NIMCET 2026: Highlights, Eligibility, Application Process, Important Dates
National Institute of Technology Master of Computer Applications Common Entrance Test 2026 ( NIMCET )
Exam On - 6 Jun '26
The NIT MCA Common Entrance Test (NIMCET) 2026 is a national-level entrance exam for admission to the Master of Computer Applications (MCA) program. The exam is conducted by the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and is considered one of the most competitive MCA entrance exams in India. To learn more about NIMCET 2026, read our blog and get information about the entrance exam, syllabus, eligibility, application process, as well as tentative important dates.
- About NIMCET 2026
- NIMCET 2026 Highlights
- NIMCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- NIMCET 2026 Exam Pattern
- NIMCET 2026 Marking Scheme
- NIMCET 2026 Syllabus
- NIMCET 2026 Application Process
- NIMCET 2026 Important Dates
- NIMCET 2026 Admit Card
- NIMCET 2026 Results
- NIMCET 2026 Counselling
About NIMCET 2026
- NIMCET is conducted annually by any participating NIT (on a rotational basis).
- NIMCET question paper covers Mathematics, Analytical Ability & Logical Reasoning, Computer Knowledge, and English.
- NIMCET participating institutes:
- 11 NITs located in Jamshedpur, Allahabad, Bhopal, Delhi, Tiruchirapalli, Agartala, Kurukshetra, Raipur, Warangal, Patna, and Sohra
- 2 IIITs, Bhopal and Vadodara.
Yes. Candidates will need to meet all the requirements mentioned in the NIMCET eligibility criteria, which will be offiically announced by the authorities. Before NIMCET registration, the candidates are advised to check the official eligibility criteria. Ineligible candidates will not be considered for admission into the participating institutes. For admission, all candidates will have to qualify NIMCET.
This usually happens when there are not enough participants for that particular centre. Authorities then cancel a NIMCET exam centre and allot the exam centre according to the next order of preference of the candidate, or the closest geographically available centre.
NIMCET 2026 Highlights
| Particulars |
Details |
| Exam Name |
NIMCET 2026 |
| Full Form |
NIT MCA Common Entrance Test |
| Conducting Body |
A participating NIT on a rotational basis. To be announced for 2026. |
| Exam Level |
National |
| Mode of Exam |
Online |
| Exam Frequency |
Annually |
| Exam Duration |
2 hours |
| Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions |
| Total Questions |
120 |
| Course Offered |
MCA (3 years) |
| Official Website |
nimcet.admissions.nic.in |
NIMCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
| Criteria |
Details |
| Nationality |
Must be an Indian citizen |
| Educational Qualification |
Bachelor’s degree in B.Sc. (Computer Science/IT), BCA, B.Tech/B.E., or equivalent with Mathematics/Statistics at 10+2 or graduation |
| Minimum Marks |
At least 60% aggregate or 6.5 CGPA (55%/6.0 CGPA for the reserved category) |
The eligibility criteria for NIMCET are as follows -
Criteria | Details |
Nationality | Must be an Indian citizen |
Educational Qualification | Bachelor's degree in B.Sc. (Computer Science/IT), BCA, B.Tech/B.E., or any equivalent degree with Mathematics/Statistics as a subject at 10+2 or graduation level |
Minimum Marks | At least 60% aggregate or 6.5 CGPA (55% or 6.0 CGPA for SC/ST/PwD candidates) |
Final Year Students | Eligible to apply, but must provide proof of passing before admission |
Please check the eligibility criteria for NIMCET 2026 below -
Educational Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in any discipline with Mathematics/Statistics (Mandatory)/B.E./B.Tech degree from a recognised university.
Minimum Marks:
- OPEN/OPEN-EWS/OBC: 60% aggregate marks or 6.5 CGPA.
- SC/ST/PwD: 55% aggregate marks or 6.0 CGPA.
Final year students are also eligible to apply.
Nationality: Must be an Indian National.
No, you can't. The application form for MAH MCA CET 2026 will only be available online. The MAH MCA CET application form for 2026 will be released tentatively in the first week of January 2026 on the website. Keep checking the website regularly so that you do not miss out on any updates.
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NIMCET 2026 Exam Pattern
| Particulars |
Details |
| Mode of Exam |
Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration |
120 minutes |
| Type of Questions |
MCQs |
| Total Questions |
120 |
| Total Marks |
1000 |
| Sections |
|
NIMCET 2026 Marking Scheme
Below is the marking scheme of NIMCET 2026. It will help the candidates understand how the marks will be awarded for each right answer and deducted for the incorrect ones.
| Subject |
Number of Questions |
Total Marks for Correct Answer |
Marks Deducted for Wrong Answer |
Total Marks |
| Part I (70 minutes) |
||||
| Math |
50 |
12 |
3 |
600 |
| Part 2 (30 minutes) |
||||
| Analytical Ability & Logical Reasoning |
40 |
6 |
1.5 |
240 |
| Part 3 (20 minutes) |
||||
| Computer Awareness |
20 |
6 |
1.5 |
120 |
| English |
10 |
4 |
1 |
40 |
|
|
|
|
Total Marks |
1000 |
NIMCET 2026 Syllabus
Below is the NIMCET section-wise syllabus:
| Section |
Topics Covered |
| Mathematics |
|
| Analytical Ability & Logical Reasoning |
|
| Computer Awareness |
|
| General English |
|
NIMCET 2026 Application Process
Candidates can apply for NIMCET 2026 only through the official website. The process involves:
- Visit nimcet.admissions.nic.in and register using name, email ID, and mobile number.
- Enter personal, academic, and contact details.
- Keep the following documents ready in soft copy:
-
- Passport-size photograph
- Signature in blue/black ink
-
PDF copies of self-attested mark sheets and certificates
-
PDF Aadhaar/PAN/Voter ID/Driving License
- Pay the application fee online
- General/OBC: INR 2,500
- SC/ST/PwD: INR 1,250
- Submit the form, and download and print the application confirmation page.
NIMCET 2026 Important Dates
Below are the tentative dates for NIMCET 2026 -
| Event |
Dates |
| NIMCET 2026 Notification Release |
March 2026 |
| Online Registration Starts in |
March 2026 (second week) |
| Last Date to Apply |
April 2026 (second week) |
| Admit Card Release |
May 2026 (second week) |
| Exam Date |
June 2026 (first/second week) |
| Result Declaration |
June 2026 (last week) |
| Counselling |
July 2026 onwards |
NIMCET 2026 Admit Card
Online mode will facilitate the availability of the NIMCET 2026 admit card on the official website, which can be downloaded by entering the user ID and password. The admit card represents significant information, for instance, the date and time of the exam, venue, and the instructions for the exam. Candidates shall bring a hard copy of the printed admit card along with a valid photo ID to the exam centre.
NIMCET 2026 Results
NIMCET 2026 Results will be announced online. Candidates will be awarded a Rank based on their performance. Rank Card will be required at the time of counselling and admission.
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NIMCET 2026 Counselling
- Application: Apply online
- Choice filling & locking: List institutes in order of preference, and lock choices
- Counselling fee: A non-refundable counselling fee of INR 1000 will be charged
- Seat allotment: Based on rank, choices, and seat availability, institutes will be allotted
- Document verification: Selected candidates must appear at the reporting centre with the required documents for verification
Rashmi Karan is a writer and editor with more than 15 years of exp., focusing on educational content. Her expertise is IT & Software domain. She also creates articles on trending tech like data science,
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
Candidates admission into NIT is based on depending on your All India Rank (AIR); top ranks (under 100) usually NIT Trichy or Warangal which are top NITs. Mid-range ranks (500–1500) get placements in mid-tier NITs like Raipur, Agartala, or Jamshedpur.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
The NIT MCA Common Entrance Test (in short called as NIMCET) is a national-level enteance exam which is conducted to shortlist candidates for admission into Master of Computer Applications (MCA) programs at participating NITs and IIITs. It is conducted once a year and each year, different NIT conduc
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
NIMCET is more difficult as it is national-level exam. Its focus is on high-level Mathematics. On the other hand, MHT CET (for MCA) is state-level and emphasizes speed over complex conceptual depth.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 weeks ago
The NIMCET exam is considered as a moderately difficult entrance test because only about 2% of test-takers secure a seat in top NITs.
L
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
The HBTU NIMCET Cutoff 2024 was released for admission to the MCA course. The cutoff was published for various categories under the All India quota.
For the General AI category, the cutoff was 26 in round 1 and 52 in the last round. Please remember that the cutoff will vary for each category and rou
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes. The cutoff (opening and closing ranks) is released after each round of centralised counselling. Typically, there are three primary rounds followed by a special/spot round if seats remain vacant at participating NITs.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 4 weeks ago
No. You must secure a positive score in Mathematics; there is no other way around. If you score 0 or minus (because of negative marking) you automatically get disqualified from ranking, irrespective of your score in other sections.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 4 weeks ago
Scoring above 360 marks (~700+ weighted marks) is considered excellent and can secure you a rank within the top 100 and study at NIT Trichy or NIT Warangal.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
No. You cannot manually convert CGPA to percentage or vice-versa to qualify. If your university uses a 10-point scale, a 6.5 CGPA is the minimum requirement for General/OBC candidates.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
Here is how you can determine if your NIMCET score is good -
| Score | Possible Rank | What This Means |
|---|---|---|
| 360+ | Top 100 | Excellent: You can likely pick any top NIT you want, like the popular ones in Trichy or Warangal. |
| 300 - 359 | 101 - 500 | Very Good: You have a high chance of getting into a strong NIT. |
| 240 - 299 | 501 - 1500 | Good Goal: You can likely secure a spot in a mid-tier NIT. |
| Below 120 | Low Chances | Difficult: Getting a seat at any NIT is very unlikely with this score. |
R
Contributor-Level 9
Yes. A candidate's NIMCET score will be valid, but the provisional candidature may be cancelled by the institute. For admissions, the candidates are required to fulfil the eligibility criteria as mentioned in the information brochure of NIMCET. Candidates are also advised to contact the authorities regarding their situation and know their admission status and what their next steps should be.