NEST Syllabus 2027: Subject-Wise Topics, Chapter Weightage and PDF Download

Cell structure and organelles (prokaryotic and eukaryotic), cell membrane structure and transport mechanisms, cell cycle (mitosis and meiosis), biomolecules (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids), enzyme structure and catalysis, metabolic pathways overview.

Mendelian genetics and laws of inheritance, chromosomal theory of inheritance, linkage and crossing over, DNA structure and replication, transcription and translation, regulation of gene expression, mutations and their consequences, introduction to recombinant DNA technology.

Five-kingdom classification, viruses and viroids, Monera, Protista, Fungi, major divisions of Plantae (Bryophyta to Angiospermae), major phyla of Animalia (Porifera to Chordata), taxonomy principles and binomial nomenclature.

Photosynthesis (light reactions, Calvin cycle, C3 and C4 plants, photorespiration), cellular respiration (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation), transport in plants (osmosis, active transport, translocation), mineral nutrition, plant growth hormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, ethylene), photoperiodism and vernalization.

Digestive system and absorption, human circulatory system (heart structure, cardiac cycle, blood composition), respiratory system and gas exchange, excretory system (nephron function, urine formation), nervous system (neuron structure, action potential, reflex arcs, brain regions), endocrine glands and hormones, muscle contraction mechanism.

Modes of reproduction (sexual and asexual) in plants and animals, human male and female reproductive systems, gametogenesis, fertilization, early embryonic development (cleavage, gastrulation, organogenesis), reproductive health and contraception.

Origin of life theories, Lamarckism and Darwinism, Neo-Darwinism and modern synthesis, natural selection and adaptation, types of speciation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and genetic drift, fossil record and molecular evidence, human evolution timeline.

Ecosystem structure and function, food chains and food webs, energy flow and ecological pyramids, biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus), population ecology (growth models, carrying capacity), biodiversity types and conservation strategies, environmental pollution, global warming and climate change.

Atomic structure and quantum numbers, chemical bonding (ionic, covalent, VSEPR, hybridization, molecular orbital theory), states of matter (gaseous and liquid), chemical thermodynamics (first and second laws, Hess’s law, Gibbs free energy), chemical equilibrium (Le Chatelier’s principle, Kp and Kc), ionic equilibrium (pH, buffer, solubility product), electrochemistry (Nernst equation, Faraday’s laws, galvanic cells), chemical kinetics (rate laws, order, Arrhenius equation), surface chemistry and colloids.

Periodic table trends and properties, s-block elements (Group 1 and 2 — properties and compounds), p-block elements (Groups 13–18 — characteristic reactions), d-block and f-block elements (transition metals, oxidation states), coordination chemistry (nomenclature, isomerism, valence bond theory, crystal field theory), principles of metallurgy, qualitative inorganic analysis.

Basic concepts (IUPAC nomenclature, isomerism, inductive effect, resonance, hyperconjugation), hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons and reactions), haloalkanes and haloarenes, alcohols, phenols, and ethers, aldehydes and ketones (nucleophilic addition, aldol condensation), carboxylic acids and derivatives, nitrogen-containing compounds (amines, amides, diazonium salts), biomolecules (amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, vitamins), polymers, environmental chemistry basics.

Complex numbers (algebra, modulus-argument form, De Moivre’s theorem), theory of equations (quadratic equations, roots, nature of roots, symmetric functions), permutations and combinations, binomial theorem (general term, middle term, properties), matrices and determinants (operations, inverse, Cramer’s rule), sequences and series (AP, GP, HP, sum of special series, method of differences).

Trigonometric functions and identities, compound and multiple angle formulas, sub-multiple angles, inverse trigonometric functions (domain, range, properties), trigonometric equations, properties of triangles (sine and cosine rules, area), solution of triangles.

Straight lines (slope, forms of equations, angle between lines, distance), circles (standard forms, tangent, chord, radical axis), conic sections — parabola (standard forms, tangent, normal), ellipse (standard forms, focal chords, tangent), hyperbola (standard forms, asymptotes, tangent).

Functions (domain, range, types, composition, inverse), limits and continuity, differentiation (chain rule, implicit differentiation, logarithmic differentiation, higher-order derivatives), applications of derivatives (maxima and minima, tangent and normal, rate of change, Rolle’s theorem, Mean Value theorem), integration (standard forms, substitution, integration by parts, partial fractions), definite integrals (properties, area under curves, reduction formulas), differential equations (order and degree, variable separable, homogeneous, linear first-order).

Vector algebra (addition, scalar multiplication, dot product, cross product, scalar triple product, vector triple product), 3D geometry (direction cosines and direction ratios, equations of lines and planes in 3D, angle between lines and planes, distance from a point to a plane, skew lines and shortest distance).

Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), measures of dispersion (variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variation), probability (classical definition, addition and multiplication theorems, conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem), random variables, probability distributions, binomial distribution (mean and variance).

Kinematics (1D, 2D, projectile, relative motion), Newton’s laws and applications, friction, circular motion, work-energy-power theorem, conservation of energy and momentum, centre of mass and system of particles, rotational mechanics (torque, moment of inertia, angular momentum, rolling motion), gravitation (Kepler’s laws, orbital mechanics, gravitational potential and field), properties of matter (elasticity, surface tension, capillarity, viscosity, Bernoulli’s theorem).

Simple harmonic motion (equation, energy, phase), compound pendulum, damped and forced oscillations, resonance, mechanical wave equation, superposition principle, standing waves in strings and pipes, beats, Doppler effect, sound intensity and decibel scale.

Kinetic theory of gases (Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, mean free path, degrees of freedom), ideal gas law, van der Waals equation, specific heat capacity, thermodynamic processes (isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, isochoric), first and second laws of thermodynamics, Carnot cycle and efficiency, heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation, Stefan-Boltzmann law, Newton’s law of cooling).

Coulomb’s law, electric field and electric potential, Gauss’s law and applications, capacitors (series and parallel, energy stored, dielectrics), current electricity (Ohm’s law, resistivity, Kirchhoff’s laws, Wheatstone bridge, potentiometer, meter bridge), magnetic field (Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s law, force on current-carrying conductors and moving charges), magnetic properties of materials (diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic).

Faraday’s law and Lenz’s law, self and mutual inductance, energy stored in inductors, AC circuits (LCR series circuit, resonance, power factor, impedance), transformers, electromagnetic waves (Maxwell’s equations qualitatively, EM spectrum and properties).

Ray optics (reflection and refraction at plane and curved surfaces, lenses and mirrors, prisms and dispersion, optical instruments — microscope and telescope), wave optics (Huygens’ principle, Young’s double slit experiment, interference conditions, single slit diffraction, polarization by reflection and Brewster’s angle).

Photoelectric effect (Einstein’s equation, work function), wave-particle duality (de Broglie hypothesis, Davisson-Germer experiment), Bohr’s atomic model (energy levels, hydrogen spectrum), X-rays (production and properties), nuclear physics (radioactive decay laws, binding energy, Q-value, fission and fusion), semiconductor devices (p-n junction, diode characteristics, Zener diode, BJT, logic gates).