BSc Nursing CET cut-off relaxed across India as INC moves to fill vacant seats
By TUF News Desk · Published 10 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
A low score in the nursing entrance test no longer has to end the wait for a BSc Nursing seat. The Indian Nursing Council has agreed to relax the minimum qualifying percentile in the Common Entrance Test for admissions to the 2026-27 academic session, so candidates who sat the exam can now be considered for seats left vacant after the regular rounds.
The council recorded the decision in Notification No. 23 of 2026, dated October 30, after several states asked for the bar to be lowered. It says the council has no objection to filling vacant seats from candidates who appeared in the entrance examination for 2026-27 by reducing the qualifying percentile.
What the old cut-off was
Until now, the minimum qualifying percentile in the BSc Nursing entrance test stood at 50 for general category candidates, 45 for general category persons with disabilities, and 40 for candidates from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes categories. Anyone below the line for their category was out, even where seats lay empty.
No new nationwide figure has been published to replace those cut-offs. Reports from early November say the revised category-wise percentiles had not yet been specified, so candidates should watch their state counselling authority for the new numbers.
Maharashtra has gone furthest, relaxing the criteria to zero percentile for 2026-27, with admissions open till November 15. That concession applies only to Maharashtra.
The rules that still apply
The relaxation covers the entrance test percentile only. Every other condition in the council’s admission rules stays in place.
Candidates must be at least 17 on or before December 31 of the admission year, and the upper age limit is 35. Those with specified locomotor disabilities get 5 per cent reservation and five years of age relaxation, taking the limit to 40.
On education, applicants must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects, along with English. General category candidates need at least 45 per cent aggregate in the three science subjects, while SC, ST and OBC candidates need 40 per cent. Passing English is mandatory. Students from recognised state open schools or the National Institute of Open Schooling are eligible too, provided they studied science subjects with English.
The entrance test has five sections, Nursing Aptitude, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, each carrying 20 marks, for a total of 100. It is conducted by the respective universities or state governments.
What candidates should do now
The practical step is to check the counselling authority in the state where the candidate applied, since dates and document requirements differ from state to state. In Maharashtra, the process runs through the official CET Cell admission portal, and our report on the Maharashtra zero percentile decision has the schedule for that state.
Keep documents ready before a round opens. Our admission documents checklist covers the papers counselling centres commonly ask for, including original certificates and fee payment proof.
Candidates who sat the CET and assumed their score had ruled them out should check their state portal now, while the rounds to fill the vacant seats are running.
Frequently asked questions
Who can now be considered for BSc Nursing admission under the relaxed criteria?
Candidates who appeared for the Common Entrance Test for 2026-27 can now be considered for vacant BSc Nursing seats, provided they meet the council’s other eligibility conditions.
What was the minimum CET percentile for BSc Nursing before the relaxation?
It was 50 for general category candidates, 45 for general category persons with disabilities, and 40 for SC, ST and OBC candidates.
Has the INC announced the new reduced percentiles?
Not yet. States are applying the relaxation through their own counselling rounds, so candidates should check their state counselling authority for the revised numbers.
What are the age and Class 12 requirements for BSc Nursing?
Candidates must be at least 17 on or before December 31 of the admission year, with an upper age limit of 35. Class 12 must include Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, with 45 per cent aggregate in the science subjects for general category candidates and 40 per cent for SC, ST and OBC candidates.
Frequently asked questions
Who can now be considered for BSc Nursing admission under the relaxed criteria?
Candidates who appeared for the Common Entrance Test for 2026-27 can now be considered for vacant BSc Nursing seats, provided they meet the council's other eligibility conditions.
What was the minimum CET percentile for BSc Nursing before the relaxation?
It was 50 for general category candidates, 45 for general category persons with disabilities, and 40 for SC, ST and OBC candidates.
Has the INC announced the new reduced percentiles?
Not yet. States are applying the relaxation through their own counselling rounds, so candidates should check their state counselling authority for the revised numbers.
What are the age and Class 12 requirements for BSc Nursing?
Candidates must be at least 17 on or before December 31 of the admission year, with an upper age limit of 35. Class 12 must include Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, with 45 per cent aggregate in the science subjects for general category candidates and 40 per cent for SC, ST and OBC candidates.
Sources: The Telegraph India, Indian Nursing Council, Mumbai Live