JEST 2027: Application Form, Eligibility & Exam Pattern

JEST 2027, also known as the Joint Entrance Screening Test, is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) once every year. The exam offers admission into Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. programmes in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Computational Biology at some of the most prestigious research institutions across India. The exam is conducted in offline (pen-and-paper) mode. Candidates interested in appearing for JEST 2027 can go through the following article for detailed information regarding eligibility criteria, application form, exam pattern, syllabus, participating institutes, and important dates.

Disclaimer: All 2027 dates listed in this article are indicative (expected) unless explicitly marked ‘confirmed (official)’. Candidates must verify dates from the official JEST website before taking any action.

JEST 2027 Key Highlights

Exam Name	JEST 2027
Full Name	Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027
Conducting Body	Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
Level	National Level
Mode	Offline (Paper-Based Test)
Courses Offered	Ph.D. & Integrated Ph.D.
Subjects	Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Neuroscience, Computational Biology
Application Start (expected)	January 2027
Application Last Date (expected)	February 2027
Exam Date (expected)	March–April 2027
Result (expected)	April–May 2027
Official Website	www.jest.org.in

JEST 2027 Status

• JEST 2027 is a national-level entrance exam for admission to Ph.D./Integrated Ph.D. programmes in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Computational Biology.
• The exam is conducted by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of the Government of India.
• The JEST 2027 application form is expected to be released in January 2027 (expected).
• The exam is expected to be held in March–April 2027 (expected).
• The admit card is expected to be released approximately four weeks before the exam. The result is expected to be declared in April–May 2027 (expected).

Exam Date

To be announced (expected: March–April 2027)

JEST 2027 Important Dates

Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027 important dates are mentioned in the table below. All dates are expected based on previous-year patterns; candidates should watch the official website for confirmed announcements.

Events	Dates 2027 (expected)	Previous Year 2026 Reference
Starting of application form	January 2027 (expected)	11 January 2026
Last date to submit application forms	February 2027 (expected)	22 February 2026
Availability of admit card	1st–2nd week of March 2027 (expected)	1st week of May 2026
JEST 2027 exam date	March–April 2027 (expected)	May 2026
Answer key release	Within 2 weeks of exam (expected)	First week of March 2026
Result declaration	April–May 2027 (expected)	Last week of March 2026

JEST 2027 Admit Card

The important details of the JEST Admit Card are given below.

• The Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027 Admit Card is expected to be released approximately three to four weeks before the exam date (expected: March 2027).
• The hall ticket will be made available in online mode on the official website.
• Candidates must log in by entering their username and password to download the admit card.
• Candidates are required to carry the admit card along with a valid photo ID proof at the examination centre.
• No candidate will be allowed to sit the examination without both a valid admit card and an ID proof.
• Students are advised to keep a hard copy of the admit card safely until the counselling process is complete.

JEST 2027 Exam Pattern

Vital information regarding the JEST Exam Pattern is given below.

JEST Exam Pattern

Exam Mode	Offline mode (PBT – Paper-Based Test)
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Sessions	Single
Exam Duration	3 hours
Medium	English only
Sections	3 sections

The marking scheme for each section is given below.

JEST Marking Scheme

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Negative Marking
Section A	15	3	1
Section B	10	3	0 (no negative marking)
Section C	25	1	1/3

JEST 2027 Syllabus

The detailed information regarding the JEST Syllabus is given below.

• Students can prepare from topics studied at the graduation and post-graduation level.
• Some of the key topics from Physics and Theoretical Computer Science are discussed below.

Physics:

• Mathematical Methods
• Classical Mechanics
• Electromagnetism & Optics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics
• Electronics

Theoretical Computer Science:

• Analytical Reasoning & Deduction
• Discrete Mathematics
• Graph Theory
• Combinatorics
• Data Structures & Algorithms
• Principles of Programming

Preparation Tips

The tips to prepare effectively for the JEST 2027 exam are given below:

• Prepare according to the official exam pattern and syllabus to avoid wasting study time.
• Make a realistic study schedule and follow it consistently throughout the preparation period.
• Make short notes of important formulae and concepts, and revise them at least once a week.
• Solve previous-year question papers and evaluate your performance after each attempt.
• Attempt full-length mock tests under timed conditions to improve speed and accuracy for each section.

JEST Sample Papers

Sample papers for Physics and TCS (Theoretical Computer Science) are provided by the JEST 2027 organising institute. Practising these papers is one of the best strategies for JEST Physics preparation and JEST TCS preparation.

JEST TCS Sample Paper	Click Here
JEST Physics Sample Paper	Click Here

JEST 2027 Answer Key

The detailed information regarding the JEST Answer Key is given below.

• The official answer key for JEST 2027 is expected to be released within one to two weeks of the exam (expected).
• The answer key will be released through online mode on the official website.
• Candidates who wish to raise objections against the answer key may do so within the window provided by the conducting body (expected: second week after the exam).
• The final answer key will be released after considering all valid objections (expected: third week after the exam).

How to Check the JEST Official Answer Key

The procedure for checking the JEST official answer key is given below.

• Visit the official website: www.jest.org.in
• Click on the link for the Physics Answer Key 2027 or TCS Answer Key 2027 as applicable.
• The official answer key will be displayed on the screen.
• Download and save a copy for future reference and for cross-checking your responses.

JEST 2027 Result

The detailed information regarding the JEST Result is given below.

• The Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027 Result is expected to be declared in April–May 2027 (expected).
• The scorecard will be made available through online mode on the official website.
• Candidates must log in using their application credentials to view their scorecard.

How to Check the JEST Result

The procedure for checking the JEST Result is given below.

• Visit the official website: www.jest.org.in
• Enter your registered email or username and password.
• The result will be displayed on the screen.
• Take a printout of the result for use during the counselling round.

JEST 2027 Counselling

The detailed information regarding JEST Counselling is given below.

• Candidates who qualify the exam will receive a call for the counselling or interview process from the respective participating institutions.
• Qualified candidates must contact and report to the participating institution for an interview at the scheduled date and time.
• No centralised admission process is conducted; admissions are managed independently by each participating institute.

Candidates must bring the following original documents at the time of admission for verification:

• 12th mark sheet and passing certificate
• Graduation mark sheet
• JEST 2027 Admit Card
• JEST 2027 Scorecard
• Passport-size photographs
• Domicile Certificate
• Category Certificate (if applicable), etc.

Exam Centres

JEST 2027 will be held at the locations indicated below. Candidates should note that certain centres are subject to availability; a second-choice centre will be allotted if the preferred centre is unavailable.

• Ahmedabad
• Aligarh
• Allahabad
• Bangalore
• Bardhaman
• Bhopal
• Bhubaneswar
• Calicut (Subject to availability; second option will be allotted if centre is unavailable)
• Chandigarh
• Chennai
• Delhi
• Goa
• Guwahati
• Hyderabad
• Indore
• Jaipur
• Kanpur
• Kharagpur
• Kochi
• Kolkata
• Madurai
• Mangalore (Subject to availability; second option will be allotted if centre is unavailable)
• Mumbai
• Nagpur
• Nainital
• Patna
• Pune
• Raipur
• Roorkee
• Sambalpur
• Silchar
• Siliguri
• Srinagar
• Trivandrum
• Udaipur
• Vishakhapatnam

Participating Institutes

Visit the individual institute pages to view the programmes and subject areas being offered. Admission through JEST 2027 scores is accepted by the following research institutes and universities for Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. programmes in Physics and related disciplines.

List of Participating Institutes in JEST

Participating Institute	Subjects
ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital)	Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Atmospheric Physics
Bose Institute (Bose Institute, Kolkata)	Atmospheric Sciences, Biophysics, Complex systems and networks, Condensed matter physics and materials science, High energy physics and astroparticle physics, Quantum physics and quantum information, Nuclear and radiation physics
HBNI	Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
HRI (Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad)	Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics
ICTS (International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (TIFR), Bangalore)	Astrophysical Relativity, Data Assimilation and Dynamical Systems, Statistical Physics and Turbulence, and String Theory and Quantum Gravity
IGCAR (Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam)	Solid-State Phase transformations, Superconductivity, Structure and dynamics of soft condensed matter, Band structure studies, Accelerator-based irradiation-induced phenomena, Low-dimensional systems, Physics of interfaces, Nano-materials, Thin films technology and Theoretical physics
IIA (Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore)	Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astronomical Instrumentation, Optics, and Atomic Physics
IISc (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore)	Condensed Matter Physics (Experiments and Theory), Astronomy and Astrophysics (Theoretical), Atomic and Optical Physics (Experimental), Biocrystallography and Bio-informatics, and High Energy Physics (Theoretical)
IISER BHOPAL (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal)	Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment), Soft Matter Physics (Theory), Biophysics, Laser-Plasma Interactions, Ultrafast Physics (Experiment), Astrophysics and Cosmology, High Energy Physics (Theory, Phenomenology, and Experiment), Non-linear Optics
IISER KOLKATA (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata)	Condensed Matter Physics, Field Theory, Classical & Quantum Gravity, Cosmology, Solar Science, High Energy Physics, Non-linear dynamics, Statistical Physics, Soft Matter, Optics & Spectroscopy, Atomic physics, Biophotonics, Spintronics, Nanoscience, NMR, Quantum Information
IISER MOHALI (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali)	Quantum Theory, Quantum Information Processing, NMR Methodology, Optics, Statistical Mechanics, Quantum Thermodynamics, Non-linear Dynamics, String Theory, Ultrafast Physics, and Low-Temperature Mesoscopic Physics
IISER PUNE (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune)	Field Theory, Theoretical Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Non-linear Dynamics, Complex Systems and Networks, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Quantum Information Processing, Radio Astrophysics, Atomic Physics and Quantum Optics, Energy Studies, Solar and Plasma Physics, Nanosciences, Scanning Probe Techniques, and Semiconductor Physics and Devices
IISER THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram)	Experimental Condensed Matter: Magnetic and Superconducting Materials, Nanoscience and Energy materials, Photonics, Soft Condensed Matter, Semiconductor Physics and Devices, Surface Sciences and Nano-scale Plasmonics, Terahertz and Ultrafast Spectroscopy; Theory: Cosmology, Classical and Quantum Gravity, Gravitational Wave Physics, Quantum Information Theory, Quantum Field Theory, and Statistical Physics
IIST (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram)	Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, Applied and Adaptive Optics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Nanotechnology, Nonlinear Dynamics, Photonics, Quantum Information, and Statistical Physics
IMSc (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai)	Theoretical Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, and Computational Biology
IOP (Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar)	Physics (Condensed Matter, Nuclear and High Energy Physics) and Accelerator-based Research
IPR (Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar)	Physics (Experimental and Theoretical)
IUCAA (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune)	Physics, Astronomy, and Astrophysics
JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore)	Experimental and Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Statistical Mechanics, and Materials Science
NBRC (National Brain Research Centre, Manesar)	Molecular, Computational and Systems Neuroscience; sensory & motor systems, learning & memory, language & speech processing, functional neuroimaging: EEG, MEG, fMRI, MRS, stem cells, developmental neurobiology, neurogenetics, neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer signalling & glial tumour biology
NCRA-TIFR (National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, TIFR, Pune)	Astronomy and Astrophysics
NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar)	Theoretical High Energy Physics and Lattice QCD, Experimental High Energy Physics, Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment), Optics and Metamaterials
PRL (Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad)	Theoretical Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Space and Atmospheric Sciences, Planetary Science and Geo-Sciences
RRCAT (Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore)	Lasers and their Applications, Laser Plasma Interaction, Cold Atom Physics, Condensed Matter Physics (Superconductivity and Magnetism, Crystals and Thin Films), Nanomaterials and Applications, Non-linear and Ultrafast Optical Studies, Beam Physics, and Free Electron Laser
RRI (Raman Research Institute, Bangalore)	Astronomy and Astrophysics, Light and Matter Physics, Soft Condensed Matter Physics (Liquid Crystals, Physics in Biology), and Theoretical Physics
SINP (Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata)	Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiments), Nuclear Physics (Theory and Experiments), High Energy Physics (Theory and Experiments), Astroparticle Physics, Quantum Gravity, String Theory, Mathematical Physics, and Materials Science (Surface Science and Plasma Physics)
SNBNCBS (Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata)	Astrophysics and Cosmology, Chemical and Biological Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Material Science, High Energy Physics and Quantum Field Theory, Mathematical Physics, Nanosciences, Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Statistical Physics, and Complex Systems
TIFR-TCIS (TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad)	Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science of Nonequilibrium, Soft & Living matter, Fluid Dynamics, Intense Laser-matter interactions, Computational Physics, Statistical physics, NMR of Biophysical & other systems
TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai)	Astronomy and Astrophysics, Condensed Matter Physics and Material Science, High Energy Physics, Nuclear and Atomic Physics, Theoretical Physics
UGC-DAE CSR (UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore)	Surfaces, Interfaces, Thin Films and Nanomaterials, Physics at Low Temperatures and High Magnetic Fields, X-ray, Optical and Electron Spectroscopic Studies using Synchrotron and Laboratory Sources; Electrical, Magnetic and Thermal Properties of Condensed Matter; Condensed Matter studies using Magnetic Neutron Diffraction, Nuclear Technique Based Condensed Matter Physics – Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy, Mossbauer Spectroscopy, Experimental Nuclear Physics, Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy of Nuclear High Spin States, and Nuclear Reactions
VECC (Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata)	Accelerator Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Nuclear Physics (Experiments and Theory), Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions (Experiments, Theory, QCD and QGP), and Physics of Neutrinos (Experiments)

JEST 2027 Application Form

The detailed information regarding the JEST Application Form is given below.

• The Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027 application form is expected to be released on the official website in January 2027 (expected).
• Candidates can fill in the form through online mode on the official website only.
• Aspirants must submit their registration form before the last date mentioned in the official notification.
• Applicants must fill in the registration form carefully, as there is no provision for a JEST application correction window.
• Applicants must fill in valid and accurate information in the form to avoid rejection.

JEST 2027 Application Fee

The application fee for the JEST exam is given below. Fees are based on the previous year’s structure and are subject to revision in the official 2027 notification.

Category	Application Fee (previous-year/expected)
General & OBC	Rs. 400/-
SC/ST & Female Candidates (General)	Rs. 200/-
Female Applicants belonging to SC/ST	No Fee

Mode of Payment: Candidates can pay the fee through online mode using a credit card, debit card, or net banking.

NOTE: The fee will not be refunded by the conducting body under any circumstances.

How to Fill the JEST Application Form

The steps to apply online for the Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) 2027 are given below.

• Visit the official website of JEST: www.jest.org.in
• Enter your email ID and create a password to register.
• On successful registration, a confirmation email with a verification link will be sent to the applicant’s registered email ID.
• Fill in all the necessary details carefully in the application form.
• Upload the scanned photograph and signature of the applicant as per the specified dimensions.
• Click on ‘Fee Payment’ and submit the applicable application fee.
• After confirming your account, use the ‘Apply’ link to submit the application form.
• After successful submission of the application form, an Application Form ID along with an application number will be sent by the authority.
• Take a printout of the submitted application form for future reference.

JEST 2027 Eligibility Criteria

The detailed information regarding JEST Eligibility Criteria is given below. Candidates must ensure they meet the programme-specific eligibility before applying for JEST 2027.

JEST Eligibility Criteria

Programme	Eligibility Criteria
Ph.D. in Physics	M.Sc. in Physics. (Some institutions also accept B.E./B.Tech./M.Sc./M.E./M.Tech. in Applied Physics and Mathematics.)
Ph.D. in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc	M.Sc./M.E./M.Tech. in Computer Science or a related area.
Ph.D. in Neuroscience at NBRC	M.Sc. (Physics/Mathematics), B.E./B.Tech./MCA in Computer Science.
Ph.D. in Computational Biology at IMSc	M.Sc./M.E./M.Tech./MCA in any discipline.
Integrated M.Sc./M.Tech.–Ph.D. (Physics)	B.Sc. (Physics/Mathematics). For NISER: B.Sc. (Physics) or B.E./B.Tech. in Engineering Physics with 60% and above. For IIA: B.Sc. (Physics/Mathematics)/B.E./B.Tech. in Electrical/Instrumentation/Engineering Physics/Electronics and Communications/Computer Science & Engineering/Optics and Photonics. For IISER-Pune, ICTS-TIFR, NCRA-TIFR, and TIFR-TCIS: B.Sc. (Physics).
Integrated Ph.D. in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc	B.Sc./B.E./B.Tech./M.C.A. in Computer Science or a related stream.
Integrated M.Tech.–Ph.D. at IIA	M.Sc. (Physics/Applied Physics)/Post-B.Sc. (Hons.) in Optics and Optoelectronics/Radio Physics & Electronics.
Integrated Ph.D. at IISER Thiruvananthapuram	B.Sc. (Physics) or B.E./B.Tech. in any discipline.

NOTE: Click here to check and download the JEST course-wise eligibility document.

JEST 2027 Highlights

The key information regarding the JEST exam is given below.

Exam Name	JEST 2027
Full Name	Joint Entrance Screening Test 2027
Conducting Body	Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
Level	National Level
Course	Ph.D. & Integrated Ph.D.
Official Website	https://www.jest.org.in
Exam Purpose	To offer admission into various Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. courses at the most prestigious research institutions across India

Stay connected to EntranceZone for all updates on the JEST 2027 exam.

JEST 2027 Analytics

The table below provides an approximate overview of JEST participation trends based on previous years. These figures are approximate and drawn from publicly available data; the human editor should verify before publication.

JEST Key Statistics (Previous Years – Approximate)

Metric	Approx. Figure	Remarks
Number of Applicants	15,000–20,000 (approx.)	previous-year/expected; varies year on year
Candidates Appeared	10,000–14,000 (approx.)	previous-year/expected
Exam Duration	3 hours	confirmed (exam pattern)
Total Questions	50 (Physics: Sections A+B+C)	confirmed (exam pattern)
Number of Participating Institutes	Approx. 30+	previous-year/expected
Difficulty Level	Moderate to High	previous-year trend; M.Sc.-level conceptual questions
Cut-off Trend (Physics)	Varies by institute; typically 30–60% of total marks (approx.)	previous-year/expected; institute-specific
Frequency	Once a year	confirmed

Knowledge Graph

JEST 2027 – Knowledge Graph Fact Box

Full Name	Joint Entrance Screening Test
Acronym	JEST
Conducting Body	Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
Parent / Ministry	Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India
Exam Level	National
Frequency	Once a year
Exam Mode	Offline (Paper-Based Test)
Duration	3 hours
Language / Medium	English only
Subjects Covered	Physics; Theoretical Computer Science; Neuroscience; Computational Biology
Admission To	Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. programmes
Official Website	www.jest.org.in

Official Sources

• https://www.jest.org.in – Official JEST website
• https://www.serbindia.com – Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
• https://dst.gov.in – Department of Science and Technology, Government of India

Conclusion

JEST 2027 is a critical gateway for science graduates aspiring to pursue doctoral research in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Neuroscience, or Computational Biology at India’s top research institutions. With the application process expected to begin in January 2027 and the exam likely in March–April 2027, candidates should begin their preparation early — building a strong conceptual foundation, solving previous-year papers, and following the official JEST website for confirmed dates. Bookmark this page for regular updates, and ensure you check eligibility criteria for your specific target institute before filling in the application form.