Providing a welcome relief to Class XII students sitting for their board exams, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the registration deadline for the National Common Entrance Test (NCET) 2025. The move is intended to give prospective candidates more time to fill in their applications for the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) for the academic year 2025-26.

Earlier, the deadline for registration was March 16, but now students can apply up to March 31, 2025. The application window will be open until 9 PM on the final day, while the window for paying the fee will be open until 11:50 PM. This relaxation will enable more students to fill out their applications without the burden of doing it along with their board exams.

Application is done online from the official website of NTA’s NCET portal. The candidate has to first register on the website by giving personal information, and then he can log in to fill the application form. Next, one has to upload the scanned documents as specified, give the application fee through the online payment gateway, and submit the form last. After submitting, applicants are notified to download the confirmation page to refer to it later.

The NCET 2025 is to be held on April 29 in numerous central and state institutions, including elite colleges like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs), in addition to government colleges. The Integrated Teacher Education Programme of NCET will provide for a dual-major format under which students can specialize in Education as well as a subject-specific discipline.

According to the test pattern, NCET will be an online test with multiple-choice questions. The test will be conducted in 13 languages, namely Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. This multi-language strategy allows candidates belonging to different linguistic backgrounds to attempt the test in a language they are familiar with.

One of the most important aspects of the test is the domain subject section, which will be strictly based on the Class XII syllabus. This way, students who will be appearing for NCET will be tested on the concepts they have already learned, and thus it will be a just evaluation process. The test will aim to test candidates’ aptitude and subject matter knowledge, which will be vital for their selection to the four-year teacher education programme.

With careers in teaching becoming more prominent and the need for skilled teachers growing, the Integrated Teacher Education Programme offers a valuable chance for future teachers. The four-year format aids in simplifying the learning process by combining pedagogical training with subject knowledge from the start of the undergraduate education process.

Those students who are interested in applying for NCET 2025 are advised to finish their registration at least a few days prior to the deadline to prevent last-minute complications. Technical problems, high website traffic, or incomplete documents may lead to delays, and waiting until the last few hours may enhance the chances of missing the application deadline. Candidates are also advised to visit the official website frequently for any further announcements or updates on the examination process.

With this extension, NTA aims to accommodate a larger number of applicants, ensuring that no eligible candidate misses the opportunity due to ongoing board exams. As the April 29 exam date approaches, students should focus on preparing thoroughly, revising their Class XII syllabus, and familiarizing themselves with the exam pattern.

For further details and updates, candidates can visit the official NCET website.