NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Sectional Details, Question Division

Hafsha Qureshi
Hafsha Qureshi

Updated on - Jan 19, 2024

Latest Updates for NEST

  • 11 March 2024 :

    NEST Application Form 2024 will be released by Mar 20, 2024. The exam is scheduled for Jun 30, 2024.

NEST exam pattern 2024 is set by the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar and the University of Mumbai - Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS), Mumbai. As per the NEST exam pattern, there are five sections, namely General Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology. Each section is allotted 50 marks as per the NEST 2024 exam pattern, apart from the General Aptitude section of 30 marks. The NEST total marks a candidate can score is 180.

Table of Content

NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Highlights

Students must understand the general overview of the NEST exam pattern 2024. Therefore, highlights are the preferred way to project an overall understanding of the NEST exam pattern. In addition, it is also essential for candidates to know the NEST syllabus 2024.

Some of the highlights related to the NEST 2024 exam pattern are tabulated below.

Particulars Details
Exam Full Form National Entrance Screening Test
NEST Conducting Body National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar
Official Website nestexam.in
Mode of NEST Exam Pen-and-Paper Based (Offline)
Exam Duration 3 Hours (180 Minutes)
Number of Papers 1
Number of Sections per Paper 5
Sectional Details

General Aptitude (Section 1)

Physics (Section 2)

Chemistry (Section 3)

Mathematics (Section 4)

Biology (Section 5)

NEST Section Time-Limit No Sectional Time Limit
NEST Exam Medium English
Total Number of Questions 230
Type of Questions Multiple Choice Questions (Objective)
Total Marks 180
Marking Scheme No Negative Marking in Section 1
Onwards Section 2 - Questions Have Multiple Correct Answers

NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Question Distribution

Candidates must understand the question distribution scheme as per the NEST exam pattern. There will be 230 questions distributed in five sections as per the NEST exam pattern 2024.

The section-wise question distribution as per the NEST 2024 exam pattern is provided below.

NEST Section Name Number of questions
General Aptitude 30
Physics 50
Mathematics 50
Chemistry 50
Biology 50

NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Marks Distribution

The question paper will consist of 5 sections of objective-type questions. Candidates must understand the section-wise marks distribution as per the NEST exam pattern. The marks division as per the NEST exam pattern 2024 is as follows.

NEST Section Name Marks
Section 1 (General Ability) 30
Section 2 (Physics) 50
Section 3 (Chemistry) 50
Section 4 (Mathematics) 50
Section 5 (Biology) 50
Total 180

NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Marking Scheme

NEST exam 2024 will be a computer-based test (CBT). There is no negative marking in the NEST exam pattern 2024 for Section 1, i.e., General Aptitude. However, from Section 2 onwards, there will be negative markings for incorrect answers in the subject sections for certain questions. Some questions may have one or more correct answers, for which marks can only be earned by marking all correct answers. Therefore the NEST total marks is 180.

NEST Exam Pattern 2024: Syllabus

Candidates must understand the section-wise NEST syllabus 2024. The section-wise syllabus, as per the NEST exam pattern, is provided below.

NEST Syllabus for Physics

The Physics section syllabus as per the NEST exam pattern 2024 is as follows.

NEST Section Name Topics
Physics Physical-world and measurement
Electro statistics
Kinematics
Current Electricity
Laws of Motion
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Work, Energy, and Power
Electromagnetic induction and alternating currents
The motion of systems of particles and rigid body
Electromagnetic waves
Gravitation
Thermodynamics
Atoms and Nuclei
The behavior of Perfect Gas and Kinetic theory
Electronic Devices
Optics
Properties of Bulk Matter
Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation

NEST Syllabus for Mathematics

The Mathematics section syllabus as per the NEST 2024 exam pattern is as follows.

NEST Section Name Topics
Mathematics Sets and Functions
Relations and Functions
Vectors and Three–Dimensional Geometry
Mathematical Reasoning
Linear Programming
Statistics and Probability
Algebra
Coordinate Geometry
Calculus

NEST Syllabus for Biology

The Biology section syllabus as per the NEST exam pattern 2024 is as follows.

NEST Section Name Topics
Biology Diversity in the Living World
Reproduction
Structural Organisation – Plants and Animals
Genetics and Evolution
Biotechnology and its applications
Human physiology
Ecology and environment
Cell Structure and Function
Biology and Human welfare
Plant Physiology

NEST Syllabus for Chemistry

The Chemistry section syllabus as per the NEST exam pattern is as follows.

NEST Section Name Topics
Chemistry Some basic concepts of Chemistry
Solid-state
Structure of atom
Solutions
General principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements
Equilibrium
P Block elements
Redox reactions
D and F block elements
Hydrogen
Coordination compounds
Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
Electrochemistry
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Chemical Kinetics
States of Matter: Gases and liquids
Surface Chemistry
Thermodynamics

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