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NEST

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Official paper pattern

NEST · updated 2026 information brochure and syllabus, sections 5, 7 and 14 · Source year 2026 · Document date 2026-01-12 · Last reviewed 2026-09-28

NEST 2026 · four subject sections

One three-hour CBT. Candidates may attempt all four sections; at least three section scores must clear their category's section-wise minimum admissible score for ranking.

Section	Questions	Marks	Minutes	Paper language
Biology	20	60	—	English and Hindi
Chemistry	20	60	—	English and Hindi
Mathematics	20	60	—	English and Hindi
Physics	20	60	—	English and Hindi
Total	80	240	180	—

Key rules and selection stages

Correct +3, incorrect −1, blank 0. For merit ranking, the total uses the best three section scores that clear their applicable section minimum; the fourth section does not raise that total.
Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) depends on the average of the top 100 scores in each section, with category adjustments. A separate Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP) is also required for a rank; the 2026 MAP values appear below.

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