Can a PCB Student Appear for the IACS Exam?

India has many research institutes, such as IISERs, NISER, CSIR, TIFR, NII, and several others. Among them, one of the oldest institutes that offers UG, PG, and PhD degrees in scientific research is the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), located in Kolkata. Candidates who have completed their Class 12 or are droppers can consider taking the IACS UPST 2026 exam to gain admission to the integrated five-year Bachelor's and Master's degree programme.

Why take the IACS UPST exam?

Apart from being one of the oldest institutions offering research-oriented and prestigious programmes, IACS is the only institution in India that has earned Asia's first and the country’s only Nobel Prize in Science based on research conducted within India.

When a candidate becomes interested in taking the IACS UPST exam, it is crucial for them to thoroughly understand the complete admission process and carefully review the IACS UPST Eligibility Criteria to avoid losing their candidature at any stage of the process.
Many times, students get confused about the eligibility criteria for admission. One of the most frequently asked questions is, Can a PCB student appear for the IACS exam? To address such queries related to the IACS UPST eligibility criteria and the subject combinations required to take the exam, this SciAstra article provides a detailed explanation.

What is the IACS UPST Exam?

The IACS UPST (Undergraduate Program Admission Test) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, for admission to its integrated programmes, such as the five-year Integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programme in Science and the Integrated Master’s and PhD Degree Programmes in science and research.

The IACS UPST 2026 exam is expected to be held in the first week of June 2026 in online mode for a duration of three hours (9:00 am to 12:00 pm). Candidates who qualify in the exam will be invited for an interview, and the final merit list will be prepared based on their performance in both the written test and interview.

Selected candidates will be enrolled in courses that provide a strong foundation in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Biological Sciences. From the fourth semester onwards, students will be required to choose one discipline as their major, depending on eligibility and the availability of seats in the respective schools.

IACS UPST Exam 2026: Highlights

Candidates interested in taking the exam can check out the exam highlights from the section below:

IACS UPST 2026 Eligibility Criteria

In order to take the exam, at first, candidates need to satisfy the IACS eligibility criteria, as mentioned by the exam officials. The eligibility criteria stipulate the minimum marks required by the candidates, the subject combination in their class 12, nationality and other details.  Candidates not satisfying any of the criteria mentioned by the IACS will lose their candidature at the admission process during counselling.

Can a PCB Student Appear for the IACS Exam?

Candidates who will be appearing for their Class 12 board exams in 2026 will be eligible to apply for the IACS UPST exam. However, the exam authorities have clearly stated that students studying in Class 12 must have Mathematics as one of their subjects, making it a compulsory requirement for eligibility.

It is important to note that while appearing for the IACS UPST 2026 exam, candidates are required to attempt the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry sections, as the marks obtained in these subjects will be considered for determining the IACS UPST cut-off for the interview round.

Therefore, it can be understood that candidates who have opted for PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) alone are not eligible for the IACS UPST 2026 exam. Only candidates who have taken PCMB (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology) are eligible to appear for the test.

For a clearer understanding of the subject combinations in Class 12 required for eligibility for the IACS UPST 2026 exam, candidates can refer to the following table:

Importance of Having Biology or Computer Science Subjects

While taking the IACS exam, it is compulsory for the candidates to answer the questions asked in the Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics subjects to get shortlisted for the interview round. However, the exam officials will also ask questions from the Biology and Computer Science domains. Candidates will be required to answer either of the two sections.

Here are the reasons why a candidate needs to select biology or computer science subjects in their class 12, along with the PCM subjects:

• The IACS UPST 2026 final merit list will be prepared considering appropriate weightage of the written test score (including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology/ Computer Sciences) as well as the score in the interview. Both the written-test aggregate score and the interview score will be individually scaled to 100 prior to calculating the weightage values.

• Biology and Computer Science play a complementary but optional role in the admission process. Students with a background in Biology can later specialise in Biological Sciences, Biophysics, or Computational Biology, where foundational biological knowledge is essential. Similarly, those who have studied Computer Science gain an advantage in emerging research areas such as Scientific Computing, Data Analysis, and Computational Modelling, which are increasingly important in modern scientific research.

Conclusion

IACS UPST exam offers admission to the Integrated BS-MS degree programmes, where candidates can study subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Computer Science. First, candidates are required to appear for the IACS UPST exam, and based on the cut-off marks, shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.

Admissions will be granted based on the combined performance of candidates in both the entrance exam and the interview.

Before applying for the exam, it is very important for candidates to carefully read and understand the IACS eligibility criteria, and also to be aware of the subject combinations required in Class 12 to meet the eligibility conditions.

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