IISER exam pattern 2026 will be updated by the exam officials every year upon the release of the information brochure. Based on the previous year’s trends, the IAT Exam Pattern 2026 remains the same, and the frequency of pattern change is low.
Based on the exam pattern, the IISER Aptitude Test will be conducted in CBT/online mode for the duration of three hours in only one shift. There will be 60 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) that the exam officials will ask in the exam from the Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Mathematics Subjects.
Before starting the preparation, candidates must know the exam pattern and IISER 2026 syllabus, which will help them know the types of questions, exam difficulty, and depth of the subjects in detail.
Check out the IAT 2026 negative marking scheme, exam pattern, subject subject-wise question division on this SciAstra exam page.
Table of Contents
IISER 2026 Exam Pattern Highlights
Candidates taking the IISER entrance exam 2026 can check out the overview of the exam pattern from here:
Aspect | Details |
Exam Name | IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) 2026 |
Conducting Body | Any one of the IISERs |
Purpose | Entrance for UG programs (BS / BS-MS) in IISERs |
Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
Language / Medium | English & Hindi |
Number of Sections | 4 (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology) |
Number of Questions | 60 total (15 questions per subject) |
Score Range | –60 to +240 (theoretically) |
Eligibility (Subject-wise) | Candidate must have taken at least three of the four subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics) in Class XII. |
Also Read: IISER Previous Year Question Papers
IAT 2026 Exam Pattern
Check out the IISER entrance exam pattern 2026 from below:
Features | Details |
|---|---|
Mode of Exam | Online/ CBT |
Medium of Exam | Bilingual |
Frequency of Exam | Once in a year |
Number of Sections | 4 |
Number of Questions | 60 Questions |
Types of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) |
Total Marks | 240 Marks |
Marking Scheme | +4 for correct answer and -1 for incorrect answers |
Also Read: IAT Preparation Books
IAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Marking Scheme
Candidates can check out the marking scheme for the correct answer and incorrect answers from here:
Subject | No of Questions | Correct Answer | Incorrect Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
Physics | 15 | +4 | -1 |
Chemistry | 15 | +4 | -1 |
Mathematics | 15 | +4 | -1 |
Biology | 15 | +4 | -1 |
Also Read: IISER Cut Off
Start Your IISER 2026 Preparation
Every year, the difficulty level and competition for the IAT exam continue to rise, making early and strategic preparation essential for success. With expert guidance from dedicated mentors at SciAstra, you can strengthen your preparation and secure admission to prestigious BS-MS, BS, or BTech programmes at IISERs, IISc, and IIT Madras.
Explore the IISER 2026 preparation batches offered by SciAstra and choose the one that best fits your goals — start your journey today!
Check out IAT/NEST 2026 Exam Preparation Courses for Class 11 of Sciastra from here:
IAT/NEST Courses (Class 11) | Course Link |
Homi 1.0 | |
Homi 2.0 | |
Homi 3.0 |
Check out IAT/NEST 2026 Exam Preparation Courses for Class 12 of Sciastra from here:
IAT/NEST Courses (Class 12) | Course Link |
Vikram 1.0 | |
Vikram 2.0 | |
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Check out IAT/NEST 2026 Exam Preparation Courses for Droppers of Sciastra from here:
IAT/NEST Courses (Droppers) | Course Link |
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Kalam 2.0 | |
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