INC agrees to relax BSc Nursing CET cut-off for 2026-27 as seats go vacant

The Indian Nursing Council (INC) has agreed to reduce the minimum qualifying percentile in the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to BSc (Nursing) for the academic year 2026-27 to fill the vacant seats. The directive from the council comes after various states sought relaxation in the qualifying criteria for nursing admissions. 

As per the INC guidelines, candidates who have appeared for the CET exam will be eligible for admission under the revised criteria, subject to other INC guidelines. 

The minimum qualifying criteria of entrance test to admission to BSc Nursing is 50th percentile for general category candidates, 45th for General-Person with Disability (PwD), and 40th percentile for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates. 

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BSc Nursing Admissions 2026-27: Eligibility, reservation criteria

The BSc Nursing entrance examination is conducted by the respective university or state government. 

The test comprises five sections such as aptitude for nursing, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, carrying 20 marks each, for a total of 100 marks. The eligibility criteria states that candidates must be at least 17 years old as of December 31 of the year in which admission is sought. 

The maximum age limit is 35 years and applicants must have passed Class 12 with physics, Chemistry, and Biology, securing a minimum of 45% marks in the three subjects combined, along with passing marks in English. 

For SC, ST and OBC candidates, the minimum marks in the three core subjects are 40%.

Candidates from recognised state open schools and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with Science subjects and English are also eligible to apply for the BSc admissions. 

Furthermore, 5% reservation for candidates with specified locomotor disabilities, subject to the prescribed eligibility condition is also part of the reservation criteria. The upper age limit for candidates with disabilities is relaxed by five years.