NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria - Check Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factor

About NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria

NEST 2026 eligibility criteria clearly define the essential requirements for admission. Applicants must have cleared 10+2 in the Science stream from a recognised Board of Education in India. Those from the General/ EWS/ OBC category must have obtained at least 60%, while for SC/ ST/ Divyangjan, it is 55%. They should have Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Biology as core subjects in Class 11 and 12.

If a board offers only letter grades, the aspirants must produce an equivalent percentage certificate. Another important norm is that the marks must be from a single board, and the Class 12 result must be available by the time of admission. There is no upper age limit, allowing all eligible students to apply freely. All documents are verified only during admission, meaning no certificates need to be uploaded while filling out the NEST application form. Admission to NISER and UM-DAE CEBS is strictly merit-based.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria Details

Check the main pointers related to NEST 2026 eligibility criteria below.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Nationality

• Candidates must be Indian.
• NRI students or PIO, or OCI candidates are not eligible to apply for the NEST 2026 exam.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Number of attempts

• There is no restriction on the number of attempts for NEST examination.

NEST Eligibility Criteria 2026: Educational Qualification

• Students should be from the regular science stream with the only combination of at least three subjects among Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics in classes 11th and 12th.
• Final-year applicants are also eligible for NEST.

Note: Those who are appearing for the board examination in 2026 must pass it by the time of admission into the programme.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Minimum Marks Required

• Candidates should secure at least 60% marks in aggregate or equivalent in the class 12th examination.
• The minimum mark requirement for applicants in the reserved (SC/ ST/ PwD) categories has been relaxed to 55% in aggregate.

Important Instructions for NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria

    All aspirants must keep in mind these important instructions for NEST eligibility criteria 2026 before filling out NEST 2026 application form.

• Candidates who have only letter grades available will have to submit a certificate from the respective Board which specifies the equivalent percentage of marks.
• In the absence of such a certificate, the final decision will be made by the admissions committee of the concerned institution.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit

Check key points related to the NEST 2026 age limit below.

• NEST has no upper or lower age limit; however, the year of passing Class 12 is strictly considered.
• Only those who passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025, or are appearing in 2026, can apply, irrespective of their age.

NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Reservation Criteria

A percentage of the total number of seats in both NISER and CEBS 2026 eligibility is reserved for reserved category candidates. The following categories are accepted by NISER and CEBS for admission as per the NEST eligibility criteria 2026:

• OBC - NCL (Other Backward Classes belonging to the Non-Creamy Layer)
• SC (Scheduled Caste) / ST (Scheduled Tribe)
• PwD (Person with Disabilities)
• Supernumerary Quota for students from Jammu and Kashmir as per NEST 2026 eligibility criteria

NEST 2026 Application Form

The NEST application form is released online on the official NEST portal, where applicants can register, fill in their academic details, and upload the required documents. However, before applying, you must ensure you meet the prescribed conditions by the conducting body, particularly the Class 12 year of passing and minimum marks. The form must be submitted online along with the fee payment within the specified deadline to appear for the exam.