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Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India, Check Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Universities

authorImageAbhishek Kumar6 Mar, 2025
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Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India: In India, many students want to do a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree. This degree offers many different fields to study and can lead to good job opportunities. Over 5,000 colleges are offering M.Sc. programs, so it's very competitive to get in. To get into the best M.Sc. colleges in India, students need to do well in important M.Sc. entrance exams.

Some of the Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India are IIT JAM, CUET-PG, CPGET, AP PGCET, and ICAR AIEEA. These M.Sc. Entrance Exams are important for getting into top universities like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The Cutoff of CUET PG, IIT JAM, CPGET, and AP PGCET was released by their exam conducting body. 

Check details of these top M.Sc. entrance exams in India, with their eligibility criteria, exam patterns, and the institutions that accept their scores.

Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India

List of Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams

Many institutions conduct entrance exams to select the ideal candidates for their M.Sc. programs. Here is a list of the top 10 M.Sc. entrance exams in India that candidates can apply for:

  • IIT JAM (Joint Admission Test for M.Sc.)

  • JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test)

  • NEST (National Entrance Screening Test)

  • CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate Courses)

  • TIFR GS (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Graduate School Admissions)

  • GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)

  • DUET (Delhi University Entrance Test)

  • BHU PET (Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test)

  • AIIMS M.Sc. Entrance Exam

  • CUCET (Central Universities Common Entrance Test)

1. IIT JAM (Joint Admission Test for M.Sc.)

IIT JAM (Joint Admission Test for M.Sc.) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by IITs for admission to M.Sc., Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D., and other postgraduate science programs at IITs, IISc, NITs, and IISERs.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in science with minimum required marks.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Biotechnology, Mathematical Statistics, and Geology.

    • Duration: 3 hours.

    • Total Marks: 100.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: IITs, IISc Bangalore, NITs, and IISERs.

2. JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test)

JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test) is a national-level entrance exam for admission to Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. programs in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, and Neuroscience.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor’s degree in science (Physics or related fields) from a recognized university.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Physics and Theoretical Computer Science.

    • Duration: 3 hours.

    • Total Marks: Varies.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: IISERs, TIFR, Bose Institute, and other research institutions.

3. NEST (National Entrance Screening Test)

NEST (National Entrance Screening Test) is a national-level entrance exam for admission to the five-year Integrated M.Sc. program in Basic Sciences. 

  • Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must have completed Class 12 with a science background and a minimum percentage requirement.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, and General Aptitude.

    • Duration: 3.5 hours.

    • Total Marks: 230.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: NISER Bhubaneswar, UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai.

4. CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate Courses)

CUET PG (Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate Courses) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the NTA for admission to postgraduate programs.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor’s degree with a minimum percentage as per the university’s requirements.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Subject-specific and general aptitude questions.

    • Duration: 2 hours.

    • Total Marks: Varies.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: Central Universities like DU, JNU, BHU, and others.

5. TIFR GS (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Graduate School Admissions)

TIFR GS (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Graduate School Admissions) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by TIFR for admission to M.Sc., Integrated Ph.D., and Ph.D. programs.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant science field.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

    • Duration: 3 hours.

    • Total Marks: Varies.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: TIFR Mumbai, TIFR Hyderabad, and other affiliated research institutions.

6. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is a national-level exam conducted by IISc and IITs for admission to M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. programs in science and engineering.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technology, or Science.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Varies based on discipline.

    • Duration: 3 hours.

    • Total Marks: 100.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: IITs, NITs, IISc, and other top institutes.

7. DUET (Delhi University Entrance Test)

DUET (Delhi University Entrance Test) was an entrance exam conducted by NTA for admission to postgraduate programs at Delhi University. 

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor’s degree in the respective science field with minimum marks required by Delhi University.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Subject-specific and reasoning-based questions.

    • Duration: 2 hours.

    • Total Marks: Varies.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: University of Delhi and affiliated colleges.

8. BHU PET (Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test)

BHU PET (Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test) was an entrance exam conducted by Banaras Hindu University for admission to its postgraduate programs, including M.Sc.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% aggregate marks in the relevant subject.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Science subjects as per the chosen M.Sc. specialization.

    • Duration: 2 hours.

    • Total Marks: 360.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: Banaras Hindu University and affiliated institutions.

9. AIIMS M.Sc. Entrance Exam

The AIIMS M.Sc. Entrance Exam is conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, for admission to M.Sc. programs in Nursing, Biotechnology, and various paramedical sciences.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must have a B.Sc. degree in relevant fields such as Nursing, Biotechnology, or Life Sciences.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Subject-based questions from the relevant discipline.

    • Duration: 90 minutes.

    • Total Marks: 90.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: AIIMS New Delhi and other AIIMS institutions.

10. CUCET (Central Universities Common Entrance Test)

CUCET (Central Universities Common Entrance Test) is a national-level exam conducted for admission to postgraduate programs, including M.Sc.

  • Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor's degree in the relevant discipline with minimum eligibility criteria.

  • Exam Pattern and Syllabus:

    • Subjects: Subject-specific and general knowledge questions.

    • Duration: 2 hours.

    • Total Marks: 100.

  • Colleges Accepting Exam: Central Universities across India.

University-Level M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India

Many popular universities in India conduct their own entrance exams to evaluate candidates for M.Sc. programs in various disciplines. A few popular M.Sc. entrance exams in India conducted by various universities are listed below:

University-Level M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India

Exam Name

Universities Accepting the Exam

Conducting Body

Programmes Offered

IIT JAM

IITs, IISc Bangalore, NITs, IISERs, JNU, DU, BHU, etc.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)

M.Sc., Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D., M.Sc.-Ph.D. Dual Degree, M.Sc.-M.Tech. Dual Degree

JNUEE

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

National Testing Agency (NTA)

M.Sc. in various disciplines (Life Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, etc.)

CUET-PG

University of Delhi, BHU, AMU, JNU, Hyderabad University, etc.

National Testing Agency (NTA)

M.Sc. in various subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Environmental Science

BHU-PET (Now CUET-PG)

Banaras Hindu University (BHU)

National Testing Agency (NTA)

M.Sc. in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Mathematics, Statistics, etc.

TIFR GS

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)

M.Sc. and Integrated Ph.D. in Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science

State-Level M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India

Many state universities conduct entrance exams to enrol students for various M.Sc. programs. Some of the popular State-Level M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India are listed below: 

State-Level M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India

Exam Name

Universities/Colleges Accepting the Exam

Conducting Body

Programmes Offered

TANCET (Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test)

1. Anna University

2. University of Madras

3. Bharathiar University

4. Periyar University

5. Bharathidasan University

Anna University

M.Sc. in various disciplines, MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech.

OJEE (Odisha Joint Entrance Examination)

1. Utkal University

2. Sambalpur University

3. Berhampur University

4. Ravenshaw University

5. Fakir Mohan University

Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Board (OJEEB)

M.Sc. in Biotechnology, Computer Science, Applied Sciences

Karnataka PGCET (Post Graduate Common Entrance Test)

1. Bangalore University

2. Mysore University

3. Karnataka University

4. Mangalore University

5. Gulbarga University

Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA)

M.Sc. in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry

MAH CET (Maharashtra Common Entrance Test for M.Sc.)

1. University of Mumbai

2. Savitribai Phule Pune University

3. Shivaji University

4. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University

5. Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University

State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra

M.Sc. in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Environmental Science

CG Pre M.Sc. (Chhattisgarh Pre M.Sc. Entrance Exam)

1. Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University

2. Guru Ghasidas University

3. Indira Gandhi Agricultural University

4. Bastar University

5. Surguja University

Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board (CG Vyapam)

M.Sc. in Agriculture, Forestry, Microbiology, Physics, Chemistry

 

Top M.Sc. Entrance Exams in India FAQs

Which M.Sc. entrance exam is best?

The best M.Sc. entrance exam depends on the career goals and field of interest of aspirants. IIT JAM is ideal for science aspirants, while NEST and JEST are good for research-oriented programs.

Which entrance exam is best for PG?

IIT JAM, CUET PG, and NEST are the best entrance exams for PG (Post Graduation).

Which exam is best for masters?

A few popular best exams for masters are IIT JAM, JEST, and CUET PG.

Which M.Sc. course is best?

The best M.Sc. course depends on the career goals of students. However, M.Sc. in Data Science, Physics, Chemistry, and Biotechnology are currently trending in the recent job markets.

Is NEST tougher than NEET?

Exam dates vary, and students should check official websites for updates on upcoming M.Sc. entrance exams. Generally, the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) is considered tougher than the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
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