NEST 2026: Exam Date, Application Form, Syllabus & Pattern

Chemistry: Unit 01

• Measurements in chemistry: SI units for fundamental quantities, significant figures in calculations
• Mole concept: Avogadro number and mole concept, molar masses, mole fraction, molarity, molality, percent composition, stoichiometry. Equivalent weight and normality.Calculations based on mole concept and stoichiometry of different reactions
• Mole concept: Oxidation-reduction reactions
• Gaseous and liquid states: Absolute scale of temperature. Gas laws, ideal gas equation, real gases and deviation from ideality, liquefaction of gases, Van Der Waals equation
• Gaseous and liquid states: Kinetic theory of gases; average, root mean square, and most probable velocities and their relation with temperature. Law of partial pressures. Vapour pressure. Diffusion of gases
• Atomic structure and chemical bonding: Bohr model, spectrum of hydrogen atom, quantum numbers. Wave particle duality, De Broglie hypothesis. Uncertainty principle. Orbitals and quantum numbers; shapes and energy of s, p, and d orbitals
• Atomic structure and chemical bonding: Electronic configurations of elements (up to atomic number 36), filling of orbitals-Aufbau principle. Pauli’s exclusion principle and Hund’s rule. Hybridization involving s, p, and d orbitals
• Atomic structure and chemical bonding: Atomic orbital overlap and chemical bonds; ionic, covalent, and coordinate bonds; bond parameters. Orbital energy diagrams for homonuclear diatomic species. Lewis structures. Hydrogen bond
• Atomic structure and chemical bonding: Polarity in molecules, dipole moment (qualitative aspects). VSEPR theory and shapes of molecules. Valence bond theory. Molecular orbital theory of homonuclear diatomic molecules (qualitative idea)
• Thermodynamics: Thermodynamic states. First law of thermodynamics. Internal energy, work, and heat, pressure-volume work. Enthalpy and enthalpy change, Hess's law, heat of-reaction, fusion, and vaporisation
• Thermodynamics: Second law of thermodynamics, entropy, free energy, criterion of spontaneity
• Chemical equilibrium: Laws of chemical equilibrium, law of mass action. Equilibrium constant-factors affecting equilibrium constant and its applications. Le Chatelier's principle-effect of concentration, temperature, and pressure
• Chemical equilibrium: Significance of ΔG and ΔG in chemical equilibrium. Relationship of K and ΔG. Ionic equilibrium: Acids and bases (Bronsted and Lewis concepts), salts. Ka, Kb, Kw, degree of dissociation, PH, and their relationships
• Chemical equilibrium: Ionic equilibrium-solubility product, common ion effect. Hydrolysis of salts. Buffer solutions
• Electrochemistry: Redox reactions and electrode potential, electrochemical cells, galvanic cells and cell reactions. Standard electrode potential. Nernst equation and its relation to ΔG and K. Electrochemical series, EMF of galvanic cells
• Electrochemistry: Electrolysis and Faraday's laws of electrolysis. Electrolytic conductance, specific, equivalent, and molar conductivity, Kohlrausch's law. Concentration cells. Batteries (primary and secondary), fuel cells, corrosion
• Chemical kinetics: Rates of chemical reactions. Order of reaction, rate constant. First order and pseudo first order reactions. Factors affecting rate of reaction-concentration, temperature (Arrhenius equation), catalyst
• Solid state: Classification of solids, amorphous, and crystalline solids, crystalline state, crystal lattice, and unit cells; seven crystal systems (cell parameters a, b, c, α, β), close packed structure of solids (cubic)
• Solid state: Packing in fcc, bcc, and hcp lattices. Packing efficiency, nearest neighbours, ionic radii. Simple ionic compounds, imperfection in solids, point defects. Electrical and magnetic properties, band theory of metals
• Solutions: Solution of solid and gas in liquid. Concentration of solution. Ideal and non-ideal solutions. Colligative properties. Vapour pressure of solution, Raoult's law
• Solutions: Molecular weight determination from lowering of vapour pressure, elevation of boiling point and depression of freezing point. Abnormal molecular mass, Van't Hoff factor. Osmosis-osmotic pressure, reverse osmosis
• Surface chemistry: Adsorption-physisorption and chemisorptions. Factors affecting adsorption of gases on solids. Adsorption isotherm. Catalysis-homogeneous and heterogeneous, activity and selectivity. Enzyme catalysis
• Surface chemistry: Colloidal state-types, preparation, and properties of colloids. Tyndall effect, Brownian movement, electrophoresis, coagulation. Application of colloids. Micelles

Chemistry: Unit 02

• Classification of elements and periodicity in properties: Modern periodic table, classification of elements, periodic trends in properties of elements-valence, oxidation state, atomic/ ionic radius, ionization energy, electron gain energy
• Classification of elements and periodicity in properties: Periodic trends in properties of elements-electronegativity, valency, chemical reactivity. Diagonal relationship. Anomalous behaviours of Li, Be, B, C
• Hydrogen: Isotopes, preparation, isolation, properties, and uses. Hydrides-ionic, covalent, and interstitial. Properties of water and heavy water. Hydrogen peroxide-preparation, structure, reactions, uses. Hydrogen as fuel cell
• s-block elements (alkali and alkaline earth elements): General characteristics and trends in properties. Group 1: Preparation, properties, and reactions of alkali metals with emphasis on chemistry of Na and K and their compounds-oxides, peroxides
• s-block elements (alkali and alkaline earth elements): Group 1: Preparation, properties, and reactions of alkali metals with emphasis on chemistry of Na and K and their compounds-hydroxides, carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides and sulphates
• s-block elements (alkali and alkaline earth elements): Group 2: Preparation, properties, and reactions alkaline earth metals with emphasis on the chemistry of Mg and Ca and their compounds-oxides, peroxides, hydroxides, carbonates, bicarbonates
• s-block elements (alkali and alkaline earth elements): Group 2: Preparation, properties, and reactions alkaline earth metals with emphasis on the chemistry of Mg and Ca and their compounds-chlorides and sulphates. Uses
• p-block elements: General characteristics and trends in properties. Group 13: Chemistry of boron and its compounds-borax, boric acid, and diborane. Group 14, 15, and 16: Chemistry of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorus. Allotropy
• p-block elements: Group 14, 15, and 16-chemistry of carbon, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorus. Allotropy. Chemistry of oxides and oxyacids of these elements. Phosphines, phosphorus chlorides, ammonia, peroxide, and ozone; silicones
• p-block elements: Group 14, 15, and 16-silicon tetrachloride and silicates. Group 17: Chemistry of halogens, chemistry of chlorine in detail. Interhalogen compounds. HX and oxyacids of halogens
• p-block elements: Group 18: Isolation, properties, and reactions of inert gases with emphasis on chemistry of xenon
• d-block elements: General characteristics and trends in properties (mainly 3d elements).. Variable oxidation states and their stabilities, colour (excluding the details of electronic transitions) and calculation of spin-only magnetic moment
• d-block elements: Catalytic properties. Interstitial compounds, alloy formation. Preparation and properties of potassium dichromate, and permanganate
• f-block elements: General characteristics and trends in properties (mainly lanthanides). Variable oxidation states. Lanthanide contraction and its consequences
• Coordination compounds: Nomenclature of mononuclear coordination compounds. Isomerism. Hybridization and geometries of mononuclear coordination compounds. Magnetic properties. Werner's theory, VBT, CFT
• Metals and metallurgy: Occurrence of metals. General methods of extraction involving chemical principles-thermodynamic, electrochemical, and redox principles. General operation stages involved in metallurgical operation
• Metals and metallurgy: Metallurgy of p-block element (emphasis on Al). Metallurgy of Fe-triad (more emphasis on Fe metallurgy). Metallurgy of coinage metals (Cu, Ag with more emphasis on Cu). Refining

Chemistry: Unit 03

• Basic concept: Representation of organic compounds. Hybridisations of carbon. Sigma and pi-bonds. Shapes of simple organic molecules. Inductive effect, electrometric effect, resonance effect, hyper conjugation. Keto-enol tautomerism
• Basic concept: Determination of empirical and molecular formulae (only combustion method). Hydrogen bond-definition and effect on physical properties of alcohols and carboxylic acids. Acidity and basicity of organic acids, and bases
• Basic concept: Methods of purification of compounds
• Reactive intermediates: Homolytic and heterolytic bond cleavages. Formation, structure, and stability of-carbocation, carbanion, and free radical
• Isomerism: Structural and stereoisomerism. Geometrical isomerism. Chirality. Enantiomers. Optical isomerism of compounds containing up to two asymmetric centres, (R, S and E, Z nomenclature excluded). Racemic mixture
• Isomerism: Conformations of ethane and butane (Newman projections)
• Nomenclature: IUPAC nomenclature of simple organic compounds (only hydrocarbons, monofunctional and bifunctional compounds), including benzene derivatives
• Alkanes: Preparation, properties, and reactions. Idea of homologous series, combustion, and halogenation of alkanes. Mechanism of photohalogenation, Wurtz reaction
• Alkenes and alkynes: Preparation, properties, and reactions of alkenes and alkynes. Isomerization. Acidity of alkynes. Acid catalysed hydration of alkenes and alkynes (excluding the stereochemistry), reactions of alkenes with KMnO₄, sulphuric acid
• Alkenes and alkynes: Reduction of alkenes and alkynes, preparation of alkenes and alkynes by elimination reactions (excluding stereochemistry). Electrophilic addition reactions of alkenes with X2, HX, HOX, and H2O (X=halogen). Makowniko rule
• Alkenes and alkynes: Peroxide effect. Polymerization of alkenes, addition reactions of alkynes, metal acetylides, ozonolysis
• Aromatic compounds: Aromaticity. Huckel theory of aromaticity. Structure of benzene. Isomerism in substituted benzenes. Electrophilic substitution reaction on benzene-general mechanism
• Aromatic compounds: Orientating influence of substituents in electrophilic substitution reaction of monosubstituted benzenes. Electrophilic substitution reactions of benzene and substituted benzenes-halogenation, nitration, sulphonation
• Aromatic compounds: Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation (no mechanism)
• Haloalkanes (alkyl halides): Preparation from alkanes, alcohols, olens. Grignard reagents and their reaction with aldehydes/ ketones/ esters/ nitriles. Nucleophilic substitution reactions of alkyl halides with different nucleophilic species
• Haloalkanes (alkyl halides): SN1 and SN2 reactions with mechanism. Halogen exchange reaction. Polyhalogen compounds
• Haloarenes: nucleophilic aromatic substitution in haloarenes and substituted haloarenes (excluding Benzyne mechanism and Cine substitution)
• Alcohols: Preparation from-olens, alkyl halides, carboxylic acids, aldehydes/ ketones. Hydroboration reaction. Dehydration, oxidation to aldehydes and ketones. Reaction with sodium, phosphorus halides, ZnCl₂/ HX, H₂SO₄
• Alcohols: Identification of p-, sec-,and tert-alcohols. Uses of methanol and ethanol
• Phenols: Preparation of phenol from halobenzene, cumene, and benzene sulphonic acid. Acidity. Reactions of phenols-halogenation, nitration, sulphonation, with Zn. Reimer-Tiemann reaction, Kolbe reaction
• Ethers: Preparation by Williamson's Synthesis, dehydration of alcohols. Reaction with H2O, HX
• Aldehydes and Ketones: Preparation of aldehydes and ketones from-alcohols, olefins, acid chlorides, aryl alkanes, nitriles, esters, Friedel-Crafts reaction. Reactions with-alcohols, HCN, NaHSO3
• Aldehydes and Ketones: Reactions-oxidation, reduction, oxime, and hydrazone formation. Aldol condensation, Perkin reaction. Cannizzaro reaction. Haloform reaction. Tests to distinguish aldehydes and ketones
• Carboxylic acids: Acidity and structure, acidity relationship. Preparation of acids. Preparation of amides, acid chlorides, esters, and anhydrides. Ester hydrolysis
• Carboxylic acids: Reactions of acids with-thionyl chloride, P-halides, ammonia, alkalis, metals, halogens, reducing agents. Decarboxylation. Halogenation
• Amines: Basicity and structure, basicity relationship. Identification of p-, sec-, and tert–amines. Preparation of amines from-nitro compounds, nitriles, amides, haloalkanes/ aromatic compounds
• Amines: Reaction with-acids, alkylating agents, acylating agents, nitrous acid. Diazotization of aromatic primary amines-reactions of aromatic diazonium salts-azo coupling reaction, Sandmeyer, and related reactions. Carbylamine reaction of p-amines
• Carbohydrate: Classification of carbohydrates. Mono-and disaccharides (glucose and sucrose). Characteristic tests. Structure of glucose. Reactions of glucose-oxidation, reduction, hydroxylamine, HI, acetic anhydride. Cyclic structure of glucose
• Carbohydrate: Structures of-sucrose, maltose, starch, and cellulose. Glycoside formation and hydrolysis of sucrose
• Amino acids and proteins: α-amino acids. General structure of peptides and proteins. Peptide bond. Characteristic tests. Separation of amino acids using physical properties. Denaturation of proteins. Enzymes
• Polymers: Classification. Homo and copolymers, addition, and condensation polymerizations. Polythene, nylons, polyesters, bakelite, melamine-formaldehyde, rubber-natural and synthetic

Mathematics: Unit 01

• Algebra of complex numbers, addition, multiplication, conjugation, polar representation, properties of modulus and principal argument, triangle inequality, cube roots of unity, geometric interpretations
• Quadratic equations with real coefficients, relations between roots and coefficients, formation of quadratic equations with given roots, symmetric functions of roots
• Arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic progressions, arithmetic, geometric and harmonic means, sums of finite arithmetic and geometric progressions, infinite geometric series, sums of squares and cubes of the first n natural numbers
• Logarithms and their properties
• Permutations and combinations, binomial theorem for positive integral index, properties of binomial coefficients
• Matrices as a rectangular array of real numbers, equality of matrices, addition, multiplication by a scalar and product of matrices, transpose of a matrix, determinant of a square matrix of order up to three
• Inverse of a square matrix of order up to three, properties of these matrix operations, diagonal, symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices and their properties, solutions of simultaneous linear equations in two or three variables
• Addition and multiplication rules of probability, conditional probability, Bayes theorem, independence of events, computation of probability of events using permutations and combinations

Mathematics: Unit 02

• Trigonometric functions, their periodicity and graphs, addition, and subtraction formulae, formulae involving multiple and sub-multiple angles, general solution of trigonometric equations
• Relations between sides and angles of a triangle, sine rule, cosine rule, half-angle formula and the area of a triangle, inverse trigonometric functions (principal value only)

Mathematics: Unit 03

• Two dimensions-Cartesian coordinates, distance between two points, section formulae, shift of origin
• Equation of a straight line in various forms, angle between two lines, distance of a point from a line
• Lines through the point of intersection of two given lines, equation of the bisector of the angle between two lines, concurrency of lines
• Centroid, orthocentre, incentre, and circumcentre of a triangle
• Equation of a circle in various forms, equations of tangent, normal, and chord
• Parametric equations of a circle, intersection of a circle with a straight line or a circle, equation of a circle through the points of intersection of two circles and those of a circle and a straight line
• Equations of a parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola in standard form, their foci, directrices and eccentricity, parametric equations, equations of tangent, and normal
• Locus problems
• Three dimensions-direction cosines and direction ratios, equation of a straight line in space, equation of a plane, distance of a point from a plane

Mathematics: Unit 04

• Real valued functions of a real variable, into, onto, and one-to-one functions, sum, difference, product, and quotient of two functions, composite functions, absolute value, polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions
• Limit and continuity of a function, limit, and continuity of the sum, difference, product, and quotient of two functions, L'hospital rule for evaluation of limits of functions
• Even and odd functions, inverse of a function, continuity of composite functions, intermediate value property of continuous functions
• Derivative of a function, derivative of the sum, difference, product, and quotient of two functions, chain rule, derivatives of polynomial, rational, trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions
• Derivatives of implicit functions, derivatives up to order two, geometrical interpretation of the derivative, tangents and normals, increasing and decreasing functions, maximum and minimum values of a function
• Rolle's theorem and Lagrange's mean value theorem

Mathematics: Unit 05

• Integration as the inverse process of differentiation, indefinite integrals of standard functions, definite integrals and their properties, fundamental theorem of integral calculus
• Integration by parts, integration by the methods of substitution and partial fractions, application of definite integrals to the determination of areas involving simple curves
• Formation of ordinary differential equations, Solution of homogeneous differential equations, Separation of variables method, Linear first order differential equations

Mathematics: Unit 06

• Addition of vectors, scalar multiplication, dot, and cross products, scalar triple products and their geometrical interpretations

Physics: Unit 01

• Units and dimensions, dimensional analysis, least count, significant figures
• Methods of measurement (direct, indirect, null) and measurement of length, time, mass, temperature, potential difference, current and resistance
• Design of some simple experiments, such as: i) Searle's method to determine Young's modulus, ii) determination of 'g' by simple pendulum, iii) speed of sound using resonance tube, iv) coefficient of friction using angle of repose
• Design of some simple experiments, such as: v) Determination of focal length of a convex lens by plotting a graph between 'u' and 'v', vi) refractive index of material of prism using the method of minimum deviation, vii) verification of Ohm's law
• Design of some simple experiments, such as: viii) Resistance of galvanometer using half deflection method, ix) specific heat of a liquid using calorimeter, x) I-V characteristic curve for p–n junction in forward and reverse bias
• Graphical representation and interpretation of data
• Errors in the measurements and error analysis

Physics: Unit 02

• Kinematics in one and two dimensions (Cartesian coordinates only), projectiles
• Uniform circular motion
• Relative velocity
• Newton's laws of motion
• Inertial and uniformly accelerated (linear only) frames of reference
• Static and dynamic friction
• Kinetic and potential energy
• Linear and circular simple harmonic motion
• Work and power
• Conservation of linear momentum and mechanical energy
• Systems of particles
• Centre of mass and its motion
• Centre of gravity
• Impulse
• Elastic and inelastic collisions
• Law of gravitation
• Centripetal acceleration and centrifugal force
• Gravitational potential and field
• Acceleration due to gravity
• Motion of planets and satellites in circular orbits
• Escape velocity
• Rigid body, moment of inertia, parallel and perpendicular axes theorems, moment of inertia of uniform bodies with simple geometrical shapes
• Angular momentum, torque
• Conservation of angular momentum
• Dynamics of rigid bodies with fixed axis of rotation
• Rolling without slipping of rings, cylinders, and spheres
• Equilibrium of rigid bodies
• Collision of point masses with rigid bodies
• Hooke's law and stress-strain relations
• Elastic limit, plastic deformation
• Young's modulus, bulk, and shear moduli
• Pressure in a fluid
• Pascal's law
• Buoyancy
• Surface energy and surface tension, capillary rise
• Viscosity-Stoke's and Poiseuille's law, terminal velocity
• Qualitative understanding of turbulence
• Reynolds number
• Streamline flow, equation of continuity
• Bernoulli's theorem

Physics: Unit 03

• Plane wave motion, longitudinal, and transverse waves, superposition of waves
• Progressive and stationary waves
• Vibration of strings and air columns
• Resonance (qualitative understanding)
• Beats
• Speed of sound in gases
• Doppler effect

Physics: Unit 04

• Thermal expansion of solids, liquids, and gases
• Calorimetry, latent heat
• Heat conduction in one dimension
• Elementary concepts of convection and radiation
• Newton's law of cooling
• Ideal gas laws
• Specific heats (Cv and Cp for monatomic, and diatomic gases)
• Isothermal and adiabatic processes, bulk modulus of gases
• Equivalence of heat and work
• First and second law of thermodynamics and its applications (only for ideal gases)
• Entropy
• Blackbody radiation-absorptive and emissive powers
• Kirchhoff's law
• Wien's displacement law, Stefan's law

Physics: Unit 05

• Coulomb's law
• Electric field and potential
• Electrical potential energy of a system of point charges and of electrical dipoles in a uniform electrostatic field; electric field lines
• Flux of electric field
• Gauss's law and its application in simple cases, such as to find field due to infinitely long straight wire
• Uniformly charged infinite plane sheet and uniformly charged thin spherical shell

Physics: Unit 06

• Calculation of capacitance with and without dielectrics
• Capacitors in series and parallel
• Energy stored in a capacitor
• Electric current
• Ohm's law
• Series and parallel arrangements of resistances, and cells
• Kirchhoff's laws and simple applications; heating effect of current
• Biot-savart's law and Ampere's law
• Magnetic field near a current carrying straight wire, along the axis of a circular coil and inside a long straight solenoid
• Force on a moving charge and on a current carrying wire in a uniform magnetic field
• Magnetic moment of a current loop
• Effect of a uniform magnetic field on a current loop
• Moving coil galvanometer, voltmeter, ammeter, and their conversions

Physics: Unit 07

• Faraday's law, Lenz's law
• Self and mutual inductance
• RC, LR, and LC circuits with AC sources

Physics: Unit 08

• Rectilinear propagation of light
• Reflection and refraction at plane, and spherical surfaces, deviation and dispersion of light by a prism
• Thin lenses
• Combination of mirrors and thin lenses
• Magnification
• Wave nature of light-Huygens principle, interference limited to Young's double slit experiment
• Elementary idea of diffraction-Rayleigh criterion
• Elementary idea of polarization-Brewster's law and the law of Malus

Physics: Unit 09

• Atomic nucleus
• Alpha, beta, and gamma radiations
• Law of radioactive decay
• Decay constant
• Half-life and mean life
• Binding energy and its calculation
• Fission and fusion processes
• Energy calculation in these processes
• Photoelectric effect
• Bohr's theory of hydrogen like atoms
• Characteristic and continuous x-rays, Moseley's law
• De Broglie wavelength of matter waves
• Heisenberg's uncertainty principle