JEST

The **Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST)** is a national-level entrance examination conducted annually for admission to Integrated PhD programmes in Physics, Theoretical Computer Science, Computational Biology, and Neuroscience at premier research institutes and universities across India. The exam is jointly organised by several top-tier institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), and other participating institutes. JEST is specifically designed for candidates aspiring to pursue research careers in Physics and allied disciplines at the postgraduate and doctoral levels. The examination serves as a screening test for admission to PhD programmes, Integrated PhD programmes, and in some cases, MSc-PhD dual degree programmes. The test is conducted in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format and evaluates candidates on their understanding of fundamental concepts in Physics and Mathematics at the undergraduate level. Top participating institutes accepting JEST scores include IISc Bangalore, TIFR Mumbai, IISER Pune, IISER Kolkata, IISER Mohali, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, IISER Bhopal, Harish-Chandra Research Institute Allahabad, Institute of Mathematical Sciences Chennai, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Bangalore, National Centre for Biological Sciences Bangalore, and several other prestigious research institutions. The exam provides a gateway to some of India's most sought-after research programmes, making it highly competitive amongst aspirants from Physics and related backgrounds.