NEST Previous Year Question Papers​

Over the years, the NEST question paper and their patterns have gone through several changes; to become familiar with those changes refer to the NEST previous year question papers​ PDF we are providing here. At Selfstudys, we have question paper collections from 2007 to 2024, referring to which you can boost your overall exam preparation for the NEST exam 2025.

This page offers everything you need to know about the NEST exam's previous year's question papers​ — let’s understand them one by one.

Key Features

• The NEST PYQs are available year-wise and section-wise.
• Our experts have solved all the questions from 2007 to 2024 and compiled them in separate PDF files.
• Following a few steps, anyone can download the NEST previous year question paper with solution PDF​.
• The answers are easy-to-understand with higher accuracy.
• All the question papers are official and 100% original.

Year-Wise NEST Exam Question Papers

Since the first-ever NEST exam was conducted in 2007, the question paper and exam pattern have gone through drastic changes. Before 2019, there used to be only one session for the test, but from 2019, the NEST examination was conducted in sessions 1 and 2. Overall, the NEST syllabi remained the same till 2017; afterward, it got a revamp.

In this section, you will find year-wise NEST previous year question papers with solutions in PDF. Make sure you go through each of them to understand the question trends, marking schemes, difficulty levels, and methodology to answer questions in the most effective way possible.

• NEST 2024 Question Paper
• NEST 2023 Question Paper
• NEST 2022 Question Paper
• NEST 2021 Question Paper
• NEST 2020 Question Paper
• NEST 2019 Question Paper
• NEST 2018 Question Paper
• NEST 2017 Question Paper
• NEST 2016 Question Paper
• NEST 2015 Question Paper
• NEST 2014 Question Paper
• NEST 2013 Question Paper
• NEST 2012 Question Paper
• NEST 2011 Question Paper
• NEST 2010 Question Paper
• NEST 2009 Question Paper
• NEST 2008 Question Paper
• NEST 2007 Question Paper

NEST Previous Year Question Papers With Solutions​ PDF

The purpose of providing the NEST previous year question papers with solutions​ PDF is to help you do the self-study for the upcoming NEST exam. With the help of the solutions provided, you can cross-verify your answers and understand the right methods to answer the NEST questions of all four subjects — Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. 

In many old question papers of the NEST, you will find the solutions in the general sections, too. 

How To Get The NEST Previous Year Question Papers Download From SelfStudys?

To access the NEST previous year question papers from our platform, you need to read and follow the below-given steps.

• The first step is to visit our website which can be done by typing www.selfstudys.com on an internet browser. 

• A click on the ‘Navigation’ tab will help you to check out our main menu. 

• Then, you have to select the ‘JEE’ section from the menu. 

• A vast collection of study resources will open up wherein you need to click on the ‘NEST previous year question papers​’ option. 

• Now, the NEST previous year question papers with solutions for several years will be available and you can select any one of them. 

• After this selection, you can choose the session-wise NEST exam previous year question papers​.

• Finally, your chosen NEST previous year question paper with solution PDF​ will open up and you can start solving its questions. 

Note: For the NEST previous year question papers download​, you have to complete a Google Log In or Sign Up step on SelfStudys. 

NEST Question Paper Pattern And Its Structure

The NEST 2025 detailed brochure, which contains information about the latest exam pattern, has yet to be released. However, you can find the NEST exam pattern 2024 below to keep your preparation aligned and on track.

NEST 2025 Important Dates

The ultimate purpose of practising the NEST previous year question papers is to be prepared for the NEST 2025 exam. For your ease, we are providing the important NEST 2025 dates in the table below. You can learn about the latest exam updates from the official NEST website, too.

During the exam preparation, ensure that your preparation pace is aligned with the NEST exam events deadlines so as to not miss any opportunity to act accordingly. Here are the NEST 2025 events and their deadlines:

How to Make the Most of NEST Previous Year Question Papers With Solutions PDF?

The NEST PYQs are one of the best study tools you can use to boost your preparation for the upcoming exam. These are three tips you can apply during your preparation journey:

1. Solve the NEST Exam Previous Year Question Papers Strategically

It’s important not to blindly solve the NEST question papers from the previous year but to solve them strategically. Initially, focus on solving the NEST PYQs without bothering about the time limit to better understand what types of questions you have to solve and what strategy you would be required to solve. Once you are comfortable with practising the NEST previous year papers, start answering questions following the time mentioned in the question papers.

2. Analyse Your Performance

After solving each question paper of the NEST, analyse your performance. The NEST previous year question paper with solution PDF is one of the best resources you can use to analyse your performance. The solutions available in the PDF will assist you in measuring your mistakes. This analysis is crucial for you to understand your mistakes so that you can avoid repeating them in the future.

3. Use the NEST PYQs to Familiarise Yourself With Question Trends

The most authentic way to identify the question trends of the NEST exam is to use the NEST exam previous year question papers PDF. The old question papers help you familiarise yourself with trends that the conducting body uses to examine the NEST candidates. Understanding the question trends also helps you tailor the preparation strategy accordingly.

Things to Avoid During Exam Preparation With NEST PYQ

For effective NEST exam preparation, avoid these common mistakes:

1. Overly Dependent

The NEST previous year question paper is a great tool, but it should be used as a supplement. Many candidates treat this study material as the sole study resource, which leads them to be overly dependent. Please avoid making this mistake to have a better outcome of the preparation.

2. Careless Errors

Note that the NEST exam has negative markings, so understanding how marks are awarded or deducted helps in prioritising questions during the NEST PYQ practice. To avoid the unnecessary loss of marks, avoid careless errors.

3. Solving Papers Too Slowly

During preparation, many candidates focus on their stronger topics and answer too many questions from the same section. Other than this, solving the NEST exam papers too slowly also hurts the performance. To avoid this, practice solving old question papers within a fixed time frame that can help you master time management strategies.

4. Repeating Mistakes

Skipping the self-analysis is another mistake many NEST candidates make. As a result of this, repeating the same mistakes becomes common. To avoid this, ensure you are reviewing incorrect answers and learn from them to avoid repeating mistakes in another previous year question paper. Doing this not only helps you avoid mistakes but elevates your overall NEST exam preparation.

5. Remembering Solutions

The NEST question paper contains problems that can be solved with a strong command of concepts. However, many aspirants try to memorise answers without understanding the logic behind each answer. One of the best methods to deal with this is to refer to the prescribed NCERT textbooks and develop conceptual understanding. After this, solve the old question paper of the NEST while understanding the logical approach to each answer.

5 Reasons You Should Use the NEST Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions PDF

Regardless of how well you are prepared for the NEST exam, solving the old question papers helps in a variety of ways. Here are the five reasons you should use the old NEST PYQ with solutions:

1. Understand the NEST Exam Pattern and Structure

Since the NEST past year, question papers with solutions are replications of the actual National Entrance Screening Test (NEST); it helps you gain insights into the exam's pattern, such as the types of questions asked, the marking scheme, and the overall exam structure.

2. Improve Exam Related Skills (Time Management, problem-solving and More)

Appearing for an exam isn’t an easy task; one needs to be well-prepared and equipped with essential exam-related skills such as time management and problem-solving. Regularly practising the NEST exam question papers helps you master time-management skills, enabling you to perform under timed conditions while creating an actual NEST exam environment.

3. Find Important Topics

One of the best reasons to use the NEST PYQ is to identify the important topics by analysing the most asked questions on different topics that help you focus on in your preparation. Doing this helps you tailor your preparation strategy and study time to maximise your chances of success in the NEST exam.

4. Helps Reduce Exam Anxiety

Effective study techniques and regular practice with the old questions of the NEST boost your confidence, which reduces exam anxiety. This is one of the most crucial reasons many choose to solve the NEST previous year question paper with solution PDF​. It also helps you become familiar with the exam format and question types to make you feel more confident on the NEST exam day.

5. Replicate Actual Exam Environment

Original NEST question paper, actual exam time frame, and actual marking scheme help you set an exam environment during the preparation. This replication of the actual exam environment aids you in getting a taste of the NEST exam without appearing for the one. With the help of solutions provided, you can also analyse your performance to track your progress.

Conclusion

Practising the NEST previous year question papers with solutions is vital for exam scoring higher in the exam. By analysing trends, identifying weaknesses, and improving time management, candidates can boost their understanding of concepts and develop effective exam-taking strategies. However, it's essential to avoid over-reliance on old question papers, careless errors, and neglecting conceptual learning.