Do you want to pursue a career in science? Have you heard of top research institutes like NISER and UM-DAE CEBS? If yes, then you must be aware of the NEST exam. The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) is a required test for students seeking admission to 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. So, if you are one such aspirant and preparing for NEST 2024, this blog is a must for you.
In this blog, we will discuss:
- NEST 2024 Eligibility Criteria
- NEST 2024 Important Dates
- NEST 2024 Application Form
- How to Prepare for NEST 2024?
NEST 2024 Eligibility Criteria:
Here are a few eligibility criteria for NEST 2024 and admission to NISER and CEBS:
- If you have cleared the class 12th examination or equivalent in 2022 and 2023, or if you are appearing for the same in 2024, irrespective of category and age, you will be considered eligible to appear for NEST 2024.
- Your board in class 12 should be a recognised board like CBSE, ICSE or state boards.
- You must have at least 60% marks in aggregate (or equivalent grade) in the Class XII examination in the science stream from any recognised Board in India. For Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates, and Divyangjan candidates, the minimum requirement is 55%.
- Last but not least, you should secure a position on the NEST 2024 merit list.
NEST 2024 Important Dates:
The important dates for the NEST 2024 have been disclosed on the NISER official website:
| Events | Timeline |
| NEST exam application opens (online) | 20.03.2024 |
| NEST exam application closes (online) | 31.05.2024 |
| Correction and Update Window | To be updated soon |
| Download the NEST exam admit card | 15.06.2024 |
| Date of NEST Examination | 30.06.2024 |
| Date of NEST Result Announcement | 10.07.2024 |
Keep following the SciAstra YouTube channel and website for the latest NEST 2024 and IAT 2024 updates.
NEST 2024 Application Form:
The application form for the NEST 2024 has not been released yet. It will be released on 20th March. The application process will be online like every year. You must fill out your important details and create a login ID and password (which you must store safely). Your application will be considered complete after you make the payment. The application fee for 2024 will be updated soon, but is expected to be:
- General/ OBC/ EWS- INR 1200
- SC/ ST/ PWD/ Female- INR 600
There will be a correction window, which will open in the second week of May. You should try to complete the application with the utmost concentration to avoid mistakes. However, you can rectify those mistakes through the correction window.
How to Prepare for NEST 2024?
Cutoff for NEST 2024-
There is a sectional cutoff for the NEST exam, and you must get marks more than that to qualify the exam. The sectional cutoff is given below:
| Category | Bio | Chemistry | Maths | Physics |
| General | 8-10 | 7-9 | 7-9 | 6-8 |
| OBC | 7-9 | 6-8 | 6-8 | 5-7 |
| SC/ST | 5-7 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 3-5 |
You must target to get at least these marks in each subject; otherwise, you won’t qualify the exam despite having an overall good aggregate score. You need to clear the sectional cutoff in the best three subjects. Also, remember that this is an expected cutoff based on the data for the NEST 2023.
Preparation Strategy-
For the NEST 2024 examination, we have Rs.1 course where you can see your weakness and strength. We also have Vikram and Vikram 2.0 crash courses, which will boost your preparation and give you the confidence to shine bright in the examination.
You can follow the following strategy:
- Know your syllabus. You must know at least all the topics in your syllabus. Sometimes, very basic questions come from topics you can easily tackle if you have read them once.
- Free Study Material: Check out the free study materials in the SciAstra app. We have PDFs that explain the important stuff in an easy way. The cool thing is that our predictions are up to 98% accurate! Sometimes, the questions we predict even show up word-for-word. We’ve had questions repeated in the actual exams, especially in Physics. In one NEST session, more than 50 marks came from what we taught in our mock tests and classrooms. Take advantage of NEST 2024’s essential chapters. And guess what? You can also find previous years’ papers for NEST and IAT in the free study materials section of the SciAstra app.
- Mock Test Analysis: Analyzing your mock tests is one of the most crucial aspects of your preparation. Simply taking tests and solving practice problems isn’t enough; you must learn from them. The insights and strategies are available as free resources in the SciAstra app to help you on your journey.
- Problem Practice: Don’t just focus on theory; regularly practice solving questions. This will help you apply your knowledge and ensure you’re on the right track.
- Diary of Mistakes: Create a diary where you can record errors in mock tests and while solving PYQs.
- Time Management: Do not waste your time on unnecessary things. Study, eat, exercise, sleep, talk to family and friends, and return to study. These last few months are crucial to you and can land you in your dream college if used wisely.
- Never Skip Revision: The last important point is revision. Under whatever conditions, remember to revise. Because if you revise, you will remember whatever you study for the whole year. Without it, your year-long effort might go to waste.
Conclusion:
NEST 2024 is a good opportunity for students interested in basic sciences and who wish to pursue a career in research from NISER and CEBS. You must remain consistent and work hard for the next three months, and you will clear this exam with a good rank. You can join our personalised mentorship and courses to excel in your exam and secure top ranks. You can get NEST exam notes, mock tests, and courses at the lowest price.
FAQs:
Ques: What are the courses offered in NISER?
Ans: NISER offers various courses in physics, chemistry, maths, planetary and earth science, biology and humanities. Check out this blog to know more about courses offered by NISER.
Ques: Can I get into ISRO through NISER?
Ans: Yes, you can get into ISRO after BSMS from NISER. Check out this blog to more about this.
Ques: Does NISER provide any scholarships?
Ans: DISHA and INSPIRE are two scholarship programs provided by DAE and DST, respectively. Check out this blog to learn more about them.
Ques: What is the exam format for NEST 2024?
Ans: It’s an offline Computer Based Test (CBT) with 4 sections (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) of 50 marks each. Each section has 12 single-correct and 5 multi-correct MCQs.
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 in their 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 2024, you can check out our courses and get access to live classes, recorded lectures, study material, mock tests, doubt-clearing classes, and much more!
To know more about us, click here OR download the SciAstra App from the Play Store!
