NEST

NEST 2025 Syllabus – Subject-Wise Topics, Weightage & Exam Highlights

Science

Updated on 2025

Table of Contents

NEST-National Entrance Screening Test Syllabus Highlights

NEST-National Entrance Screening Test Basic Information

Subject-wise Weightage

Biology

Physics

Chemistry

Mathematics

Nest-national Entrance Screening Test Syllabus Highlights

The NEST-National Entrance Screening Test syllabus is based on NCERT Class 11-12, applicable for year 2025. The official syllabus is published on the exam portal.

Name	NEST-National Entrance Screening Test
Conducting Authority	National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar and University of Mumbai - Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS), Mumbai (jointly conducted under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India)
Syllabus Based On	NCERT Class 11-12
Total Marks	200
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
Subjects Covered	Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology

Topic Name	Weightage	Important Concepts
Systematics	-	Principles And Importance Of Classification
Human Physiology	-	Digestion Respiration Circulation Excretion Nervous System Endocrine System Reproductive System Movement And Locomotion
Plant Physiology	-	Photosynthesis Respiration In Plants Plant Growth And Development Transport In Plants
Genetics and Evolution	-	Principles Of Inheritance And Variation Molecular Basis Of Inheritance Evolution Heredity
Ecology and Environment	-	Organisms And Populations Ecosystem Biodiversity And Conservation Environmental Issues
Sexual Reproduction	-	Reproduction In Flowering Plants Human Reproduction
Biology and Human Welfare	-	Human Health And Diseases Microbes In Human Welfare Food Production Enhancement
Biology of Plant Systems	-	Transport In Plants Mineral Nutrition Photosynthesis Respiration In Plants Growth And Development
Biology of Animal Systems	-	Digestive System Circulatory System Excretory System Nervous System Reproductive System Developmental Biology Immunology
Structural Organisation in Plants and Animals	-	Morphology Anatomy Tissues
Structure and Functions of Cell Cell Biology	-	Cell Theory Cell Organelles Cell Division Mitosis, Meiosis
Diversity in The Living World	-	Classification Of Living Organisms Five Kingdom Classification
Biotechnology and Its Applications	-	Principles And Processes Of Biotechnology Applications In Health And Agriculture

Topic Name	Weightage	Important Concepts
Optics	-	Reflection Refraction Lenses Mirrors Interference Diffraction Polarization
Kinematics	-	Linear Motion Projectile Motion
Gravitation	-	Kepler's Laws Escape Velocity
Atoms and Nuclei	-	Atomic Models Radioactivity Nuclear Reactions
Electrostatics	-	Electric Field Electric Potential Capacitance
Laws of Motion	-	Newton's Laws Of Motion Friction
Thermodynamics	-	Laws Of Thermodynamics Heat Entropy Thermal Expansion Of Solids Calorimetry Heat Conduction Convection And Radiation
Work, Energy, and Power	-	Work-energy Theorem Conservation Laws
Oscillations and Waves	-	Simple Harmonic Motion Shm Sound Waves Doppler Effect Progressive And Stationary Waves
Current Electricity	-	Ohm's Law Circuits Electrical Resistance Kirchhoff's Laws
Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation	-	Photoelectric Effect Wave Nature Of Particles
Electromagnetic Waves	-	Properties Of Em Waves Electromagnetic Spectrum
Properties of Bulk Matter	-	Elasticity Fluid Mechanics Surface Tension Viscosity
Kinetic Theory and Behaviour of Perfect Gas	-	Kinetic Theory Of Gases Gas Laws
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism	-	Bar Magnets Magnetic Effects Of Current Earth's Magnetism Magnetic Properties Of Materials
Physical World and Measurement	-	Units And Dimensions Errors Dimensional Analysis Least Count Significant Figures
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents	-	Faraday's Law Lenz's Law Ac Circuits
Motion of Particles and Rigid Body System	-	Center Of Mass Rotational Motion
Electronic Devices and Communication Systems	-	Diodes Transistors Logic Gates Communication Systems

Topic Name	Weightage	Important Concepts
Hydrogen	-	Position In Periodic Table Preparation Properties Uses
Polymers	-	Classification Types Preparation Uses
Equilibrium	-	Chemical Equilibrium Ionic Equilibrium Le Chatelier's Principle
Biomolecules	-	Carbohydrates Proteins Nucleic Acids Vitamins
Hydrocarbons	-	Alkanes Alkenes Alkynes Aromatic Hydrocarbons Preparation, Properties, Reactions
Redox Reactions	-	Oxidation And Reduction Balancing Redox Reactions
Electrochemistry	-	Electrolysis Electrochemical Cells Conductance Nernst Equation
P-Block Elements	-	Nitrogen Family Oxygen Family Halogens Noble Gases
S-Block Elements Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metals	-	Group 1 And Group 2 Elements Properties And Compounds
States of Matter: Gases and Liquids	-	Gas Laws Kinetic Theory Of Gases Liquid State Properties
Chemical Kinetics	-	Rate Of Reaction Factors Affecting Rate Order Of Reaction Activation Energy
Structure of Atom	-	Bohr Model Quantum Mechanical Model Atomic Orbitals Electronic Configuration
Surface Chemistry	-	Adsorption Catalysis Colloids
D and F Block Elements	-	Electronic Configuration Properties Of Transition Elements Coordination Compounds
Solid State and Solutions	-	Classification Of Solids Crystal Lattices Types Of Solutions Colligative Properties
Haloalkanes and Haloarenes	-	Preparation Properties Reactions
Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers	-	Preparation Properties Reactions
Chemistry in Everyday Life	-	Drugs Dyes Chemicals In Food
Environmental Chemistry	-	Pollution Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
Basic Concepts of Chemistry	-	Mole Concept Stoichiometry Chemical Calculations
Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen	-	Amines Cyanides Isocyanides Nitro Compounds
Aldehydes, Ketones, Carboxylic Acids and their derivatives	-	Nomenclature Preparation Properties Reactions
General Principles and Process of Element Isolations Metallurgy	-	Principles Of Metallurgy Important Ores
Organic Chemistry: Basic Principles and Techniques	-	Hybridizations Of Carbon Sigma And Pi-bonds Representation Of Organic Compounds Shapes Of Simple Organic Molecules Isomerism Structural, Stereoisomerism, Geometrical, Optical, Conformations Of Ethane And Butane, Racemic Mixture, Chirality Reaction Intermediates Carbocation, Carbanion, Free Radical Structure And Stability Electromeric Effect Resonance Effect Inductive Effect Hyperconjugation Homolytic And Heterolytic Bond Cleavages Determination Of Empirical And Molecular Formulae
Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties	-	Periodic Table Periodic Trends
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure	-	Ionic Bond Covalent Bond Vsepr Theory Hybridization Molecular Orbital Theory

Topic Name	Weightage	Important Concepts
Trigonometry	-	Trigonometric Functions Identities Equations Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Vector Algebra	-	Types Of Vectors Operations On Vectors Scalar And Vector Products
Binomial Theorem	-	General Term Properties Of Binomial Coefficients
Sequences and Series	-	Arithmetic Progression Geometric Progression Harmonic Progression Sum To N Terms
Integral Calculus	-	Indefinite Integrals Definite Integrals Applications Of Integrals
Linear Programming	-	Linear Inequalities Feasible Region Objective Function Optimization
Coordinate Geometry	-	Straight Lines Circles Conic Sections Parabola, Ellipse, Hyperbola
Matrices and Determinants	-	Types Of Matrices Operations On Matrices Determinants Inverse Of A Matrix Solving Linear Equations
Differential Equations	-	Formation Of Differential Equations Solution Of Differential Equations
Mathematical Reasoning	-	Statements Logical Connectives Truth Tables Tautology Contradiction
Statistics and Probability	-	Measures Of Central Tendency Measures Of Dispersion Probability Conditional Probability Bayes' Theorem Binomial Distribution Mean Variance
Sets, Relations, and Functions	-	Types Of Sets Operations On Sets Relations Functions Domain Range Inverse Of A Function
Permutations and Combinations	-	Fundamental Principle Of Counting Permutations Combinations
Three Dimensional Geometry	-	Coordinates Direction Cosines And Ratios Straight Lines In 3d Planes In 3d
Limit, Continuity, and Differentiability	-	Limits Continuity Derivatives Rules Of Differentiation
Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations	-	Argand Plane Modulus Argument Roots Of Quadratic Equations