AIIMS NORCET 2026: COMPLETE GUIDE

Everything about AIIMS NORCET 2026 — notification, eligibility, syllabus, cut off, salary, and result — in one hub. This page tracks the live NORCET 11 cycle and links out to our detailed, in-depth guides on every sub-topic so you never have to go hunting across ten different websites.

Start your NORCET 11 prep today

170+ subject-wise nursing tests, previous-year papers, and full-length mocks — free to start.

Start Registration →

What Is AIIMS NORCET?

NORCET — the Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test — is a national-level exam conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi to recruit Nursing Officers across AIIMS institutes and several other central government hospitals. Instead of each hospital running its own separate hiring drive, NORCET lets one exam and one merit list fill vacancies across 25+ participating institutions nationwide, which is exactly why it draws such a massive applicant pool every cycle. Selected candidates join as Nursing Officers (Group B, Non-Gazetted) under Pay Level 7 of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

NORCET 11 2026 Notification: Key Dates

AIIMS released the official NORCET 11 notification on 24 July 2026, announcing 2,218 Nursing Officer vacancies. The application window ran from 24 July to 13 August 2026 and has now closed. Here's the confirmed schedule for the current cycle:

Eligibility Criteria (Summary)

Broadly, candidates need a B.Sc. Nursing / Post-Basic B.Sc. Nursing degree, or a GNM diploma with valid RN & RM registration plus a minimum of two years of experience in a hospital or institution with 50 or more beds. The general age limit is 18–30 years, with standard government relaxations: +3 years for OBC, +5 years for SC/ST, +10 years for PwBD, and additional relaxation for Ex-Servicemen as per Government of India norms.

Syllabus & Exam Pattern (Summary)

NORCET is a two-stage Computer-Based Test. Stage I (Prelims) is worth 100 marks and covers General Knowledge & Aptitude alongside foundational Nursing topics. Stage II (Mains) is worth 160 marks — 160 MCQs across the entire nursing curriculum, split into four sections of 45 minutes each with 40 questions per section, with a negative marking of 1/3 mark per wrong answer at both stages. Mains questions lean heavily toward applied, case-scenario-based nursing judgement rather than direct recall.

Application Process & Fees

1. Visit the official AIIMS examination portal and register under the "Nursing Officer Recruitment" section.
2. Complete New Registration with your basic details, then log in to access the full application form.
3. Fill in your educational qualification, registration, and experience details accurately.
4. Upload the required documents (photo, signature, certificates as specified in the notification).
5. Pay the application fee based on your category and submit.

Cut Off Trends (Previous Cycle)

NORCET 11's official cut off will be released alongside its results, but the most recent completed cycle — NORCET 10 (2026) — offers the clearest recent benchmark. Out of 92,026 candidates who appeared for Prelims, 51,451 cleared the qualifying threshold, and the top 14,527 candidates were shortlisted for Mains. The minimum qualifying percentile for Mains was 50 for UR/EWS, 45 for OBC, and 40 for SC/ST — though actual category-wise shortlisting cut offs, released alongside the result, run higher than these minimum qualifying marks. A total of 13,963 candidates ultimately qualified in the NORCET 10 Mains exam.

Use these as a directional benchmark, not a guarantee — cut offs shift each cycle based on paper difficulty, applicant volume, and available vacancies. Aim to score comfortably above the qualifying percentile rather than just at it.

Salary & Job Profile

Selected Nursing Officers are placed at Pay Level 7 of the 7th Central Pay Commission matrix, corresponding to the pre-revised Pay Band-2 of ₹9,300–₹34,800 with a Grade Pay of ₹4,600. In practical terms, this translates to a basic pay of roughly ₹44,900 with a gross monthly salary, including allowances, of approximately ₹55,000 or more — varying by posting location and applicable allowances such as HRA and DA. Beyond pay, the role offers central government job security, structured promotions, and postings across AIIMS's nationwide network of institutes.

Result Process & Selection

1. Stage I (Prelims) Result: Released as a qualifying list; only shortlisted candidates proceed to Mains.
2. Stage II (Mains) Result: Released with category-wise cut off marks and an overall merit list, typically 1–2 weeks after the Mains exam.
3. Preference Submission: Qualified candidates log in to submit their institute preference order across participating AIIMS and central government hospitals.
4. Document Verification: Once allotted an institute, candidates attend in-person document verification, carrying original certificates (10th/12th, B.Sc. Nursing/GNM degree, registration, experience letters).
5. Medical Examination & Appointment: Final medical fitness clearance precedes the formal appointment letter.

Results are checked by logging in to the official AIIMS exam portal with your Candidate ID and password, downloading the result PDF, and keeping a printed copy for future reference and document verification.

92,026 candidates appeared last cycle. Here's how to stand out.

Subject-wise nursing MCQs, previous-pattern papers, and full-length timed mocks with explanations — built around the exact NORCET syllabus.

Register Free →

Best Books for Preparation (Summary)

The strongest NORCET prep pairs one core reference textbook per subject — Medical-Surgical Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Fundamentals of Nursing, and Pharmacology being the highest-weighted — with heavy, timed MCQ practice. Our detailed book list breaks this down subject by subject.

NORCET vs ESIC Nursing Officer (Summary)

NORCET isn't the only central government nursing recruitment path — ESIC Nursing Officer recruitment is a close comparison many candidates weigh alongside it, differing in vacancy volume, posting locations, pay structure, and exam pattern.

How to Prepare for NORCET

1. Map the syllabus first and identify your strongest and weakest subjects before building a study schedule.
2. Revise from one core textbook per subject rather than switching between multiple overlapping sources.
3. Practice subject-wise MCQs daily, especially in Medical-Surgical and Community Health Nursing, which carry the heaviest Mains weightage.
4. Take full-length timed mocks weekly in the final month to build both speed and exam-day stamina — remember, there's negative marking, so accuracy matters as much as attempt rate.
5. Review every wrong answer's explanation, not just the correct option, since that's where most real improvement happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Exploring a Dubai Nursing Career Instead?

Many Indian nurses preparing for NORCET are also weighing an international path through the UAE's DHA licensing route, since the core clinical subjects overlap significantly. If that's on your radar too, here's our full DHA guide series:

Join Our Free WhatsApp Community

Get NORCET notification alerts, free syllabus PDFs, and daily mock test updates delivered directly:

Related Test Series & Products

Don't just read about NORCET. Start preparing for it.

170+ subject-wise tests, previous-year papers, and full-length mocks built by nursing educators — start.

Start Registration →

Official sources for verification:

• AIIMS Examinations — official portal
• AIIMS, New Delhi — official website

This guide is prepared for informational purposes using publicly available information as of August 2026. NORCET vacancies, dates, cut offs, and salary structures are set by AIIMS and can change — always confirm the latest official details directly on the AIIMS examination portal before applying or making preparation decisions.