On this page
If you are in Class 12 and aiming for engineering, you will probably write more than one entrance exam this year: JEE Main for the NITs and IIITs, BITSAT for BITS Pilani, and your state's CET as a safety net. Most of the preparation is the same; the forms, dates and marking rules are not. Here is how to plan for all three at once.
What do JEE Main, BITSAT and a state CET have in common?
All three test Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from Classes 11 and 12, so one PCM core serves every paper. The formats differ.
JEE Main Paper 1 has 75 questions, 25 each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, in 3 hours, with negative marking in both the multiple-choice and numerical-answer sections, according to the NTA public notice for JEE (Main) 2027.
BITSAT-2026 had 130 questions in 3 hours: 30 Physics, 30 Chemistry, 40 Mathematics, 10 English Proficiency and 20 Logical Reasoning, marked +3 for right and −1 for wrong, according to the BITSAT-2026 brochure.
MHT CET 2026, Maharashtra's state CET, was set on the Maharashtra SCERT syllabus, gave about 20% weightage to Class 11 and 80% to Class 12, and had no negative marking, according to the MHT CET 2026 syllabus and marking scheme.
The exam-specific work is smaller but real: English and reasoning for BITSAT, speed for its longer paper, and your state's own chapter list. MHT CET 2026 set its Class 11 questions only from listed chapters (in Physics, for example, vectors, gravitation, sound and optics were in), so check the current list before you revise Class 11 for it.
When are the form deadlines for JEE Main, BITSAT and the state CET?
Calendars change every year, so check each official site before you rely on these.
JEE Main 2027 Session 1: applications run from 24 October to 22 November 2026 (with a late fee until 26 November), and the exam is on 20 to 28 January 2027. Session 2 is in April 2027 and has its own application window, per the NTA notice.
BITSAT: the 2027 brochure is not out yet. In 2026, Session 1 was scheduled for 15 to 17 April and Session 2 for 25 to 27 May; a candidate could write at most twice, the higher score counted, and admission needed a separate application with Class 12 marks, according to the BITSAT-2026 brochure.
State CET: for MHT CET, dates and forms are posted by the Maharashtra State CET Cell. In another state, find your CET's official page and add it to the same calendar.
How should you split your time between the exams?
Use one rule: shared PCM core first, exam-specific practice second, forms always. A worked plan for a Class 12 student writing all three (shift it to your own dates):
November to mid-January (JEE Main Session 1). Almost all study time goes to PCM and JEE-style problems. Submit the JEE Main form early. Use chapter weightage to choose which weak chapters to fix first.
Late January to the end of boards. Analyse Session 1, then shift to boards. Keep one short daily block for BITSAT English and logical reasoning.
After boards to mid-April (JEE Main Session 2, BITSAT Session 1). Alternate full mocks in each format; our month-by-month guide to starting full mock tests shows how to build up.
Mid-April to May (BITSAT Session 2, state CET). Switch to your state syllabus and fast practice where you attempt every question.
If a mock leaves you unsure whether you used the wrong method on a problem, the Fermi Problem Library has worked problems with a step-by-step solver that explains the reasoning rather than printing an answer.
How do you switch between exam formats on the day?
The costliest mistake is carrying one paper's attempt strategy into another. Before each exam, write its rule on a card:
JEE Main: wrong answers cost marks in both sections (NTA notice), so skip what you cannot narrow down.
BITSAT: in 2026 a wrong answer cost a mark; 12 extra questions appeared only if you answered all 130, and once you took them you could not go back to change earlier answers (BITSAT-2026 brochure).
MHT CET: the 2026 paper had no negative marking (MHT CET marking scheme); if your year's scheme says the same, leave no question blank.
When a week's plan feels too crowded to start, Fermi's AI tutor can work out what you already know and build a plan for the session, so you sit down to a clear next step.
What can parents do to help?
Own the calendar: forms, fees, correction windows, city slips and admit cards. After results come admission steps too; see how BITSAT admission iterations work.
If exam worry does not lift, talk to a school counsellor or a doctor. Tele MANAS, the government's toll-free, 24/7 mental health helpline, is on 14416 (PIB).
Start today: open each exam's official page and copy every date into one shared calendar.
