Home ❯ JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test) ❯ JEST 2026: Exam Date & Hall Ticket Download Details

JEST 2026: Exam Date & Hall Ticket Download Details

Manisa Das Sep 10, 2025 1.1K Reads

The Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is conducted by the Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology. This National-level examination is conducted to check the eligibility of Indian students who wish to apply for a PhD or an Integrated PhD in Physics or Neuroscience, Theoretical Computer Science, or Computational Biology. The examination is conducted once a year. The JEST examination 2026 will be conducted on June 2026. The hall ticket will be provided on the official website of the JEST examination.

ALL About JEST Exam 2025 | JEST 2025 Notification, Exam Date, Eligibility, Apply Online

Students can pursue a PhD degree through an alternative option by choosing an online DBA program. An online DBA stands for Doctorate in Business Administration, which is considered equivalent to the regular PhD program. An online DBA program also offers a research experience during the three-year program.

Exam Key highlights

Highlights	Details
Exam Name	Joint Entrance Screening Test
Conducted By	Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology
Official Website	https://www.jest.org.in/
Given For	PhD in Physics or Neuroscience, Theoretical Computer Science, or Computational Biology
Mode of Examination	Offline exam
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

JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for students appearing for JEST 2026 are:

Programme Name	JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for PhD programme in Physics	MSc in Physics (in all participating Institutes). MSc in Mathematics/Applied Physics/Applied Mathematics/Optics and Photonics/Instrumentation/Electronics will also be considered at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore. MSc 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. ME/MTech in Applied Physics will be considered at NISER. An MSc in Physics, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, Biophysics, or Biochemistry will be considered at SNBNCBS. BE or BTech will be considered at IISc, IMSc, ICTS-TIFR, IUCAA, JNCASR, NCRA-TIFR, TIFR-TCIS, RRI, IISER Mohali, IISER Pune, IISER Thiruvananthapuram. BTech Eng Phys will be considered at TIFR and NCRA-TIFR MSc in Physics/Astronomy/Optics/Photonics/ Biophysics/ Mathematics or ME/M. Tech in Engineering will also be considered at RPI.
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for PhD in Computational Biology at IMSc	MSc/ME/MTech?/MCA in any engineering or science discipline, with good mathematical skills and a strong interest in biological problems.
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for PhD programme in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc	MSc/ME/MTech.in Computer Science and related disciplines, and should be interested in the mathematical aspects of computer science.
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for PhD in Neuroscience at NBRC	MSc (Physics/ Mathematics), BE/BTech/MCA in Computer Science
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Integrated MSc/MTech - PhD Programme (Physics)	BSc (Physics/Mathematics) will be considered at SNBNCBS. BSc (Physics) will be considered at IMSc. BSc (Physics/Mathematics/BE/BTech in Electrical/Instrumentation/Engineering Physics/Electronics and Communications/Computer Science and Engineering/Optics and Photonics will be considered in IIA. BSc (Physics) or BE/BTech in Engineering Physics, with a minimum of first-class marks, will be considered at NISER. BSc (Physics) will be considered at IISER-Pune, ICTS-TIFR, NCRA-TIFR, and TIFR-TCIS.
JEST 2026Eligibility Criteria for Integrated PhD Programme at IISER Thiruvananthapuram	BSc (Physics) or BE/BTech in any discipline.
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Integrated PhD Programme in Theoretical Computer Science at IMSc	BSc/BE/BTech/MCA in Computer Science or related disciplines, and should be interested in the mathematical aspects of computer science.
JEST2026 Eligibility Criteria for Integrated MTech - PhD Programme at IIA	MSc (Physics/Applied Physics/Post-BSc (Hons) in Optics and Optoelectronics / Radio Physics and Electronics.
JEST 2026 Eligibility Criteria for MSc Programme at HRI	BSc (Physics) or BE/BTech degree in any discipline. HRI started a new MSc programme in Physics in 2021.

JEST Exam Date

The exam of the Joint Entrance Screening Test will be conducted in June 2026.. Exams for PhD and Integrated PhD programmes will be conducted on the same date. Students need to check in regularly with the official website for any updates regarding the admit card. Students need to download the hall ticket before their day of examination to avoid any hassles.

However, in an online DBA doctoral program, students need not appear for any entrance examination to get their doctoral degree.

JEST Exam Admit Card

The JEST exam 2026 will be conducted in June 2026. The admit cards for the exam will be available a few days before the exams. Applicants should check whether the admit card is available or not the official website.

Students need to download and print out their Exam hall ticket before the exam day. On getting their admit cards, students should verify their details on the admit card. On the day of the examination, students need to present their admit cards at the entry of the exam center. If any student is unable to present their admit card, they will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.

In case any missing or false information about the candidate is provided on the admit card, students should contact the exam-conducting authority.

Details mentioned in the admit card

Students need to check the following details in their admit cards:

Name
Roll number
Father's name
Photograph
Signature
Date of birth
Exam day instructions
Exam date and Time
Test centre address

If any of the details are missing in the admit card, the students must send an email to the JEST help desk or contact the number provided on the official website of the JEST examination.

How to download the exam admit card

Students can download their admit card by following these steps.

Visit the official website of the JEST examination
Log in with your registration ID and Password
Check for the admit card 2026
Download the admit card and make a printout
Students should carry the admit card to their respective exam centers.

Exam Day Tips

Students need to reach their respective test centers at least an hour before the commencement of the examination.
Students shouldn’t forget to take their hall tickets with them
They should also bring their government-issued ID cards and passport-sized photographs on the day of the examination
For more details, students should read the manual given along with their admit cards.

Pursue your PhD by choosing an online DBA program

Students who wish to pursue their PhD degree without appearing for any entrance examination can enroll in an online DBA degree. An online Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) is considered equal to a regular full-time PhD program. In an online DBA program, the students can take classes depending on their convenience. The program is ideal for working professionals who can get their dream of earning the “Dr.” title without leaving their jobs.

Features of an online DBA

An online Doctorate in Business Administration is a three-year program
Students will get their doctoral degrees from globally recognized universities and may get a chance to visit abroad.
Students will be able to submit their research within the three-year program
To enroll in an online DBA program the individuals are not required to appear for any of the entrance exams.
A DBA specializes in practical knowledge and management.
Students who are working can take up their classes at their convenience
Students will be able to use practical skills that they will be learning during their DBA program in the National markets

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.

Online DBA program

Here is the list of universities offering online DBA programs with their specializations:

Universities Offering DBA	Specialization
Birchwood Online University DBA Online	Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Generative AI Human Resource Emerging Technology Data Science Business Data & Analytics Finance Management Supply Chain Management Marketing Management Healthcare Management Leadership and strategy International Business Sustainability Accounting Cyber Security Information Technology Computer Science Project Management Social Impact Management Digital Leadership Big Data Tourism and hospitality Strategic Marketing General Management Cloud Computing Blockchain Management and Technology Big Data and Robots FinTech Performing Arts Management Digital Transformation Public Policy Digital Marketing Electric and Hybrid Vehicles AR and VR Circular Economy Internet of Things Product Life Cycle Talent Management Quantum Computing E-commerce Customer Behaviour Management Corporate Governance Green Energy Robotics and Automation Real Estate Management Public Relations Risk management
Golden Gate University DBA Online	Generative AI Finance Marketing Emerging Technology Business Data & Analytics Leadership & Strategy Digital Leadership
Rushford Business School DBA Online	International Business Finance Healthcare Management HR Management Marketing Supply Chain Management Big Data Data Science Sustainabilty Business Analytics General Management
ESGCI International School of Management Paris DBA Online	Online DBA course
EIMT Online DBA	HR Finance Logistics & Supply Chain Toursim & Hospitality Generative AI Strategic Marketing Machine Learning AI Data Science Emerging Technology Green Energy
Swiss School of Business Management DBA Online	Business Analytics Finance management HR Management Marketing Management Healthcare Management Machine Learning Supply Chain Management Data Science Accounting Cyber Security Technology Entrepreneurship Project Management Social Impact Management Operations Management Strategic Management IT Management Crisis Management International Business Leadership AI Big Data Public Policy Product Life Management Digital Marketing
Edgewood College DBA Online	Leadership Finance Healthcare

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

The Joint Entrance Screening Test is conducted once a year.

Yes, there is negative marking in the JEST examination. To be specific, in Part A, for every incorrect answer, 1 mark will be deducted. In Part B, a ⅓ mark will be deducted, and in Part C, no marks will be deducted.

Students need to have a relevant degree in Physics, Mathematics, and computer science to apply for a PhD or an Integrated PhD through the JEST exam.

Students who wish to crack the JEST exam need to understand the pattern of this examination first. Then start with solving the previous year's question papers and mock tests to understand the nature of questions that are asked in the examination.

The expected Cutoff for JEST PhD in Physics is 90.08 percentile, and for Integrated PhD it is 88.17 percentile.

Approximately 13,000 appear for the Joint Entrance Screening Test in physics each year,

The JEST stands for the Joint Entrance Screening Test, which offers PhD and Integrated Programs for the eligible students in physics, Theoretical Computer Science, or Computational Biology.

There are around 40 institutes that accept the JEST scores. Students need to check the institutes before applying for this examination.

The JEST exam scores are only valid for Indian Institutes. Students can apply for PhD and Integrated PhD programs in the participating institutes.

The validity of the JEST exam is for 1 year, till the next exam of JEST exam.

By Manisa Das

3 Years of experience/ academic writer/ freelance writer

Academic writing expert and freelancer with 3 years of experience, specializing in law, business, and social sciences. I deliver clear, well-researched, and high-quality content with a strong foundation in social science and business studies.