NEST 2026

Eligibility

Key dates

Fees & links

About NEST

NEST is the entrance exam for the 5-year integrated MSc programs in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai - India's other flagship pure-sciences research track alongside IISER IAT, run by the Department of Atomic Energy. Meaningfully smaller by applicant count than IAT (tens of thousands vs. IAT's 1.86 lakh in 2026), reflecting NEST's narrower 2-institute reach.

Exam pattern

Selection process

Seats are allotted directly by NEST rank and category - no separate counselling interview stage. Around 200 seats total across both institutes, making it one of the most selective exams by seats-to-applicants ratio in this dataset.