICMR JRF
DBT JRF

Commerce & Finance Exams

CA Foundation / Intermediate / Final
CMA Exams
CS Executive / Professional
CFA
NISM Certifications

Hotel Management & Hospitality Exams

NCHM JEE
IIHM eCHAT
State Hotel Management Entrances

Design & Creative Exams

NID DAT
UCEED
CEED
NIFT Entrance Exam

Agriculture & Allied Exams

ICAR AIEEA
NABARD Grade A/B
Agriculture Officer Exams
Food Safety Officer Exams

Scholarship & Olympiad Exams

NTSE (historical)
Olympiads
- NSO
- IMO
- IOQM
- NSEJS
- NSEP
NMMS Scholarship

Popular Exam Categories in India

Government Job Exams

UPSC
SSC
Banking
Railways
Defence
State PSC
Police
Insurance

Entrance Exams

Medical
Engineering
Law
MBA
Design
Agriculture

Academic Eligibility Exams

NET
SET
TET
GATE

Final Note

India’s examination ecosystem spans thousands of recruitment, entrance, certification, scholarship, and professional qualification exams across central government, state government, public sector, academic, and private institutions.

The most competitive and widely attempted exams include:

UPSC CSE
NEET UG
JEE Main & Advanced
SSC CGL
IBPS PO
SBI PO
RRB NTPC
CAT
CLAT
GATE

These exams collectively shape careers across administration, engineering, medicine, banking, defence, education, law, and research sectors in India.