AIIMS Nursing Officer NORCET-11 2026 Syllabus & Pattern

AIIMS Nursing Officer NORCET-11 2026 Syllabus & Exam Pattern Released

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has officially released the syllabus and exam pattern for the Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET-11) 2026 through Notice No. 103/2026 dated 24 July 2026. This notification provides comprehensive details about the two-stage examination structure, marking scheme, qualifying criteria, and selection process for Nursing Officer vacancies across AIIMS New Delhi and other participating AIIMS institutes. Candidates preparing for NORCET-11 must understand both the preliminary and main exam patterns thoroughly to strategize their preparation effectively.

Short Information

AIIMS New Delhi conducts the Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET-11) to fill Nursing Officer positions across multiple AIIMS institutions. The examination comprises two distinct stages: Stage I (Preliminary) with 100 questions for 100 marks in 90 minutes, and Stage II (Main) with 160 questions for 160 marks in 180 minutes. Both stages feature negative marking of 1/3 mark per incorrect answer and follow a sectional timed format where candidates cannot revisit completed sections. Stage I serves as a qualifying screening test, while Stage II determines the final merit list for seat allocation.

Exam Pattern

Stage I: NORCET Preliminary Exam Pattern

Qualifying Criteria - Stage I (Category-wise Percentile):

Stage II: NORCET Main Exam Pattern

Qualifying Criteria - Stage II (Category-wise Percentage):

Important Note: If Stage II CBT is conducted in multiple shifts, the applicable AIIMS normalisation procedure (as per Notice No. 35/2023 dated 20.01.2023) will apply to the scores.

Subject-wise Syllabus

General Knowledge & Aptitude (Stage I Only)

This section appears exclusively in Stage I (Preliminary) and comprises 20 out of 100 questions. The official notification does not provide a detailed topic-wise breakdown for this section. Based on standard competitive examination patterns for nursing recruitment, candidates should prepare the following areas:

• Current Affairs: National and international events of importance from the last 12-18 months
• General Science: Basic concepts in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology up to Class 10 level
• Indian Polity & Constitution: Fundamental rights, duties, directive principles, parliamentary system
• Indian History & Culture: Ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history; art and culture
• Geography: Physical, economic, and social geography of India and world
• Economy: Basic economic concepts, planning, budget, major schemes
• Logical Reasoning: Analogies, classification, series, coding-decoding, blood relations, direction sense
• Quantitative Aptitude: Number systems, percentages, ratios, averages, time & work, simple interest
• Data Interpretation: Tables, graphs, charts, basic statistical concepts
• English Language: Grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, synonyms/antonyms

Nursing Subject (Stage I and Stage II)

The nursing syllabus for both stages is explicitly defined as "the syllabus of Nursing courses being taught at the essential qualification level" — which includes B.Sc Nursing, Post-Basic B.Sc Nursing, and GNM curricula as prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council (INC) or respective State Nursing Councils. Since AIIMS has not released a separate topic-wise syllabus PDF for NORCET-11, candidates must comprehensively revise their entire qualifying course curriculum. The emphasis differs between stages:

Stage I (Preliminary) - 80 Questions

Questions are drawn from the complete nursing curriculum at the essential qualification level. All core nursing subjects carry weightage:

• Anatomy & Physiology: All body systems, homeostasis, cellular structure
• Microbiology: Bacteriology, virology, parasitology, immunology, infection control
• Psychology: Developmental psychology, mental health, therapeutic communication
• Sociology: Social determinants of health, community structure, family dynamics
• Fundamentals of Nursing: Nursing process, basic procedures, patient safety, documentation
• First Aid & Emergency Nursing: Triage, CPR, disaster management, trauma care
• Medical-Surgical Nursing:
  • Cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological, endocrine, renal, musculoskeletal, integumentary systems
  • Pre/post-operative care, oncology nursing, critical care basics
• Pharmacology: Drug classifications, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, medication administration, adverse reactions
• Pathology & Genetics: Disease mechanisms, genetic disorders, laboratory values interpretation
• Nutrition & Dietetics: Therapeutic diets, nutritional assessment, enteral/parenteral nutrition
• Community Health Nursing:
  • Epidemiology, communicable/non-communicable disease control
  • National health programs (NHM, immunization, RNTCP, NACP, etc.)
  • Health planning, primary health care, school health, occupational health
• Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics): Growth & development, IMNCI, pediatric emergencies, congenital disorders
• Mental Health Nursing: Psychiatric disorders, therapeutic modalities, community psychiatry, de-addiction
• Midwifery & Obstetrical Nursing:
  • Antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care
  • High-risk pregnancy, neonatal resuscitation, family welfare
• Nursing Research & Statistics: Research methodology, biostatistics, evidence-based practice
• Nursing Management & Leadership: Management theories, quality assurance, legal/ethical issues, informatics
• Communication & Educational Technology: Teaching-learning principles, counseling, health education

Stage II (Main) - 160 Questions

Covers the entire nursing syllabus with emphasis on case-scenario-based questions testing clinical reasoning, decision-making, and competency application. Candidates must demonstrate ability to:

• Apply nursing process to complex patient scenarios
• Prioritize care in multi-system involvement cases
• Interpret diagnostic data and laboratory results in clinical context
• Make evidence-based clinical judgments
• Manage emergency and critical care situations
• Demonstrate ethical-legal decision making in nursing practice
• Apply pharmacology principles to medication management scenarios
• Demonstrate community health nursing competencies in public health scenarios

Key Distinction: Stage II moves beyond theoretical recall to assess clinical competency through realistic patient-care situations. Questions may present evolving case studies requiring sequential clinical decisions.

How to Download Syllabus

1. Visit the official AIIMS Examination website at aiimsexams.ac.in
2. Navigate to the "Notices" or "Announcements" section on the homepage
3. Locate Notice No. 103/2026 dated 24.07.2026 titled "AIIMS Nursing Officer Syllabus 2026 for NORCET-11"
4. Click on the syllabus PDF download link provided in the notice
5. The PDF will open in a new tab — save or print it for future reference
6. Regularly check the official website for any corrigendum, annexures, or updated syllabus documents released closer to the examination date

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the AIIMS Nursing Officer syllabus 2026 for NORCET-11?
As per the official NORCET-11 notification (Notice No. 103/2026), the syllabus is based on the education qualification and experience mentioned in the Eligibility section — i.e., the Nursing courses taught at the essential qualification level (B.Sc Nursing / Post-Basic B.Sc Nursing / GNM), plus General Knowledge & Aptitude for Stage I only. AIIMS has not released a separate topic-wise syllabus PDF listing individual chapters or units for NORCET-11.

Q2. What is the exam pattern for AIIMS Nursing Officer NORCET-11?
NORCET-11 has two stages. Stage I (Preliminary) has 100 MCQs for 100 marks in 90 minutes (20 General Knowledge & Aptitude + 80 Nursing) and is qualifying only. Stage II (Main) has 160 MCQs for 160 marks in 180 minutes, covering the entire nursing syllabus with case-scenario-based questions, and decides the final merit. Both stages follow a sectional timed format with 1/3 negative marking.

Q3. How many questions are asked in the AIIMS Nursing Officer exam?
Stage I (Preliminary) has 100 questions and Stage II (Main) has 160 questions, as per the official notification. Stage I comprises 5 sections of 20 questions each (18 minutes per section), while Stage II comprises 4 sections of 40 questions each (45 minutes per section).

Q4. What are the qualifying marks for NORCET-11?
In Stage I, qualifying marks are category-wise percentiles: 50 percentile for UR/EWS, 45 percentile for OBC, and 40 percentile for SC/ST (with 5 percentile relaxation for PWBD candidates in each category). In Stage II, qualifying marks are category-wise percentages: 50% for UR/EWS, 45% for OBC, and 40% for SC/ST (with similar 5% PWBD relaxation). Stage I marks are not counted for final merit.

Q5. Where can I download the AIIMS Nursing Officer syllabus PDF?
The official NORCET-11 notification (Notice No. 103/2026 dated 24.07.2026) does not include a separate downloadable syllabus PDF with topic-wise chapters. Candidates should check the "Important Links" section below and the official AIIMS Examination website (aiimsexams.ac.in) for any updates, annexures, or corrigenda that may be released subsequently.

Important Links