The NEST 2026 notification is expected to be released in the third week of February 2026 on the official NEST exam website – nestexam.in.

The exam authority will also release the NEST 2026 application/registration form in the third week of February 2026 at nestexam.in for admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc programmes in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics at NISER Bhubaneswar and the University of Mumbai – DAE CEBS, Mumbai.

Candidates preparing for the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2026 for admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc courses in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Mathematics must know all the details to plan their preparation strategy effectively.

Check this page for complete information on the NEST 2026 application process, important dates, syllabus, exam pattern, preparation tips, and admission details. Candidates need to note that the information provided here is based on the previous year’s data. SciAstra will provide the updated details once the official NEST notification is released.

NEST Highlights 2026

NISER Bhubaneswar and the University of Mumbai – DAE CEBS, Mumbai, will conduct the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST 2026) in the third week of June 2026 (Tentative) in online mode.

In order to get a quick summary of all the important details about NEST 2026, candidates should check the exam highlights. The following table provides these key details:

NEST Exam Dates 2026

Candidates seeking admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc courses at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai, must know all the important NEST 2026 exam dates. Considering this, SciAstra has listed these dates below:

NEST 2026: Offered Courses and Seat Intake

Before applying for the NEST 2026 exam, candidates must check the number of seats for admission. This will help them estimate the chances of admission considering their NEST 2026 scores:

Check out the NEST 2026 category-wise seat intake below:

Note: As per government regulations, both NISER and CEBS reserve two supernumerary seats for eligible candidates from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

NEST Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by NISER and CEBS can apply for NEST 2026. Therefore, before applying for the exam, check out the following eligibility requirements for NEST 2026:

NEST Application Form 2026

The NEST 2026 application process includes creating a candidate registration account, filling out the application form, and paying the application fee. Aspirants can follow the steps below to complete the NEST 2026 application form:

• Visit the official NEST website – nestexam.in.

• Click on the “Registration” option.

• Enter your email address and mobile number.

• Create a password and save all the details.

• Log in again and enter these details: your personal and educational details and address for communication.

• Upload your passport-size photo and a scanned copy of your signature.

• Pay the application fee online using Net Banking, UPI or credit/debit card.

• Submit the application and download its copy as a PDF.

NEST Exam Pattern 2026

The NEST 2026 question paper will consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) divided into four sections: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. There will be a total of 240 questions in the question paper, and the exam duration will be 210 minutes (3.5 hours). NEST 2026 will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Refer to the table below for the section-wise exam pattern details:

Note: The NEST 2026 merit list for NISER, Bhubaneswar, and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai, will be prepared using the best three scores out of the four sections, and the section with the lowest score will not be considered.

NEST Marking Scheme 2026

Refer to the following details related to the marking scheme for NEST 2026:

• 1 correct attempt = +3 marks

• 1 wrong attempt = -1 mark

NEST Syllabus 2026

The NEST 2026 syllabus will cover topics from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics taught in Classes 11 and 12, based on NCERT textbooks. The detailed and updated syllabus will be released on the official website — nestexam.in. Once announced by the exam authority, the complete syllabus will also be provided here.

NEST Admit Card 2026

The NEST 2026 admit card (hall ticket) is expected to be released in the first week of June 2026 on the official website — nestexam.in. On the exam day, candidates must carry a printed, coloured copy of the admit card.

To download the NEST syllabus, use the following steps:

• Go to the official NEST website — nestexam.in.

• Click on the “Login” option.

• Enter your login details: Username/Application Number and Password.

• Your admit card will appear on the screen.

• Click on the download option to save the admit card as a PDF.

NEST Preparation Tips 2026

Scoring well in the NEST exam requires using effective preparation tips. Candidates can use the following steps to achieve this goal: ‘

1. Know the NEST 2026 pattern patterns. It includes the number of sections, question type (MCQs), marking strategy, and duration of the exam (3.5 hours).

2. Concentrate on Class 11 and 12 NCERT textbooks' Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics since a majority of questions come from them.

3. Decide on which subjects you excel at and then spend additional time studying weaker sections.

4. Practise old NEST question papers to know the level of difficulty and question types.

5. Practise online CBT-mode mock tests for developing speed, accuracy, and time management.

6. Prepare small notes or formula sheets for quick revision before the exam.

7. Work on all four subjects equally but don't neglect Biology or Maths even if they're not your areas of strength.

NEST Answer Key 2026

The provisional answer key of NEST 2026 will be released in the third week of June 2026 on the official NEST website — nestexam.in. Candidates can raise objections to the answer key online. After taking all the objections into account, the exam authority will release the NEST 2026 final answer key on the same official website.

NEST Result 2026

The NEST 2026 result will be announced in the second week of July 2026 (tentative) on the official website — nestexam.in. Candidates can download their scorecards by logging into their login accounts using their application number/email ID and password.

The exam consists of four sections, but while preparing the NEST 2026 merit list, only the marks from the top three scoring sections will be considered. Additionally, section-wise cut-offs will also be applied.

NEST Counselling 2026

For securing admission to NISER or UM-DAE CEBS, candidates will have to participate in the counselling process. For this they will have to first fill out the counselling registration form at nestexam.in. The NEST 2026 counselling will include the following steps:

1. NEST 2026 counselling registration and course choice filling

2. Release of the merit list

3. Counselling/interaction

4. Verification of documents

5. Paying admission fee

6. Reporting to the institute