The NEST exam (National Entrance Screening Test) is a national science entrance test conducted by NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai, for admission to their five-year integrated M.Sc. programmes in science. It is an online, computer-based test covering Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology, open to Class 12 students with at least 60% aggregate marks.
The IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) is a separate exam run by the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) for admission to their five-year BS-MS dual degree programme. Both the NEST exam and IAT target students who want a research-intensive science career, not just a degree.
The NEST exam question comes up constantly among Class 11 and 12 students who discover NISER during board exam season. NEST is a computer-based national test that grants admission to the 5-year integrated M.Sc. programme at NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai. Both institutions are funded by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, which gives them a unique research pedigree.
The IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) is the third channel for IISER admission. The other two are a valid JEE Advanced rank and a KVPY/INSPIRE-SHE fellowship. IAT is conducted by the IISER consortium, which currently includes seven IISERs: Pune, Kolkata, Mohali, Bhopal, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, and Berhampur. The seven IISERs collectively enrolled around 3,500 students in the 2023-24 academic year across all programmes, according to data published on the IISER Pune official website.
When someone asks what is the IAT exam, the short answer is: it is the aptitude-based route into IISERs for students who did not crack JEE Advanced or do not hold a KVPY/INSPIRE fellowship. It is genuinely competitive, with tens of thousands of applicants competing for roughly 1,500 IAT-channel seats across all seven IISERs, giving top-choice IISERs acceptance rates well below 10%.
Understanding NEST exam eligibility, the conducting body, exam pattern, and marking scheme for each test is the first practical step. The table below summarises the key facts side by side.
| Feature | NEST Exam | IAT (IISER Aptitude Test) |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body | NISER Bhubaneswar & UM-DAE CEBS | IISER Consortium (7 IISERs) |
| Eligibility | 60% in Class 12 (55% SC/ST/PwD); Physics, Chemistry + Maths or Biology | 60% in Class 12 (55% SC/ST/PwD); PCB or PCM stream |
| Mode | Online (CBT) | Online (CBT) |
| Duration | 3.5 hours | 3 hours |
| Total Marks | 200 (General section 50 + two subject sections at 50 each) | 720 (45 questions x 4 subjects) |
| Marking Scheme | +3 correct, -1 wrong | +4 correct, -1 wrong |
| Outcome | Admission to 5-year Integrated M.Sc. at NISER / UM-DAE CEBS | Admission to 5-year BS-MS at one of the 7 IISERs |
| Typical Exam Month | June | June |
IITs focus primarily on engineering; IIMs focus on management. IISERs and NISER exist specifically to produce research scientists. The BS-MS degree is designed so that by the fifth year, students are doing original research. Many graduates go on to PhD programmes at institutions like TIFR, IISc, or international universities. If you are exploring broader options, our guide on IIT, IISER and IIM courses after 12th breaks this down side by side.
The NEST exam pattern has two parts. Section 1 is a general section covering general science, mathematics, and mental ability, worth 50 marks. Sections 2 to 5 cover Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology, worth 50 marks each. Students must attempt Section 1 and choose any two subject sections. The total paper is 3.5 hours long.
NEST marking scheme: each correct answer earns +3 marks and each wrong answer loses -1 mark. Some questions are integer type with no negative marking. Candidates must clear both the section cutoff and the overall cutoff to qualify for NISER or UM-DAE CEBS admission.
The IAT exam pattern covers four subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics, with 45 questions per subject. Each correct answer gets +4 marks; each wrong answer loses -1 mark. The total duration is three hours. Students from the PCM stream can skip Biology questions and those from PCB can skip Mathematics, though attempting all four sections can improve rank.
According to the official IAT 2024 information brochure published by the IISER consortium, the total marks are 720, making the IAT structurally similar in scale to NEET. The exam is conducted once a year, typically in June, shortly after board results are declared.
For both the NEST exam and IAT, the core NEST exam eligibility rule is straightforward: candidates must have passed Class 12 with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects, plus either Mathematics or Biology, from a recognised board. The minimum aggregate is generally 60%, relaxed to 55% for SC, ST, and PwD candidates.
Age limits apply. For NEST 2024, candidates must have been born on or after August 1, 2004 (general category). The admit card is released online, and candidates must carry a printed copy along with a valid photo ID. Both exams use an online application portal, and fees are in the range of Rs. 1,300 to Rs. 1,500 for general category applicants, with concessions for reserved categories.
If you are still mapping your overall career direction, our best career paths after 12th in 2026 guide covers a much wider range of options beyond science research, and our career planning guide for Class 12 and college students is a practical starting point for building your roadmap.
These exams are built for students who get genuinely curious about why things work, not just how to apply them in an engineering context. If you spend your free time reading about quantum mechanics, wondering about cell signalling pathways, or trying to prove theorems for the satisfaction of it, these programmes were designed for you.
The BS-MS degree at IISERs has a strong record for PhD admissions globally. A 2022 survey cited by IISER Pune’s alumni office showed that over 70% of BS-MS graduates either pursued a PhD or entered a research-linked role within two years of graduation. That is a very different outcome profile compared to a standard B.Sc. programme.
Students who want faster professional entry into fields like software, finance, or management are probably better served by engineering or commerce routes. But if research is the goal, NISER and the IISERs are among the best environments in India to pursue it. Our guide on high-salary jobs in India after 12th can help you understand where the broader job market is moving.
Many IISER and NISER students now pair their research training with practical digital skills. Cybersecurity, data science, and AI are fields where a strong science foundation is a genuine advantage. If that interests you, our article on cybersecurity careers after 12th is worth reading, and our breakdown of cybersecurity course eligibility covers what you need to qualify for those programmes.
3University’s online certification courses in Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, AI, Blockchain, and Web3 are built for analytically sharp students who want to apply scientific curiosity to real industry problems. Whether you are a student, a working professional, or switching careers, these programmes give you practical, industry-ready skills you can use immediately.
The NEST exam (National Entrance Screening Test) is a national science entrance test conducted by NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, Mumbai. It grants admission to their five-year integrated M.Sc. programmes in science. The NEST exam is online, covers Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology, and is open to Class 12 students with at least 60% aggregate marks.
The IISER exam refers to the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT), which is one of three admission channels for the five-year BS-MS dual degree at the seven Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. It is a computer-based test covering Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. The other two channels are JEE Advanced rank and a KVPY/INSPIRE-SHE fellowship.
IAT (IISER Aptitude Test) is conducted by the IISER consortium and leads to admission at one of the seven IISERs. The NEST exam is conducted by NISER and UM-DAE CEBS and leads to admission at those two institutions specifically. Both are research-focused science programmes, but they are separate exams with separate application portals, dates, and seat pools.
For the NEST exam, candidates must have passed Class 12 with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects, plus Maths or Biology, with at least 60% aggregate marks (55% for SC/ST/PwD candidates). Age limits apply as specified in the official NEST notification each year. For NEST 2024, candidates must have been born on or after August 1, 2004 (general category).
The NEST exam pattern includes a general section (50 marks) plus two subject sections chosen from Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology (50 marks each). Correct answers earn +3 marks; wrong answers lose -1 mark. The total duration is 3.5 hours. IAT awards +4 for correct answers and -1 for wrong answers across four subjects totalling 720 marks over three hours. Always check the official notification for the current year’s exact pattern.
The NEST exam is conducted jointly by NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS, both funded by the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. IAT is conducted by the IISER consortium, comprising seven IISERs across India. Both exams are held once a year, typically in June, in online computer-based test mode.
Last updated: June 2025. Reviewed by the 3University editorial team.
We create, review, and maintain educational content covering Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Web3, and emerging technologies.
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