INI-CET January 2027: registration for 815 AIIMS, PGIMER seats closes October 13

Registration for the January 2027 session of INI-CET, the entrance test for postgraduate medical and dental courses at AIIMS and three other national institutes, closes at 5 pm on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. The online application window, run by AIIMS New Delhi, opened on 16 September 2026. The computer-based exam is scheduled for Sunday, 1 November 2026, and the result is expected on 7 November. The test fills about 815 MD, MS, MDS, DM and MCh seats across eight AIIMS institutes, JIPMER Puducherry, PGIMER Chandigarh and NIMHANS Bengaluru.

INI-CET is separate from NEET-PG, the national exam that fills most postgraduate medical seats in the country. The institutes it covers, the AIIMS group, JIPMER, PGIMER and NIMHANS, are among the most sought-after places in India to train as a specialist. Seats are few compared with the number of applicants, so each session is highly competitive. Because the exam runs twice a year, January and July sessions, a missed deadline means waiting about six months for the next chance.

The timing this year is tight. NEET-PG counselling for 2026 has just started its first round, so many doctors are juggling choice-filling for NEET-PG seats with preparation for INI-CET. Candidates who are still undecided should register before the deadline even if they are unsure whether they will take the seat; registration keeps the option open, while missing it closes the door until the next session.

The short gap between the exam on 1 November and the expected result on 7 November also means admissions move quickly. Candidates should keep their documents ready for counselling, including internship completion and registration certificates, and check the official portal for the seat matrix and any institute-specific rules.

For young doctors, the choice between INI-CET and NEET-PG seats is also a career decision. Training at a national institute offers high patient volumes, research exposure and strong peer networks, but competition for the few seats is fierce. Many aspirants appear in both exams to widen their options.

Short-term: MBBS and BDS graduates who have not yet applied have until 5 pm on 13 October to register; after that the window shuts for this session.

Long-term: The roughly 815 seats filled through this session will shape the next batch of specialists trained at India's premier medical institutes.

Who is affected: MBBS and BDS graduates seeking postgraduate seats, coaching institutes, and the AIIMS group, JIPMER, PGIMER and NIMHANS, which admit through this exam.

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