NEST 2026 Question Paper with Solutions: The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2026 will be conducted jointly by NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS. The examination is a national-level entrance test for admission to the five-year Integrated MSc programme offered by NISER, Bhubaneswar, and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai.
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The NEST 2026 examination is expected to be held on June 6, 2026, in line with the usual admission calendar. Following the conduct of the examination, the official NEST 2026 question paper and solutions will be released by the exam authorities.
Going through the NEST 2026 question paper with answer keys will help candidates understand the exam pattern, subject-wise distribution of questions, and overall difficulty level. It will also assist aspirants in estimating their probable scores and evaluating their performance against the expected cut-offs.
The NISER, Bhubaneshwar, announced the NEST exam pattern 2026 for the Computer-Based Test. According to the NEST exam pattern, there are four subjects in the examination, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics, out of which the best of 3 sections are considered for the preparation of the merit list. Each subject accounts for 20 questions. The complete details about the NEST exam pattern 2026 are provided below:
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NEST Exam Pattern 2026 | |
Types of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions |
Subject Name | Physics Chemistry Biology Mathematics |
Total Questions | 20 questions per section |
Total sections | 4 |
Marks for each section | 60 |
NEST exam total marks | 240 |
NEST exam duration | 3 hours and 30 minutes |
NEST 2026 marking scheme | +3 for every correct answer -1 for every incorrect answer 0 for not attempting a question |
Analysing the NEST 2026 question paper will help students to analyse their score, and it will also help future aspirants to understand the exam pattern and structure better. By studying NEST past papers, candidates can find out the mistakes that they made during the NEST preparation and work on improving those areas. This helps them avoid the same mistakes in the real exam and also helps with enhancing the NEST 2026 preparation. The NEST 2026 Question Paper with Solutions is made available on the day of the exam.
Title | Download Link |
NEST 2026 Question Paper with Solutions | To be updated soon |
Q 1. A change in amino acids in a protein led to the formation of a salt bridge without affecting the protein's overall fold. Such a change will result in:
A. a decrease in enthalpy (H) of the protein.
B. a decrease in melting temperature ( Tm ) of the protein.
C. a decrease in stability of the protein.
D. an increase in free energy change (ΔG) of the protein.
Ans: (A) a decrease in enthalpy (H) of the protein
Q 2. When a human somatic cell undergoes mitotic division, the ploidy level in metaphase and telophase, respectively, would be:
A. 2n and 2n
B. n and n
C. 4n and 2n
D. n and 2n
Ans: (A) 2n and 2n
Q 3. According to the VSEPR theory, the shapes of PCl5,PCl4+, and PCl3, respectively, are
A. Trigonal bipyramidal, Tetrahedral, and Trigonal pyramidal
B. Trigonal bipyramidal, Square planar, and Trigonal planar
C. Square pyramid, Tetrahedral, and Trigonal pyramidal
D. Square pyramid, Tetrahedral, and Trigonal planar
Ans: (A) Trigonal bipyramidal, Tetrahedral, and Trigonal pyramidal
Q 4. The oxidation number and valence number of Ga in Ga2Cl4, having a metal-metal bond, respectively, are
A. 2 and 3
B. 3 and 3
C. 1 and 3
D. 3 and 2
Ans: (A) 2 and 3
Q 5. The metal ion that does not form a stable metal carbonyl complex is
A. Ti4+
B. V3+
C. Cr3+
D. Mn4+
Ans: Ti4+
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
To be updated soon
Attempting the NEST 2026 question papers is crucial for effective preparation. It familiarises you with the exam pattern, marking scheme, and question types. Practising with NEST question papers 2026 enhances time management and identifies strengths and weaknesses. Candidates can also use the NEST Answer Key 2026 to compare their answers. Go through the section below to know ways to attempt a question paper of the NEST exam.
Understand the Exam Pattern: Before starting, thoroughly review the NEST 2026 exam pattern, including the number of sections. Also, go through the total marks, duration, and marking scheme.
Time Management: Allocate specific time slots for each NEST 2026 section based on its weightage and your strengths. For instance, with 3 hours and 30 minutes total, divide your time judiciously among the four 60-minute sections.
Start with Your Strengths: Begin with the section you are most confident in. This helps to build momentum and ensure you secure high NEST marks from your strongest areas first.
Read Questions Carefully: Pay close attention to every word in the question. Misreading can lead to incorrect answers, especially in multiple-choice questions where options might be designed to trick you.
Prioritise: If you get stuck on a question, don't spend too much time on it. Mark it for review and move on. You can come back to it later if time permits.
Apply Negative Marking Strategy: Since there's negative marking (-1 for incorrect answers), avoid blind guessing. Only answer a question if you are reasonably sure of the answer. If you can eliminate at least two options, a calculated guess might be considered.
Review Your Answers: If you finish early, use the remaining time to review your answers. Check for any silly mistakes, unattempted questions (if you had marked them), or questions where you might have second thoughts.
NEST Previous Year Question Papers are actual exam papers from past years of the National Entrance Screening Test. They are invaluable for understanding the exam's structure, marking scheme, and question types. Solving these papers helps identify important topics and pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. Go through the table to get year-wise NEST question paper download links.
Title | NEST Question Paper Download Link |
NEST Previous Year Question Paper 2023 | |
NEST Previous Year Question Paper 2022 | |
NEST Previous Year Question Paper 2021 | |
NEST Previous Year Question Paper 2020 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NEST is considered moderately tough. It requires a strong conceptual understanding of PCMB or the PCMS subjects and effective time management due to its comprehensive syllabus.
The NEST exam primarily consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). These questions cover Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology, testing conceptual clarity and problem-solving skills.
The NEST exam has four sections (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology/PCMS). Each section carries 60 marks, with a +3 for correct answers and -1 for incorrect answers in a 3-hour 30-minute duration.
While NCERT books form a strong foundation for NEST, they are generally not sufficient alone. Supplement your studies with advanced textbooks and solve numerous practice problems to score high marks.
Yes, you can attempt NEST without Biology. The exam allows candidates to choose between a Biology section or a Mathematics section, making it suitable for both PCMB and PCMS students.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
CEBS has started the NEST 2026 registration process on January 5 at nestexam.in. Candidates can fill and submit the NEST 2026 application form till April 6. The last date to pay the NEST application fee 2026 is April 12.
For NEST Exam Eligibility 2026, Age Limit, Qualification, Marks Required,
Hi, the exact data for 2025 is not available. However, in 2024, over 45,000 students registered for the exam and more than 27,000 appeared. The NEST 2026 exam is scheduled to be held on June 6.
If any candidate has lost their NEST exam certificate, they can visit the official website, nestexam.in to request another copy of the certificate.
https://www.nestexam.in/qnsans/NEST-25.pdf
HELLO,
Yes , the NEST exam is generally considered tougher than NEET as it requires more focus towards conceptual understanding and thinking , while NEET generally tests NCERT based knowledge where as in NEST it requires you to have deeper clarity in Physics , Chemistry , Biology and Mathematics.
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