NBE Syllabus 2026: Section-wise Topics and Skill Test Guide

The NBE Syllabus 2026 covers the topics tested in the staff recruitment exam of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) for Junior Assistant, Stenographer and Junior Accountant posts. The Stage I computer-based test (CBT) has four sections: General Intelligence and Reasoning, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude and English Comprehension. Stage II is a computer knowledge or skill test that changes with the post.

NBEMS names these sections in its notification but does not publish a topic-wise syllabus. The topic lists below are built from the official scheme and from the standard coverage of 10+2 and graduate level central government exams. Use them as a working checklist, and use the "start with" column to decide where your first few weeks should go.

Table of Contents

NBE Syllabus at a Glance

Each wrong answer in the CBT costs 0.25 marks. For the full marking scheme and qualifying marks, see the NBE exam pattern guide.

Key Points to Know Before You Start

• One paper, three posts: Junior Assistant, Stenographer and Junior Accountant take a CBT with the same four sections. What changes is the level of difficulty.

• Level follows qualification: Questions are set at 10+2 level for Junior Assistant and Stenographer and at graduate level for Junior Accountant.

• Qualifying marks apply: You need at least 50% in the CBT if you are UR, OBC or EWS, and 40% if you are SC, ST, PwBD or Ex-Servicemen.

• Group A and B posts are different: Deputy Director (Medical) and Junior Programmer follow a separate scheme set by NBEMS, so this syllabus is mainly for the Group C posts.

• Stage II is post-specific: A strong CBT score alone does not finish the job. Shorthand, typing or accounting skill has to be ready by the time results come out.

General Intelligence and Reasoning Syllabus

This section checks how quickly you spot patterns and apply logic. Most questions are short, so it is one of the best places to save time for the rest of the paper.

Series, coding-decoding, analogy and classification are fast scorers once you have practised enough patterns. Puzzles and seating arrangement take longer, so attempt them after you have cleared the quick questions.

General Awareness Syllabus

General Awareness is the one section where preparation time translates almost directly into marks, because a question is either known or not known. It mixes static GK, current affairs and basic science.

Static GK

• History: Ancient, medieval and modern India, the freedom struggle, important personalities and events.

• Geography: Physical and Indian geography, rivers, soils, climate, national parks, states and capitals.

• Indian polity: Constitution, fundamental rights and duties, Parliament, President, judiciary, constitutional bodies and important amendments.

• Economy: Basic concepts, budget, banking, inflation, Five-Year Plans, NITI Aayog and government schemes.

• Culture and miscellaneous: Art forms, festivals, dances, books and authors, awards, sports, important days and abbreviations.

General Science

• Physics: Units, motion, light, sound, electricity and everyday applications.

• Chemistry: Acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals, common compounds and their uses.

• Biology: Human body systems, nutrition, vitamins, diseases and their causes, and basic health awareness.

Current Affairs and Health Sector Awareness

• Current affairs: National and international news of the last 8 to 12 months, appointments, summits, awards and sports events.

• Health sector: Major national health schemes and missions, health-related bodies and the role of NBEMS. Since NBEMS works in medical education, a few questions on this area are worth preparing for.

• Computer awareness: Basic hardware and software terms, MS Office, internet and email. This also overlaps with the Stage II skill test.

Quantitative Aptitude Syllabus

Quantitative Aptitude rewards strong basics in arithmetic. At the 10+2 level the focus is on calculation and standard chapters, while Junior Accountant aspirants should expect more data interpretation and multi-step questions.

Percentage is the backbone of this section. Profit and loss, interest, data interpretation and even parts of reasoning depend on it, so master it first.

English Comprehension Syllabus

This section checks grammar, vocabulary and reading. It is very scoring for students who read regularly, and it is often where Hindi-medium candidates lose marks, so plan for it early.

Grammar rules feed into error spotting, sentence improvement and fill in the blanks at the same time. Learning them first gives you the widest return.

NBE Skill Test Syllabus by Post

Stage II carries 100 marks and lasts 75 minutes. Around five candidates per vacancy in each category are called, based on CBT merit. The content depends on the post you applied for.

NBEMS gives the exact format of the skill test in its notices for shortlisted candidates. Read that notice carefully, since the passage length, language option and evaluation method are set there.

How the Syllabus Differs by Post

The sections stay the same, but the depth and the most useful preparation do not. This table shows where each group of aspirants should put extra effort.

Deputy Director (Medical) and Junior Programmer candidates should rely on the scheme and syllabus NBEMS notified for those posts, which can include subject knowledge from their own fields.

Where to Focus for Maximum Marks

All four sections carry 50 marks, so no section can be skipped. Within each section, though, some topics give marks faster than others.

• Reasoning: Series, analogy, classification and coding-decoding are quick to solve and should be near-perfect.

• General Awareness: Current affairs, polity and general science usually make up a large share, and revising them for 15 minutes every day keeps them fresh.

• Quantitative Aptitude: Percentage, ratio, average, profit and loss, and simplification appear in some form in most papers.

• English: Error spotting, fill in the blanks and vocabulary are faster than long passages. Read the passage only after the short questions are done.

With 0.25 negative marking, a careful candidate who attempts fewer questions with high accuracy often scores more than one who attempts everything. Track both attempts and accuracy in every practice test.

Reliable Study Sources

Because there is no official topic list, your sources matter more than usual. Keep the list short and revise the same material several times.

• NCERT books (Classes 6 to 10): The most dependable base for history, geography, polity and general science at this level.

• A standard arithmetic and reasoning practice book: Pick one and finish it fully instead of starting several.

• A daily newspaper or monthly current affairs compilation: Make your own one-page monthly notes from it.

• Official NBEMS notices: The only reliable source for the exam scheme, skill test format and any change to the pattern.

How to Cover the NBE Syllabus

A 12 to 14 week plan works for most aspirants who are starting fresh. Adjust it if you are already preparing for SSC or similar exams, since much of this syllabus overlaps.

1. Weeks 1 to 4, core concepts: Arithmetic basics, the main reasoning types and grammar rules. Start a daily 30-minute current affairs habit and keep short monthly notes.

2. Weeks 5 to 8, full coverage: Finish the remaining topics, including geometry, mensuration, data interpretation, puzzles, static GK and general science. Begin typing or shorthand practice in parallel.

3. Weeks 9 to 11, topic and sectional tests: Take topic-wise tests after each chapter and 20 to 25 minute sectional tests. Note every mistake in an error log.

4. Weeks 12 onwards, full-length mocks: Attempt full 200-question mocks in 180 minutes, two or three a week. Analyse each one the same day and revise from your error log.

Official notices on the syllabus, skill test and results are published on natboard.edu.in.