Overview

For admission to the five-year Integrated MSc program offered by the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) and the University of Mumbai’s Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS), candidates must take the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST), an online computer-based exam. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, established NISER and UM-DAE CEBS as independent institutions in 2007. With the goal of creating a national pool of human resources to guide the nation toward excellence in teaching and research in basics and applied sciences, these institutes were established with the mandate to provide research-oriented teaching in basic sciences by faculties who are practicing scientists. 

NEST 2026 will take place in about 140 Indian cities.

Official website: https://www.nestexam.in/

Important Dates 2026

• Online Application Opens – 05 January 2026 (10 am)
• Online Application Closes – 06 April 2026 (11:30 pm)
• Correction & Update window – 13 April 2026 (10 am), Until 14 April (10 am)
• Mock Test Opens – To be announced
• Download of Admit Card  – 15 May 2026 (10 am)
• Date of Examination – 06 June 2026, Saturday (2 pm)
• Challenge the Answer Keys – To be announced
• Result Announcement  – To be announced
• Scorecard Download  – To be announced Only for qualified candidates

Eligibility criteria

FOR ADMISSION

Candidates must fulfill the FOUR eligibility criteria given below:

• In classes XI and XII, candidates should have studied at least three of the four basic science courses: biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics.
• Candidates must have passed the class XII exam in 2024 or 2025 from any recognised Indian board, or they must be scheduled to take it in 2026. A single board shall provide the (provisional) certificate declaring the total score. The eligibility requirements must be satisfy at the time of program admission for candidates taking the board exam in 2026.
• Candidates must receive an overall score of at least 60% or an equivalent grade on the class XII exam. Candidates from scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), and Divyangjan categories must receive at least 55% of the possible marks in the class XII examination or an equivalent grade.
• The candidate should be listed on the NEST 2026 merit list.

There is no upper age limit for taking the NEST 2026 examination to get admission to either NISER or UM-DAE CEBS, as long as all of the eligibility conditions listed above are fulfilled.

Application Fee

• Female applicants (irrespective of category): ₹700
• Applicants of SC/ST/Divyangjan category: ₹700
• Applicants of Unreserved-EWS (UR-EWS): ₹700
• Male/Other applicants of UR/OBC category: ₹1,400

How to Apply

HOW TO APPLY ONLINE

Candidates must complete the online application form available only on the www.nestexam.in website in order to apply for NEST 2026. The deadline for online applications is April 06, 2026, (11:30 p.m.), unless there is a reason for delay.

Phase 1: Before submitting an online application, candidates must REGISTER. Some basic information must be filled in during this process, including Name, DoB, eMail-ID, Mobile#, and Class X Roll#. Give your name and date of birth exactly as mentioned on the certificate. It is not possible to change these details. Within 30 minutes (maximum), the process gives login credentials via email.

Phase 2: Only after obtaining the credentials can one log in and continue with the application. There are other options to change your password and forget your password. After successfully logging in, click “Go to Application” in the upper-right corner and enter the required details. The application can be filled out in part and saved for later completion before being submitted.

Phase 3: If everything goes smoothly, there is usually no need to seek technical support. If necessary, the query/complaint should be raised by clicking the HELPDESK button after login. You must select an appropriate problem type from a drop-down box and provide a brief explanation. You can upload a screenshot of the error page or unsuccessful payment. As an alternative, you can reach tech.support over phone.

Syllabus

NEST 2026 syllabus

The NEST 2026 syllabus primarily depends on the CBSE curriculum (2025-26) and the NCERT books for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of classes XI-XII. Some of the questions may also require knowledge from science subjects up to class 10.

NCERT textbooks can be downloaded online from https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php

The above books are only suggestions for covering the NEST 2026 syllabus.

The complete syllabus for the NEST 2026 examination is provided below. It is also included under the description “Syllabus for NEST 2026” at the conclusion of the information brochure.

Information Brochure

https://www.nestexam.in/docs/26/NEST2026_Brochure_Syllabus_Updated_12Jan2026.pdf