UP CNET Pattern 2026: Know Marking Scheme & Exam Duration
UP Common Nursing Entrance Test (CNET) 2026 ( UP CNET )
The UP CNET 2026 Syllabus and Pattern form an important foundation for the aspirant’s exam preparation. The UP CNET Syllabus 2026 will guide candidates about the important topics to prepare for the CNET exam. On the other hand, the CNET exam pattern 2026 will aid in understanding aspects relevant to the BSc nursing entrance exam.
Therefore, candidates are advised to be fully aware of the CNET syllabus and pattern in order to appear for the exam. ABVMU, the conducting body, releases the UP CNET 2026 exam pattern through the CNET information brochure on the official website, to keep the aspirants informed of the changes, if any.
The CNET exam date 2026 has not been released yet. However, aspirants are expected to begin the preparation for the exam as it is one of the highly competitive entrance exams granting admission in the top nursing and paramedical colleges of Uttar Pradesh state. Read the upcoming section to get comprehensive details about the UP CNET Syllabus 2026:
- UP CNET 2026 Pattern & Syllabus Highlights
- UP CNET 2026 Exam Pattern
- UP CNET 2026 Marking Scheme
- UP CNET 2026 Subject-wise Syllabus
- UP CNET Preparation Tips 2026
UP CNET 2026 Pattern & Syllabus Highlights
The CNET exam pattern and syllabus will guide aspirants regarding the preparation required to ace the entrance exam. Here are the key highlights of this section:
| CNET Exam Particulars |
UP CNET Exam Pattern |
|---|---|
| Duration |
140 minutes/ 11:00 AM to 1:20 PM |
| Exam Mode |
Offline (Pen and Paper-based) |
| Medium |
Bilingual (English and Hindi) |
| No. of questions |
120 |
| Syllabus |
Nursing Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Grammar and Vocabulary of Class 12. |
| Type of questions |
Objective/Multiple Choice Questions |
| Marks per question |
+1 for the correct option |
| Negative Marking |
No |
| Total Marks |
120 |
Commonly asked questions
ABVMU, Lucknow, the conducting body, does not release the UP CNET Syllabus 2026 officially. They recommend that the aspirants prepare the Class 12 syllabus of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English subjects. For the nursing aptitude section, candidates are expected to revise the General knowledge syllabus.
No, the UP Common Nursing Entrance Test (CNET) - 2026 nursing entrance exam will tentatively be scheduled in May 2026. It is an offline (Pen & Paper Mode) state-level nursing entrance exam. It will be held for a duration of 140 minutes. The entrance exam grants admission to both the BSc Nursing Course (4 years) and Post Basic BSc Nursing Course (2 Years) programmes.
UP CNET 2026 Exam Pattern
As per the UP CNET Paper Pattern 2026, it will be an offline exam. Candidates will get OMR sheets to fill in their choices. The exam will be held for a duration of 140 minutes in the morning slot. UP CNET total marks will be 120 from 120 questions. These questions will be asked from five different subjects, namely: Nursing Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English. The CNET question paper will be provided in English and Hindi. There will be objective-type questions only with four options each. It is a state-level entrance which is conducted in popular test cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh only.
Commonly asked questions
The UP CNET exam is conducted by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University (ABVMU), UP, Lucknow for admission to the BSc nursing programme. The UP CNET entrance exam has been instituted for candidates aiming to pursue nursing course in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is an offline (Pen & Paper Mode) exam which is held once a year.
The UP CNET BSc nursing 2026 eligibility criteria is mentioned below:
- The applicant must be of minimum 17 years of age on or before 31st December 2026
- Candidate must have passed (10+2) examination with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) taken together
- English must be a passed subject individually from the recognised board in (10+2) examination
- The SC/ST/OBC category who have obtained 40% marks in (PCB) taken together
- The applicant must have been declared medically fit by the Medical Board of the Government Medical College or the District CMO
UP CNET 2026 Marking Scheme
The UP CNET Exam Pattern 2026 also talks about the marking scheme to help candidates understand how to attempt the question paper. As there is NO negative marking in the exam, aspirants are urged to attempt all the questions with ease. For each correct answer, a '+1' mark will be awarded. Overall, the question paper is of 120 marks.
Commonly asked questions
The exam difficulty level depends on the preparation of the candidate. On a general note, most of the aspirants in the past who appeared for the exam have rated UP CNET as an exam of 'Medium' level. The question paper is primarily curated from the Class 12th syllabus of the physics, chemistry, and biology sections.
The UP CNET question paper will comprise 120 questions of 1 mark each. There will be MCQs with four options each. Candidates will have to choose one correct option among the four given choices. There is no negative marking in the exam.
UP CNET 2026 Subject-wise Syllabus
ABVMU does not release any particular UP CNET 2026 Syllabus PDF on the important topics. They have mentioned five subjects to prepare for the entrance and have released a general guideline to prepare the syllabus of Class 12 for the entrance exam. Here is a subject-wise bifurcation of the CNET important topics to prepare for the entrance:
CNET Nursing Aptitude Syllabus 2026
Know the important topics that might be asked in the nursing aptitude section:
- Basics of Indian Polity
- Visual Memory
- Relationship Concepts
- Number series
- Observation
- Similarities and Differences
- Analytical Functions
- Non-verbal series
- Space Visualization
- Decision Making
- Problem Solving
CNET Physics Syllabus 2026
Some relevant topics from this section to prepare for the CNET exam are:
- Elementary Ideas of Conductor
- Bar Magnet
- Coulomb’s Law
- Electrostatic Potential
- Electric Power
- Electric Current
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Bohr Model
- Measurement of Voltages as Current
- Force
- Work, Power and Energy
- Acceleration
- Heat Conduction
- Periodic motion
- Wave, Nature of Light
- Reflection and Refraction
- Units and Dimensions
- The human eye
- Electrons
- Einstein’s Photoelectric equation
- Photocells
CNET 2026 Chemistry Syllabus
Topics from chemistry section to prepare for the entrance are:
- Solutions
- Solid State
- Nomenclature
- Chemical Bond
- Chemical Kinetic
- Electrochemistry
- Ionic Equilibrium
- Transition Metals
- Chemical Analysis
- Structure of Atom
- Surface Chemistry
- Chemical Periodicity
- Chemical Equilibrium
- Coordination Compounds
- Comparative Study of Elements
- Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics
- Nuclear Chemistry Radioactive Radiations
- Calculation of Empirical and Molecular Formula
CNET 2026 Biology Syllabus
Biology topics to prepare for the CNET exam are:
- Ecosystem
- Tissue Culture
- Chromosomes
- Protozoan disease
- Human Population
- Vitamins and Minerals
- Tissue and tissue systems
- Growth, repair and ageing
- Mendel’s Law of Inheritance
- Female reproductive system
- Skeletons, Joints and Muscles
- Structural Organization of Cell
- Economic Zoology/ Sericulture
- Enzymes and Growth Hormones
- Role of Plants in Human Welfare
- Histology of Mammalian Organs
- Microsporogenesis and Megasporogenesis
- Difference between Prokaryote and Eukaryote
- Five Kingdom classification Binomial Nomenclature
- Multicellularity: Structure and function of animal life
- Structure and Physiology of different organs of the human body
- Endocrine system
CNET English Syllabus 2026
Candidates can revise these topics to gain a good score in the English subject:
- Grammar topics
- Spotting Errors
- Fill in the Blanks
- Vocabulary
- Synonyms-Antonyms,
- One Word Substitution
- Comprehension Passage
- Cloze Test
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Misspelt Words
- Idioms and Phrases
Commonly asked questions
The CNET marking scheme says that the candidate will get +1 mark for choosing the correct answer. There is NO negative marking in the exam. Overall, there will be 120 questions to test the aptitude of aspirants. This makes the question paper of 120 marks.
As per the prospectus shared by the conducting body, ABVMU, the passing marks in the CNET exam are: 50th percentile for General, 45th percentile for PwD category, and 40th percentile for the reserved categories such as SC/ST/OBC candidates.
UP CNET Preparation Tips 2026
The UP CNET 2026 Preparation Strategy is the basis on which the candidates can prepare a sound plan to ace the nursing entrance exam. Some practical tips to score high percentile in the exam are:
- Choose the best books for UP CNET Preparation as they will carry the right set of questions expected in the exam.
- Refer to the free study material and resources, which have credible and authentic sources such as YouTube channels, online test series of coaching institutes, mock tests, etc.
- Revise all the CNET previous year papers, at least the last five years' papers.
- Appear for the mock tests to ascertain that you are progressing well for the exam day.
- Make notes while preparing for the exam, as it will be the best source to refer to at the last moment.
Also Read: UP CNET BSc Nursing Exam Analysis 2025 (Available): Check Detailed ABVMU CNET Paper Analysis
Commonly asked questions
Nothing is impossible if you decide to do so. Yes, three months of preparation are enough for the CNET exam preparation. The focus must be on solving as many MCQs from all five subjects as possible. Refer to the previous year papers. Make notes while learning the concepts. Revise and review your performance by appearing for the mock tests. Do not give up in the process! Be consistent in your CNET preparation.
Some of the top private institutes participating in the UP CNET counselling process for BSc nursing admission are:
- Sahara College of Nursing, Lucknow
- Mayo College of Nursing
- Nightingale Institute of Nursing, Noida
- Vivekananda College of Nursing, Lucknow
- Krishna Institute of Nursing Science
Nursing exams whose registrations are closing soon
Register now and prepare to increase your chances at top colleges which accept these exams
1 Nov '25 - 28 Feb '26
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UP CNET Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
Exam pattern of UP CNET 2026 will be released along with official brochure. As per existing exam pattern, exam will be held in offline mode. A total of 120 questions will be there in exam and students will be given 140 minutes to answer them.
A
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a month ago
The UP CNET exam is an offline exam that is conducted by ABVMU, UP, for admission to the BSc nursing course. It is a pen and paper-based exam wherein candidates will get an OMR sheet to answer the questions within the specified time limit.
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Generally, 1 Lacs to 1.5 Lacs aspirants appear for the UP CNET exam in general every year. Last year, Around 1.30 Lacs candidates registered for the CNET exam, as against 117,000 candidates who appeared for the BSc nursing entrance.
P
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a month ago
Some of the books to refer to for the CNET Exam preparation are: Nursing Entrance Exam Guide by Arihant Experts, UPCNET BSc Nursing Entrance Exam Book by P.K. Panwar, UPCNET 3.0 B.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam Practice Set by Test Prep Publication.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
To prepare for the UP CNET exam, candidates are expected to practice the mock tests and previous year question papers. There are good preparation books that carry model test papers.
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a month ago
The UP CNET post-basic nursing exam will comprise three sections. In the first section, topics such as Medical Surgical Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Child Health Nursing, and Midwifery & Gynecological Nursing.
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
UP CNET valid photo ID proofs, such as Aadhar Card, PAN Card, Driving License, Passport, are allowed along with the admit card at the test centre for the purpose of verification. Carry one of these IDs to present at the entry gate.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The UP CNET admit card will be released on the official website. ABVMU will inform candidates about this and will not be sending the hall ticket via email or post. Candidate will have to visit the portal and provide login details to download the PDF document and keep it printout for the exam day.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
UP CNET admit card contains details such as candidate's name, test centre address, DOB, reporting time, exam day instructions, roll number, subject, exam date and time.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The UP CNET test centre request for change will not be entertained by ABVMU, the official conducting body. Once allocated on the admit card, the examination centre address will not be altered. Pick and choose the test city carefully at the time of filling the application form.
R
Beginner-Level 5
1 Institutes accepting UP CNET
Bareilly • Private
- ₹ 4.71 Lakh
- 4 years
- |
- Full Time
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What is pattern of UP CNET exam 2026?