What is NEST question paper pattern?

The NEST question paper is divided into four sections. The questions are based on Class 11 & 12 Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Each section has 20 questions. Every question carries 3 marks. Negative marking is done for wrong answers.

What is the total duration of the NEST exam?

The total duration of the NEST exam is three hours. The timing of the exam is from 2 PM to 5 PM. Candidates belonging to the PWD category will be given compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour as per the Government of India guidelines. Test takers will not be allowed to leave the centre before 4 PM for medical reasons. Entry will not be allowed after 3 PM. Students have to attempt at least three sections in the exam.

What is the procedure to allot NEST Exam Centres?

The test centres of NEST exam are allotted based on the number of applicants opting for a particular test. It is to be noted that the NEST committee reserves the right to cancel or add any of the test cities without prior notice to applicants. The final allocation of NEST Test Centres is mentioned on the admit card. Applicants can not make any request to change the address or venue in it once it is decided.

Which book is best for NEST Exam?

While preparing for the test, books play an important role. NEST exam is based on class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry, Math and Biology. Focusing in the Class 11 & 12 textbook will help to cover the majority of the topics. Also, we have mentioned here few best books for the NEST exam. Subject Books and Author Name Physics Concepts of Physics by H. C. Verma Problems in Physics by A. A Pinsky Practice Problems in Physics for Engineering and Medical Entrance Examination by S. Mishra Chemistry IIT Chemistry by O. P. Agarwal NCERT Text Book Entrance Chemistry by Bhakta Mathematics Plane Trigonometry by S. L Loney Higher Algebra by Hall and Knight Problems in Calculus of One Variable I. A Maron Biology Objective Biology by S. Biswas and A. Biswas Biology by SC Verma Botany by AC Dutta NCERT textbook

Is Biology compulsory for NEST exam?

For entrance exam since marks from three section are considered hence it can be said that it not compulsory. In the NEST exam your marks will be considered from any of 3 subjects out of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. but if you know basics it will help you to secure marks and for further study during campus classes. In first year after joining NISER you would be taught basic biology. In fact many students who did not have biology in class 12 and did fairly well in the biology exams during first year.

How many exam cities can be chosen while filling the NEST 2026 application form?

NEST 2026 exam was conducted in 387 cities across India. Applicants had to select three cities in order of preference. Every effort is made to allot the centre of first preference. The final decision lies with the authorities. The exam conducting authorities released the NEST 2026 admit card on May 18, 2026.

How do I prepare for NEST exam in 2 months?

The NEST entrance exam is one of the toughest exams among all the science entrance exams according to the previous years' exam analysis. Candidates should invest a minimum of six months of NEST Preparation to score well in the NEST exam. However, if the candidate preparation strategy is really good then 2 to 3 months would be sufficient.

What are the dates for NEST 2026 Examination?

NEST exam date 2026 was June 6. The exam was conducted online at various test cities. To appear for the entrance exam, apply online. NEST application portal was active from January 5 to April 8, 2026.

Can a PCB student give a NEST Exam?

Yes, PCB students can give the NEST exam. The National Entrance Screening Test is designed for both BiPC and MPC students. The question papers are based on Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology of Class 11 & 12. The NEST syllabus is based on the CBSE curriculum (2025-26).

What is the pattern of NEST exam? Will it be MCQ based?

The question paper consists of 4 (four) sections of objective (MCQ) type questions. Each section is of 60 marks and will contain subject-specific questions from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. Each section has 20 questions, with exactly one correct answer. Each question carries 3 marks; choosing an incorrect answer will lead to a deduction of 1 mark, and no marks are deducted for not answering a question. It is in the interest of the candidate to attempt all sections.

What is good score in NEST exam?

For each section, "20% of the average of the best 100 scores in that section" will be considered as the section–wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS). For example, if the average of the best 100 scores in the Chemistry section is 43 out of 50, then SMAS for the Chemistry section would be 43*0.20 = 8.6 marks. It will be same for other section too. SMAS for the two sessions, for any particular section, can be of different numerical values. The value of SMAS will be different for different category students i.e if it 100 for General candidates then it will be 90 for OBC and 50 for SC/ST and Divyangjan applicants.

Is solving NEST previous year question paper worthy?

Yes, students who want to appear in NEST 2024 exam must solve the NEST previous year question book which will help them in a better way. By checking the questions, Students can compose their strategy and accordingly they can increase their chances of qualifying the exam.

How can I attempt NEST mock test free?

The exam authority releases the NEST mock test several days before the exam. The purpose of the mock tests is to make students familiar with the computer-based test. Also, students get the feel of an actual exam, and they can evaluate their performance.

What is SMAS in NEST result?

SMAS is used frequently in preparing the result of NEST exam. The full-form of SMAS is the Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score. It is the cut off marks which applicants need to secure for each section of NEST paper. Since there are different category candidates who appear in the exam hence they have seperate SMAS.

How do I prepare for NEST mock test?

Read the following points to understand the ways to prepare for the mock test. Make important points and mark important topics in your revision notes. Ensure you get some leisure time along with studying to avoid stress. Make a revision schedule. Practise previous year's question papers. Be aware of the marking criteria.

What is a good score in NEST?

A good score in NEST is considered to be 150+ marks. However, NEST safe score varies for each categories. To secure admission to the top programs offered at NISER and UM-DAE CEBS candidates belonging to GEN category must obtain 150+ marks, while SC/ST need to obatin 90+ marks.

Is NEST conducted twice a year?

No, NEST exam is conducted once a year. NEST 2026 exam was conducted on June 6, 2026. The exam timing was 2 PM to 5 PM.

Is there an age limit for NEST?

No, there is no age limit to appear for the NEST exam. Candidates planning to appear for the exam must fulfil the other eligibility criteria in terms of clearing the Class 12 Board exam in the Science stream with the category-wise minimum aggregate percentage.

What is NEST mock test?

The NEST mock test is a replica of the computer-based test. The exam authority releases the NEST mock test several days before the exam. Students can attempt the mock test for self-assessment. It will also help in improving time management.

What documents will be valid as photo ID for NEST exam?

Candidates have to carry any one of the following documents will be considered as valid for appearing in the NEST 2026 examination: Passport Aadhaar Card or Enrolment slip Voter ID Driver's License PAN Card If any student does not have any of these ID cards then they must bring their admit card of class 12 board exam in the examination hall.

NEST 2026 Exam Dates: Exam Date (June 6), Result (OUT), & Other Dates

Updated on Jun 25, 2026 15:35 IST

By Vikash Kumar Vishwakarma

NEST 2026 Exam Date: NISER and CEBS conducted NEST exam on June 6, 2026. The exam was conducted as computer based test. NEST exam timing was from 2 PM to 5 PM.

The authority declared NEST result on June 24.
NEST scorecard release date was June 25.

Candidates can check NEST counselling dates on this page after the official release. Check the page for the schedule of events like NEST exam 2026, answer key, result, and counselling.

Table of contents

NEST 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
NEST 2026 Result Date
NEST 2026 Admit Card Date
NEST 2026 Mock Test Date
NEST 2026 Exam Date
NEST 2026 Answer Key Date
NEST 2026 Counselling Date
NEST 2026 Application Form Date
FAQs on NEST 2026 Important Dates

NEST 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of NEST 2026 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
Jul ' 26 - Sep ' 26	NEST NISER 2026 Counselling TENTATIVE

Dates	Past Exam Dates
25 Jun ' 26	NEST 2026 Scorecard
24 Jun ' 26	NEST 2026 Exam Result
10 Jun ' 26 - 12 Jun ' 26	NEST 2026 Answer Key Objection
View More Past Events (7)

NEST 2026 Result Date

NEST result date 2026 is available online. Candidates can check the result through NEST login portal. They must keep the login credentials handy to check their result. The authority released NEST score card for the qualifying candidates on June 25. The following details will be mentioned in the scorecard.

Candidate Name
Roll Number
General Section Score
Subject-wise Scores
Total Score
Percentile Score
Merit Rank
Overall Performance Details

NEST 2026 Admit Card Date

NEST hall ticket 2026 was released on June 6. The link to download the NEST hall ticket was updated online. Candidates must use their NEST login details to access the admit card. After downloading the admit card, check all the printed details on it. If any error is available, then contact the examination authority immediately.

NEST 2026 Mock Test Date

The authority had released the NEST mock test on April 14, 2026. The mock test link is updated on the website, nestexam.in. The mock test is a replica of the actual exam. The authority prepares the mock test questions based on the exam syllabus and pattern. Solving the NEST mock test paper helps to get familiar with the online exam interface.

Also Read: NEST 2026 marks vs rank

NEST 2026 Exam Date

The authority had conducted the NEST 2026 exam on June 6. The computer-based test had 80 objective-type multiple-choice questions from Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Candidates have to attempt at least three sections. Each question has four answer options. Out of these, candidates can select only one. Marks per question are four. One mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.

NEST 2026 exam timing

The exam timing is available online. The authority will conduct the exam for three hours. An extra 20 minutes per hour is given to the PwD candidates. Check the table for NEST exam timing 2026.

Event	Exam timings	Reporting timings
NEST 2026 Entrance Exam	2 PM to 5 PM	By 1 PM

Test-takers were allowed to enter the exam hall after 3 PM, which is an hour after the test begins. On the other hand, they will not be allowed to leave the centre before 4 PM, unless it becomes necessary on medical grounds.

The exact schedule and instructions regarding the NEST 2026 exam day timing were mentioned on the admit card, which must be followed by test-takers to avoid inconveniences on the exam day. Students must take their designated seats at the exam hall within the said time. They should leave the centre only after the invigilator permits them. They should take bio breaks before the exam starts to avoid leaving during the exam.

NEST 2026 Answer Key Date

NEST answer key was released on June 8. Candidates can download the answer key pdf online. The answer key consists of correct options against the questions asked in the NEST exam. Candidates can use the NEST answer key to cross-check their answers and calculate the probable marks. Moreover, the objection portal was active from June 10 to 12, 2026.

Also Read: NEST 2026 response sheet

NEST 2026 Counselling Date

Qualifying candidates will be eligible to participate in the NEST counselling process. Both the participating institutes will conduct the process separately. The total duration of the counselling is likely to be three to four months. The number of rounds will depend on the number of unoccupied seats.

NEST 2026 Application Form Date

NEST application form 2026 was released on January 5, 2026. The link to fill the application form was available online at nestexam.in. Candidates had to apply for 5-year Integrated MSc programme before the last date. NEST application process are registration, form filling, uploading documents and payment of application fees. Candidates had to check the NEST eligibility criteria before applying online. Below are the process to fill out the application form of NEST 2026.

Go to the website - nestexam.in
Click on the tab Register Now.
Fill up the mandatory fields.
Generate Username and Password.
Log in with the registration details.
Fill the form and upload documents.
Pay the application fee through Credit or Debit Card, Net Banking or UPI.
Download and print the confirmation page.

NEST 2026 Application Fee

The application fee for NEST 2026 is mentioned below.

Category	Fees (in INR)
Male candidates of the Unreserved/ EWS/OBC category	1,400
Female candidates in the Unreserved/EWS/OBC category	700
SC/ST/PwD/Transgender category candidates	700

The NEST 2026 application will be considered successful after the payment of the fee. The fee has remained the same as last year. The NEST application fee is non-refundable.

FAQs on NEST 2026 Important Dates

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of NEST 2026 Important Dates.

Q: What items do I need to carry while appearing for NEST exam?

Applicants are advised to reach the exam centre along with the items mentioned below.

NEST Admit Card
Valid ID proof or Admit card of Class 12 Board exam
Pencil/Pen

Students must note that no electronic gadgets will be permitted in the exam hall. Hence, they should not to carry anything. Along with this, applicants are advised to reach the exam hall before the time mentioned on the admit card.

Q: What is the eligibility for NEST exam?

The NEST 2026 eligibility criteria are defined on both basis age wise as well education wise.

Admissions in NISER, Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai are done based on a candidate's score in the NEST exam. Candidates who have passed Class 12 from the Science stream are eligible to apply for the NEST exam.

Candidates should pass Class 12 in Science stream from a recognised board in India with at least 60% aggregate marks (55% for SC/ ST/ PWD category candidates). Candidates should have passed Class XII either last year or will pass this year.

There is no age limit to appear for NEST.

Q: When will the NEST 2026 result be announced?

The NEST 2026 result was announced on June 24, 2026. The result link is updated online. Candidates can download their scorecard from June 25 onwards.

Q: Will the NEST 2026 registration date extend?

Yes, NEST registration deadline was extended from April 6 to 8. Candidates had to fill and submit the application form before the last date. The NEST application form 2026 was released on January 5, 2026.

Q: When will the NEST application form 2026 release?

The NEST 2026 application form was released on January 5, and continued till April 8. The application process is completely online. The application correction facility was available from April 18 to April 19, 2026.