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The growing intensity of academic competition within contemporary educational systems has significantly increased psychological pressure among students, particularly those preparing for high-stakes entrance examinations. In the Indian educational context, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is widely recognized as one of the most challenging and competitive examinations, serving as a gateway to prestigious engineering institutions. The preparation process for the JEE examination is typically characterized by rigorous academic schedules, extensive study hours, frequent assessments, and heightened expectations from parents, teachers, and society. Such sustained academic demands may contribute to elevated levels of academic stress, which, when persistent, can adversely influence students' emotional well-being, cognitive functioning, and academic performance. Academic stress is conceptualized within Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress as a psychological response resulting from individuals' cognitive appraisal of environmental demands and their perceived coping resources. According to this framework, stress arises when individuals perceive situational demands as exceeding their ability to cope effectively. In highly competitive academic environments, students may appraise academic tasks, examinations, and performance expectations as threatening or overwhelming, thereby eliciting stress responses. Prolonged academic stress has been associated with a range of maladaptive outcomes, including emotional distress, reduced motivation, impaired concentration, and anxiety-related conditions. Among these outcomes, test anxiety is particularly salient in educational settings. Test anxiety refers to a set of cognitive, emotional, and physiological reactions experienced in evaluative situations, especially examinations. Test anxiety theory posits that excessive worry, intrusive thoughts, and heightened physiological arousal can interfere with attention, working memory, and information processing efficiency, ultimately impairing academic performance. Students experiencing high test anxiety often report difficulties in recall, concentration, and problem-solving during examinations, which may further exacerbate stress and diminish academic confidence. Given the high-stakes nature of the JEE examination, understanding the relationship between academic stress and test anxiety is essential for identifying psychological risk factors and promoting student well-being. The present study aimed to assess the levels of academic stress and test anxiety among students preparing for the JEE examination and to examine the relationship between these variables. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted to explore the association between academic stress and test anxiety without manipulating the study variables. The sample comprised 120 JEE aspirants aged between 16 and 19 years, selected using convenience sampling from selected schools and coaching centres. Data were collected using the Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents (ESSA), which measures multiple dimensions of academic stress, and the Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), which assesses cognitive and emotional components of examination anxiety. Statistical analyses included mean, standard deviation, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, and independent samples t-test. The findings revealed that students preparing for the JEE examination experienced moderate to high levels of academic stress and test anxiety. A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between academic stress and test anxiety, indicating that higher levels of academic stress were associated with increased test anxiety. These results are consistent with theoretical perspectives suggesting that excessive academic demands may heighten anxiety responses in evaluative contexts. The study underscores the psychological impact of competitive academic environments and highlights the need for educational institutions to integrate stress management strategies, psychological support services, and mental health awareness programs. The findings have important implications for educators, parents, and mental health professionals in fostering supportive learning environments that promote both academic success and psychological well-being.