The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2026 registration deadline has been officially extended, offering aspirants additional time to complete their application process. Candidates can now submit their application forms online until April 8, 2026, through the official NEST official website.
The extension has been announced by the exam conducting bodies—NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai—providing relief to students who were unable to apply before the earlier deadline of April 6, 2026.
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.
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 8, 2026 |
NEST 2026 Last Date to Submit Fee | April 8, 2026 |
NEST 2026 Application Correction Window | April 17, 2026 to April 18, 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:
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 a credit/debit card.
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 | |
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