NEST 2026 Admission Process: Application (Jan 5), Exam Date (June 6), Syllabus, Admit Card & More
National Entrance Screening Test 2026 ( NEST )
Registration - 5 Jan '26 - 6 Apr '26
NEST 2026 Application Process is going to start on January 5, 2026. The NEST 2026 Exam date is June 6, 2026, for candidates who want admission to the Integrated MSc programmes in Mathematics, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry for five years. The NEST 2026 important dates have been announced on December 15, 2025.
NEST 2026 Admission Process: Application, Exam Date, Syllabus, Admit Card & More
The NEST 2026 important dates have been announced by the exam officials on December 15, 2025. The NEST 2026 Application Form will be out on January 5, 2026. The exam date for NEST 2026 is June 6, 2026, from 2 PM to 5 PM. The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) is conducted for candidates who wish to take admission into the NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai, for the five-year Integrated MSc Programmes.
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Those who wish to appear for the NEST 2026 Entrance Exam must go through the eligibility criteria first before applying for the exam. Only if they are eligible will they be able to appear for the exam. For more details, candidates must go through this page to check out details related to the NEST application process, eligibility criteria, admit card release, and exam pattern.
The NEST 2026 application form will be released on January 5. The last date is April 6. The application process will be completely online. The application correction facility will be provided from April 13 to April 14.
Important things to remember for the NEST 2026 online application are mentioned below:
- The correct email address should be provided. The NEST office communicates with candidates through this e-mail ID only.
- The phone number that is provided during the application should be accessible by the candidate. The NEST office uses this phone number to reach a candidate or to send SMS messages whenever necessary.
- A properly scanned and cropped recent passport-sized photograph should be uploaded. A properly scanned and cropped signature should be uploaded.
- The photograph and signature files must not be more than 80 KB each and must be in. JPG or JPEG format only.
- Applications incomplete in any respect will not be accepted.
- NEST 2026 Exam Highlights
- NEST 2026 Important Dates
- NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria
- NEST 2026 Application Process
- NEST 2026 Exam Pattern
- NEST 2026 Syllabus
- NEST 2026 Previous Year Question Papers
- NEST 2026 Admit Card
- NEST 2026 Exam Centres
- NEST 2026 Answer Key
- NEST 2026 Result
- NEST 2026 Counselling
- Scholarship Opportunities at NISER and CEBS
NEST 2026 Exam Highlights
Here is the information related to the NEST Entrance Exam that candidates must be aware of, who are preparing to appear for the NEST 2026 Entrance Exam.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | National Entrance Screening Test |
| Conducting Body | NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai |
| Exam Level | Undergraduate Exam at the National Level |
| Exam Frequency | Once a Year |
| Mode of Exam | Online or Computer-Based Test |
| Courses Offered Through Entrance Exam | Integrated MSc |
| Exam Fees | INR 1,400 (Male candidates of General and OBC categories) INR 700 (Female candidates of all categories and male candidates of SC, ST and PwD categories) |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Total Marks | 240 |
| Total Number of Questions | 60 |
| Marking Scheme | +3 for each correct answer -1 for each wrong answer 0 for unanswered questions |
| Language/Medium of Questions | English and Hindi |
| Colleges Accepting NEST Score |
2 colleges
|
| Total Number of Seats |
261
|
| Number of Exam Cities | 140 |
| Official Website | https://www.nestexam.in/# |
| Contact Details | Helpline Number - 0674-2494017 Email - nest-exam@niser.ac.in |
NEST 2026 Important Dates
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Here are some of the NEST 2026 important dates related to the admission process for the NEST academic session 2026-27.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| NEST 2026 registration start day | January 5, 2026 (10 AM) |
| Last date to submit NEST 2026 application | April 6, 2026 (11:30 PM) |
| NEST 2026 Application correction window | April 13–14, 2026 |
| NEST 2026 Admit Card Release | May 15, 2026 (10 AM) |
| NEST 2026 Mock Test Release | To be announced |
| NEST 2026 exam date | June 6, 2026 (2 PM to 5 PM) |
| Answer Key release | To be announced |
| NEST 2026 Result | To be announced |
NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must go through the NEST Eligibility Criteria before they appear for the NEST 2026 Exam.
- Educational Qualification: Candidates who passed their Class 12 Board exam in 2024 or 2025 are eligible to appear for the exam, and those who are going to appear with the Science stream are also eligible. Those who are slated to take the exam in 2026 are also eligible.
- Minimum Marks: Candidates who belong to the General/OBC category should get 60 per cent marks aggregate, and candidates who belong to the SC/ST/PwD category must get 55 per cent marks.
- Subjects: Students must have studied Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Mathematics in their Classes 11 and 12.
- Age Limit: There is no age limit to appear for the NEST 2026 exam.
Note: Only students who fulfil the NEST 2026 eligibility criteria are allowed to appear for the exam.
NEST 2026 exam will be conducted in 140 cities across India. Applicants fill three cities in order of preference. Every effort will be made to allot the centre of first preference. The final decision lies with the authorities. The exam conducting authorities will release the NEST 2026 admit card on May 15, 2026, which will mention the allotted NEST exam centre to the applicants.
Candidates must know that the allotment of an examination centre by the NEST Committee has to be regarded as final, and the request for a change of centre will, in general, not be entertained. The address of the test venue allotted to the applicant will be mentioned on the NEST admit card.
Candidates will be able to pay the application fee of NEST 2026 till April 12, 2026, by 11.30 PM. The last date to submit the application form is April 6, 2026. After all details on the NEST application form are filled, candidates need to pay the application fee. Candidates can make the payment of the NEST 2026 application fee online (through credit/debit card, net banking, UPI) modes. After the payment is done, applicants need to download the receipt of payment for future use.
NEST 2026 Application Process
The NEST Application Process is going to start on January 5, 2026. Those who fulfil the eligibility criteria for the NEST 2026 Entrance Exam only they will be eligible to complete the NEST 2026 Application Process.
NEST 2026 Application Fees
The NEST 2026 application fee is given below.
| Category |
Fee |
|---|---|
| For all Female Candidates |
INR 700 |
| For SC/ST/Divyangjan Candidates |
INR 700 |
| UR/OBC Male and Other Candidates |
INR 1400 |
Steps to Fill Out the Application Form
Here are the steps for candidates to fill out their NEST Application Form hassle-free.
- Visit the official website, https://www.nestexam.in/
- Click on "Apply for NEST 2026".
- Candidates must register using a valid email ID and mobile number.
- Students need to fill out their academic and personal details.
- Students need to upload their scanned photo and signature.
- Submit the NEST application fee in online mode.
- Candidates need to select three exam cities for NEST 2026.
- Students need to submit and save a copy of the application form for future use.
NEST 2026 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for the NEST states that it is a computer-based test (CBT) held for three hours. The detailed structure 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 |
Each question carries three marks and there is one mark negative marking.
NEST 2026 Syllabus
The NEST 2026 syllabus consists of the NCERT Class 11 and 12 syllabus.
- Diversity in the Living World
- Cell Structure and Function
- Plant and Human Physiology
- Structural Organisation in Animals & Plants
- Laws of Motion, Gravitation, Thermodynamics
- Work, Energy, Power, Oscillations, Waves
- Kinematics, Properties of Matter, Kinetic Theory
- Mole Concept, Structure of Atom, Periodic Table
- Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium
- Organic Chemistry Basics, Hydrocarbons, Redox Reactions
Class 11
- Sets, Functions, Trigonometry
- Algebra, Binomial Theorem, 3D Geometry
- Calculus, Statistics, Probability
Class 12
- Relations, Matrices, Determinants
- Continuity, Differentiability, Integration
- Vectors, Linear Programming, Differential Equations
Note: Students should know that the changes in the NEST Syllabus are not common, so they must start their preparation for the NEST 2026 Exam based on the syllabus provided here.
Best Books for NEST 2026 Preparation
Here are the best books for NEST 2026 Preparation.
| Subject |
Book Name |
|---|---|
| Physics |
DC Pandey to Physics |
| Chemistry |
RPH Editorial to Chemistry |
| Mathematics |
RD Sharma to Mathematics |
| Biology |
Dinesh to Biology |
NEST 2026 Previous Year Question Papers
Students must focus on solving previous year papers for the NEST Exam for better preparation.
| Subject |
Session 1 |
Session 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Biology |
||
| Chemistry |
||
| Mathematics |
||
| Physics |
NEST 2026 Admit Card
The NEST 2026 admit card will be out on May 15, 2026, for candidates who successfully filled the NEST 2026 Application form along with the NEST Application fee. Candidates should also carry their admit card along with a valid ID proof to their NEST 2026 exam centre. The process to download the NEST hall ticket is given below.
- Visit the official website of NEST, i.e. nestexam.in
- Click on the "Download Admit Card" link
- By using the registered user ID and Password, log in.
- Confirm all the information filled in the admit card
- Download the admit card and take a printout for future reference.
- Candidates must contact the exam helpline in case there are any mistakes in their admit card.
NEST 2026 Exam Centres
NEST exam centres will be located in 140 cities across India. Some of the major cities are given below.
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Pune
- Chennai
- Guntur
- Shillong
- Shimla
- Udaipur
- Chandigarh
- Bhopal
- Agra
- Patna
- Jabalpur
- Surat
- Rajkot
- Hamirpur
- Aligarh
- Tirupati
- Bhatinda
- Gwalior
NEST 2026 Answer Key
The NEST 2026 Answer key will be out in the second week of June 2026, tentatively. Candidates can challenge the answer key with valid reasoning and an objection fee of INR 200 per question within the given timeline.
NEST 2026 Result
The NEST 2026 Result will be out in the fourth week of June 2026. Students need to use their login credentials to access their scorecards. Only those who qualify for the NEST Result will be eligible for the NEST 2026 Cutoff.
NEST 2026 Counselling
The counselling process will start in July month after the Result and cutoff for NEST 2026 is declared, tentatively. All the selected candidates need to visit the official website to register themselves because only those who qualified for the NEST Entrance Exam will be eligible for the NEST 2026 Counselling Process.
- Candidates must register online by visiting the official website.
- Then they need to fill in their choice.
- Then, candidates need to provide documents for verification
- At last, the candidates will get their seats for their preferred courses based on their NEST Rank and seat availability.
Scholarship Opportunities at NISER and CEBS
Candidates who wish to get admission to NISER or UM-DAE CEBS must go for the DISHA Programme by the Department of Atomic Energy. Candidates who get selected for this scholarship will receive up to INR 60,000 annually. Also, those students who are exceptional can get direct interviews at BARC.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
No, there is no provision to submit objections against the NEST final answer keys. Based on the objections received on the provisional answer keys, the expert committee will release the final answer keys. These will be final and cannot be further challenged. The NEST result will be based on the fina
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
The NEST answer keys will be available in PDF format. Candidates have to log in to the exam portal to download it. Their response sheets will also be released. Based on that, they can calculate their scores.
V
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
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
L
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
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.
A
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
The NEST exam is conducted in computer-based mode. Questions will appear on the computer screen one by one. With the help of the mouse, they have to select the correct answer option and click on Save and Submit tabs. An onscreen clock will be provided to keep track of the time. An onscreen scientifi
P
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
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.
N
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
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.
P
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
The NEST exam is conducted once a year. Generally, the exam is scheduled for June every year. NEST is a computer-based test conducted for three hours. It is held in a single day and shift. The scores are used for admission to the Integrated MSc courses offered at the participating institutes.
M
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
NEST scores are accepted by two institutes of India, the National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, and the University of Mumbai, Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences. Both institutes offer Integrated MSc programmes of five-year duration.
A
Beginner-Level 5
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
Applicants are advised to fill the exam centres while filling the application form of NEST exam. There will be around 120 NEST exam centres mentioned in the official notification. Students who want to apply and participate in the NEST exam must fill the 5 exam centres of their preferred choice from that list.
The exam conducting authorities will release the admit card atleast 10 days before the exam which will include the allotted NEST exam centre to the applicants.