The NEST 2026 Registration process closes on April 6, 2026. Candidates satisfying the NEST 2026 eligibility criteria must fill out the application form before the deadline by 11: 50 PM. Students who wish to appear for this national-level entrance examination must complete their application process through the official website before the deadline.

NEST is a prestigious entrance exam conducted for admission to the 5-year Integrated MSc programmes offered by the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, and the University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS), Mumbai.

With the deadline fast approaching, applicants are advised to complete their registration process at the earliest to avoid technical glitches or a last-minute rush.

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 Exam Schedule

Events

Dates

NEST 2026 Notification

Released

NEST 2026 Registration Starts

January 5, 2026 (Released)

NEST 2026 Last Date for Registration

April 6, 2026

NEST 2026 Last Date to Submit Fee

April 6, 2026

NEST 2026 Application Correction Window

April 13, 2026 to April 14, 2026

NEST 2026 Mock Test Opens

To be announced

NEST 2026 Admit Card

May 15, 2026

NEST 2026 Exam

June 6, 2026

NEST 2026 Provisional Answer Key

Third Week of June 2026

NEST 2026 Provisional Answer Objection Window

Third week of June 2026

NEST 2026 Final Answer Key

First Week of July 2026

NEST 2026 Result

Second Week of July 2026

NEST UG 2026 Counselling Begins

Third Week of July 2026

How to Fill NEST 2026 Application Form?

To fill out the NEST application form 2026, candidates can use the following steps:

  1. Visit the official NEST website – nestexam.in.

  2. Click on the “Registration” option.

  3. Enter your email address and mobile number.

  4. Create a password and save all the details.

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

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

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

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

NEST Application Fees 2026

The NEST application process 2026 will also be considered complete once candidates pay the application fee. The category-wise application fees for NEST 2026 are mentioned below:

NEST 2026 Application Fees (Category-Wise)

Category

NEST 2026 Application Fee

Male candidates of the unreserved (general) category

INR 1,400

Male candidates of the OBC category

INR 1,400

Female candidates (all categories)

INR 700

Candidates of Unreserved-Economically Weaker Section (UN-EWS) (both males and females)

INR 700

Candidates of the SC and ST categories (both males and females)

INR 700

Candidates of the Divayngjan category (both males and females)

INR 700

Prepare for NEST 2026 with SciAstra

Short on time but aiming for IISER/NISER?

Join the SciAstra IAT & NEST 2026 Offline Crash Course and master the most important concepts with expert guidance.

Course details below:

SciAstra IAT & NEST 2026 Offline Crash Course

Course Features:

  • Offline Classes (Mon–Sat) | 2:30 PM - 8:00 PM

  • Printed Daily Practice Papers with Detailed Solutions

  • Offline IAT Mocks and 2 Offline NEST Mocks (CBT)

  • FREE IAT & NEST 2026 FOCUS Series: 30 Mock Tests

  • Private WhatsApp Group for the Batch

  • FREE SciAstra T-Shirt

SciAstra IAT & NEST 2026 Crash Course

Register Now