AIIMS B.Sc. Nursing
AIIMS B.Sc. Nursing Entrance Examination
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ExploreAbout this exam
The AIIMS B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing entrance examination is the competitive admission test used by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to select candidates for its undergraduate nursing programme. It is intended for higher-secondary students who want a hospital-based, science-heavy nursing education at a national institute rather than a general university degree, and who are willing to prepare for one high-stakes sitting instead of a spread-out series of assessments. Because nursing admission at AIIMS is tightly capped, the test is a ranking instrument: your score matters mainly for where you sit on the merit list, not simply for crossing a threshold. The paper is multiple choice and is drawn from five areas: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, General Knowledge and Aptitude, and English. Physics, Chemistry and Biology carry the scientific load and reward genuine conceptual command of Class 11–12 material. English and the combined General Knowledge and Aptitude section are usually underestimated; they reward reading speed, precision and familiarity with current affairs rather than last-minute cramming. Treat the syllabus as five separate preparation tracks with separate revision cycles, and build a habit of timed practice early, because accuracy under clock pressure is what separates a good rank from a borderline one. Operational details that change from cycle to cycle - the number of questions, total duration, marking scheme, application fee, eligibility cut-offs and score validity - are set out in the institute's own admission notice and are not fixed on this page. Verify every such figure at aiims.edu before you apply, and treat any third-party summary as a lead to check rather than a fact. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or published by AIIMS.
What you'll study
About AIIMS B.Sc. Nursing preparation
What does the AIIMS B.Sc. Nursing entrance paper actually test?
Five multiple-choice sections: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, and a combined General Knowledge and Aptitude section. The science sections test Class 11–12 conceptual understanding and numerical problem-solving; English and the aptitude section test comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and reasoning speed. Confirm the exact section list and marking in the current official admission notice before you build a study plan.
How difficult is the paper compared with other nursing entrances?
Expect a demanding, rank-driven paper. Competition for a small number of seats at a national institute means the cut-off behaves like a ranking cut-off, not a pass mark. Biology and Chemistry questions are usually the most conceptually layered, while Physics and the aptitude section punish slow reading. Judge your readiness by percentile in mock tests, not by raw score.
Can I retake the exam if I do not get a seat?
Retake rules are set by the institute for each admission cycle and are not fixed on this page, so read the current admission notice and any subsequent corrigenda at aiims.edu. In practice you should plan as though you have one serious attempt per cycle and build your preparation timeline around that assumption rather than around a resit.
How many questions are there and how long do I get?
Those figures are not stated in the source material available here, so treat any number you see elsewhere as unverified until you read the official notice. What you can control is pacing: practise with a fixed timer, log how many questions you attempt per minute, and rehearse the decision to abandon a stubborn question rather than defend it.
Is there negative marking?
The marking scheme is specified in the official admission notice for each cycle and is not confirmed on this page. Do not assume either way. If negative marking applies, blind guessing on five-option items costs you rank over hundreds of questions; if it does not, leaving blanks is pure loss. Learn the rule for your cycle before exam day.
In what order should I prepare the five sections?
Start with Biology and Chemistry, because they need the longest runway of concept-building and revision. Add Physics in parallel rather than later, since it needs practice rather than memorisation. Run English and General Knowledge as short daily habits - reading, vocabulary, current affairs - from the first month. Reserve the final weeks for full-length timed papers and error review.
What are the most common ways candidates lose marks?
Three recurring patterns: neglecting Physics because it feels hardest, which turns it into an avoidable block of lost marks; treating English and General Knowledge as free marks and doing no preparation at all; and practising untimed, so accuracy collapses under the clock. A fourth is never reviewing wrong answers, which means repeating the same conceptual error in the real paper.
Where do I confirm dates, fees, eligibility and seat numbers?
Only from the institute's own admission notification and its official website, aiims.edu. Third-party exam pages, coaching summaries and social media posts go stale quickly and often carry figures from an earlier cycle. Check the notice, then check it again close to the application deadline, because corrigenda and date extensions are commonly issued after the first publication.
How long should I prepare for this exam?
A realistic full-syllabus preparation runs several months of consistent daily study, with the last quarter devoted mainly to timed practice and revision rather than new topics. If you are starting late, prioritise Biology and Chemistry depth, add focused Physics practice, and keep English and aptitude alive with fifteen to twenty minutes daily. Consistency outperforms long weekend bursts.