Are you interested in getting admission for the five-year Integrated MSc programme at NISER or UM-DAE CEBS? If yes, you will be able to apply to know that the notification for this entrance exam held for this admission is made public.
The National Institute of Science Education and Research or University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences offer admission for five-year Integrated MSc through the NEST.
The National Entrance Screening Test is held once in a year annually by the NISER and UM-DAE CEBS. For the year 2026, they have disclosed all the details about the entrance exam. Read this article to check the important dates, eligibility criteria, application fee, etc,.
NEST 2026 Overview
The NEST 2026 is all set to be held for admission at NISER and UM-DAE CEBS for five-year Integrated MSc to fill 200 seats and 57 seats, respectively. Refer to the table below for an overview of this entrance examination.
| Examination Name | National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2026 |
| Conducting Bodies | National Institute of Science Education and Research & UM-DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences |
| Courses Offered | Five-year Integrated MSc Programme |
| Admission Institutes | NISER, Bhubaneswar & UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai |
| Total Seats | 257 (NISER: 200, CEBS: 57) |
| Examination Mode | Computer-Based Test (Online) |
| Exam Duration | 60 Minutes |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics |
| Exam Frequency | Once a year |
| Official Website | nestexam.in |
Important Dates
The NISER and UM-DAE CEBS announced the important dates for the NEST 2026. Go through the table below for a complete schedule.
| Event | Date |
| Online Application Start | 5 January 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | 6 April 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | 13 – 14 April 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | 15 May 2026 |
| Examination | 6 June 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key | June 2026 |
| Result Declaration | June / July 2026 |
| Counselling & Admission | July 2026 |
Eligibility Criteria
In order to apply for the National Entrance Screening Test 2026, it is mandatory to meet the eligibility requirements.
- It is mandatory that you are an Indian citizen and reside in any state or territory of the country.
- You must have passed the Class 12 Examination in 2024 or 2025 (or going to appear in the year 2026) with Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics.
- The minimum requirement in the qualifying examination (Intermediate) is only 60% score as aggregate, the same for the SC, ST, and PwBD is 55%.
Note that there is no upper age limit to participate in this exam, but it is mandatory that the candidate have turned at least 17 years as of December 31, 2026.
Seat Reservation
The NISER and UM-DAE CEBS have announced the reservation details for the available seats with the notification brochure, go through the table below to check the details about it.
| Category | NISER | UM-DAE CEBS |
| UR | 101 | 23 |
| EWS | 0 | 6 |
| OBC-NCL | 54 | 15 |
| SC | 30 | 9 |
| ST | 15 | 4 |
| Total | 200 | 57 |
Note that out of total seats, 5% seats in each category are reserved for the Physically Handicapped candidates; and two supernumerary seats are reserved at both NISER and CEBS for eligible candidates from J&K and Ladakh.
Application Fee
The payment of the application fee is required to apply for the NEST 2026. A male candidate who belongs to Unreserved or Other Backward Class is required to deposit the amount of 1,400 rupees.
The payable amount for all female aspirants and male individuals who Economically Weaker Section, Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribes and Physical Handicapped need to deposit the amount of only 700 rupees.
Exam Pattern
The NISER and UM-DAE CEBS will conduct the NEST 2026 in online mode using the computer-based test. A total number of 60 objective-type questions from Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics.
Out of 4 sections, the candidate will have to touch only 3. Each question carries a weightage of 3 marks, and there is also a provision of negative marking. The exam duration will be only 60 minutes, and the medium is only English.
How To Apply?
In order to apply online for the NEST 2026, please go through the step-by-step instructions available below.
- Visit the official website of the National Entrance Screening Test at https://nestexam.in/.
- Find and click on the option that reads New Registration.
- Complete the registration procedure and login with your User ID and password.
- Fill in your details accurately, and then upload documents with photographs and signatures.
- Pay the application fee using the debit card, credit card, NET banking or UPI.
- Review your application form, and then click on the Submit button to apply for the NEST 2026.