NEST stands for the national entrance screening test. It is the one which is jointly conducted by the NISER (National Institute of science education & research) Mumbai and Bhubaneswar University. It is an entrance test of the national level which is conducted for offering admissions in five-year integrated courses of M.Sc. in basic science as Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. This entrance test is organized for admission in UM-DAE-CEBS of Mumbai and NISER of Bhubaneswar. Continue reading to know complete details about the NEST exam and its eligibility criteria.
What is the NEST exam?
NEST exam is a compulsory exam for all those students to want admission to the National Institute of science education & research and in UM-DAE-CEBS. This exam is organized in 90 different cities of India. Based on the marks scored in NEST 2021, the merit list of the students is prepared for CEBS and NISER separately. This exam is conducted in both the languages, Hindi and English. One can apply for this exam online and can also give the test online. You can check the online forms for admission on its official website.
Eligibility criteria for NEST exam
Age limit
The candidates who want to enroll themselves in the NEST exam must be under the NEST criteria. The candidates that are from the General or OBC category, they must be born on or after 1st August 2001. On the other hand, the candidates that belong to reserved categories like SC/ST/ or PWS category, are offered relaxation for 5 years.
Educational qualifications
The candidates enrolling in the NEST exam must be 10+2 passed or from a recognized university or board.
The candidates should have scored a minimum of 60% marks or equivalent grades in the XII exam. The aggregate marks are kept at a minimum of 55% for ST/PWD/SC candidates.
The candidates should have cleared10+2 level in the science stream only. He should be passed in XIIth exam in three subjects which include Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
Appearing candidates can also apply for the NEST exam. The candidates should have passed the XIIth exam in 2019 or 2020.
The candidates, who have received grades in their mark sheet, have to show a certificate from the concerned university or board that can specify their marks percentage. In case of certificate absence, the final decision lies in the hands of the admission committee of the concerned college.
The candidates also have to submit important certificates which support the eligibility criteria at admission time.
NEST exam syllabus
There are 5 subjects on which the NEST exam is based. This includes General ability, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and organic chemistry. To know the detailed syllabus for these subjects, check out the information below:
General ability syllabus for NEST exam
- There is no fixed syllabus for the General ability exam
- This includes random questions from current affairs, GK, English, science, geography, and history.
- It can include science questions in passage form
- There can be questions related history of Mathematics and science
- It can include the mathematical ability of class X
Syllabus for Physics
- General physics
- Mechanics
- Rotational dynamics
- Fluids
- Sound
- Thermal physics
- Syllabus for mathematics
- Algebra
- Probability
- Binomial theorem
- Matrices
Chemistry syllabus
- Hybridisations
- Isomerism
- Reactive intermediates
- Nomenclature
- Alkenes & Alkynes
- Alkanes
- Haloalkanes
- Aromatic compounds
Biology syllabus
- Ecosystems
- Human health & diseases
- Ecology
- Biotechnology
- Genetics
- Humans & environment
- Reproduction
- Animal system and plant system
- Anatomy
- Physiology
Exam pattern
The NEST exam is an offline exam that is pen & paper-based. It includes only 1 paper divided into 5 sections. It includes various subjects like general ability, biology, maths, chemistry, and Physics. It includes multiple-choice questions. The duration of the exam is 3 hours.
The total exam marks are kept at 230. For general aptitude, it has 30 marks, and for physics, chemistry, biology, chemistry, and mathematics it’s 50 marks each, making a total of 200. The questions in the NEST test are best designed for checking the understanding and analytic ability of candidates in every subject.
The marking scheme also varies from one section to another. It depends on the question type. In section 1- the general ability is having no negative marking. No marks get deducted for the wrong answer. The other subjects like biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physics have negative markings. The number of questions might change year to year for this NEST test.
How to fill NEST application form
NEST application form gets available online from February onwards. One can fill at the NEST official website only, which is www.nestexam.in. To know how to easily register for the NEST exam, follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Visit the NEST official website i.e nestexam.in
- Click on the “apply online” link from its website to reach its application page online.
- Enter your important details like name, id, password of your choice, and your e-mail id.
- Further candidates receive a mail on the given e-mail id for confirming the registration through a link.
- Soon after the confirmation, enter your same id and password, your secret code, and then click on the ‘login; option.
- If in case you have forgotten your password, you can click on the option of “forget password”.
- The candidates can only retrieve their password twice; it is done for safety reasons.
Important things to keep in mind while filling the application form of NEST
Make sure you are ready with the following documents which include:
- Valid and active e-mail id & your mobile number
- Mark sheet of Class Xth
- Mark sheet of Class XIIth
- ID proof like PAN card, aadhar card, Voter ID, Ration card, etc.
- Scanned copy of your signature
- Scanned colored copy of your photograph in passport size.
Application fees of NEST exam
- You can pay the fees of the NEST exam online through debit or credit card or net banking.
- You can’t send any demand draft for paying the fees
- No fees are collected in cash for the NEST exam
- The general, OBC, and EWS candidates are required to pay 1200 Rs for the NEST exam.
- The SC/PWD/ST and female candidates have to pay 600 Rs in form of NEST application fees.
Result of NEST exam
The result of the NEST exam is mostly declared in May. The candidates can check the results online. The candidates are suggested to keep an eye on the NEST official website for quick updates. The result gets displayed on the official website under the ‘Result’ tab. To check your NEST result, follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Login on the NEST website using your id and password
- Click on the NEST result tab
- Download your result with the answer key
- Have a look at the cut-off list
- The scorecard helps better in understanding about NEST merit list
- Based on the merit list and results, the final candidate’s list is released.
- The list focuses on the candidates that are further selected for the counseling process.
NEST counseling
The candidates who are selected based on the merit list, are called for the counseling process. The two different universities are a part of NEST counseling. The candidates are requested to show their original documents and certificates for document verification in NEST counseling.
Important documents to carry in the counseling process
- Original certificate of caste
- Birth proof
- Passport size photo
- ID proof issued by the government
- Class XII and X original mark sheet
- Original certificate of disability, if any
Rahul Kumar is a passionate educator, writer, and subject matter expert in the field of education and professional development. As an author on CoursesXpert, Rahul Kumar’s articles cover a wide range of topics, from various courses, educational and career guidance.
