Top Commonly Overlooked Topics in Physics for NEST and IAT

Whenever students prepare for exams like the NEST and IAT the common mindset is to cover the part of the syllabus that holds the maximum weightage ignoring the topics that can assure them guaranteed marks. These smaller, often overlooked areas can truly change the game. These topics tend to sneak into exams, surprising even the most prepared students. Therefore, mastering them is essential to gaining an edge over others.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the Physics topics students often ignore for NEST and IAT. By the end, you’ll feel confident tackling anything the exam throws at you! So, let’s dive in and make every topic count.

Understanding IAT and NEST:

The IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) is an entrance examination for IISERs, IISc Bangalore, and IIT Madras. It is conducted by IISERs for BS-MS (dual degree) programs to land you in India’s top science research institutes. 

The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) is the sole entrance examination for admission into the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) and Centre of Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS). These institutes offer courses in Basic Sciences,  under a 5-year integrated Master’s degree. 

Don’t Miss These Topics in Physics! 

Don’t be overconfident. It may feel like you have covered every topic, but this isn’t true always, especially in subjects like Physics and Mathematics. Although you may have covered several topics, your confidence remains vulnerable to some good-level questions. In other words, it only takes one right question to challenge your preparation. Especially during the last times, students often ignore topics like Modern Physics and optics, so it’s important to keep the same level of dedication throughout your preparation. Further, we will talk about the preparation strategy later in this blog. For now, let’s look at some topics that you shouldn’t miss for IAT and NEST. 

Sneaky Topics for NEST & IAT Physics:

• Modern Physics

1. 1. 1. Atomic Physics: Bohr Model, Hydrogen Spectrum 
      2. Nuclear Physics: Radioactivity, Nuclear Reaction
      3. Quantum Mechanics: Photoelectric Effect, Wave-Particle Duality, Semiconductors

• Electricity and Magnetism

1. 1. 1. Electrostatics: Coulomb’s Law, Electric Field, Potential, and Capacitance
      2. Magnetism: Biot-Savart Law, Ampere’s Law, Electromagnetics Induction, Electromagnetic Waves 
      3. Alternating Current: Resonance Circuits

• Optics

1. 1. 1. Ray and Wave Optics: Work on wave phenomenon, and don’t miss YDSE and Polarisation

• Thermodynamics

1. 1. 1. Law of Thermodynamics (Zeroth to Third), Heat Transfer (Conduction, Convection, Radiation), Carnot Cycle

• Mechanics

1. 1. 1. Projectile Motion, Newton’s Law of Motion, Work-Energy Theorem, Rotational Motion, and SHM

• Wave Mechanics

1. 1. Interference of Sound Waves

How to Prepare for IAT and NEST?

Now you may have a deeper insight into what to cover and what not to miss at all. Let’s talk about preparation. 

At this point, you can craft your own preparation strategy. A good preparation strategy is where you work on and improve your weak points, and aim never to repeat them. Be like Tony Stark – “Learn from your Mistakes” to always be prepared. 

But how can you do that? 

Practice as many mock tests and previous year papers, as you can. And most importantly, make sure to analyze them after every attempt, identify your weak points and work on them. 

Remember: Think like a scientist while studying, and analyze like a scientist while going through your mocks, to become a scientist. Because if you don’t become a scientist now, you may not become one in the future. 

Here are some resources to get you started: 

1.  Take SciAstra’s Free Mock test, to get you started. 
2. Leverage SciAstra’s newly launched All-India Mock Test Series for IAT and NEST.
3. You may consider Enrolling in SciAstra’s Courses for Structured Guidance: 
   1. Vikram 2.0 Batch (IAT & NEST 2025) + Crash Course (Hinglish).
   2. Kalam Batch (IAT & NEST 2025) + Crash Course (English).
   3. Mentorship by alumni from IISc, IISERs, and NISER.
4. Get benefits from SciAstra’s Book for all-in-one guidance of exams including IAT, NEST, IACS, ISI and CMI – Mastering Combo – Class 11th and 12th.

Check out this blog to get a more detailed preparation guide for IAT and NEST. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, preparing for IAT and NEST isn’t about “how much you know” but “how much you have applied and overcome”. These small and often overlooked topics make a significant difference in deciding your career. Take your time to go through everything, make sure to do regular mock tests, and always analyze your preparation, including your mock tests, after every attempt. 

Remember, the one who learns from his/her mistake, overcomes all the challenges and excels. Which topic are you going to overcome today? 

FAQs:

• How can I ensure I don’t miss out on overlooked topics in Physics for NEST and IAT?
  Start by reviewing the syllabus thoroughly and identifying less obvious topics like thermal expansion, properties of solids, and diffraction. Focus on understanding the concepts and practice problems from these areas. Including such topics in your revision schedule ensures nothing is left out.

• Are the commonly overlooked topics really that important for scoring well?
  Absolutely! These topics often appear in exams because they test a student’s attention to detail and comprehensive understanding. Answering questions from these areas can give you an edge over others who may ignore them.

• How should I balance my preparation between commonly overlooked topics and major topics?
  Divide your study time wisely. Focus on major topics but dedicate specific slots to revise and practice the overlooked ones. Mock tests and PYQs can help you assess your readiness for all topics.
• Are SciAstra courses and mock tests helpful for covering overlooked topics?
  Yes! SciAstra’s courses are structured to ensure even less common topics are covered. Their mock tests and discussions highlight weak areas, helping you focus on overlooked sections while solidifying core concepts.

About Us:

SciAstra is a team of scientists and research scholars from the top research institutes around the world, like Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, and so on. Our vision is to promote critical thinking and scientific temperament by helping students pursue careers in science.

We offer many free and paid courses where our mentors from the top research institutes like IISER, NISER, IACS, CMI, ISI, IISC Bangalore, etc., teach students in live classes, with study materials,  mock tests, books, and everything needed. We have taught more than 10,000 students already since 2021 and achieved over 1000 selections with AIR 1, 7,10, 12, and 13 in  IISc Bengaluru, IISERs, NISER, IACS, and so on.  If you are looking to prepare for IAT / NEST 2025, you can check out our courses and get access to live classes, recorded lectures, study material, mock tests, doubt-clearing classes, and much more! 

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