NEST Question Papers, Sample Papers PDF: Download Free
National Entrance Screening Test 2026 ( NEST )
Registration - 5 Jan '26 - 6 Apr '26
By solving NEST's previous year's question papers, applicants can make their strategy to qualify for the exam. Since the NEST exam is conducted online mode, applicants will not be given question papers of the NEST exam after the conclusion of the exam. After the conclusion of the exam, the NEST question paper PDFs, along with the NEST answer keys, will be provided on the exam portal.
By going through NEST question papers, candidates can check the exam pattern, syllabus, and type of questions that will be asked in the exam, as well as the important topics. Candidates can download NEST 2025 and other previous year question papers here. Students could download these question papers without registration to practice for the exam. It is strongly recommended that students solve the NEST's previous years' papers to prepare for the NEST 2026 exam, to be held on June 6, 2026. Candidates can check the shift-wise NEST Question paper in the section below.
- NEST Question Paper Pattern And Structure
- How to Prepare for NEST 2026
- NEST 2026 Syllabus
- NEST 2025 Analysis
- NEST 2023 Question Paper
- NEST Previous Year Questions Papers
- Prep Guides
NEST Question Paper Pattern And Structure
The NEST 2026 exam pattern is expected to remain the same as last year. The complete structure of the NEST question paper is given 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 questions |
240 marks |
Commonly asked questions
The NEST exam has 20 questions from four sections. The total number of questions is 80. There are three marks for each question. The total marks is 240.
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 to Prepare for NEST 2026
Applicants, along with checking the question paper, should also know how to prepare for the NEST exam. Here we bring tips to qualify for the NEST 2026 exam.
- Prepare short notes while preparing for the exam
- Know exam pattern, question trends and marking scheme
- Practice past NEST question papers and mock tests before appearing for the exam
- Make a timetable and follow it religiously to increase the chances of qualifying
- Follow the best books to prepare for the NEST exam
By following the above-mentioned strategies to pass the exam, applicants can ensure their probability of qualifying with good marks.
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
NEST 2026 Syllabus
The exam officials have stated that questions in the NEST exam are mainly from the science syllabus of Classes 11 and 12, which is present in NCERT/ CBSE books. Candidates must go through the NEST 2026 syllabus on this page.
NEST 2026: Subject-wise syllabus PDF Link
The table below brings the subject-wise syllabus PDF for NEST 2026.
| Subject | PDF File |
|---|---|
| Physics | Download Here |
| Chemistry | Download Here |
| Mathematics | Download Here |
| Biology | Download Here |
NEST 2025 Analysis
According to the NEST analysis of last year, the questions were from the given syllabus of NEST, which was along the lines of the Board exam syllabus. The topics were on the expected lines. Let us take a look at the section-wise topics. The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate to tough.
Chemistry - The questions were on the NCERT level. However, there were a lot of questions from previous years' JEE Main question papers. The overall difficulty level of this section was easy. The questions were more on the lines of Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry.
Mathematics - The majority of the questions were of Class 11 level. The difficulty level was moderate to tough. Some of the topics were Probability and limits, among others.
Physics - The Physics section was the toughest. The topics were calorimetry, current electricity, capacitor, kinematics, unit and dimensions, etc.
Biology - The difficulty level of this section was easy. The topics were from the expected lines like Botany, Human Physiology, and Human Reproduction, among others.
Download previous year NEST question papers and sample papers. Use them for practice and improve your speed and accuracy. You can download NEST previous year question papers and the preparation guides for free.
NEST 2023 Question Paper
Biology Shift 1
Biology Shift 2
Chemistry Shift 1
Chemistry Shift 2
Mathematics Shift 1
Mathematics Shift 2
Physics Shift 1
Physics Shift 2
NEST Previous Year Questions Papers
Question Papers
Prep Guides
NEST Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
Dear reader,
Taking admission at LPU is a great choice.
To secure your admission to Lovely Professional University, please prepare your 10th and 12th grade marksheets, LPUNEST scores, and a valid Aadhaar card. Bring your character certificate, transfer certificate, and recent passport-sized pictures
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yeah, for LPU NEST counselling, you pretty much need your Class 10 and 12 certificates or at least the marksheets handy. They're super important to verify your age from 10th and check eligibility via 12th before they lock in your seat or scholarship—LPU's process is smooth like that, making sure eve
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
Hey, as a fellow student checking out B.Tech options, LPU's pretty solid for engineering. The campus is massive with top-notch labs, modern hostels, and all the facilities you need to actually learn stuff hands-on.
Faculty-wise, many are from IITs/NITs, super qualified, and they focus on practical s
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
Yeah, LPU totally releases the LPU NEST counselling dates on their official site—it's super organized and student-friendly. For 2026, they've got it starting February 8th onwards for B.Tech, with online seat preferences from Feb 8-10, results on 12th, and admissions up to late Feb. Results drop quic
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
Hey, so from what I've checked on LPU's official site, the NEST counselling is mainly done online, which is super convenient for us students anywhere in India. You just log in after your results, pick your preferred courses and seats based on your rank, and lock it all in digitally—no need to travel
S
Beginner-Level 3
Answered a week ago
The Mumbai University NEST Cutoff was released for admissions to the Intergrated MSc courses. The cutoff ranged from 14 to 81 rank according to the first and last round closing ranks for NEST Cutoff 2024. The hardest MSc specialisations was Integrated M.Sc. in Physics and the easiest specialisation
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Practising LPU NEST sample papers is extremely important in exam preparation. Sample Papers will help candidate understand the exam pattern. Practising sample papers regularly helps in time management. It helps the candidates understand the weakest topics. Candidates will also get to know the most f
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The candidates who qualify in the LPU NEST 2026 examination can participate in the counselling process. The candidates must enter their seat preferences during the counselling process. After entering the course preference, they should complete the admission process by paying the admission fee and up
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
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 homep
I
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The NEST 2026 exam will be conducted on June 6, 2026. The exam result was declared tentatively in the second week of July 2026, after a few days, when the NEST answer Key objection window is over.
I
Contributor-Level 10
3 Institutes accepting NEST
West Bengal - Other • Public
4.6Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in...
Santacruz East, Mumbai • Public
CGCUET 2026 Registration 1 Nov '25 - 29 Dec '25
What are the documents needed during LPU NEST counselling?