• Updated on 28 Mar, 2026 by Dina Bandhu
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IISER 2026 eligibility criteria outline the essential requirements that candidates must meet to apply for admission to the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. These criteria include conditions related to academic qualifications, age limits, and valid admission channels such as KVPY, JEE Advanced, or SCB, ensuring that only eligible candidates proceed with the application process.
IISER 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who aspire to appear for the IISER 2026 exam must meet all the eligibility requirements such as nationality, age limit, educational criteria, etc. Candidates must fulfil the conditions listed below to be eligible for IISER 2026 exam:
1. Nationality: The candidate must be an Indian national, PIO, or OCI. Foreign Nationals are also eligible to apply. They have to apply separately.
2. Academic Qualifications: Any student who has qualified/appeared in the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination in the science stream either in the years 2023, 2024, or 2026 can apply. Candidates must have had at least three subjects, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics, during their Class 12 (or equivalent) exam.
3. Minimum Marks Requirement Candidates belonging to GEN/OBC and OBC-NCL should have scored at least 60% of the total marks or equivalent grades in the qualifying examination. Candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD should have scored at least 55% of the total marks or equivalent grades in the qualifying examination.
IISER 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Special Reservation Policy
IISER has reservation policies as directed by the Government of India. A percentage of seats is reserved for some categories. The IISER seat distribution is as follows:
| Category | Reserved Seats |
| Schedule Caste (SC) | 15% of seats |
| Schedule Tribes (ST) | 7.5% of seats |
| PWD | 5% of seats (supernumerary) |
| EWS | 10% of seats |
| OBC-NCL | 27% of seats |
IISER 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Selection and Seat Allotment
IISER Aptitude Test 2026 acts as the only medium for admission into the IISER, and aspirants need to follow the seat allotment protocol carefully:
| Allocation Type | Details |
| Rank-Based Allocation | IISER assigns seats on the basis of the IAT rank secured by each candidate. |
| Preference-Based Allocation | Candidates need to select the IISER locations of their choice when applying to the exam, as this decides which campuses they’ll be offered during seat the alloment process. |
| Floating and Freezing Options | Once a seat is offered to the candidate, they can choose to “freeze” (to accept the offer immediately) or “float” (to wait for a higher priority in the next rounds). Floating is automatically enabled if the candidate does not choose to freeze the seat after the acceptance fee payment. |
IISER 2026 Eligibility Criteria FAQs
Is there any age limit to apply for the IISER exam?
No, there is no specific age limit for candidates to apply for the IISER 2026 exam.
What if I do not meet the minimum marks?
If a candidate does not meet the minimum marks criteria, they will not be able to apply for the IISER exam.
Can I apply if I am in the final year?
Yes, final-year students who are waiting for their results are also eligible for the IISER 2026 exam.
What is the minimum qualification for IISER admissions?
The IISER eligibility criteria 2026 states that students must complete Class XII in the science stream. They must have scored at least 60% for General/OBC/EWS categories and 55% for SC/ST/PwD categories.
Can foreign nationals apply to the IISER?
The candidate must be an Indian national, PIO, or OCI. Foreign nationals can apply for IISER separately.
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