Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

PGIMER Nursing refers to the nursing selection tests run by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. In practice, two separate computer-based tests carry this name: the Nursing Officer (Group B) recruitment test for working nurses, and the B.Sc Nursing entrance test for admission to the nursing programmes at the institute's College of Nursing. Searchers often mix the two, so this page keeps them apart.

In the 2026 cycle, the B.Sc Nursing entrance has already been held, while the Nursing Officer test has been announced but postponed. This guide covers the key facts, dates, eligibility, pattern, syllabus, selection steps and a preparation plan for both. Where a figure comes from secondary reports and could not be matched with the official notice, it is marked as tentative so you can verify it on the official PGIMER website.

Table of Contents

Which PGIMER Nursing exam are you looking for?

The two tests serve different goals, so decide first which one applies to you.

PGIMER Nursing at a glance

Nursing Officer recruitment 2026: notification and vacancies

PGIMER released the Nursing Officer advertisement on 9 September 2026 under Advertisement No. PGI/RC/055/2026/2276, for the post of Nursing Officer (Group B). Reports on the notice put the total at 243 vacancies, spread across categories as shown below.

Posts for persons with benchmark disabilities (reported as 10) are counted within these totals. This is a reported breakdown, so confirm the exact numbers, including any corrigendum, in the official advertisement before you rely on them.

Important dates

Nursing Officer 2026

B.Sc Nursing entrance 2026 (completed cycle)

Tentative dates come from the notification schedule and can change. Track the official notices page on pgimer.edu.in and your registered email. For the next B.Sc cycle, earlier years suggest a notice around May to June and a test in July, but this is a pattern, not an announcement.

Eligibility in brief

Eligibility differs sharply between the two tests. The full rules are on the dedicated PGIMER Nursing eligibility page; the headlines are below.

Nursing Officer

• Qualification, route one: B.Sc (Hons.) Nursing, B.Sc Nursing or Post-Basic B.Sc Nursing, with registration in a State Nursing Council.

• Qualification, route two: GNM diploma with state council registration and at least one year of experience in a hospital of 50 or more beds after GNM, as reported.

• Age: 18 to 35 years, with reported relaxation of 5 years for SC and ST, 3 years for OBC and 10 years for PwBD.

B.Sc Nursing entrance

• 4-year course: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English; the course is reported to be open to female candidates, with a minimum aggregate in PCB set by the notification.

• Post-Basic course: GNM completed and registration as RN and RM.

• Age: reported as 17 to 35 years as on 1 September of the admission year; confirm in the prospectus.

Application fee and how to apply

Reports on the Nursing Officer notice list a fee of Rs. 1,500 for General, OBC and EWS candidates and Rs. 800 for SC and ST candidates, with no fee for PwBD candidates. Treat these as indicative until you see the fee table in the official advertisement. The B.Sc entrance fee has been reported differently by different sources, so check the prospectus for the exact amount and any transaction charges.

The application steps are similar for both tests:

1. Read the notice: Download the advertisement or information brochure from the official website and check eligibility line by line.

2. Register: Create your account on the application portal using a working email and mobile number.

3. Fill the form: Enter personal, educational and category details exactly as in your certificates.

4. Upload documents: Add the photograph, signature and any required certificates in the stated format and size.

5. Pay the fee: Complete the online payment and keep the receipt.

6. Submit and save: Download the final form and keep a copy for document verification.

Common reasons for rejection include a registration certificate that is not valid on the cut-off date, a category certificate in the wrong format, and mismatched names between documents. Fix these before you apply, not after.

Exam pattern

Both tests are objective and computer-based. The numbers below are as reported from secondary sources and should be matched with your admit card and the notice. A detailed breakdown is on the PGIMER Nursing exam pattern page.

What this means for you:

• One mark per question: With 100 questions in 100 minutes, you have about one minute per question, so speed on recall questions matters.

• Guessing has a cost: A wrong answer removes a quarter mark, so guess only when you can drop at least two options.

• Qualifying marks apply: For Nursing Officer, reports mention 40 percent for General and EWS and 35 percent for SC, ST and OBC.

Syllabus summary

PGIMER notices describe the Nursing Officer paper as based on the prescribed nursing curriculum rather than listing every topic, so the table below is a working checklist built from reported subject lists, not an official topic list. The PGIMER Nursing syllabus page gives the detailed version.

Selection process

The reported Nursing Officer process has these stages:

1. Computer-based test: The single scored stage; marks decide your rank.

2. Shortlisting: Candidates who clear the qualifying marks are ranked by category and vacancy.

3. Document verification: Originals of educational, registration, experience and category documents are checked.

4. Final selection: The merit list is prepared and offers are issued. No interview is reported.

For B.Sc Nursing, a merit list based on test performance is followed by counselling, where selected candidates bring original documents and pay the course fee. Seats are filled in rounds, and a later round was held in September 2026.

Salary and career growth

The Nursing Officer post is reported at Pay Level 7 of the pay matrix, with a basic pay range of Rs. 44,900 to Rs. 1,42,400 per month, plus allowances as admissible. In-hand pay depends on city allowances and deductions and is not an official figure.

Growth in a large institute usually comes through promotion to senior nursing posts after the service period required by the rules, and through specialised roles in critical care, oncology and transplant units. For B.Sc Nursing graduates, the degree opens the Nursing Officer route itself, along with higher study in M.Sc Nursing.

How to prepare for PGIMER Nursing

A steady plan beats a last-minute rush. Use the stages below and adjust to the time you have.

For the Nursing Officer test

• Start with the core clinical subjects: Medical-Surgical, Fundamentals, Community Health and Child Health carry the widest question base.

• Revise anatomy, physiology and pharmacology in parallel: They support almost every clinical topic and appear as direct questions.

• Learn programmes and schedules: National health programmes and the immunisation schedule are fact-based and quick to score.

• Keep an error log: Write each wrong answer with the correct reason and revise the log weekly.

For the B.Sc Nursing entrance

• Anchor on NCERT-level Biology: It is the largest scoring area for most candidates.

• Practise numericals in Physics and Chemistry: Short, repeated drills help more than long sessions.

• Do not ignore English and aptitude: They are quick marks if you practise comprehension and basic reasoning.

Mock tests and analysis

Timed practice is where the pattern becomes familiar. For timed practice in the current pattern, you can attempt PGIMER Nursing online tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to plan your revision. Pair them with previous year questions to understand the real difficulty level.

A simple phased plan works well:

1. Weeks 1 to 6: Finish concepts in the major subjects and make short notes.

2. Weeks 7 to 9: Take topic-wise tests and sectional tests of 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Weeks 10 onwards: Take full-length timed mocks, analyse the same day and revise your error log.

Cut-off reference

For the Nursing Officer test, reports mention qualifying marks of 40 percent for General and EWS and 35 percent for SC, ST and OBC. These are minimum thresholds, not the marks at which selection happens. A final selection cut-off depends on vacancies, applicants and paper difficulty, and PGIMER has not been seen to publish one for this cycle. For B.Sc Nursing, merit lists are prepared on test performance and counselling rank. Read the PGIMER Nursing cut-off page for how to set a safe target. Cut-offs change every year with difficulty, vacancies and the number of applicants, so treat any past figure as a benchmark only.

Keep your exam planning flexible, because the Nursing Officer test date is not yet fixed. Check the official PGIMER website regularly, keep your documents ready, and keep practising so a short notice does not catch you unprepared.