NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 is the institute-level test of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, for its Ph.D., postdoctoral fellowship and other postgraduate courses. For the January 2027 session, the Ph.D. test is scheduled for 12 December 2026 and the PDF test for 13 December 2026, in Bengaluru only.
NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027
Courses, dates, application steps, eligibility, exam pattern and selection for the NIMHANS entrance exam for the January 2027 and July 2027 sessions.
| Full name | NIMHANS Entrance Examination for Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellowship and other PG courses |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru |
| Exam level | Institute level (national), Institute of National Importance |
| Courses / Purpose | January 2027 session: Ph.D. and Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF); July session: all PG courses |
| Exam date | Ph.D. 12 December 2026; PDF 13 December 2026 (January 2027 session) |
| Application | Online; portal lists 12 October to 11 November 2026 (January 2027 session) |
| Eligibility | Course-wise; non-medical courses need 55% in the qualifying degree (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) |
| Mode | Online entrance test, held in Bengaluru only |
| Questions and marks | 100 multiple-choice questions, 1 mark each |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 mark per wrong answer; none for unanswered questions |
| Official website | nimhans.ac.in |
Which courses does the NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 cover?
The NIMHANS Entrance Exam admits students to the institute’s Ph.D., postdoctoral fellowship and other postgraduate courses, with a separate test for each course. NIMHANS holds it for two sessions a year.
- January 2027 session: Ph.D. courses and Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) courses only, as per the schedule on the application portal.
- July 2027 session: all PG courses, including Ph.D., PDF, Master’s in Clinical Psychology, Master’s in Psychiatric Social Work, Master of Public Health, M.Sc. courses (such as Psychiatric Nursing, Neuroscience Nursing, Biostatistics and Neurosciences), fellowships and PG diplomas.
- Not through this test: MD Psychiatry, MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and post-MBBS DM Neurology and M.Ch. Neurosurgery seats are filled through INI-CET; post-MD DM and post-MS M.Ch. seats through INI-SS, both run by AIIMS New Delhi.
For MD, DM and M.Ch. seats at NIMHANS, see INI-CET and INI-SS. B.Sc Nursing and the allied B.Sc courses have their own UG test in July; see NIMHANS B.Sc Nursing 2027.
NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 Important Dates
The January 2027 session dates below are from the NIMHANS application portal; the July 2027 session dates are expected months based on 2026, when the test was held from 29 to 31 May 2026.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Admission notification (January 2027 session) | 12 October 2026 Released |
| Online application (January 2027 session) | 12 October to 11 November 2026 Open |
| Ph.D. entrance test (January 2027 session) | 12 December 2026 Upcoming |
| Exam (January 2027 session) | 13 December 2026 Upcoming |
| Result (January 2027 session) | 14 December 2026 Upcoming |
| Ph.D. interview (January 2027 session) | 15 to 16 December 2026 Upcoming |
| Provisional selection lists (January 2027 session) | 23 December 2026 Upcoming |
| Counselling (January 2027 session) | 1 January 2027 Upcoming |
| Admission notification (July 2027 session) | March 2027 Expected |
| Online application (July 2027 session) | March 2027 Expected |
| Entrance test, all courses (July 2027 session) | May 2027 Expected |
| Results and merit lists (July 2027 session) | June 2027 Expected |
| Course commencement (July 2027 session) | July 2027 Expected |
| E-hall ticket (January 2027 session) | To be announced |
How to Apply for NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027
You apply online only, on the NIMHANS application portal, after reading the admission notification and prospectus on nimhans.ac.in. For the January 2027 session the portal lists 12 October to 11 November 2026 as the application window, but registration had not opened on 14 October 2026. One candidate may apply for up to three courses, and late or multiple applications are not accepted.
Apply Online for NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027
Applications for NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 are open: 12 October to 11 November 2026.
- Read the admission notification and the prospectus on nimhans.ac.in and check that you are eligible for each course you choose.
- Open the NIMHANS application portal and register with your title, name exactly as on your Class 10 marks card, date of birth, gender, mobile number and email ID.
- Log in with your registered email ID or mobile number and the OTP sent to it.
- Fill in the form and choose up to three courses and your category (UR, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwBD, sponsored or foreign national).
- Upload your certificates in PDF format and your photograph and signature in JPG or JPEG format, including any category, domicile, sponsorship or NOC documents.
- Check every entry and pay the application fee online. Details cannot be edited after the final payment, and the fee is not refunded.
Use the same mobile number and email ID through the whole process. For registration or payment problems, the portal lists the helpline 18002032360 and [email protected]; other queries go to [email protected].
Who can apply for NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027?
You can apply if you hold the qualifying degree set for your course and meet its age limit; the rules below are from the 2026-27 PG prospectus.
- Medical courses: MBBS with the one-year compulsory internship and permanent State Medical Council registration. Postdoctoral fellowships need an MD, MS, DNB or DPM in the subject; candidates awaiting results may sit the test.
- Non-medical courses: a recognised M.Sc., MA, MSW, BAMS, BE, B.Tech or B.Sc. degree (as the course requires) with at least 55% aggregate; SC, ST and PwBD candidates get a 5% relaxation.
- Ph.D.: the qualifying degree listed for that subject in the prospectus. The upper age limit is 40 years (42 years for sponsored, deputed and in-service candidates) on the day the course starts.
- Master’s in Clinical Psychology and Master’s in Psychiatric Social Work: the upper age limit is 35 years.
- January 2027 session: age is counted on 1 January 2027, and the registration form asks for a minimum age of 25 years on that date.
- Age relaxation: up to 5 years for SC, ST and PwBD and 3 years for OBC candidates, on seats reserved for them.
What is the NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 exam pattern?
Each NIMHANS entrance test has 100 multiple-choice questions to answer in 90 minutes, with a quarter mark deducted for each wrong answer.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Online entrance test |
| Test centre | Bengaluru only |
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Marks | 1 mark per correct answer (100 marks) |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Negative marking | 0.25 mark per wrong answer; none for unanswered questions |
| Papers | A separate test for each course; one common test for PDF courses in Psychiatry and one for PDF courses in Neurology |
| Qualifying marks | 50% for UR, OBC and EWS; 45% for SC, ST and PwBD |
NIMHANS pays no travel or daily allowance, so plan your travel and stay in Bengaluru. Mobile phones, Bluetooth devices and other electronics are banned at the test centre.
How does NIMHANS select candidates after the entrance exam?
For every course except Ph.D., selection is purely on merit in the entrance test; there is no interview. Ph.D. candidates who score at least 50% (45% for SC, ST and PwBD) are shortlisted for an interview in the ratio 1:6, and the final merit gives 70% weight to the test and 30% to the interview.
- NIMHANS prepares course-wise merit lists for general and reserved categories and posts all lists on its website; no individual letters are sent.
- Ties are broken by fewer attempts in the qualifying exam, then higher qualifying marks, then fewer negative marks in the test, then age.
- Ph.D. selection also depends on the availability of eligible guides in the department.
- Selected candidates report on the admission day with original documents and pay the fee by card, UPI or net banking; a candidate who does not report loses the seat to the waiting list.
Results come as PDF merit lists; see NIMHANS Entrance Exam result 2027 for how to read them.
What are the fees and stipends for NIMHANS PG courses?
Most NIMHANS PG students under Institute Support get a monthly stipend that is far higher than the course fee. These figures are from the 2026-27 prospectus.
| Course | Fee (2026-27) | Stipend under Institute Support |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Rs 32,000 per year | Rs 37,000 a month (years 1 and 2), Rs 42,000 a month (years 3 to 5), plus Rs 20,000 a year contingency |
| Master’s in Clinical Psychology / Psychiatric Social Work | Rs 24,800 | Rs 25,000 a month plus Rs 15,000 a year contingency |
Sponsored, deputed and externally funded candidates draw pay from their employer or funding agency and get no stipend from NIMHANS. Hostel charges are extra.
NIMHANS Entrance Exam 2027 Official Notices and Downloads
- LINKNIMHANS online application portal: January 2027 session schedule (Ph.D. and PDF) (12 October 2026)Official site · nexams.examcloud.inOpen
- PDFNIMHANS PG Prospectus 2026-27, July 2026 session (latest) (2 March 2026)Official site · nimhansbkt.demo-appiness.comOpen
- LINKNIMHANS official websiteOfficial site · nimhans.ac.inOpen