BHU Nursing Exam Pattern: Marks, Questions and Time

The BHU Nursing exam pattern, for the cycle that is widely reported, is the NEET (UG) pattern: one paper of 180 questions and 720 marks. Candidates who want a seat in the B.Sc (Hons.) Nursing programme at the College of Nursing, IMS BHU, Varanasi, write this paper and then take part in counselling. The pattern below comes from the NTA information bulletin for NEET (UG) 2026.

This page explains the structure, the marking scheme, how negative marking changes your strategy, and how to manage 180 minutes. An old official BHU notice for nursing described a separate BHU entrance test held in Varanasi, and that notice is more than a decade old. Follow the latest notice on the BHU admission portal to confirm the route for your session.

Table of Contents

BHU Nursing Exam Pattern at a Glance

These figures are for NEET (UG) 2026. If NTA changes the pattern for a later session, the new bulletin will say so, so check the current bulletin on the NTA website before you plan your test routine.

Paper Structure and Subject-Wise Marks

Biology is the heaviest part of the paper, with Botany and Zoology together carrying half the marks. The 2026 bulletin does not divide the paper into compulsory and optional sections, so every question counts.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

The marking scheme is simple, but a few special rules are worth knowing.

A wrong answer therefore costs 5 marks compared with a correct one, since you lose the 4 you could have earned and also give up 1. This is why blind guessing is a poor strategy and informed elimination is a good one.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Biology decides the rank: Each Biology question is worth the same 4 marks as a Physics question, but there are twice as many. Accuracy here matters most.

• Guess only with a reason: A blind guess among four options gains only 0.25 marks on average and risks losing 1. With two options removed, the average gain rises to 1.5 marks, so eliminate first and guess second.

• Time per question is short: 180 minutes for 180 questions is an average of one minute each, and Physics numericals take longer than that.

• No sectional cut-off in the paper: Because there is a single paper, you are free to choose your own order, but a weak subject still drags the total down.

• Pen and paper discipline matters: Marking the OMR sheet correctly is part of the exam. A shifted bubble can cost a series of answers.

Languages and Mode of the Exam

NEET (UG) 2026 is offered in 13 mediums: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The English paper is English only, while Hindi and the regional languages come with a bilingual paper that shows English along with the chosen language. If there is any ambiguity in translation, the English version is final.

The medium chosen in the application form cannot be changed later, and each medium is available only at specific centres. Choose the language in which you have studied your Biology and Chemistry, since technical terms are easier to read in the language you used for revision.

Candidates with eligible benchmark disabilities are allowed one hour of compensatory time, and the bulletin explains the documents needed. Read that section carefully if it applies to you.

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

Use the time plan below as a starting point and adjust it after your first few full-length mocks. It is a suggestion, not an official division.

Practical points for the exam hall

1. Read the instructions on the question booklet and answer sheet before starting.

2. Mark the answer on the OMR sheet after each page or small group of questions so that you do not run short of time at the end.

3. Do not stay on a question for more than two minutes in the first round. Mark it and move on.

4. In the last 15 minutes, review only the questions where you have narrowed to two options.

5. Keep a watch on the clock after every 30 questions.

For practice in the same conditions, attempt full-length BHU Nursing mock tests on Testkart and track your time per subject. Testkart's section-wise analysis can show where you lose time and marks.

Subject-Wise Attempt Strategy

Biology

Biology questions are mostly recall and understanding, so they can be answered quickly if your NCERT revision is solid. Aim to finish Biology in about a third of the paper time or a little more. Do not spend long on a question you do not know, because no amount of thinking will recover a forgotten fact. Statement-based questions need careful reading, so slow down for those and speed up on direct questions.

Chemistry

Chemistry mixes facts, reactions and numericals. Attempt the factual and reaction-based questions first, since they take under a minute. Leave lengthy calculations until you have finished the rest of the subject, and skip any numerical where the setup is not clear within a few seconds.

Physics

Physics is the subject where most candidates lose time. Begin with formula-based and conceptual questions, mark the long numericals, and return to them only if time remains. If Physics is your weakest subject, securing 60 to 70 percent of its easier questions is a better plan than trying to attempt everything.

Qualifying Criteria and Selection Stages

The NEET (UG) score is the first gate. Candidates must secure at least the qualifying percentile set for their category to take part in counselling. The commonly applied percentiles are the 50th for the general and general-EWS categories, the 45th for general candidates with benchmark disabilities, and the 40th for reserved categories. These are tentative for your session, so confirm them in the NEET (UG) bulletin and in the counselling notice.

After the result, selection for the nursing seats is described as counselling-based, using the rank and category. BHU may publish its own seat matrix and notices. We did not find a published interview, physical test or skill test for BHU Nursing. If one is added, it will be mentioned in the session notice. Read the BHU Nursing eligibility page to check whether you meet the criteria before you plan for counselling.

Worked Examples of Scoring

These examples use only the marking scheme above. They are illustrations and not predictions.

Candidate C attempted fewer questions than candidate B but scored higher, because fewer wrong answers meant fewer deductions. This is the practical reason to build accuracy before speed, and then to raise speed gradually.

Older Pages and Official Sources

Older pages may still show a pattern from earlier years, for example a different duration, a section structure with optional questions, or a BHU-conducted entrance test. Treat those as out of date. For the current pattern, rely on the NEET (UG) information bulletin, and for BHU-specific admission steps, rely on the BHU admission portal. The broader BHU Nursing exam overview brings the pattern, dates and eligibility together.

Exam-Day Checklist

The NEET bulletin lists what you must carry and what is not allowed. The points below are general, so follow the bulletin and your admit card for the exact rules.

• Admit card and identity proof: Carry the printed admit card and the identity document named in the bulletin.

• Reporting time: Reach the centre before the reporting time on the admit card. Late entry is generally not allowed.

• Stationery: Use only the pen specified in the instructions for marking the answer sheet.

• Electronic items: Phones, watches and calculators are not permitted inside the exam hall.

• Dress code and checks: Follow the dress code described in the bulletin and expect a frisking at entry.

Common Pattern Mistakes

• Preparing for an online test: The 2026 paper was pen and paper. Practise marking an OMR sheet at least a few times before the exam.

• Ignoring negative marking in practice: Mocks taken without counting wrong answers give a falsely high score. Always calculate with the minus 1 rule.

• Starting with the toughest subject: Spending the first hour on Physics numericals leaves little time for scoring subjects.

• Treating all questions as equal: A question that takes four minutes and may be wrong is worth less than four quick questions you are sure of.

• Relying on old patterns: A paper with sections or optional questions belongs to an earlier version of the exam.