The NEST 2026 subject-wise syllabus has been released by the exam authorities. The NEST syllabus includes the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. The syllabus of NEST 2026 is the same as Class 11 and 12 curriculum, and in-line with the NCERT subject and topics.
NEST Subject-wise Syllabus
The NEST 2026 subject-wise syllabus has been released by the exam authorities. The national-level entrance exam for admission to the Integrated MSc programme tests candidates’ knowledge on the core subjects of Science stream. The NEST syllabus includes the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. The syllabus of NEST 2026 is the same as Class 11 and 12 curriculum, and in line with the NCERT subject and topics.
Candidates planning to take NEST 2026 must note that out of the four subjects, candidates can either attempt all four sections or three sections, where either Biology or Mathematics has to be attempted. They have to fill the subject preference during the NEST application process. This article of Shiksha brings the NEST 2026 subject-wise syllabus.
- NEST 2026 Overview
- NEST 2026 Sectional Structure
- NEST 2026 Syllabus for Physics
- NEST 2026 Syllabus for Chemistry
- NEST 2026 Syllabus for Biology
- NEST 2026 Syllabus for Mathematics
- NEST 2026 Subject-wise Syllabus PDF
NEST 2026 Overview
The NEST 2026 exam will be conducted in a computer-based mode for three hours. The details of the NEST 2026 exam pattern are provided in the table.
| 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 |
· 3 marks for each correct answer · 1 mark for each wrong answer · 0 for unanswered questions |
Commonly asked questions
Applicants who want to appear in NEST exam must check the syllabus as well as the exam pattern before appearing in the exam. The NEST exam syllabus 2026 has been released by the exam conducting authorities along with the release of the official notification on December 15. Applicants are advised to check the NEST previous year syllabus to get an idea about the syllabus. It has remained the same as last year.
Students who want to qualify the NEST exam first they must complete the books of class 11th and 12th.
Applicants can follow the below-mentioned books for the NEST preparation.
For chemistry, Wiley, KL CHUGH & Dinesh publication books are good
For Physics, DC Pandey & HC Verma's books.
For Mathematics, R D Sharma, SN DEY books
For Biology subject, Objective Biology by Dinesh
Along with these books NCERT & NCERT EXEMPLAR is a must for applicants for all individual subjects.
NEST 2026 Sectional Structure
The section-wise structure of the NEST 2026 exam 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 |
240 |
Candidates appearing for the exam for the three sections will get two hours duration for the exam. Candidates belonging to the PwD category will get a compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour as per the Government of India guidelines.
NEST 2026 Syllabus for Physics
The syllabus of the NEST exam for the Physics section is given below.
- Units and Measurements
- Motion in a Straight Line
- Motion in a Plane
- Laws of Motion
- Work, Energy and Power
- Rigid System of Particles and Rotational Motion
- Gravitation
- Mechanical Properties of Solids
- Mechanical Properties of Fluids
- Thermal Properties of Matter
- Thermodynamics
- Kinetic Theory of Gases
- Oscillations
- Electric Charges and Fields
- Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
- Current Electricity
- Moving Charges and Magnetism
- Magnetism and Matter
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Alternating Current
- Electromagnetic Waves
- Ray Optics
- Wave Optics
- Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Atoms
- Nuclei
- Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
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NEST 2026 Syllabus for Chemistry
The NEST Chemistry syllabus includes chapters and topics from Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry. The syllabus for NEST 2026 Chemistry section is given below.
- Important For Physical Chemistry: Measurements in chemistry, Mole concept, Gaseous and liquid states, Atomic structure and chemical bonding, Thermodynamics, Chemical equilibrium, Solid state, Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical kinetics.
- Important Topics for Surface Chemistry: Absorption, Colloidal state.
- Important Topics for Inorganic Chemistry: Classification of elements and periodicity in properties, S-Block elements, P-Block elements, Coordination compounds, D-Block elements, F-Block elements, Metals and metallurgy.
- Important Topics for Organic Chemistry: Basic concepts, Nomenclature, Reactive intermediates, Aromatic compounds, Alkenes and Alkynes, Phenols, Haloalkanes (Alkyl halides), Aldehydes and Ketones, Ethers, Carbohydrate, Amines, Polymers, Amino acids and proteins, Isomerism, Alkenes, Carboxylic acids.
NEST 2026 Syllabus for Biology
The Biology subject is bifurcated to Botany and Zoology. The units or chapters of the NEST Biology syllabus are given below.
- Diversity of Living Organisms
- Structural Organization in Plants and Animals
- Cell: Structure and Function
- Plant Physiology
- Human Physiology
- Reproduction
- Genetics and Evolution
- Biology and Human Welfare
- Biotechnology and Its Applications
- Ecology and Environment
NEST 2026 Syllabus for Mathematics
The NEST syllabus for Mathematics is given below.
- Sets and Functions
- Algebra
- Coordinate Geometry
- Calculus
- Statistics and Probability
- Relations and Functions
- Algebra
- Calculus
- Vectors and Three-Dimensional Geometry
- Linear Programming
- Probability
Explore more Science exams with upcoming dates
1 Nov '25 - 31 Aug '26
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31 Aug '26
24 Sep '26
NEST 2026 Subject-wise Syllabus PDF
The table below brings the subject-wise NEST syllabus PDFs.
| Subject | PDF File |
|---|---|
| Physics | Download Here |
| Chemistry | Download Here |
| Mathematics | Download Here |
| Biology | Download Here |
National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) is a national-level admission test. The scores of the exam is accepted by the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, and the second institution is Mumbai University - Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS).
Read More:
NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria Explained
IISER Vs NEST Vs JEE Advanced: Which Exam is Best for Research Careers?
News & Updates
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 months 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 2 months 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 2 months 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 3 months 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 3 months 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