100 Most Important Competitive Exams in India (Complete List)

India conducts hundreds of competitive exams every year across central government services, banking, railways, defence, teaching, judiciary, and state public service commissions. This list organizes 100 of the most important and widely attempted competitive exams by category, so you can quickly find the ones relevant to your qualification and career goals.

Editorial Note: This list is reviewed periodically to reflect major competitive examinations conducted by central and state recruiting authorities. Recruitment patterns, eligibility, and exam names may change over time, so always refer to the latest official notification.

Who Should Read This?

Students and graduates exploring their competitive exam options who want a single, categorized reference instead of searching for each exam separately.

How This List Is Organized

The 100 exams below are grouped into 11 categories: Civil Services (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Banking, Insurance, Railways, Defence, Judicial Services, Teaching, State Public Service Commissions, Major PSU & Regulatory Recruitment, and Police.

Categories at a Glance

Exams by Qualification

Many aspirants search by what they’re already eligible for rather than by category. Here’s a rough starting point — always confirm exact eligibility on the official notification, since it can vary by post and year.

After 10th

• RRB Group D (eligible posts)
• State Police Constable (where applicable)
• Agniveer entries (subject to notification)
• Other 10th-pass recruitments

After 12th

• SSC CHSL
• NDA
• RRB NTPC (12th-level posts)
• SSC GD
• State Police

After Graduation

• UPSC Civil Services
• SSC CGL
• IBPS PO
• SBI PO
• RBI Grade B
• State PSC
• CDS
• AFCAT

1. Civil Services (UPSC) — Exams 1-10

1. Civil Services Examination (IAS, IPS, IFS and allied services)
2. Indian Forest Service Examination (IFoS)
3. Engineering Services Examination (ESE/IES)
4. Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS)
5. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA/NA)
6. Central Armed Police Forces Examination (CAPF AC)
7. Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS)
8. Combined Geo-Scientist Examination
9. Indian Economic Service / Indian Statistical Service Examination
10. EPFO Enforcement Officer / Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Examination

Read our UPSC and top government exams guide · Explore Civil Services mock tests

2. Staff Selection Commission (SSC) — Exams 11-20

11. SSC Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGL)
12. SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (CHSL)
13. SSC Multi-Tasking Staff Examination (MTS)
14. SSC General Duty Constable Examination (GD)
15. SSC Junior Engineer Examination (JE)
16. SSC Central Police Organization Examination (CPO/SI)
17. SSC Stenographer Grade C & D Examination
18. SSC Junior Hindi Translator Examination (JHT)
19. SSC Selection Post Examination (Phase-wise)
20. SSC Scientific Assistant Examination

Check upcoming SSC exam dates · Browse mock tests

3. Banking — Exams 21-35

21. IBPS Probationary Officer (PO) Examination
22. IBPS Clerk (CSA) Examination
23. IBPS Specialist Officer (SO) Examination
24. IBPS RRB Officer Scale I, II, III Examination
25. IBPS RRB Office Assistant (Clerk) Examination
26. SBI Probationary Officer (PO) Examination
27. SBI Junior Associate (Clerk) Examination
28. SBI Specialist Cadre Officer Examination
29. RBI Grade B Officer Examination
30. RBI Assistant Examination
31. NABARD Grade A & B Examination
32. SIDBI Grade A Officer Examination
33. National Housing Bank (NHB) Officer Examination
34. Cooperative Bank Recruitment Examinations
35. Regional Rural Bank Officer/Clerk Direct Recruitment Examinations

Note: there is no single national cooperative bank exam — cooperative bank recruitment varies by state and institution, so check the specific state cooperative bank’s notification.

IBPS PO mock tests · SBI PO mock tests · RBI Grade B mock tests · IBPS RRB mock tests · Full Banking category

4. Insurance — Exams 36-43

36. LIC Assistant Administrative Officer Examination (AAO)
37. LIC Apprentice Development Officer Examination (ADO)
38. LIC Assistant Examination
39. NIACL Administrative Officer Examination (AO)
40. NIACL Assistant Examination
41. New India Assurance Administrative Officer Examination
42. Oriental Insurance Company Administrative Officer Examination
43. United India Insurance (UIIC) Recruitment Examination

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5. Railways — Exams 44-51

44. RRB Non-Technical Popular Categories Examination (NTPC)
45. RRB Group D Examination
46. RRB Junior Engineer Examination (JE)
47. RRB Assistant Loco Pilot Examination (ALP)
48. Recruitment for Ticket Collector / Commercial Apprentice posts (RRB)
49. Railway Protection Force Constable Examination (RPF)
50. Railway Protection Force Sub-Inspector Examination (RPF SI)
51. Metro Rail Corporation Recruitment Examinations (Delhi Metro, Mumbai Metro, and others)

Check RRB NTPC and railway exam dates · Browse mock tests

6. Defence — Exams 52-61

52. Indian Army Agniveer General Duty & Technical Entry
53. Indian Army Officer Entry (NDA, CDS, TES, TGC)
54. Indian Navy Agniveer (SSR/MR) Examination
55. Indian Navy Officer Entry (INET)
56. Indian Air Force Agniveer Vayu (X & Y Group) Examination
57. Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)
58. Territorial Army Officer Examination
59. Judge Advocate General Entry Examination (JAG)
60. Military Nursing Service Examination
61. Indian Coast Guard Navik & Yantrik Examination

Defence exam mock tests

7. Judicial Services — Exams 62-66

62. State Judicial Services Examination (PCS-J / Civil Judge)
63. Delhi Judicial Service Examination
64. District Judge (Direct Recruitment) Examination
65. High Court Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant Examination
66. State Public Prosecutor Recruitment Examination

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8. Teaching — Exams 67-74

67. Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET)
68. State Teacher Eligibility Tests (UP TET, AP TET, TG TET, and others)
69. UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) for Assistant Professor/JRF
70. Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Teacher Recruitment Examination (KVS)
71. Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti Teacher Recruitment Examination (NVS)
72. Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board Teacher Examination (DSSSB)
73. State Public School Teacher Recruitment Examinations (District Selection Committee / DSC)
74. Super TET / State Primary Teacher Recruitment Examination

Check CTET exam dates · Browse mock tests

9. State Public Service Commissions — Exams 75-89

75. Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission Group 1 Examination (APPSC)
76. Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission Group 2 Examination
77. Telangana State Public Service Commission Group 1 Examination (TSPSC)
78. Telangana State Public Service Commission Group 2 Examination
79. Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Combined State/Upper Subordinate Examination (UPPSC)
80. Bihar Public Service Commission Combined Competitive Examination (BPSC)
81. Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission State Service Examination (MPPSC)
82. Rajasthan Public Service Commission Combined Competitive Examination (RPSC)
83. Maharashtra Public Service Commission State Service Examination (MPSC)
84. West Bengal Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination (WBPSC/WBCS)
85. Karnataka Public Service Commission Gazetted Probationers Examination (KPSC)
86. Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission Combined Civil Services Examination (TNPSC)
87. Gujarat Public Service Commission Class 1-2 Examination (GPSC)
88. Haryana Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination (HPSC/HCS)
89. Punjab Public Service Commission Combined Competitive Examination (PPSC)

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10. Major PSU & Regulatory Recruitment — Exams 90-97

Note: several entries in this category are recruitment routes rather than fixed annual written examinations — recruitment may happen through GATE scores, CBTs, interviews, or other selection methods depending on the specific notification.

90. Securities and Exchange Board of India Grade A Examination (SEBI)
91. ONGC Graduate Trainee Recruitment
92. NTPC Executive Trainee Recruitment
93. BHEL Engineer Trainee Recruitment
94. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Recruitment
95. GAIL India Executive Trainee Recruitment
96. ISRO Scientist/Engineer Recruitment Examination
97. DRDO CEPTAM Recruitment Examination

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11. Police — Exams 98-100

98. State Police Constable Recruitment Examination
99. State Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment Examination (SI)
100. Delhi Police Constable & Head Constable Examination

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Popular Competitive Exams in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana

Since many Southwide aspirants are preparing for state-level exams in AP and Telangana, here are the most commonly attempted ones from the list above:

• APPSC (Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission) — Group 1, Group 2
• TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission) — Group 1, Group 2
• AP Police Constable & SI recruitment
• Telangana Police Constable & SI recruitment
• DSC (District Selection Committee) teacher recruitment
• AP TET / TG TET

How to Choose From This List

With 100 options, most aspirants narrow down based on three factors: your educational qualification (10th, 12th, graduate, or postgraduate), your interest area (administrative, technical, defence, teaching, or judicial), and how much time you have before your target exam window.

Not Sure Which Exam to Choose?

Start by asking yourself:

• What’s my qualification?
• Do I want a central or state government job?
• Administrative or technical role?
• Office or field work?
• How much preparation time do I have?

Your answers to these five questions will typically narrow 100 options down to a handful worth researching in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which exam is best for someone who just graduated?

It depends on your interests and stream, but SSC CGL, IBPS PO, and UPSC Civil Services are among the most commonly attempted first exams for fresh graduates due to their broad eligibility and wide range of posts.

Can I prepare for multiple exams from this list at once?

Yes. Many exams on this list share overlapping syllabi (especially reasoning, quantitative aptitude, and general awareness), making it practical to prepare for 2-3 related exams simultaneously.

Are all these exams open to candidates from any state?

Central government exams (UPSC, SSC, IBPS, Railways, Defence) are open nationwide. State Public Service Commission exams are generally restricted to, or give preference to, domicile candidates of that state, though eligibility differs by state and post — check the specific official notification.

How do I stay updated on notification dates for these exams?

See our Government Exam Calendar 2026 article for upcoming notification and exam windows across most major categories on this list.

Which competitive exam has the highest salary?

UPSC Civil Services, RBI Grade B, and PSU management trainee roles are generally among the higher-paying government options, though total compensation depends on posting, allowances, and seniority.

Which exam is easiest after graduation?

“Easiest” varies by individual strengths, but SSC CHSL and SSC MTS tend to have a comparatively less competitive syllabus than exams like UPSC Civil Services or IBPS PO, since they target lower eligibility tiers.

Which exams have no interview?

Several exams, including SSC CGL for many posts, IBPS PO/Clerk (currently), and most RRB exams, are selected primarily through written stages without a separate personal interview. Always confirm the current selection process on the official notification, since this changes periodically.

Which exams are best for engineers?

Engineering graduates often target SSC JE, RRB JE, ESE/IES, PSU recruitment (ONGC, NTPC, BHEL, GAIL), ISRO, and DRDO, several of which use GATE scores as part of the selection process.

Which exams are best after B.Com?

IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI PO/Clerk, RBI Grade B/Assistant, SSC CGL, and insurance sector exams (LIC AAO, NIACL AO) are commonly pursued by B.Com graduates given the commerce and finance overlap.

Which exams are best after BA?

UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL, state PSC exams, and teaching exams (CTET, state TETs, if paired with a B.Ed) are commonly pursued by BA graduates, since most of these have broad “any graduate” eligibility.

Which exams are best after B.Sc?

SSC CGL, SSC JE (for relevant streams), banking exams, ISRO/DRDO technical recruitment, and state PSC exams are common paths, with the specific stream (physics, chemistry, computer science, etc.) sometimes opening additional technical posts.

Which exams are conducted every year?

UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, and CTET are generally conducted annually, though exact cycles and vacancy numbers vary by year — always confirm on the official notification.

Ready to Start?

Now that you’ve shortlisted your exam:

• Learn the syllabus
• Understand the exam pattern
• Take a diagnostic mock test
• Track your progress

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