CEBS MERIT LIST OUT

NISER MERIT LIST OUT

Live Update: Current Status & What’s Next

NISER Bhubaneswar
Current status: EoI window closed July 6. Merit List published July 10. Admission queue stage complete.
Next event: July 28, 2026 – First-Round Admission at NISER
Invited candidates must report in person to the NISER campus, Jatni, by 9:00 AM on July 28, 2026, with all original documents for verification.

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai
Current status: Counselling registration closed July 8. First Merit List published today, July 17, 2026, on cbs.ac.in.
Next event: Reporting and document verification dates – to be notified shortly on the official portal. Candidates should keep checking cbs.ac.in over the next few days.

Key reminder for candidates tracking both: There is no joint counselling – a NISER admission queue rank does not carry over to CEBS, and CEBS’s merit list has no bearing on your NISER status. If you’re eligible at both institutes, monitor both portals independently. With NISER’s in-person reporting now just 11 days away (July 28) and CEBS’s next update expected any day, candidates in both queues should keep their documents ready well in advance rather than waiting for CEBS’s schedule to firm up.

NEST Counselling 2026 is moving fast, with NISER Bhubaneswar’s merit list, EoI window, and admission queue already rolled out one after another in a matter of days – and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai’s schedule expected to follow shortly. A missed deadline or an overlooked update at this stage can cost you a seat regardless of your rank, so this is exactly the kind of process were staying a day behind is too late.

Manabadi tracks both NISER and CEBS counselling portals around the clock and updates this very page the moment a new date, merit list, or notice drops – so bookmark this page.

NEST Counselling 2026: Quick Overview

Clearing the NEST 2026 exam is only half the journey – admission to NISER Bhubaneswar or UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai is finalised only after you complete counselling. Here is the snapshot every candidate should bookmark before going further.

NEST 2026 Counselling Highlights

Keep this section bookmarked — Manabadi updates it the moment NISER, CEBS, or the central NEST portal post a fresh notice.

NEST Counselling 2026 – Complete Schedule

NISER Bhubaneswar has released its official 2026 counselling timeline in full. UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai typically notifies its own schedule 3-4 weeks after the result – the dates below for CEBS are tentative, projected from the exact gap observed in the 2025 cycle (see Section 5), and will be replaced with official dates the moment cbs.ac.in updates.

NISER Bhubaneswar – Official 2026 Dates (Confirmed)

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai – Expected/Tentative 2026 Dates

CEBS runs its own, independent counselling – separate from NISER, with its own merit list and reporting schedule. The dates below are now confirmed from CEBS’s official notification and 2026-specific reporting, replacing the earlier tentative projections.

Note: The exact reporting date and second-list timeline haven’t been officially released yet — these will be confirmed alongside the July 17 merit list. Bookmark this page; we’ll update it the moment CEBS issues the next notice.

NISER Bhubaneswar Counselling 2026

NISER’s process is entirely online up to the admission queue, and then requires one in-person visit to the Jatni campus for document verification and seat confirmation. Here is exactly what happens, step by step, based on the official NISER admission portal.

Step 1 – Merit List Publication (Completed: June 24, 2026)

NISER published the NEST 2026 merit list directly on its admission webpage under the “Merit List” tab. This list includes every candidate who cleared both the Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) and the Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP) for their category.

Step 2 – Expression of Interest (EoI) (Deadline: July 6, 2026, 4:00 PM)

This is the single most important – and most missed – step. Every candidate on the merit list receives an email at the address used during NEST 2026 registration, asking them to confirm interest in joining NISER through the EoI form.

• The EoI is exclusively for NISER admission – it does NOT apply to UM-DAE CEBS, which runs a fully separate process.
• Failing to submit the EoI by 4:00 PM on July 6, 2026 is treated as “Not Interested” and removes you from further consideration – even if your merit rank is excellent.
• Check spam/junk folders. NISER has explicitly flagged that EoI emails sometimes land there.
• If your application number appears in the merit list but you never received the EoI email, NISER instructs candidates to email admissions@niser.ac.in directly.

Step 3 – Admission Queue (July 10, 2026)

Using the EoI responses and the merit list together, NISER prepares and publishes an admission queue. Being on the queue does not guarantee a seat by itself – it determines the order in which candidates are invited.

• An invitation email is sent with a link to fill the online admission form.
• Keep a soft or hard copy of this invitation email – it is required for entry at the NISER main gate on reporting day.

Step 4 – First-Round Admission (July 28, 2026)

Invited candidates must report in person to the NISER campus, Jatni, by 9:00 AM on July 28, 2026.

• Candidates who fail to report by the specified time forfeit their seat and are not considered in any subsequent round.
• What to carry: original documents/certificates for verification, a printed hard copy of the admission form (a soft copy will not be accepted), and the invitation email.
• A first-round admission queue is prepared based on merit among those who report by 9:00 AM; offers are made strictly in order of merit until all seats are filled or the queue is exhausted.
• Candidates not admitted on the same day still undergo document verification and are placed on a category-wise waiting list — they do not need to report again and will be contacted if a seat opens up.

Step 5 – Waitlist & Closure

The waitlist (published July 29, 2026) is used to fill any seat that becomes vacant due to withdrawal. Admission against the waitlist continues until the list is exhausted or until August 14, 2026 – whichever comes first.

NEST Counselling 2025 Dates (For Reference & Comparison)

Comparing this year’s schedule against last year helps you anticipate what’s coming next at CEBS, whose 2026 dates are still awaited. The table below reflects the actual 2025 cycle exactly as it played out at both institutes.

NISER Bhubaneswar Counselling 2025

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai Counselling 2025

Both 2025 tables are reproduced from the official NISER and UM-DAE CEBS counselling notifications and are accurate to the date. Use them only as a reference for projecting how 2026 may unfold – the confirmed 2026 dates in Sections 3 and 4 above always take priority.

Is There Joint Counselling for NEST?

No. There is NO joint counselling for NEST. NISER Bhubaneswar and UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai each run a fully independent counselling and admission process, with their own separate merit lists, EoI/registration steps, reporting dates, and seat matrices.

• Your NEST 2026 score is common to both institutes, but qualifying does not automatically enrol you in both counselling processes – you must complete each institute’s steps separately.
• A high merit rank at NISER does not carry over to CEBS, and vice versa; each institute prepares its own ranking from the same overall NEST merit list.
• If you are interested in both institutes, track both portals – niser.ac.in/admission and cbs.ac.in/Academics/admission – independently, since their counselling calendars rarely match exactly.
• You can, in principle, be offered a seat at both institutes; you will then need to choose one and formally withdraw from the other as per each institute’s withdrawal policy.

Eligibility to Participate in NEST Counselling 2026

Appearing in the NEST 2026 merit list is necessary but not sufficient on its own – candidates must continue to satisfy every original eligibility condition right up to the point of admission.

• Must hold a rank in the NEST 2026 merit list, having cleared both SMAS and MAP for the applicable category.
• Should have studied at least three of the four basic-science subjects – Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics – in Classes XI and XII.
• Must have passed Class XII from a recognised board in India in 2024 or 2025, or be appearing for it in 2026 (provisional certificate from a single board).
• Candidates appearing for boards in 2026 are admitted provisionally and must satisfy the marks criterion at the time of admission.
• Minimum 60% aggregate marks in Class XII (55% for SC, ST, and Divyangjan candidates).
• There is no upper age limit for appearing in NEST or for admission to either institute, provided all other criteria are met.

If you are awaiting your 2026 board result and have been called for counselling on a provisional basis, carry your latest available mark sheet/progress report – both institutes verify final eligibility strictly against the original board certificate before confirming the seat.

Step-by-Step NEST Counselling 2026 Process Glance

1. Check the NEST 2026 merit list on nestexam.in or your respective institute’s admission page.
2. Download your scorecard (from June 25, 2026, login required) and keep a printed copy ready.
3. Watch your registered email (and spam folder) for the EoI / counselling registration email from NISER and/or CEBS.
4. Submit the EoI / registration form well before the deadline — for NISER, this is July 6, 2026, 4:00 PM.
5. Track the admission queue / first merit list published by your institute.
6. Once invited, fill the online admission form and take a printed hard copy — soft copies are not accepted on reporting day.
7. Assemble every required original document and photocopy (full list in Section 15).
8. Report in person on the specified date and time — being even a few minutes late can mean forfeiting the seat.
9. Complete document verification, fee payment, and seat confirmation on the same day.
10. If not allotted a seat in Round 1, check your waitlist position and stay reachable — institutes contact waitlisted candidates directly when a vacancy opens.

NEST 2026 Merit List – How It Is Prepared

NEST uses a distinctive Best-of-Three evaluation method, different from most other entrance exams, and understanding it explains a lot about your final rank.

• The exam tests four sections – Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics – but only your best three section scores count toward the merit list.
• Your single lowest-scoring section is automatically dropped from the rank calculation.
• This rewards candidates who specialise – a student strong in Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics but weak in Biology is scored purely on the three strong sections.
• For NEST 2026 specifically, one question each from Chemistry and Physics was dropped after the answer-key review, and individual subject scores were scaled up to compensate before the merit list was finalised.
• To actually appear in the merit list, a candidate must clear the Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) in at least three of the four sections, AND the overall Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP) for their category – both thresholds are independent and both must be cleared.
• In case of a tie in overall score, the tie-breaker compares Class XII marks between the tied candidates.

NEST 2026 Cut Off – SMAS & MAP Explained

NEST’s qualifying criteria are published as two separate tables – Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) and Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP). Both are official, released directly on nestexam.in along with the result.

NEST 2026 SMAS (Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score)

01 question each from Chemistry and Physics was dropped, and individual subject scores were scaled up accordingly before this table was finalised.

NEST 2026 MAP (Minimum Admissible Percentile)

Source: Official NEST 2026 portal (nestexam.in), as updated on June 23–24, 2026. For full terminology and the scoring methodology, refer to the official NEST 2026 Information Brochure.

NEST 2025 SMAS – For Year-on-Year Comparison

NEST 2025 MAP – For Year-on-Year Comparison

Comparing the two years shows the MAP threshold for general category has historically hovered in the 80–95 percentile range, while SMAS values move slightly each year depending on the difficulty of that year’s paper and the overall scoring spread – this is exactly why NEST does not publish a flat “cut-off marks” number the way some other exams do.

NEST Marks vs Rank – How to Estimate Your Position

NEST does not publish an official marks-vs-rank correlation chart, since the merit list is computed from a Best-of-Three formula rather than a flat total. However, based on consistent multi-year trends reported across previous cycles, here is a realistic, indicative band for NISER Bhubaneswar (General category, out of 200 total marks):

These bands are indicative estimates based on historical trends across past NEST cycles and the relative seat counts at NISER (200 seats) and CEBS (57 seats) – they are NOT an official cut-off and will shift depending on the difficulty of the NEST 2026 paper and the number of candidates who cleared SMAS/MAP this year. Always cross-check your actual merit position on the official admission queue published by NISER or CEBS, not on marks alone.

NEST 2026 Seat Matrix – Category-Wise Seats

These are the official, currently published seat numbers for the 2026 admission cycle.

NISER Bhubaneswar – 2026 Seat Matrix (Official)

Source: NISER Seat Allocation Status page (niser.ac.in/admission/seat_matrix), live as of June 2026. This page is updated daily during the admission window – check it directly for real-time “filled” and “remaining” counts.

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai – 2026 Seat Matrix (Official, Tentative Total)

CEBS’s official page describes its 2026 intake as “tentatively 57 seats” with two additional supernumerary seats for J&K/Ladakh candidates, with reservations to be applied as per government norms once finalised.

CEBS’s category-wise breakdown for 2026 has not been separately published at the time of writing; the figures above are carried forward from the confirmed 2025 distribution, since the institute’s total (57 + 2) matches both years. We will update this table immediately once CEBS issues its 2026 category-wise matrix.

Combined Seat Snapshot – NEST 2026

Participating Institutes Through NEST 2026

NEST is unusual among Indian entrance exams in that exactly two institutes – and only these two – accept admission through it. There is no “counselling list of colleges” beyond these.

NISER Bhubaneswar

The National Institute of Science Education and Research is an autonomous institute under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, established in 2007. It offers a 5-year Integrated M.Sc. programme in Biological, Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences, with the option of a minor in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics.

• Location: Jatni, Khurda district, Odisha — near Bhubaneswar.
• Academic affiliation: An off-campus centre of the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), a deemed-to-be university established by DAE.
• Total 2026 seats: 200, plus 2 supernumerary seats for J&K/Ladakh candidates.
• Official website: niser.ac.in

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai

The University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences offers integrated science education with strong research opportunities, supported by faculty from TIFR, BARC, IIT, and the University of Mumbai and its affiliated colleges.

• Location: Vidyanagari campus, University of Mumbai.
• Degree awarded by: University of Mumbai, a 150-year-old institution.
• Total 2026 seats: Tentatively 57, plus 2 supernumerary seats for J&K/Ladakh candidates.
• Official website: cbs.ac.in

Why Choose NISER or CEBS – Scholarships & Outcomes

• Every admitted candidate is eligible for an annual scholarship of ₹60,000 through the DISHA programme of the Department of Atomic Energy.
• Scholarship recipients additionally receive a grant of ₹20,000 per annum for summer internships.
• Candidates selected by DST for the INSPIRE-SHE programme are endorsed for the INSPIRE scholarship by both institutes.
• Most graduates from NISER and CEBS pursue doctoral research at reputed national and international institutions, or move into research-focused roles in academia and industry.

NEST 2026 Counselling & Admission Fee

There is no separate “counselling fee” for NEST – the relevant payments are the original NEST application fee (already paid before the exam) and the one-time admission fee plus annual institute charges payable at the time of reporting.

NEST 2026 Application Fee (Already Paid Before the Exam)

NISER Bhubaneswar – Admission & First-Year Fee (Official, 2026)

Source: Official NISER UG Fee Structure page (niser.ac.in/admission/fee_structure), 2026 admission cycle. Tuition fee for SC/ST candidates is waived as per government policy; the caution deposit is refundable at the end of the programme, subject to institute rules.

UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai – Fee Structure

CEBS’s detailed fee structure for the 2026 admission cycle had not been separately published on cbs.ac.in at the time of writing. Historically, CEBS fee heads mirror the NISER structure closely (admission fee, tuition, hostel, mess, and caution deposit), with degrees awarded by the University of Mumbai. Check the official CEBS admission page directly before reporting for the exact updated figure.

Documents Required at NEST Counselling 2026

Both NISER and CEBS require originals plus one photocopy of each document for verification. Missing even one document on reporting day can delay or cost you your admission slot – prepare this folder well in advance.

• Printed NISER/CEBS application or admission form (hard copy; soft copies are not accepted)
• Two recent passport-size photographs
• NEST 2026 scorecard (downloaded after June 25, 2026)
• NEST 2026 admit card / hall ticket
• Aadhaar Card (original + 1 photocopy)
• Class 10 / matriculation certificate, as proof of date of birth (original + 1 photocopy)
• Class 12 mark sheet (provisional, if 2026 board result is awaited)
• College / school leaving certificate or transfer certificate (original)
• Migration certificate, where applicable
• Valid caste/category certificate for admission against reserved seats (original + 1 photocopy)
• Valid disability certificate for admission against the Divyangjan category (original + 1 photocopy)
• Valid domicile certificate for admission against the J&K/Ladakh supernumerary quota (original + 1 photocopy)
• EWS certificate, where claiming the Economically Weaker Section category (CEBS only)
• A valid government-issued photo ID (the same name as on the admit card)

Tip: Photocopy every document twice before you travel – one extra set saves you from last-minute photocopy-shop queues outside the campus on reporting day.

Reservation Criteria in NEST Counselling

Reservation at NISER and CEBS follows central government norms, applied consistently across both institutes with one notable difference for EWS.

• Candidates who fail to present a valid category certificate at the time of counselling are treated as general category candidates for that round.
• OBC candidates from the creamy layer are not eligible for reservation and are evaluated on general-category terms.
• J&K/Ladakh supernumerary seats require candidates to have completed Class 12 from a State Board of Jammu & Kashmir/Ladakh, or from a CBSE-affiliated school in the region.

What Happens If You Miss the EoI Deadline?

Missing the EoI deadline is treated as “Not Interested” by NISER – there is no late submission window, and the consequence applies regardless of your merit rank.

To be absolutely clear about the consequences:

• Your name is removed from further consideration in that institute’s admission queue for the year.
• A high rank does not protect you – NISER’s process treats a missed EoI identically whether you ranked 5th or 5,000th.
• There is no provision to “submit late with a reason” mentioned anywhere in the official process – the only safeguard NISER offers is contacting admissions@niser.ac.in if your application number is on the merit list but you never received the email at all.
• Set a calendar reminder the moment the result is declared, and check both your inbox and spam folder daily until you’ve submitted the EoI.

Waitlist, Second Round & Spot Admission

Neither NISER nor CEBS fills every seat in a single round – both institutes run structured follow-up rounds to use every seat efficiently.

At NISER Bhubaneswar

• Candidates not admitted in Round 1, but who completed document verification are placed on a category-wise waiting list (published a day after Round 1 – July 29, 2026, for this cycle).
• They do not need to report again physically; NISER contacts them directly if a seat becomes available due to a withdrawal.
• In the 2025 cycle, this extended through a second round (August), a third round (September), and finally spot admission for any remaining vacancy (October) — a similar multi-round structure is expected in 2026 if seats remain after the main round.

At UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai

• CEBS typically issues a second merit list (in 2025, this was August 4) for any seats vacated after the first round, followed by a defined payment window.
• If seats are still vacant, a third merit list follows, with its own payment window.
• Spot admissions are conducted as a final step if any seat remains unfilled after all merit-list rounds – in 2025 this was scheduled for August 25.

Withdrawal of Admission & Refund Policy

Both institutes allow withdrawal, though the financial outcome differs sharply from the exam application fee, which is governed by a strict no-refund rule.

• NEST 2026 application fee: non-refundable once paid successfully against a given application number, even if the candidate does not appear for the exam. (If a technical error causes a double payment against the same application number, the extra amount is refunded after the admission process concludes.)
• Admission withdrawal: candidates who wish to withdraw after being allotted a seat must follow the formal withdrawal procedure published on the respective institute’s website – typically requiring a written request with name, roll number/application number, date of birth, Class 12 percentage, and the counselling venue/round details.
• Refund of admission-time fees on withdrawal is governed by each institute’s own withdrawal policy and timeline – check the “Withdrawal” page on niser.ac.in/admission/withdrawal or the equivalent CEBS notice before assuming a full refund.
• Withdrawing promptly (rather than after classes begin) gives your seat the best chance of being passed on to a waitlisted candidate and may affect the refund percentage you are entitled to.

Common Mistakes Students Make During NEST Counselling

• Assuming NISER and CEBS run one combined process – they don’t; missing one institute’s separate registration while focusing only on the other is one of the most frequent and costly errors.
• Not checking the spam/junk folder for the EoI email and assuming “no email means no shortlist.”
• Submitting the EoI but then not tracking the admission queue – the EoI alone does not get you a seat; you must still respond to the subsequent invitation.
• Carrying a soft copy of the admission form instead of a printed hard copy – explicitly rejected at NISER’s reporting gate.
• Arriving at the reporting time printed on the invitation rather than well before it — both institutes specify “report by” a fixed time, and arriving even slightly late can mean forfeiting the seat.
• Forgetting to carry the original category/disability/domicile certificate, which results in being treated as a general-category candidate for that round.
• Relying only on this or any third-party article for dates – always cross-check the live date on nestexam.in, niser.ac.in/admission, and cbs.ac.in/Academics/admission before travelling.

NEST Counselling 2026 vs Other Science Admission Routes

Many NEST aspirants are simultaneously tracking IISER IAT, CUET UG, or JEE-based admissions. Here’s how the counselling experience differs in the ways that actually matter for planning your timeline.

NEST Counselling 2026: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. When will NEST Counselling 2026 start?

NISER Bhubaneswar’s counselling process effectively began on June 24, 2026, with the merit list release, followed by the EoI window (till July 6, 2026) and first-round reporting on July 28, 2026. UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai’s 2026 counselling dates are awaited and are expected roughly 3–4 weeks after the result, based on the 2025 pattern.

Q. Is there a single joint counselling for NISER and CEBS?

No. NISER and CEBS conduct completely separate counselling processes with independent merit lists, registration steps, and reporting schedules. You must track and complete both processes individually if you are interested in either or both institutes.

Q. What is the EoI form in NEST counselling?

The Expression of Interest (EoI) is NISER’s mechanism for merit-listed candidates to confirm they want to be considered for admission. It is sent by email to your NEST-registered address and must be submitted before the deadline (July 6, 2026, 4:00 PM for this cycle) – missing it is treated as “Not Interested” with no late-submission option.

Q. How many rounds of NEST counselling are there?

NISER’s process typically runs through a first round, a waitlist-based admission phase, and – based on the 2025 pattern – second and third rounds plus a final spot-admission phase if seats remain. CEBS similarly runs multiple merit-list rounds (first, second, sometimes third) followed by spot admission for any leftover seats.

Q. What documents are required at NEST counselling?

Originals plus one photocopy each of: the printed admission form, NEST scorecard and admit card, Aadhaar card, Class 10 certificate, Class 12 mark sheet, school/college leaving certificate, category/disability/domicile certificate (if applicable), and two passport-size photographs. The full checklist is in Section 15 above.

Q. What is the NEST 2026 counselling fee?

There is no separate counselling fee for NEST. Candidates have already paid the NEST application fee (₹700 for female/SC/ST/Divyangjan/EWS applicants, ₹1,400 for male/other UR/OBC applicants) before the exam. At the time of admission, a one-time admission fee plus the first semester’s recurring charges become payable — see Section 14 for the complete official fee breakup.

Q. How many seats are available through NEST 2026?

NISER Bhubaneswar offers 200 seats plus 2 supernumerary seats (202 total). UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai offers a tentative 57 seats plus 2 supernumerary seats (59 total), pending final confirmation. Combined, NEST 2026 offers approximately 261 seats.

Q. What is the NEST 2026 cut-off?

NEST uses two qualifying thresholds rather than a single cut-off number: the Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS) and the Minimum Admissible Percentile (MAP). For 2026, the UR MAP is 80 percentile (40 for Divyangjan), and SC/ST MAP is 75 percentile (40 for Divyangjan). Full subject-wise SMAS figures are in Section 10.

Q. How is the NEST merit list prepared?

Only your best three out of four section scores (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics) count – your weakest section is automatically dropped. You must still clear the SMAS in at least three sections and the overall MAP for your category to appear on the merit list at all.

Q. What happens if I am not selected in Round 1?

You are placed on a category-wise waiting list if you completed document verification. You do not need to report again – the institute contacts you directly if a seat opens up through a subsequent round or a withdrawal.

Q. Can I get my NEST application fee refunded if I don’t appear for the exam?

No. The NEST application fee is non-refundable once paid successfully against an application number, regardless of whether the candidate appears for the exam.

Q. Is NEST counselling conducted online or offline?

The registration, EoI, and merit-list steps are entirely online. However, both NISER and CEBS require candidates to report in person at their respective campuses for final document verification and seat confirmation.

Q. Can I switch between NISER and CEBS after accepting a seat?

If you are offered seats at both institutes, you can choose one, but you must formally withdraw from the other through that institute’s official withdrawal procedure rather than simply not reporting.

Q. Where can I check the real-time seat status during NEST counselling 2026?

NISER publishes a live “Seat Allocation Status” page (niser.ac.in/admission/seat_matrix) showing maximum, filled, and remaining seats by category, updated at the end of each admission day. CEBS publishes its updated seat matrix on its own admission page after each round.

Key Takeaways

• NEST Counselling 2026 is already underway at NISER Bhubaneswar – merit list out June 24, EoI deadline July 6 (4 PM), reporting July 28.
• There is no joint counselling – NISER and CEBS run entirely independent processes, and you must track both separately.
• Missing the EoI deadline at NISER is final – there is no late window, regardless of merit rank.
• NEST’s Best-of-Three merits formula plus the dual SMAS + MAP qualifying bar make it different from a simple “total marks” cut-off – always check the official merit list/queue rather than estimating from marks alone.
• Keep every original document, plus photocopies, ready well before your reporting date – both institutes require in-person verification.
• UM-DAE CEBS Mumbai’s 2026 schedule is still awaited; this page will be updated immediately once it is released, with the full process expected to mirror the structure of its 2025 cycle shown in Section 5.

NEST Counselling 2026 still has several moving parts ahead – CEBS’s official dates, waitlist movements, second-round invitations, and spot admissions – and every one of them will be reflected here first.

Manabadi has been a trusted name for exam results, counselling schedules, and admission updates for students across India for years, and this page is maintained as a single, continuously updated source so you never have to piece together information from five different tabs. Bookmark this page, share it with classmates going through the same NEST counselling journey, and keep Manabadi as your go-to check-in point until your admission is fully confirmed.