NEST 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme, Total Marks, Sections & Syllabus

Age Restrictions

No age limit is specified for NEST 2026.

Eligibility Details

Educational Qualification

• Candidates must have completed Class 12 (or appearing in the 12th grade) with studies in at least three of the four subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.
• The 12th standard board examination must be from 2024, 2025, or 2026.
• There is no age limit for NEST eligibility.

This examination grants admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc program at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai.

Important Dates

• Online Application Start: 05-01-2026
• Last Date to Apply: 06-04-2026 (11:30 PM)
• Last Date for Payment: 12-04-2026 (11:30 PM)
• Admit Card Release: 15-05-2026 onwards
• NEST 2026 Exam Date: 06-06-2026 (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
• Result Announcement: To be announced

Application Fees

No specific fee details are provided in the source document. Interested candidates should refer to the official notification for the exact fee structure and payment methods.

Additional Information

• The exam is conducted for admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc program at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai.
• The paper consists of four independent sections (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics). Candidates may attempt all four sections, but only the best three sections are considered for the total score after applying SMAS (Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score). Negative marking applies, and the merit list uses percentile along with MAP (Minimum Admissible Percentile).