NEST

Exam Announced? YES

Course(s) offered: 5 year Integrated M.Sc in basic sciences (Biological, Chemical, Mathematical and Physical sciences) in NISER & UM-DAE-CEBS

About the institutes: The courses are offered in the following 2 very premium institutes:

(a) National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) Bhubaneswar and

(b) University of Mumbai - Department of Atomic Energy, Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS) Mumbai.

Both NISER and CBS are autonomous institutions established by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, in 2007.

NISER is an off-campus centre of Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) and all academic programmes of NISER are affiliated to HBNI.

Although UM-DAE CEBS is a DAE institution, it is physically located on the Vidyanagari campus of University of Mumbai. Academic programs of CEBS are affiliated with University of Mumbai.

These institutes were started with the mandate to provide high quality teaching in basic sciences by a faculty of distinguished scientists embedded in a vibrant research environment and to create a national pool of scientists ready to take up research challenges in the frontiers of basic and applied sciences.

Scholarship: The candidates admitted to the programme are eligible to receive annual scholarship of Rs.60,000 through DISHA program of Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. In addition, the scholarship recipients receive grant of Rs.20,000 per annum for summer internship. Candidates selected by DST for the INSPIRE-SHE program are endorsed for INSPIRE scholarship by NISER and CEBS. A vast majority of students graduating from the integrated MSc programs offered in the two

institutes pursue doctoral research at universities and institutions of repute in India and abroad.

Appointment in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre: Students graduating with overall grades above a certain threshold are eligible to appear directly for the interview for appointment as Trainee Scientific Officer in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

No. of seats:  Total number of seats at NISER and CEBS are 200 and 57, respectively.

2 supernumerary seats are reserved at both NISER and CEBS for eligible candidates from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh as per existing government regulations.

Reservations:  OBC (NCL) 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, Divyangjan 5% in every category (horizontal basis).

Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of society is allowed in the Unreserved (UR) EWS category for admission to UM-DAE CEBS only.

‘Section–wise’ Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) or section-wise-cut–off marks

1. The total score of each candidate will be the sum of his/her best three scores out of the four sections.

2. For each section, “20% of the average of the best 100 scores in that section” will be considered as the Section–wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS).

For example, if the average of the best 100 scores in the Chemistry section is 48 out of 60, then SMAS for the Chemistry section would be 48*0.20 = 9.6 marks, similarly for other sections.

3. SMAS for different sections can be of different numerical values.

4. SMAS for OBC students would be 90% of the respective SMAS for general category students.

For example, if in the Chemistry section, the SMAS is 9.6 for general category students, then the SMAS for OBC students would be 8.64 (90% of 9.6).

5. SMAS for SC/ST students would be 50% of respective SMAS for Unreserved category students.

6. A relaxation of 5% in SMAS for Divyangjan candidates in their respective categories would be applicable. SMAS for Divyangjan candidates under UR, OBC and SC/ST categories would be 95%, 85% and 45% of the respective SMAS for Unreserved (UR) category candidates.

7. A candidate must secure a section score equal to or above the SMAS in at least three sections to be considered further in the scoring process.

Overall cut-off or Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP)

In addition to SMAS, a candidate is required to score equal to or above a total Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP), to get a merit rank. Category-wise MAP for NEST 2026 will be announced along with the declaration of results.

A candidate scoring less than the MAP would not be allotted any merit rank, even if the candidate secures SMAS in all sections.

Merit list preparation: The final ranking of the candidates will be based on percentile scores calculated from the best three section scores. The merit list will be published based on the following criteria:

1. A candidate is required to score more than SMAS in at least three subject sections. Then we say that the candidate is SMAS-qualified.

2. The total score of a SMAS-qualified candidate is the sum of the scores of her/his three best scores from the SMAS securing sections.

3. A candidate is required to score equal to or above a total Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP) to get a merit rank.

4. If the percentiles of two or more candidates become equal (i.e., in the case of a tie), then the best scores in the sections of the two students would be compared. The student with the higher score would get a better rank.

5. If the tie persists, the students would be given the same provisional rank at the time of declaration of the result, and the tie would be broken by comparing class 12th marks (followed by class 10 marks) during admission/counseling.

6. If the tie still persists, then the younger student will get a higher rank.

Admission: Getting a merit rank by satisfying SMAS and MAP criteria does not automatically entitle a candidate to a seat or to be called for admission/counseling. The details of the admission/counseling process will be uploaded on the website of the respective institutions sufficiently in advance.

Conducted by: Chief Coordinator NEST 2026, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar

Conducting organization type: Other

Additional info: The exam is popular across All India