NEST Exam Pattern 2026: Subjects & Number of Questions, Marking Scheme
National Entrance Screening Test 2026 ( NEST )
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NEST 2026 exam pattern is available online. Candidates can check the NEST information brochure to know the paper pattern. NEST exam pattern 2026 helps to understand the structure of the question paper. Making scheme, exam duration, types of questions, etc are mentioned in the exam pattern. The authority had conducted the NEST exam 2026 on June 6, 2026. The exam was conducted online for 180 minutes. There were 80 questions for 240 marks. Gett complete information on the NEST exam pattern 2026 on this page.
- NEST 2026 Exam Pattern
- NEST 2026 Sectional Weightage
- NEST 2026 Syllabus
- Instructions to Mark Answers in NEST 2026
- NEST 2026 Exam Pattern FAQs
NEST 2026 Exam Pattern
NISER conducts the NEST exam online as computer based test. The duration of exam is three hours. NEST question paper has four sections. Each section has 20 multiple-choice questions. Each question carries 3 marks. Negative marking is done for wrong answers. No marking is done for unattempt question. NEST 2026 exam pattern is mentioned below.
| NEST Exam | Information |
|---|---|
| Mode of exam | Online mode - CBT |
| Level of exam | National level - Undergraduate exam |
| Language of NEST Exam | English and Hindi |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Timing | 2 PM to 5 PM |
| Type of questions | Objective-type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Questions | 80 questions |
| Number of Sections | 4 - Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics |
| Minimum Number of Sections to Attempt | 3 |
| Total marks | 240 marks |
| Number of Options Per Questions | 4 |
| Marking Scheme |
|
Commonly asked questions
The NEST exam has 20 questions from four sections. The total number of questions is 80. Students have to attempt at least three sections or 60 questions.
NEST 2026 Sectional Weightage
The NEST 2026 exam pattern, or structure, is explained in the table below.
| Section |
Number of Questions |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I - Biology |
20 |
60 marks |
| II - Chemistry |
20 |
60 marks |
| III - Mathematics |
20 |
60 marks |
| IV - Physics |
20 |
60 marks |
| Total |
80 |
240 |
Candidates have to attempt at least three sections. PWD category candidates will be allowed compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour as per the Government of India rules. Candidates will not be allowed to enter the exam hall after 3 PM, and the earliest one can leave is 4 PM, on medical grounds only.
Commonly asked questions
NEST is the entrance exam for the Integrated MSc programmes. Hence, it is an undergraduate level entrance exam. Candidates who have passed or appeared for the Class 12 Board exam are eligible for the exam.
NEST 2026 Syllabus
The authority has released the NEST 2026 syllabus online. The syllabus of NEST 2026 is based on CBSE curriculum (2025-26). Candidates can refer NCERT books of classes XI-XII to prepare for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Preparing for NEST exam through NCERT textbook will help to score good marks in NEST 2026. Below are the important topics for NEST 2026 exam.
Commonly asked questions
The NEST Syllabus is available on the official portal for those students who wish to appear for the exam. One needs to visit the official portal to be able to download the syllabus for all subjects. They need to click on the syllabus and information brochure link in the top right corner of the homepage. Then, students need to click on the link available for Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics to access the PDFs of all these NEST Subjects.
Instructions to Mark Answers in NEST 2026
Candidates appearing for the NEST 2026 must be familiar with the marking scheme. We have mentioned above that each question in NEST carries 3 marks, while -1 is reduced for wrong answers. Here we have mentioned a few points to remember while marking the answer.
- Read the questions and options carefully.
- Mark your answer if you are confident about the answer.
- No guesswork. Wrong answer and mark will be deducted.
- Skip the unknown question.
Commonly asked questions
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.
The NEST question papers will be in English and Hindi. Candidates have to select their question paper medium while filling out the application process. In the case of any confusion or discrepancy due to language, the question paper in English will be final.
NEST 2026 Exam Pattern FAQs
Take a look at the frequently asked questions regarding the NEST 2026 exam pattern.
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.
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.
There is equal weightage for each section of the NEST exam. There are four sections, each carrying 60 marks. There is negative marking of one mark for wrong answers.
Yes, according to the NEST exam pattern, there will be negative marking. For each wrong answer, one mark will be deducted. The marks per question are three. Full marks in the exam are 240.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 weeks ago
NEST 2026 result was declared on June 24, 2026. The result applies only to the current academic year 2026-27.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
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.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
In such a situation, you have to prioritise which exam you want to appear for. You might have prepared for months for the exam. Based on your preparation, you have to decide which exam you can easily qualify for and get admission to the desired course and college.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The rank needed to get a seat at this institution would depend on the category you belong to and the round you are applying in.
According to the NISER Bhubaneshwar NEST cutoff 2025 for the General AI category, the maximum cutoff accepted was 1972. Students can see the table below to know the maximum
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The total marks for NEST exam is 240 marks. However, the exam authority will consider marks out of 180 to prepare the merit list.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Candidates can calculate their NEST scoring based on marking scheme. NEST questions will carry 3 marks per answer. Negative marking is done for wrong answers.
Total Marks = 3 * Correct Answers - Wrong Answers
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The process for downloading the NEST response sheet PDF is mentioned below.
- Go to NEST 2026 website, nestexam.in
- Click on Login button
- Enter the application no./login Id and password
- Click on the NEST response sheet
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Students can check the NEST answer key through login portal. They will have to provide their application number / login ID, and password to download NEST 2026 answer key.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, the NEST response sheet was released on June 10, 2026, alongwith the answer key. Students can check their NEST response sheet through the login portal.
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, Nest Academy of Sports Management (NASM) is a good college. The flagship programmes available at the college are Masters in Sports Management & Bachelor / Bachelor (Hons.) of Sports Management. The college provides good placements to students.
L
Contributor-Level 10
4.6
How long for NEST results?