1. Exam Pattern
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- 5 sections: General + Biology + Chemistry + Math + Physics
- General section is compulsory; best 3 of remaining 4 are counted
- Negative marking varies per section
2. Syllabus Snapshot
NEST broadly follows NCERT 11 + 12 syllabus but with a research-flavour twist — expect application-based and reading-comprehension questions in the General section.
3. Where Most Students Lose Marks
The General section. It tests reading speed, scientific reasoning, and basic logic. Practice it daily for 30 min — it can be the deciding section.
“NEST rewards curious minds — the kind that read, reason and connect dots across subjects.”
4. Suggested Books
- NCERT (XI + XII) for all 4 science subjects
- HC Verma Vol 1 & 2 for Physics
- NCERT Exemplar for Biology
- OP Tandon for Chemistry
- RD Sharma for Math
5. Cutoff Trends
NEST cutoffs typically range between 110 - 140 (out of 200) for general category at NISER. Aim for 150+ to be safely in.
