NEST Exam Eligibility 2026: The NISAR and UMDAE-CBS have released the NEST 2026 eligibility criteria at nestexam.in. Candidates who are going to appear in the exam must check the NEST eligibility criteria 2026. The NEST eligibility criteria 2026 contain the age limit and academic qualification.
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The National Entrance Screening Test is a computer-based entrance exam for admission to the five-year Integrated MSc programme in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics at the National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, and the University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai. To know more about the NEST exam eligibility criteria, read the article thoroughly.
There are two important factors on which the eligibility criteria of NEST 2026 depend. First is the educational qualification, and the other is the age limit.
Educational Qualification-
Students should complete their 10+2 education from any recognized institution.
They must have completed their 12th in the science stream with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology.
NEST Age Limit- There is no upper age limit to appear for the NEST 2026 exam.
Minimum Marks Required- The minimum mark required for NEST is 60% in the class 12 or its equivalent examination. There is a relaxation of 5% for the candidates belonging reserved category.
Candidates who fulfill the eligibility requirements for the NEST 2026 are eligible to appear in the entrance exam. Only such candidates can able to take the entrance examination. The non-eligible candidates will not be allowed to take admission in the participating institutions even/they qualify the exam. Students must pass class 12 with a minimum of marks to be eligible for the NEST 2026 exam.
Seats will be reserved for categories like OBC-NCL, SC/ ST, PwD, and Supernumerary Quota seats for candidates who are from Jammu and Kashmir. The percentage for seat reservation differs from one another.
Other Backward Class- Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL)
27% seats are reserved for this category.
It is to be noted that students belonging to Other Backward Class (OBC) are not considered under any reservation category. They are grouped under the General category of students.
Only the OBC NCL students are considered eligible for the reservation, as stated by the state government.
Schedule Caste (SC)/ Schedule Tribe (ST)
15% of the total seats are reserved for candidates of the SC category.
7.5% of seats will be reserved for candidates of the ST category.
Person with Disabilities (PWD)
5% of the total seats are reserved for candidates of the PWD category.
Supernumerary Quota seats for students from Jammu and Kashmir
Two seats at both NISER Bhubaneswar and UMDAE-CBS will be reserved for these candidates.
Students should complete their 12th from the State Board of Jammu and Kashmir or from CBSE-affiliated schools that are located in Jammu and Kashmir.
NOTE: Students must present their category certificate during the final NEST admission to avail these benefits.
There are a total of 6 courses offered at different schools of NISAR and UMDAE-CBS. Here is the list of courses.
| School | Programmes |
|---|---|
School of Mathematical Sciences | M.Sc. Mathematical Science |
School of Physical Sciences | M.Sc.c Physical Science |
School of Chemical Sciences | M.Sc. Chemical Sciences |
School of Computer Sciences | M.Sc. Computer Science |
School of Biological Sciences | M.Sc. Biological Sciences |
School of Environmental Sciences | M.Sc. Environmental Sciences |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There is no specific age limit to appear in the exam but students have to complete their 12th standard from an recognised institution.
Minimum percentage required differs from category. It is 60% for General and OBC category and 55% for SC/ST/PWD category.
The 5% of the total seats will be reserved for candidates who belong to the PwD category.
There are 6 courses offered by the NEST viz., M.Sc Mathematical Science, Physical Science, Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
The NEST exam eligibility age limit are as follows. Students who fulfill these criteria are eligible for admission to NISER/CEBS's Integrated MSc programme.
seats reserved for candidates of OBC-NCL category is 27%, while for SC/ST category candidates the 22.5% seats will be reserved.
The eligibility for NISER exam 2026 contains the candidates minimum qualification, NISER age limit and minimum percentage requirement
On Question asked by student community
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If you missed the NEST (National Entrance Screening Test) result announcement and the login date has expired, you can try the following steps to check your result:
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NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) and CEBS (Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences) are prestigious institutions that offer integrated M.Sc. programs in various disciplines of science. Your NEST rank of 387 in the general category is quite competitive, but admission to NISER or CEBS depends on
No, qualifying NEST exam won't directly lead you to pursue MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). NEST serves a different purpose.
The National Entrance Screening Test is for admission to five-year integrated M.Sc. programs at specific universities like National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) and Center
For the NEST exam, the eligibility criteria typically require a minimum of 60% in Class 12 for general category candidates and 55% for SC/ST candidates. Since you scored 53.8% overall in Class 12, it might be challenging to meet the criteria. However, you should confirm with the official NEST guidelines
Correct Answer: The drongo looks exactly like a crow.
Solution : The first option is the correct choice.
The statement "the drongo looks exactly like a crow" is not true, according to the passage.
The passage describes the Black Drongo as a wholly black bird with a distinctive forked tail,
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