NET Paper Pattern 2026
NUST Entry Test is a paper of 200 MCQs to be attempted in 180 minutes, set by National University of Sciences and Technology, with no negative marking. It covers 5 subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English and Analytical and Logical Reasoning.
200
MCQs
on the paper
180
Minutes
total time
54
Seconds per MCQ
if paced evenly
No
Negative marking
guessing is free
NET subject weightage 2026
How many MCQs each subject contributes to the NET paper. This is the order to revise in. Mathematics is worth 80 MCQs against Analytical and Logical Reasoning's 10, so an hour spent fixing a weak chapter in Mathematics is worth more marks than the same hour anywhere else on the paper.
- NET Mathematics80 MCQs · 40%
- NET Physics60 MCQs · 30%
- NET Chemistry30 MCQs · 15%
- NET English20 MCQs · 10%
- NET Analytical and Logical Reasoning10 MCQs · 5%
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Free MCQs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| NET Mathematics MCQs | 80 | 40% | 1,551 |
| NET Physics MCQs | 60 | 30% | 13,934 |
| NET Chemistry MCQs | 30 | 15% | 13,720 |
| NET English MCQs | 20 | 10% | 10,318 |
| NET Analytical and Logical Reasoning MCQs | 10 | 5% | 2,435 |
| Total | 200 | 100% | 41,958 |
NET marking scheme 2026
Every NET MCQ carries one mark, for a total of 200 marks, one per question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score exactly the same: zero. That makes leaving anything blank a pure loss. Attempt all 200 MCQs, and in the last few minutes fill in every remaining bubble even if you are guessing outright.
NET time per subject
180 minutes across 200 MCQs is about 54 seconds a question. Split by weightage, that is the time each subject is worth. Going over on one subject is borrowed from another, not from spare time, because there is none.
| Subject | MCQs | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 80 | 72 |
| Physics | 60 | 54 |
| Chemistry | 30 | 27 |
| English | 20 | 18 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 10 | 9 |
How to prepare for the NET 2026 pattern
The pattern tells you where the marks are, not where you are losing them. Start with Mathematics, because it carries 40 percent of the paper and a weak chapter there is the most expensive weak chapter you can have. Inside each subject, work chapter by chapter and stay on a chapter until you are consistently above 80 percent before moving on.
Then practise at the real pace. Untimed revision hides the problem that actually costs marks in the hall, which is spending three minutes on a question worth 54 seconds and running out of paper before you run out of time. Sit full papers under the clock, and mark them honestly.
NET paper pattern: common questions
What is the NET paper pattern 2026?
NUST Entry Test is a 200 MCQ paper of 180 minutes set by National University of Sciences and Technology, with no negative marking. It is split across 5 subjects: Mathematics 80, Physics 60, Chemistry 30, English 20, Analytical and Logical Reasoning 10.
How many MCQs are there in NET?
200 MCQs in total, to be attempted in 180 minutes. The heaviest subject is Mathematics at 80 MCQs, which is 40 percent of the paper.
Is there negative marking in NET?
No. NET has no negative marking, so a wrong answer costs you nothing more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: attempt every one of the 200 MCQs, even the ones you are guessing on.
How much time do you get per MCQ in NET?
180 minutes for 200 MCQs works out at about 54 seconds per question. That is the pace to practise at, and it is why timed practice matters more than untimed revision in the last month.
Which subject has the most weightage in NET?
Mathematics, at 80 of the 200 MCQs, which is 40 percent of the paper. A weak topic in the heaviest subject costs you more marks than a weak topic anywhere else, so the weightage order on this page is the order worth revising in.