Exam

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.  

Merit list rank preparation or the final ranking of the candidates will be based on percentile scores calculated from the best three-section scores. The merit list will be published based on the following criteria: 

1. A candidate is required to score more than SMAS in at least three subject sections. Then we say that the candidate is SMAS-qualified. 

2. The total score of an SMAS-qualified candidate is the sum of the scores of her/his three best scores from the SMAS securing sections. 

3. A candidate is required to score equal to or above a total Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP) to get a merit rank. 

4. If the percentiles of two or more candidates become equal (i.e., in the case of a tie), then the best scores in the sections of the two students would be compared. The student with the higher score would get a better rank.

5. If the tie persists, the students would be given the same provisional rank at the time of declaration of the result, and the tie would be broken by comparing class 12th marks during admission/counselling. 

6. If the tie still persists, then the younger student will get a higher rank.

The Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score or SMAS refers to the section-wise cut-off marks in NEST. The factors to calculate SMAS in NEST are given below.

• The total score of each candidate will be the sum of his/her best three scores out of the four sections.
• For each section, 20 per cent of the average of the best 100 scores in that section will be considered as SMAS. For example, if the average of the best 100 scores in the Chemistry section is 48 out of 60, then SMAS for the Chemistry section would be 48*0.20 = 9.6 marks, similar to other sections.
• SMAS for different sections can be of different numerical values.
• SMAS for the two sessions, for any particular section, can be of different numerical values.
• SMAS for OBC students would be 90 per cent of the respective SMAS for the general category Students. For example, if in the Chemistry section, the SMAS is 9.6 for general category students, then the SMAS for OBC students would be 8.64 (90 per cent of 9.6).
• SMAS for SC/ST/Divyangjan students would be 50 per cent of the respective SMAS for general category students. For example, if in the Chemistry section, the SMAS is 9.6 for general category students, then the SMAS for SC, ST, and Divyangjan students would be 4.8 (50 per cent of 9.6).