India Education Headlines: NEET UG Deadline, CBSE Exams March 4, 2026

Mar 4, 2026

Published: March 4, 2026

NEET UG 2026 Registration Closes March 8 – Last Four Days For Applications

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is in the final phase of NEET UG 2026 registrations, with the online application window closing on March 8, 2026. As of today, March 4, 2026, medical aspirants have just four days left to submit their forms on the official portal at https://neet.nta.nic.in. The NTA’s public notice and information bulletin confirm that applications can be submitted up to 9:00 PM on March 8, 2026, while the fee payment facility will remain open until 11:50 PM on the same day. NTA – https://neet.nta.nic.in

NEET UG 2026 will be conducted on May 3, 2026 (Sunday) in a single shift from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM across designated centres in India and abroad, as detailed in the official information bulletin released on February 8, 2026. NEET remains the single national-level entrance test for admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other undergraduate medical programmes in approved institutions. The information bulletin and leading education portals highlight that the application correction window will open from March 10 to March 12, 2026, giving candidates a brief chance to rectify select details after the registration deadline.

Key NEET UG 2026 Dates & Action Points

The NEET UG 2026 notification and exam schedule clearly outline the timeline: notification and form release on February 8, 2026; registration from February 8 to March 8, 2026; correction window from March 10 to March 12, 2026; and the examination on May 3, 2026. Students are advised to complete registration well before March 8, 2026 to avoid last‑minute technical issues and to carefully follow NTA’s instructions on photograph, signature and document uploads. Detailed eligibility, fee structures and exam pattern remain available in the official bulletin on https://neet.nta.nic.in and on major portals such as Shiksha and national dailies tracking NEET UG 2026.

CBSE March 3 Board Exams Rescheduled – New Dates For Class 10 and 12

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rescheduled the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations that were originally set for March 3, 2026. As per the official CBSE notice and subsequent coverage by major education outlets, the Class 10 paper scheduled on March 3 will now be conducted on March 11, 2026, while the Class 12 examination that was to be held on March 3 has been shifted to April 10, 2026. CBSE – https://www.cbse.gov.in

For Class 10, the rescheduled examination on March 11, 2026 covers languages and elective subjects such as Tibetan, German, Bhoti, Bodo, Tangkhul, Mizo, Kashmiri, Japanese, Spanish, Bahasa Melayu, National Cadet Corps, and bookkeeping-related papers that were earlier fixed for March 3, 2026. For Class 12, the Legal Studies paper has been moved from March 3, 2026 to April 10, 2026, extending the Class 12 board examination window. CBSE has clarified that all other dates in the 2026 board exam timetable remain unchanged, with Class 10 exams running broadly from February 17 to March 11, 2026 and Class 12 exams from February 17 to April 10, 2026.

What This Means For Students On March 3 and March 4, 2026

Due to this rescheduling, there are no CBSE Class 10 or Class 12 board exams on March 3, 2026, a fact reiterated in national education news updates and CBSE exam coverage. On March 4, 2026, examinations continue as per the revised dates in the admit cards and updated date sheets. Students have been advised by CBSE and leading education portals to carefully re‑check their admit cards, school‑issued schedules and the official date sheet available on https://www.cbse.gov.in and https://cbse.nic.in, particularly for the affected subjects on March 11 and April 10, 2026.

AP POLYCET 2026 Registration Begins – Apply Till April 4, 2026

The Andhra Pradesh Polytechnic Common Entrance Test (AP POLYCET) 2026 registration process began on March 3, 2026, opening a fresh opportunity for students seeking diploma admissions in engineering and non‑engineering streams across polytechnic colleges in the state. The State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET), Andhra Pradesh, has launched the application form on the official portal https://polycetap.ap.gov.in, with major news platforms confirming that the last date to apply is April 4, 2026.

The AP POLYCET 2026 examination is scheduled for April 25, 2026, and will be held in offline, pen‑and‑paper mode. Candidates who have passed Class 10, SSC or an equivalent examination from a recognised board are eligible to apply. Registration can be completed online through https://polycetap.ap.gov.in or via an offline process by downloading and submitting the filled‑in application at notified help centres, as outlined in the official instructions and detailed in national education coverage from March 2, 2026 onwards.

AP POLYCET 2026: Timeline And Next Steps

From March 3 to April 4, 2026, students can complete the AP POLYCET application process, which includes registration, filling personal and academic details, uploading required documents, and paying the examination fee. Education portals tracking AP POLYCET advise applicants to keep a printed copy of the submitted form and payment receipt for future reference, especially for hall ticket download and counselling. As of March 4, 2026, aspirants have a month to prepare for the April 25, 2026 entrance test and should monitor https://polycetap.ap.gov.in for updates on hall ticket release, exam centres and result declarations.

MHT CET 2026: Application Deadline Extended To March 3 For Key Courses

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) has extended the last date for submission of online application forms for certain MHT CET 2026 programmes, including Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed), LLB (3‑Year), and the integrated B.Ed‑M.Ed (3‑Year) course. According to the latest notification and coverage on February 28, 2026, candidates can now apply for these specific CETs until March 3, 2026 at the official website https://cetcell.mahacet.org.

The extension has been granted in continuation of an earlier notice issued on February 10, 2026, after aspirants requested additional time to complete the registration process. CET Cell has clearly stated that no further extension will be provided beyond March 3, 2026 for these courses, making yesterday, March 3, 2026, the final cut‑off for fresh applications. For other healthcare‑related entrance tests, including MH Nursing CET 2026 and MH DPN/PHN CET 2026, the application deadline has been extended to March 16, 2026, with indicative exam dates in early May 2026.

MHT CET 2026: Courses And Candidates Affected

The revised schedule affects candidates seeking admission to B.P.Ed, LLB (3‑Year) and B.Ed‑M.Ed (Three‑Year Integrated Course) for the academic year 2026–27. Education portals such as Careers360 and major Hindi dailies reiterate that candidates must read the detailed information brochure for each course and regularly check https://cetcell.mahacet.org for specific CET dates, exam patterns and hall ticket announcements. For students reviewing options on March 4, 2026, this extension primarily impacts those who submitted applications by yesterday’s final deadline, while others should now focus on preparing for the April and May 2026 CET examinations.

Delhi Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Admissions 2026–27 Open From March 2 To March 16

Entry‑level admissions for Nursery, KG and Class 1 in Delhi government Sarvodaya Vidyalayas for the 2026–27 academic session have opened from March 2, 2026. The Directorate of Education (DoE), Government of NCT of Delhi, has issued detailed guidelines specifying that application forms will be issued and accepted at Sarvodaya Vidyalayas on working days from March 2 to March 16, 2026.

Parents and guardians must collect and submit the forms directly at their chosen Sarvodaya Vidyalaya. Timings for issuing forms are 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM in morning/general shift schools and 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM in evening shift schools, as noted in official‑based coverage by national outlets. Admissions are open only to children who are residents of Delhi, with priority given to those living within one kilometre of the school; if seats remain vacant, applicants within a three‑kilometre radius will be considered.

Age Criteria, Lottery And Admission Timeline

For the 2026–27 session, the child’s age as on March 31, 2026 must be 3–4 years for Nursery, 4–5 years for KG, and 5–6 years for Class 1, with limited relaxation of up to 30 days permitted in special cases as per DoE norms. If applications exceed available seats, selection will be conducted through a draw of lots (lottery) on March 20, 2026, with the list of selected students expected on March 23, 2026. All selected students must complete admission formalities by April 2, 2026, while those on the waiting list may be accommodated between April 4 and April 7, 2026, subject to seat availability. Parents are required to produce proof of residence in Delhi, the child’s birth certificate and relevant category certificates, in line with DoE instructions and national‑level coverage by NDTV, Business Standard and Times of India.

Tamil Nadu Class 12 Board Exams 2026 Underway From March 2 To March 26

The Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary (Class 12) board examinations for the 2025–26 academic year commenced on March 2, 2026 and will continue until March 26, 2026. The Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu, is conducting the exams in a single daily session from 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM across thousands of centres, with national media reporting that over 8.27 lakh students are appearing this year.

Practical examinations for TN Class 12 were held earlier from February 9 to February 14, 2026, according to the official timetable hosted on https://dge.tn.gov.in and education portals such as Shiksha and Careers360. The theory timetable confirms that major papers, including language, English, Physics, Chemistry, Commerce, and various stream‑specific subjects, are distributed across the period from March 2 to March 26, 2026, helping students manage preparation gaps between core subjects. NDTV’s education section notes that the state has implemented extensive logistical and security measures for the smooth conduct of these examinations.

TN Class 10 (SSLC) Exams And Result Timeline

In addition to the ongoing Class 12 exams, reports indicate that the Tamil Nadu SSLC (Class 10) board examinations are scheduled from March 11 to April 6, 2026, reinforcing March as a critical exam period for school students in the state. As per Shiksha’s TN 12th board exam page, the TN Class 12 result 2026 is tentatively expected by early May 2026, with some portals citing May 8, 2026 as a likely announcement date, though candidates are advised to rely on https://dge.tn.gov.in for final confirmation. On March 4, 2026, Tamil Nadu Class 12 candidates are in the early stages of this three‑week examination window and must track their subject‑wise dates carefully through the official timetable and hall tickets.

Centre Targets Fourfold Rise In Foreign Students By 2030 Under ‘Study In India’

Alongside exam and admission updates, a key policy announcement this week concerns India’s internationalisation push in higher education. On March 3, 2026, officials from the Ministry of Education stated that the Centre aims to increase the annual intake of foreign students in Indian higher education institutions to around 200,000 by 2030, up from the current level of approximately 50,000 international students per year. This goal aligns with the government’s ‘Study in India’ initiative and new regulations allowing Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) to set up campuses in India.

Media reports quoting the Education Ministry and allied agencies highlight that the government is working with central and state universities to expand hostel capacity and campus infrastructure so that more international students can be accommodated without compromising quality or student support. The University Grants Commission’s framework for foreign campuses and the approvals already granted to several international universities support this wider objective of making India a regional education hub.

Implications For Indian And International Students

According to Business Standard and other national outlets, the target of 200,000 foreign students by 2030 effectively seeks to quadruple the current intake and will be backed by enhanced outreach, streamlined processes and joint programmes with reputed overseas universities. For Indian students, the growth of foreign campuses and global collaborations within India is expected to bring more international‑quality programmes locally, while for overseas students, it could provide additional, cost‑effective study options in India’s expanding higher education ecosystem. As of March 4, 2026, stakeholders are awaiting further operational guidelines, but the direction of policy is clearly towards deeper global integration of Indian campuses.