B.Sc. Colleges accepting NEST in India

The NEST cutoff marks refer to the minimum marks required for a candidate to qualify and secure a rank in the merit list of NISER and CEBS. NEST exam authorities will release the cutoff marks for NEST along with the result. Applicants who will secure the NEST cutoff marks will be eligible to participate in the counselling process, which is held separately by NISER and CEBS for admission to their Integrated MSc courses.

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.

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. 

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. 

CUET result 2026 will be declared tentatively in first week of July 2026. Candidates who will appear for the exam can download their CUET scorecard online when released. The link to download the CUET scorecard will be available at CUET results 2026. Candidates will be required to enter the login credentials to view the CUET 2026 scorecard online. CUET scores are used for admission to various universities/colleges that candidates has applied for while filling the application form. Candidates must download and take the print of the CUET 2026 results when released. CUET UG 2026 exam will be held from May 11 to May 31.