Conducting Body: NISER Bhubaneswar & UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai National Level Entrance Exam 2026
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NEST: National Entrance Screening Test

Comprehensive student gateway for 5-Year Integrated M.Sc in Basic Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) admissions. Access official registration schedule, question papers with solutions, cutoff ranks, college predictors, and counselling guides.
5-Year Integrated M.Sc in Basic Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) Duration: 3.5 Hours (210 Minutes) Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT) Total Marks: 200 Frequency: Once a Year (June) Fee: ?1,400 (General/OBC Male) / ?700 (Female/SC/ST/PwD)
200
Total Score
10
PYQ Papers (PDF)
10
Cutoff Records
3.5 Hours (210 Minutes)
Time Allotted
National
Exam Scope
Overview Admit Card NEST Centralized Admission Counselling Question Paper Cutoff Preparation Mock Test Paper Analysis College Predictor Rank Predictor News & Dates Participating Colleges Score Calculator
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Category-wise Cutoff Multi-Year Cutoff Trends Opening & Closing Ranks Home State vs Other State Factors Affecting Cutoff Cutoff FAQs

NEST Historical Cutoff Trends

Official Closing Ranks

Official qualifying marks, cutoff percentiles, and opening/closing ranks for admission into participating institutes for NEST across General (CRL), OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST, and PwD categories.

Year Category / Quota Cutoff Score / Percentile Opening Rank Closing Rank Counseling Notes
2025 General 93.5% / Rank 1-2500 - - Official Round 1 Qualifying Cutoff
2025 OBC-NCL 82.0% / Rank 2501-7000 - - Official Round 1 Qualifying Cutoff
2025 EWS 84.2% / Rank 2000-6500 - - Official Round 1 Qualifying Cutoff
2025 SC 68.5% / Rank 7001-15000 - - Official Round 1 Qualifying Cutoff
2025 ST 55.0% / Rank 15001-28000 - - Official Round 1 Qualifying Cutoff
2024 General 93.5% / Rank 1-2500 - - Official Final Qualifying Cutoff
2024 OBC-NCL 82.0% / Rank 2501-7000 - - Official Final Qualifying Cutoff
2024 EWS 84.2% / Rank 2000-6500 - - Official Final Qualifying Cutoff
2024 SC 68.5% / Rank 7001-15000 - - Official Final Qualifying Cutoff
2024 ST 55.0% / Rank 15001-28000 - - Official Final Qualifying Cutoff

5 Core Factors Deciding the Cutoff

  • Number of Registered Candidates: A larger applicant pool directly intensifies competition, raising closing percentile thresholds.
  • Question Paper Difficulty Across Shifts: Tougher numerical or analytical papers lower raw marks cutoffs, which are subsequently normalized.
  • Total Sanctioned Seat Intake: Sanctioning of new seats or new institutes (e.g. new IITs/NITs/AIIMS) eases closing rank cutoffs.
  • Candidate Performance Distribution: Concentration of high scores in specific subject domains alters standard deviation in percentile calculations.
  • Horizontal & Vertical Reservation Quotas: Seat reservation rules for EWS (10%), OBC (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%), and Female Supernumerary (20%).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Cutoff

What is the qualifying cutoff vs admission cutoff for NEST?
The qualifying cutoff is the minimum score or percentile required to pass the exam and become eligible for counselling. The admission cutoff (closing rank) is the actual rank at which the last seat was filled in a specific college and branch.
Does the NEST cutoff change across exam shifts or years?
Yes. The cutoff fluctuates each year depending on the number of registered aspirants, paper difficulty across shifts, seat matrix expansion, and community reservation policies.
How are category reservations applied in NEST cutoffs?
Cutoffs are released separately for each quota: General/Open, Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL), Economically Weaker Sections (GEN-EWS), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

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