The Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is conducted once every year to determine the eligibility of Indian students for PhD and Integrated PhD programs. This examination is conducted by the Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology. The JEST 2026 will be conducted in June 2026.
The exam results will be announced after the JEST exams. Until the final result is out, students can go through certain key points regarding the JEST 2026 result.
Students who missed the exam registration date or who don’t want to appear in the entrance examination can get their doctoral degree through an online DBA program. DBA stands for Doctorate in Business Administration, which is an online degree program considered equal to a regular PhD program.
JEST Exam Key Highlights
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Highlights |
Details |
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Exam Name |
Joint Entrance Screening Test |
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Conducted By |
Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology |
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Official Website |
https://www.jest.org.in/ |
|
Given For |
PhD in Physics or Neuroscience, Theoretical Computer Science, or Computational Biology |
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Mode of Examination |
Offline exam |
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Duration of Exam |
3 hours |
|
Registration Date |
May to June 2026 |
|
Exam Date |
June 2026 |
|
Admit Card (Release) |
June 2026 |
|
Result |
July- August 2026 |
|
No. of Questions |
50 |
Key highlights of the JEST result 2026
Students who will be appearing for JEST 2026 need to consider these points on the result day-
The JEST conducts a single examination for both PhD and Integrated PhD programs. On clearing their JEST examination, students then need to apply to the respective Universities for Phd or Integrated PhD programs.
The JEST examination doesn’t have a particular qualifying mark. Instead, each participating university has its own selection criteria and own cut-offs, based on the students who apply for admission in the respective universities.
Usually, JEST announces results a month after the examination is held. For updates and results, students need to check the official website of JEST regularly.
JEST Cut-Off 2024
Students can refer to the previous year's cut-off of the JEST exam for both the PhD and Integrated PhD programs.
|
Parameters |
PhD |
Int. PhD |
|
Rank |
496 |
388 |
|
Percentile |
90.08 |
88.17 |
|
Marks |
36 |
30.33 |
|
Total Qualified |
517 [109 Female + 408 Male) |
402 [74 Female + 328 Male] |
The criteria that determine the cut-off for 2026
There are various factors that determine the cut-off of the JEST examination 2026. Here are a few factors listed-
- The number of students appearing in the examination, the higher the students appearing for the exam, the higher the cut-off will be.
- The number of seats in the PhD and Integrated PhD for which the JEST will be conducted
- Difficulty level of the exam questions: if the exam paper is difficult, which means the cut-off will be low.
- JEST uses last year's cut-off marks as a benchmark for the future cut-offs.
Steps to check the JEST Cutoff 2026
Students who appeared for JEST 2026 can check their cutoff marks from the official website of the JEST. Applicants can follow these steps to check their cutoff marks.
- Visit https://www.jest.org.in
- Click on the result and log in
- The candidate's scorecard will be on the screen
- The scorecard will mention the candidate’s details, cutoff marks, and score
JEST Not the Only Way—Consider an Online DBA Program
Students can also pursue their doctoral degree through an alternative option other than the regular PhD program. An online DBA is a better option for students who are working or who don’t want to appear for the entrance examinations. An online DBA (Doctorin of Business Administration) is an online program for three years, which is considered equivalent to the regular full-time PhD..
Students can check the features of an online DBA program:
- An online DBA is a three-year-long program
- Students who are working can earn the “Dr.” title without leaving their jobs
- Students will earn their doctoral degree from globally recognized universities and may get a chance to visit abroad
- Students can submit their research paper within three years of the program.
- Eligibility criteria here:
- Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of experience
- Master’s degree or equivalent in an area related to the topic of research.
Universities offering an Online DBA program:
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Universities Offering DBA |
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