What is the difficulty level of the JEST 2026 exam?

Previous year students who appeared for the JEST exam found that the exam is moderate to difficult. And therefore, JEST 2026 is assumed to be moderate to difficult. Candidates are advised to study hard for their exam.

Which preparation strategy for JEST 2026 one should opt for?

Create a study plan, priotitise important topics and study according to it, go through syllabus. Solve previous year question paper. Also you can practice mock test to practice to track your progress. And make sure to revise regularly and learn time management during your preparation period.

What will be the JEST cut off?

The JEST cut off 2026 will be decided on the difficulty level of the exam, and number of applicants who appeared in the exam. As of now there is no official announcement regarding the cut off.

How can I challenge the JEST 2026 answer key?

If you find any disperancies, you can challenge the key by sending a mail to the exam authorties. There is no fee required to challenge the answer key.

What is the marking sheme of the JEST 2026 exam?

Part A: 1 mark correct answer & -1/3 incorrect answer Part B: 3 marks correct answer & -1 incorrect answer Part C: 3 marks correct answer & no negative marking HERE

When will JEST 2026 counselling start?

The JEST 2026 is expected to begin by August 2026. Yet the counselling dates has not been announced yet officially. Students are advised to check the website regularly.

What to expect during JEST 2026 Counselling?

JEST counselling is not a centralised process but it is conducted by individually by each participating institution. The selection process is based on the JEST score, you need to attend the interview and undergo document verification.

Which institute accepts JEST 2026?

Here is the list of some JEST participating colleges 2026 students shall know about: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), TIFR, Pune Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), Kolkata Bose Institute Institute of Physics (IOP), Bhubaneswar International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS)-TIFR, Bangalore National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bangalore

Where can I check the JEST result?

Applicants who secured the minimum passing marks are considered passing as per JEST Results. The result was released on the official website of JEST. Along with declaration of the result, IIST also released the score card as well as JEST cut off marks. Applicants who appeared in the exam can check their marks in JEST exam.

What is the exam analysis of JEST?

The JEST exam analysis comprises the difficulty level of the exam, the average questions attempted by the applicants, whether any question was wrong or mis spelt and expected cutoff etc. It will be out after the conclusion of the exam. By checking the exam analysis, applicants can get to know about the chances of qualifying the exam.

Is JEST Online or Offline?

Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is an entrance exam test for admission to PhD and International PhD programme of different participating institutes for two subjects Physics and theoretical Computer Science/Neuroscience. This exam is conducted in offline mode/ pen-paper mode. This year exam conducting authorities have changed, earlier it used to be Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) but now it has changed to Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). Hence the final validation will be declared along with releasing of notification but as per previous year JEST exam pattern it will be conducted in offline mode only.

What is the time duration of the JEST 2026 exam?

The JEST 2026 exam is a pen and paper offline exam. The exam duration is 3 hours.

Which preparation strategy for JEST 2026 one should opt for?

Create a study plan, priotitise important topics and study according to it, go through syllabus. Solve previous year question paper. Also you can practice mock test to practice to track your progress. And make sure to revise regularly and learn time management during your preparation period.

Can I take both physics and theoretical computer Science in JEST 2026?

Absolutely not, you must take one, either physics or theorerical Science in JEST 2026. You cannot take both the subjects.

Are there seperate tests for Ph.D. and integrated Ph.D. in Jest 2026 exam?

No a single exam is conducted for both the courses.

What is the time duration of the JEST 2026 exam?

The JEST 2026 exam is a pen and paper offline exam. The exam duration is 3 hours.

What is the marking sheme of the JEST 2026 exam?

Part A: 1 mark correct answer & -1/3 incorrect answer Part B: 3 marks correct answer & -1 incorrect answer Part C: 3 marks correct answer & no negative marking HERE

What is the difficulty level of JEST 2026?

Students who appeared for previous year JEST exam find the difficulty level from moderate to difficult. It is expected that the JEST exam 2026 will be moderate to difficult. Note: Students are advised to prepare 100% for the exam. Make a preparation plan and study well.

What is the application fee for JEST 2026?

The application fee for JEST 2026 is given below. Students are advised to go through these details: General Category: INR 1200 SC/ST (male), EWS, and differently abled: INR 600 SC/ST female: Fully Waived

What are the most important required documents for JEST 2026?

There are many important documents for JEST 2026 but a photograph (a clear, recent passport size photo) and a signature (on a white background).

What is the marking sheme of the JEST 2026 exam?

Part A: 1 mark correct answer & -1/3 incorrect answer Part B: 3 marks correct answer & -1 incorrect answer Part C: 3 marks correct answer & no negative marking HERE

What is the purpose of conducting JEST Exam?

The JEST Exam is conducted for those students who want to get admission to courses and programmes to complete their PhD and Integrated PhD in theoretical computer science, physics, and neuroscience in India.

What is the frequency of JEST entrance exam?

The JEST exam is only conducted once a year. Also, it is recommended to all the students who want to qualify the JEST exam is to always go through the official website for the latest updates and notices related to the JEST Admission process and exam related dates.

What is the mode of JEST Exam?

The JEST exam is conducted once in a year and the mod eof JEST exam is offline. This exam is an opportunity for students who want to study PhD and International PhD courses in Physics and theoretical computer science/neuroscience.

Where can I find the download link for the JEST admit card?

Applicants can find JEST admit card download link via visiting the official website which is jest.org.in. Sometimes it can happen that the link does not work or the website doesn't open then in that case it is advised to retry after some times as it happens mainly due to heavy load on the website or some server side errors.

JEST 2026 Exam: Exam Date (Apr 12), Application Process (Soon), Result & Counselling

184 Students Q&A

Exam On - 12 Apr '26

Updated on Jan 27, 2026 15:56 IST

By Rakshit Prabhakar

The JEST 2026 application process will start in the second week of February 2026, tentatively. Students must note that the JEST application portal 2026 will be announced soon on the website. The JEST 2026 exam date is April 12, 2026. The JEST 2026 admit card will be released in the fourth week of February 2026. The JEST result 2026 is likely to be out on the official website in May 2026, tentatively. JEST 2026 Exam is conducted once a year. The mode of examination will be offline.

The non-refundable application fee for the JEST 2026 examination is:

INR 600 for SC/ST & PwD applicants
INR 1200 for all other applicants

JEST Exam for candidates who wish to study a PhD/Integrated PhD Programme in Physics or Neuroscience, Theoretical Computer Science, or Computational Biology in one of the participating Institutes. It is expected that there will be around 18,000 to 20,000 students in the JEST 2026 exam. Candidates who qualify for the exam will be allowed to participate in the counselling process, tentatively scheduled for August 2026. There may be some slight changes in the exam; candidates are advised to check the official website regularly for the latest updates.

Latest Update & News: JEST 2026 Exam on April 12: Check Out Dates, Eligibility, and Other Details

Table of contents

What is JEST?
JEST 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule
JEST 2026 Exam Highlights
JEST 2026 Application Process
JEST 2026 Exam Pattern
JEST 2026 Syllabus
JEST 2026 Preparation Tips
JEST 2026 Admit Card
JEST 2026 Exam Centres
JEST 2026 Answer Key
JEST 2026 Result
JEST 2026 Counselling
FAQs Regarding JEST Exam 2026

What is JEST?

JEST 2025 Exam Dates & Schedule

Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of JEST 2024 exam

Dates	Upcoming Exam Dates
Feb ' 26	JEST 2026 Application Window TENTATIVE
Feb ' 26	JEST 2026 Registration Fee End Date TENTATIVE
Feb ' 26	JEST 2026 Admit Card TENTATIVE
12 Apr ' 26	JEST 2026 Exam Date
May ' 26	JEST 2026 Provisional Answer Key TENTATIVE
May ' 26	JEST 2026 Answer Key Objection TENTATIVE
May ' 26	JEST 2026 Result TENTATIVE