JEST 2024 – Exam Date (03 Mar)

The Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is a national-level qualifying examination for admissions to Ph.D. programs in Physics at premier Indian research institutions and a Ph.D. program in Theoretical Computer Science at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

JEST

The Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is a National level Science entrance exam. This year the organizing institute is IISER Bhopal. The exam is for admission to Ph.D. in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Computational Biology, or Neuroscience in IISc, IISER (Bhopal, Berhampur, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupathi), IIST, ARIES, Bose Institute, HBNI, HRI, ICTS, IGCAR, IIA, IMSc, IOP, IPR, IUCAA, JNCASR, NBRC, NCRA-TIFR, NISER, PRL, RRCAT, RRI, SINP, SNBNCBS, TIFR-TCIS, TIFR, UGC-DAE CSR, VECC.

Quick Links

• Syllabus
• Sample Paper
• Question Papers
• Application Form
• Admit Card
• Answer Key
• Result

Important Dates

Exam Event	Event Date
Release of application form or Start of registration	As per IIST
Last date to apply	31 Jan 2024
Issuance of JEST admit card 2024	As per IIST
JEST 2024 exam date	03 Mar 2024
Exam timings	10 am to 1 pm
Release of answer key	As per IIST
Announcement of JEST result 2024	As per IIST

JEST Exam Overview

Aspects of the JEST Exam	Details
Name of Exam	JEST
Full Form	Joint Entrance Screening Test
Exam Organizing Body	IISER Bhopal
Level of Exam	National Level
Type of Exam	Science entrance exam
Courses in which admission is through JEST	Ph.D. in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Computational Biology, Neuroscience
Colleges in which admission is through JEST	IISc, IISER (Bhopal, Berhampur, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupathi), IIST, ARIES, Bose Institute, HBNI, HRI, ICTS, IGCAR, IIA, IMSc, IOP, IPR, IUCAA, JNCASR, NBRC, NCRA-TIFR, NISER, PRL, RRCAT, RRI, SINP, SNBNCBS, TIFR-TCIS, TIFR, UGC-DAE CSR, VECC
Official Website	jest.org.in

Eligibility Criteria

• Participating Institutes have their own eligibility criteria for admission in Ph.D / Integrated Ph.D programs. Applicants who are expecting to complete their final examinations of their ongoing course by August 2022 are also eligible to appear for the JEST-2022.
• Listed below are tentative eligibility criteria of admission to M.Sc, Ph.D, and Integrated / M.Sc / M.Tech. – Ph.D programs in the participating institutes.

PhD in Physics

• M.Sc. in Physics (all participating Institutes).
• Additionally, some institutes accept B.E. / B.Tech. / M.Sc. / M.E. / M.Tech. in disciplines of Applied Physics and Mathematics, as listed below.
• M.Sc. in Mathematics / Applied Physics / Applied Mathematics / Optics and Photonics / Instrumentation / Electronics will also be considered at IIA.
• B.E. or B.Tech. will be considered at IISc, IMSc, ICTS-TIFR, IUCAA, JNCASR, NCRA-TIFR, TIFR-TCIS, RRI, IISER Mohali, IISER Pune, IISER Thiruvananthapuram.
• M.Sc. in Physics / Electronics / Astronomy / Applied Mathematics will be considered at  IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR.
• MSc  in Physics, Engineering Physics or Applied Physics will also be considered at IPR.
• M.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, Biophysics or Biochemistry will be considered at SNBNCBS.
• B.Tech Eng. Phys.will be considered at TIFR and NCRA-TIFR..
• M.E./ M.Tech in Applied Physics  will be considered at NISER.
• M.Sc. in Astronomy/Optics/Photonics/Biophysics also will be considered at RRI.
• MSc. in Physics, Chemistry and Biophysics will be considered at SNBNCBS.

PhD in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc

• M.Sc./ M.E. / M.Tech. in Computer Science and related disciplines, and should be interested in the mathematical aspects of computer science.

PhD in Neuroscience at NBRC

• M.Sc (Physics/ Mathematics), B.E/ B.Tech/ M.C.A in Computer Science

PhD in Computational Biology at IMSc

• M.Sc./ M.E. / M.Tech. ​/ MCA  ​in any engineering or science discipline, with good mathematical skills and strong interest in biological problems.

Integrated M.Sc. / M.Tech – PhD Program (Physics)

• BSc in Physics (Major/Hons), or in Physics and Mathematics (Physics cannot be an allied/subsidiary/minor subject) will be considered at SNBNCBS.
• B. Sc. (Physics) will be considered at IMSc.
• B.Sc. (Physics / Mathematics) / B.E. / B.Tech. in Electrical / Instrumentation / Engineering Physics / Electronics and Communications / Computer Science and Engineering / Optics and Photonics will be considered in IIA.
• B.Sc (Physics) or B.E./B. Tech in Engineering Physics , with a minimum of first class marks, will be considered at NISER.
• B.Sc. (Physics) will be considered at IISER-Pune, ICTS-TIFR, NCRA-TIFR, and TIFR-TCIS.
• B. Sc. (Physics / Mathematics) / B.E. / B.Tec. will be considered for Integrated M.Sc – PhD at Bose Institute.
• B. Sc. (Physics / Mathematics/Computer Science/Electronics) / B.E. / B.Tech. will be considered for Integrated M.Sc – PhD at Bose Institute.

Integrated PhD Program in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc

• B.Sc./B.E./B.Tech./M.C.A. in Computer Science or related disciplines and should be interested in the mathematical aspects of computer science.

Integrated M.Tech – PhD. Program at IIA

• M.Sc. (Physics / Applied Physics) / Post-B.Sc. (Hons) in Optics and Optoelectronics / Radio Physics and Electronics.

Integrated PhD Program at IISER Kolkata and IISER. Thiruvananthapuram.

• B. Sc. (Physics) or B.E. / B. Tech. in any discipline.

1. Sc. Program at HRI.

• B. Sc. (Physics) or B.E./B.Tech. degree in any discipline
• HRI is starting a new M.Sc. programme in Physics from 2017. The Integrated Ph.D. programme in Physics at HRI is discontinued from 2017.

Joint SPPU-IUCAA MSc Physics (Astrophysics) program

• B. Sc. (Physics and Mathematics) or B.E. / B. Tech. in any branch of engineering, with a minimum of 55% marks. 

Selection Procedure

• The official authority has levied the following selection procedure for JEST 2022 Admission in the 32 participating institutes.
• Stage 1 : JEST 2022 i.e a common entrance test held in pen and paper mode. The applicants must note that the JEST question papers are normally not made available.
• Stage 2: Selected candidates are then called for an interview session at the participating institutes.

Exam Pattern

• Type of Questions: There are MCQ types of questions.
• A number of alternatives: There are 4 alternatives.
• Number of Sections: The question paper is divided into 3 sections i.e Part A and Part B and C
• Language: The JEST 2022 will be held in English language
• Marking Scheme: The official authority has prescribed the following marking scheme
• For correct answers: 3 marks are allotted in Section A
• There is no negative marking.

The questions are based on the general syllabi​ of graduation and post-graduation level courses offered by various Indian universities and institutions. JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test) question papers are normally not made available.

Participating Institutes

Visit the individual institute pages to view the programs and subject areas being offered:

ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital); 
HBNI (Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai); 
HRI(Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad);
ICTS (International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (TIFR), Bangalore); 
IGCAR (Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam); 
IIA (Indian Institute of Astrophysics), 
IISc Bangalore; 
IISER Bhopal; 
IISER Kolkata;
IISER Pune; 
IISER Mohali; 
IISER Thiruvananthapuram; 
IMSc (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai); 
IOP (Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar); 
IPR (Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar);
IUCAA (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune); 
NBRC (National Brain Research Centre, Manesar); 
JNCASR Bangalore; 
NCRA-TIFR – Pune; 
NISER Bhubaneswar;
PRL (Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad); 
RRCAT (Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore); 
RRI (Raman Research Institute, Bangalore); 
SINP (Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata); 
SNBNCBS (Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata); 
TIFR-TCIS (TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad); TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai:); 
UGC-DAE CSR (UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore); 
VECC (Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre), Kolkata

JEST Exam Centers

The JEST will be held at the following locations:

• Ahmedabad
• Aligarh
• Allahabad
• Bangalore
• Bardhaman
• Bhopal
• Bhubaneswar
• Chandigarh
• Chennai
• Delhi
• Goa
• Guwhati
• Hyderabad
• Indore
• Jaipur
• Kanpur
• Kharagpur
• Kochi
• Kolkata
• Madurai
• Mumbai
• Nagpur
• Nainital
• Patna
• Pune
• Raipur
• Roorkee
• Sambalpur
• Silchar
• Siliguri
• Srinagar
• Trivandrum
• Udaipur
• Vishakhapatnam

Contact Details

Address: The Institute of Mathematical Sciences
C I T Campus, Taramani
Chennai – 600113, India.

Phones : (+91) (044) 22543100
Fax : (+91) (044) 22541586

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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