• Updated on 16 Dec, 2025 by Souvik Podder
NEST Eligibility Criteria 2026: Candidates who wish to take admission in NISER and UM-DAE CEBS should check the NEST eligibility criteria 2026. Candidates can also visit the official website to check the eligibility criteria for the NEST Exam. Meeting the eligibility criteria is utmost important for appearing in the NEST exam 2026. Continue reading to know the eligibility criteria of NEST 2026 exam in detail.
NEST Eligibility Criteria 2026
Eligibility criteria are the most important thing that one has to go through for validation to determine whether a candidate is eligible or not to appear for an exam. Once the candidates confirm that they are eligible to sit for the exam, then only they can proceed to fill out the NEST Application Form 2026. Check out the following table for details about eligibility criteria.
| Eligibility Criteria Parameter | Conditions |
| Age limit | General and OBC category candidates born on or after August 1, 2004, are eligible for admission to the Integrated MSc programme of NISER/ CEBS. The age limit is relaxed by five years for SC / ST / Divyangjan candidates. |
| Subjects | Applicants should have Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics as mandatory subjects in class 12. |
| Minimum aggregate in 12 Class | General category candidates must secure at least 60 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade. Candidates belonging to scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and Divyangjan categories must have 55 per cent in aggregate or equivalent grade in the class 12 examination. |
NEST Detailed Eligibility Criteria 2026
The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2026 has specific eligibility criteria that the candidates need to fulfil in order to appear for the exam. Candidates must get a position in the NEST 2026 merit list, which is prepared according to the rules mentioned in the official brochure. Below are the detailed eligibility criteria, including educational qualifications, age limit, and category-wise relaxation. Check out the table below for NEST 2026 Detailed Eligibility Criteria.
| Criteria | Details |
| Merit List Requirement | Candidates must secure a place in the NEST 2026 merit list. |
| Educational Qualification | Candidates must have passed Class 12 (Science Stream) in 2023 or 2024 or be appearing in 2026. |
| Recognized Board | Must have completed Class 12 from a recognized Higher Secondary Education Board in India. |
| Minimum Marks Requirement | Candidates must obtain the passing percentage marks according to their category. |
| Age Limit (General/OBC) | Candidates must be born on or after August 01, 2004. |
| Age Relaxation (SC/ST/Divyangjan) | The age limit is relaxed by 5 years for SC/ST/Divyangjan candidates. |
NEST Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Admission
The NEST exam 2026 is conducted for admission in B.Des and M.Des programs in NISER and CEBS. Candidates must meet all three of the eligibility criteria of NEST exam to be eligifor the exam as well as for the admission. Check out the table below for NEST 2026 eligibility criteria for admission.
NEST 2026 Eligibility for Admission (Integrated M.Sc. Program at NISER/CEBS)
| Criteria | Details |
| Educational Qualification | Candidates must have passed or appeared for the 12th Standard examination or equivalentin 2022, 2023, or 2024. |
| Minimum Marks Requirement | General/OBC: At least 60% aggregate marks in Class XII. SC/ST/Divyangjan: At least 55% aggregate marks in Class XII. |
| Recognized Board | Must have completed Class XII from any recognized board in India. |
| Merit List Requirement | Candidates must secure a place in the NEST 2026 merit list. |
| Category & Age Restrictions | No restrictions on category or age for applying. |
NEST Reservation Criteria 2026
NEST 2026 seat reservations for all categories are available on the official website, nestexam.in. The OBC-NCL category has 27% of seats reserved for admission through the NEST 2026 examination. On the other hand, the SC/ST/PwD categories have 15%, 7.5%, and 5% of seats reserved for admission to NISER and UM-DAE CEBS. For the Academic years 2026–30, NISER has a total of 200 seats for the Integrated M.Sc. program, while UM-DAE CEBS has 57 seats.
Two supernumerary seats are reserved in both NISER and CEBS for qualified candidates from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, in conformity with the prevailing government policies. A student belonging to a specific category will be eligible for a general seat if he or she achieves an appropriate general ranking. Check out the table below for NEST 2026 exam reservation criteria.
| Category | Reservation Percentage/Seats | Eligibility Criteria |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 27% of seats | Must belong to the Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) as per the Central List of OBCs (as of June 1, 2026). |
| Creamy Layer of OBC | No reservation | Candidates belonging to the Creamy Layer are treated as General (Unreserved) category. |
| Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) | No reservation | SEBC candidates are not eligible unless they are part of OBC-NCL. |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% of seats | Caste must be mentioned in the Government of India’s official SC list. |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% of seats | Tribe must be mentioned in the Government of India’s official ST list. |
| Persons with Disabilities (PD) | 5% of seats in General, OBC-NCL, and SC/ST categories | Candidates must have at least 40% impairment (locomotor, visual, dyslexic, or leprosy-cured). |
| Supernumerary Quota (Jammu & Kashmir Students) | 2 seats at NISER and CBS | Must belong to Jammu & Kashmir and have completed Class 12 from J&K State Board or CBSE-affiliated schools in J&K. |
Check NEST Exam Pattern 2026
NEST Seat Reservation 2026
NEST 2026 provides a fixed reservation of seats to students at the time of admission to NISER and CEBS, in compliance with category-based reservation rules such as General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD. In case seats reserved for any category do not get filled up, there are certain provisions by which these unfilled seats would be allotted. For example, vacant seats in the OBC-NCL category will get transferred to the General category, but unfilled positions in the SC or ST categories will stay within their respective categories. Below is the detailed seat reservation distribution for NISER and CEBS for the year 2026:
| Category | NISER (Seats) | CEBS (Seats) |
| General | 101 | 23 |
| General-EWS | 0 | 06 |
| OBC-NCL | 54 | 15 |
| SC | 30 | 09 |
| ST | 15 | 04 |
| PwD | 5% seats in each category | 5% seats in each category |
| Total | 200 | 57 |
NEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria FAQs
What is the age limit for NEST 2026 eligibility?
The candidate must be born on or after August 1, 2005, to be eligible for NEST 2026. SC, ST, and Divyangjan candidates get an age relaxation of 5 years.
What are the educational qualifications required for NEST 2026?
Candidates must have passed or appeared for the Class 12 Science stream exam in 2024, 2025, or 2026 from any recognised board in India to be eligible for NEST 2026.
Is OBC-NCL candidate eligible for reservation in NEST 2026?
Yes, OBC-NCL candidates are eligible for a 27% reservation in NEST 2026.
Can candidates from Jammu and Kashmir apply for NEST 2026?
Yes, students from Jammu and Kashmir are eligible for a supernumerary quota of 2 seats at NISER and CEBS in NEST 2026 if they have cleared Class 12 from the State Board of Jammu & Kashmir or CBSE affiliated schools located in the state.
Are students with disabilities allowed to appear in NEST 2026?
Yes, a total of 40% disability and locomotion; visual and otherwise are allowed through 5 % reservation for any category of people under NEST 2026.