AIIMS NORCET 11 Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026; Complete Subject-Wise Topics, Stage 1 & 2 Exam Scheme for 2,218 Nursing Officer Posts

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has officially released the NORCET-11 Notification 2026 along with the latest syllabus and exam pattern for the recruitment of 2,218 Nursing Officer (Group B) posts across AIIMS and other participating institutes.

The Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET-11) will be conducted in two stages—the Preliminary CBT on 12 September 2026 and the Main CBT on 30 September 2026.

While the Preliminary examination serves as a qualifying stage, the Main examination alone determines the final merit list. Candidates preparing for NORCET-11 should thoroughly understand the revised syllabus, sectional timing, negative marking, and case-based question pattern to maximize their chances of selection.

The recruitment offers an excellent opportunity for B.Sc. Nursing and GNM-qualified candidates seeking a Central Government nursing career in premier medical institutions across India.

AIIMS Nursing Officer (NORCET-11) Syllabus & Exam Pattern 2026

Notification Out for 2,218 Nursing Officer Posts | Apply Online 24 July – 13 August 2026
visit for latest job notification24.in
Particulars Details
Conducting Body All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
Exam Full Name Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET) — 11th Edition
Post Name Nursing Officer (Group B)
Total Vacancies 2,218 Posts (Provisional) — Across AIIMS/NITRD/AIIPMR Mumbai/CNCI Kolkata & Other Participating Institutes
Notification Released 24 July 2026
Online Application Window 24 July 2026 – 13 August 2026 (5:00 PM)
NORCET Preliminary (Stage-I) Exam Date 12 September 2026
NORCET Main (Stage-II) Exam Date 30 September 2026
Exam Mode Computer-Based Test (CBT), Both Stages
Final Result (Tentative) Around 10 October 2026
Official Website aiimsexams.ac.in

About NORCET-11 2026

The Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET), conducted by AIIMS New Delhi, is one of India’s most sought-after national-level recruitment exams for nursing graduates and diploma holders. The NORCET-11 detailed notification was released on 24 July 2026 for 2,218 Nursing Officer (Group B) vacancies across AIIMS institutes and other participating hospitals such as NITRD, AIIPMR Mumbai, and CNCI Kolkata. The exam follows a two-stage structure — a qualifying Preliminary (Stage-I) exam on 12 September 2026, followed by the merit-deciding Main (Stage-II) exam on 30 September 2026. Since NORCET is used as a common eligibility test by multiple AIIMS institutes and associated hospitals across the country, clearing it opens the door to nursing officer postings nationwide, making it one of the most competitive and high-stakes nursing recruitment exams in India.

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Complete Timeline — NORCET-11 2026

Event Date
Notification Released 24 July 2026
Online Registration Begins 24 July 2026
Last Date to Apply Online 13 August 2026 (5:00 PM)
NORCET Preliminary (Stage-I) Exam 12 September 2026
NORCET Main (Stage-II) Exam 30 September 2026
Final Result (Tentative) Around 10 October 2026
Document Verification & Institute Allotment After final result — dates to be notified

Eligibility Criteria for NORCET-11 2026

  • Candidates must hold any one of: B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing, B.Sc. Nursing, or Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing, along with valid registration as a Nurse and Midwife with the State Nursing Council or Indian Nursing Council
  • GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) Diploma holders are also eligible, provided they: (a) are registered as a Nurse and Midwife, and (b) have completed 2 years of work experience in a hospital with at least 50 beds
  • Age Limit: 18 to 30 years as on the last date of closing of the application form (13 August 2026)
  • Age Relaxation: Provided as per the Recruitment Rules of the respective participating Institutes/Hospitals, and as per Government of India norms for SC, ST, OBC, PwBD, Ex-Servicemen, and Central Government employees
  • Nationality: Must be an Indian citizen
  • Final-Year Students: Generally not eligible unless they complete their qualification, obtain their result, and secure registration before the cut-off date specified in the official notification
  • PwBD Candidates: Those with 40% or more benchmark disability can apply under the reserved category as per RPWD Act, 2016 provisions; scribe facility is available subject to specific conditions laid out in the notification

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NORCET Preliminary (Stage-I) Exam Pattern 2026

Component Detail
Total Questions 100 MCQs (Four Options Each)
Total Marks 100 Marks
Duration 90 Minutes
Subject Split 80 Questions — Nursing Subjects | 20 Questions — General Knowledge & Aptitude
Sectional Structure 5 Sections of 20 Questions Each, 18 Minutes per Section (Sectional Timing Enforced)
Negative Marking 1/3 (0.33) Mark Deducted per Wrong Answer
Nature of Stage Purely Qualifying — Not counted towards final merit

Prelims Minimum Qualifying Marks — Category-Wise

Category Minimum Qualifying Percentage
UR / EWS 50%
OBC 45%
SC / ST 40%
PwBD Additional 5% relaxation over applicable category

NORCET Main (Stage-II) Exam Pattern 2026

Component Detail
Total Questions 160 MCQs (Four Options Each)
Total Marks 160 Marks
Duration 180 Minutes (3 Hours)
Subject Coverage Entirely Nursing Subjects — Case Scenario-Based Questions
Sectional Structure 4 Sections of 40 Questions Each, 45 Minutes per Section (Sectional Timing Enforced)
Negative Marking 1/3 (0.33) Mark Deducted per Wrong Answer
Nature of Stage Merit-Deciding — Final ranking is based solely on Mains marks
Multi-Shift Normalization Applied if the exam is conducted across multiple shifts, to ensure scoring fairness
Critical sectional rule: In both Prelims and Mains, only one section is active at a time. Once the time for a section elapses, it closes automatically, and candidates cannot go back to review or change answers from that section. Unanswered or marked-for-review questions within a closed section cannot be revisited. Plan your time strictly within each section rather than assuming you can return later.

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How Negative Marking Works — Quick Formula

NORCET Score = (Number of Correct Answers × 1) − (Number of Incorrect Answers × ⅓)

For example, if you attempt 120 questions in the Mains and get 100 correct and 20 wrong: Score = (100 × 1) − (20 × 0.33) = 100 − 6.6 = 93.4 marks. This is why accuracy matters more than sheer attempt count — a few careless wrong answers can meaningfully pull down an otherwise strong score.

NORCET-11 Syllabus 2026 — Prelims (General Knowledge & Aptitude Section)

  • General Knowledge: Indian History, Geography, Indian Parliament & Polity, Environmental Issues, Static GK, Current Affairs (National & Health-sector focused)
  • Reasoning: Analytical & Logical Reasoning, Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning, Coding-Decoding, Series & Classification
  • Quantitative Aptitude: Simplification, Percentage, Ratio & Proportion, Time-Distance-Work, Simple & Compound Interest, Data Interpretation
  • English Language: Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Sentence Correction

NORCET-11 Syllabus 2026 — Nursing Subjects (Both Prelims & Mains)

  • Applied Anatomy & Physiology — body systems, homeostasis, fluid-electrolyte balance, cardiac and renal mechanisms
  • Biochemistry — metabolic pathways, enzymes, nutrition-related biochemical processes
  • Nursing Foundations — core clinical procedures, patient assessment, vital signs, infection control, medication administration principles
  • Medical-Surgical Nursing — care of patients across body systems, pre/post-operative care, emergency and critical care nursing
  • Pediatric Nursing — growth and development, common childhood illnesses, neonatal care
  • Community Health Nursing — national health programmes, epidemiology, primary healthcare delivery
  • Mental Health / Psychiatric Nursing — psychiatric disorders, therapeutic communication, mental health assessment
  • Midwifery & Obstetric Nursing — antenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care, high-risk pregnancy management
  • Pharmacology — drug classifications, dosage calculations, adverse effects, nursing considerations for medication administration
  • Pathology & Microbiology — disease processes, infection and transmission, laboratory diagnostics relevant to nursing care
  • Nutrition — therapeutic diets, nutritional assessment, diet planning for various conditions
  • Sociology & Psychology — applied to patient care and healthcare settings
  • Nursing Research & Statistics — basic research methodology and biostatistics as applied to nursing practice
  • Nursing Management & Professional Trends — ward management, leadership, nursing ethics, and current professional developments

Mains-specific note: Stage-II questions are heavily case scenario-based — rather than testing rote memorization, they present a clinical situation (e.g., a patient’s symptoms or an ECG reading) and ask what the nursing officer’s priority action should be. This tests clinical judgement and decision-making, not just textbook recall.

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Selection Process — Complete Overview

  • Stage 1 — NORCET Preliminary Exam: Qualifying test (12 September 2026); does not count towards final merit
  • Stage 2 — NORCET Main Exam: Merit-deciding test (30 September 2026); final ranking is based solely on Stage-II marks
  • Document Verification: Initial verification is conducted while submitting the application form itself, prior to the announcement of NORCET Main results — candidates who provide incorrect/mismatched details may lose candidature at this stage
  • Institute Allotment: Final institute/hospital posting is decided based on: marks obtained in Stage-II, category-wise merit position, total available vacancies, and the candidate’s submitted institutional preferences
  • Medical Fitness: As applicable per participating institute norms before final joining

How to Apply Online for NORCET-11 2026

  • Visit the official AIIMS Exams website — aiimsexams.ac.in
  • Click on the “AIIMS NORCET 11 Recruitment 2026” notification link
  • Register with basic details (name, email, mobile number) to generate login credentials
  • Fill in educational qualification, registration (Nurse & Midwife) details, and category information carefully
  • Upload scanned photograph, signature, and required certificates as per the prescribed format
  • Pay the applicable application fee online (SC/ST candidates who appear for the exam get their fee refunded after result declaration, subject to certificate verification)
  • Submit the form before 13 August 2026, 5:00 PM, and download the confirmation for your records

Preparation Strategy for NORCET-11

  • Since the Mains alone decides your final merit and rank, treat the Prelims as a stepping stone and save your peak preparation intensity for Stage-II — a perfect Prelims score gives no advantage in the final ranking
  • Given the 1/3 negative marking in both stages, attempt only questions you’re reasonably confident about; random guessing on the case-scenario Mains questions can be especially costly since these often have plausible-sounding wrong options
  • Practice strictly within sectional time limits during mock tests (18 minutes/20 questions in Prelims; 45 minutes/40 questions in Mains) — since you cannot revisit a closed section, building this timing discipline early is essential
  • Focus your nursing revision on high-yield areas: Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, Community Health Nursing, and Midwifery consistently carry significant weightage across past NORCET cycles
  • Practice case-based clinical reasoning specifically for the Mains — work through “what would you do first” scenario questions rather than only memorizing textbook facts
  • Solve previous NORCET cycles’ question papers (NORCET 9 and NORCET 10) to understand the exact question framing style, since AIIMS tends to maintain a consistent pattern across editions
  • Build a structured weekly revision routine covering Anatomy & Physiology and Biochemistry fundamentals, since these underpin most clinical/system-based nursing questions

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Job Profile & Career Growth — Nursing Officer at AIIMS

  • Nursing Officers at AIIMS and associated institutes provide direct patient care across general wards, ICUs, operation theatres, emergency departments, and specialized clinical units
  • Responsibilities include patient assessment, medication administration, care planning, coordination with physicians, patient/family education, and maintaining clinical documentation
  • This is a Group B, Central Government post, offering strong long-term career progression — Nursing Officers can be promoted to Sister Grade-II, Nursing Superintendent, and higher administrative nursing cadres over their careers
  • AIIMS Nursing Officer posts come with standard Central Government pay scale, DA, HRA, medical benefits, and pension coverage under NPS, along with the prestige of working at India’s premier medical institutions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. When was the NORCET-11 2026 notification released?
On 24 July 2026, at aiimsexams.ac.in, for 2,218 Nursing Officer posts.

Q2. What are the NORCET-11 exam dates?
Preliminary (Stage-I) on 12 September 2026, and Main (Stage-II) on 30 September 2026.

Q3. Does the Prelims score count towards the final merit?
No. The Prelims is purely qualifying. Final merit and ranking are based entirely on Stage-II (Mains) marks.

Q4. Is there negative marking in NORCET-11?
Yes, 1/3 (0.33) mark is deducted for every wrong answer in both the Preliminary and Main examinations.

Q5. Can GNM diploma holders apply?
Yes, provided they are registered as a Nurse and Midwife and have at least 2 years of work experience in a hospital with 50 or more beds.

Q6. What is the age limit for NORCET-11?
18 to 30 years as on the last date of application closing (13 August 2026), with relaxation as per respective institute recruitment rules.

Q7. Can I revisit a section after its time is over?
No. Once a section’s allotted time ends, it closes automatically and cannot be reopened or edited in either Prelims or Mains.

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