Exam guide
Anandi-NEAT 2026, explained
What the exam is, who can sit it, and every date that matters.
What it is
The Anandi-NEAT (Nationwide Entrepreneurial Acumen Test) is the entrance test for the Anandi Fellowship; an initiative of Bombay Shaving Company that selects 10 school/early-college students each year and backs them through college with scholarships, startup internships, a ₹25 LPA Entrepreneur-in-Residence offer, and a ₹1 Cr no-questions-asked seed cheque if they found a company before 27.
December 2026 is the first ever sitting. There are no past papers and no established coaching material; which is exactly why this free practice bank exists.
Format & sections
A 2-hour pen-and-paper test; multiple-choice and subjective questions; across five sections:
Who can sit
- Students in grades 11 and 12, and first-year undergraduates.
- ₹199 registration fee (non-refundable).
- One registration per candidate; phone number is your ID, verified by OTP.
- No startup, prototype, revenue or prior experience needed.
The 2026–27 timeline
Test cities: Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata. Dates per the official bulletin; always confirm on the official site.
What Fellows get
- ₹1 LPAAnnual scholarship, every year of college
- ₹2L/summerPit-Stop Internships at top startups & VCs
- ₹25 LPAPPO as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Bombay Shaving Co.
- ₹1 CrSeed investment for 10%; if you found a company before 27
Frequently asked questions
Who can sit for the Anandi-NEAT?
Students in grades 11 and 12, and first-year undergraduates. The registration fee is ₹199, registration is via the official site with phone OTP verification, and there is one registration per candidate.
What is the Anandi-NEAT exam pattern?
A 2-hour pen-and-paper test with both multiple-choice and subjective questions, across five sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Logic & Inferencing, Data Interpretation & Verbal Reasoning, General Awareness, and Business Judgement.
When and where is Anandi-NEAT 2026 held?
The exam is in the first week of December 2026, held offline in seven cities: Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Registration closes 15 October 2026.
Are there previous-year papers for Anandi-NEAT?
No; December 2026 is the first ever sitting, so no past papers exist. The closest practice material is built from analogous exams: IPMAT for format and quant level, XAT Decision Making for business judgement, CAT for difficulty ceiling, and NTSE MAT for same-age logic.
Does the exam clash with board exams?
No; per the official bulletin, the schedule was designed around board exams and other competitive exams deliberately.
Do I need to already be an entrepreneur to be selected?
No prior startup experience is required. The fellowship selects for entrepreneurial acumen; judgement, grit and aptitude; not an existing company.
What happens after the exam?
The top 50 rankers are invited to a 3-day Grit Bootcamp in Gurgaon (7–9 May 2027, expenses paid) with group discussions, interviews, case competitions and simulations. Ten Fellows are selected from it.
Start practising
Work the five sections topic by topic; free and open.