The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) has been scheduled on 18 June at 116 cities in the country, including in 14 centres in Kerala, for admissions to 5-year integrated MSc programmes at two major centres of excellence in the country. Aspirants can opt for higher studies in Science subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics.
The institutes are:
1) National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar (www.niser.ac.in); 200 seats here.
2) University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre of Excellence in Basic Sciences (www.cbs.ac.in); 57 seats up for grabs here.
There will be separate rank lists for both the institutes.
The online test will be held in two sessions. The first session is at 9 am to 12.30 pm and the next session is from 2.30 pm to 6 pm.
The candidates could choose the session as per their preference.
Last date, application fee
The online applications could be submitted until 18 May.
The application fee is Rs 1,200. It is Rs 600 for those from Scheduled Caste/Tribe communities, persons with disabilities and women candidates of all categories.
Website: www.nestexam.in. Email – nest@cbs.ac.in.
Question pattern
The Multiple Choice Questions will be in four sections (Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics) of 50 marks each. Even though the candidate can answer questions in all four sections, the aggregate marks of the best three sections would be taken for determining the rank.
Besides, there will be negative marks for the wrong answers in some sections.
The syllabus of the entrance test and the questions papers of previous years, from 2007 onwards, are available on the website.
Eligibility
The applicants should have passed Plus-Two with 60% marks, with Science as the core subject. Those who have passed Plus-Two in 2020 and 2021 and the ones who will be attending the final-year exam in 2022 will be considered. However, their date of birth shouldn’t be earlier than 1 August 2002.
There will be age relaxation of up to 5 years for Scheduled Caste/Tribe candidates and persons with disabilities. They require 55% marks.
Scholarship, grant
The selected students would get Rs 60,000 as annual scholarship and Rs 20,000 as annual grant for summer internship.