One of India’s most prestigious and competitive nursing recruitment exams, the AIIMS NORCET 10 (Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test – 10) is around the corner, and the aspirations of every nursing student aiming to crack it are high. Conducted twice every year by the esteemed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, this exam is a gateway to the recruitment for the Nursing Officer posts at Pay level 7 across various AIIMS institutes in India.

NORCET 10 Exam Schedule and Key Dates

The notification for AIIMS NORCET 2026 was released a couple of days back on the official website www.aiimsexams.ac.in via notice number 17/2026. Here is an overview of the key dates and other details that one must be aware of before applying for NORCET 10.

Eligibility Criteria for NORCET 10

The official notification has announced a total of 2551 vacancies for Group B nursing officers across different AIIMS institutes of India, including 282 vacancies in AIIMS, New Delhi alone. However, in order for a student to be eligible to appear in this prestigious competitive nursing recruitment exam, the criteria are strict.

A.    Qualification Required

The candidate must possess either of the following two qualifications in the field of nursing.

1.     BSc (Hons) Nursing or BSc Nursing from an institute or university recognized by Indian Nursing Council/State Nursing Council

2.     BSc (Post-Certificate) or Post-Basic BSc Nursing from Indian Nursing Council/State Nursing Council

Note: The candidate must be registered as Nurses and Midwives with the state/Indian Nursing Council.

The opportunity to appear in the Nursing Officer Recruitment Common Eligibility Test 10 is also open to Diploma holders. The candidate must possess a Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery and must be registered as a nurse/midwife with the State/Indian Nursing Council. Additionally, the candidate must have a minimum 2 years of experience working in a 50-bedded hospital after acquiring the diploma.

B.     Age Limits

The candidate appearing in the NORCET 10 must be 18 years (minimum) and 30 years (maximum) in 2026. However, age relaxation in the upper age limit for candidates of certain categories has been provided. Candidates can check the age relaxation criteria on the official website www.aiimsexams.ac.in.

AIIMS NORCET 10 Exam Pattern

Like every year, this year too, the AIIMS NORCET 2026 will be conducted in two distinct stages:

Stage 1: AIIMS NORCET 2026 Preliminary Exam

Duration: 90 Minutes

Total Questions: 100 MCQs including general knowledge and nursing-specific questions

Stage 2: AIIMS NORCET 10 Mains Exam

Duration: 180 minutes

Total Questions: 160 MCQs including Case Scenario-based Competency questions

The candidates who successfully crack the preliminary NORCET 10 will be eligible to appear in the NORCET 10 mains exam.

Key Subjects to Conquer while Preparing for NORCET 10

Approximately 70% of the total study time must be allotted to the major subjects. These subjects form a major part of the preliminary NORCET exam and help you boost your scores. The core nursing subjects include

a.     Pediatric Nursing

General concepts such as growth and development of children, newborn care, common childhood illnesses, behavioral and social issues and along with these, pediatric pharmacology are a few noteworthy topics to pay attention to. Books like ‘Textbook of Pediatric Nursing for BSc Nursing Students’ authored by Panchali Pal offer deep insights into the aforementioned topics.

b.     Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Another high-yield subject, Obstetrics and Gynaecology is extremely scoring, particularly when the questions surround topics like antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care; gynaecological and obstetrical procedures and the management of contraception, high-risk pregnancy and infertility.

Recently, CBS Publishers and Distributors released the 2^nd, thoroughly revised and updated edition of ‘Textbook of Midwifery/Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing’ authored by Sandeep Kaur and featuring 500+ subjective and objective questions which shall help the candidate in mastering this subject. Additionally, from the pen of the same author comes the third edition of ‘Textbook of Midwifery and Gynecological Nursing for GNM Nursing Students’ featuring 17 basic midwifery procedures and 500+ enlarged illustrations and real-time photographs for conceptual understanding.

c.      Community Health Nursing

One of the core subjects for NORCET 10 is community health nursing and the best technique to score well in this subject is to be abreast with the latest National Health Programmes, Epidemiology, Family Welfare Programmes, and Vital Statistics all of which find ample coverage in textbooks intended to deliver authentic literature on community health nursing such as ‘Comprehensive ‘Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students’ by Shyamala D Manivannan and ‘Textbook of Community Health Nursing for GNM Students’ – a detailed two volume set authored by Lt. Col. KK Gill.

d.     Mental Health Nursing

A growing concern among the nursing fraternity these days is the progressively declining mental health status of the patients that the nurses have to cater to. This makes topics like DSM and ICD classification of Mental Disorders, Management of Psychiatric emergencies and Psychopharmacology extremely important for NORCET exams. A few must-reads in this segment are ‘Textbook Of Mental Health Psychiatric Nursing For BSc Students’ by P. Prakash and ‘Essentials of Mental Health Nursing’ by Dr Deepika Khakha.

e.     Medical Surgical Nursing

One of the key subjects to master while preparing for NORCET 10 is medical surgical nursing. Considering the relevance of this subject, this year at the New Delhi world Book Fair, CBS Publishers and Distributors held a Meet and Greet event with the esteemed authors of their latest release ‘Textbook of Adult Health Nursing’. Glad to host the author, Dr Jaideep Herbert for this event, CBS Publishers and Distributors witnessed an overwhelming response from the students of several nursing colleges who gathered at the stall to meet the author and received copies of the book personally signed by Dr Herbert. The book details the protocols of nursing management for all major diseases alongside Evidence-based practice alerts interspersed throughout the text.

Besides these, a thorough understanding of the following subjects is extremely important:

·        Anatomy

·        Physiology

·        Microbiology

·        Sociology

·        Psychology

·        Pharmacology

·        Nutrition

·        Nursing research and statistics

·        Nursing administration and management

Conclusion

NORCET 10, scheduled for April 11, 2026, shall be a stepping stone for all the nursing students who aspire to become nursing officers at the prestigious AIIMS institute. CBS Publishers and Distributors wishes all the students good luck. 

Recently, Team CBSPD hosted the CBS Author Talks ‘Live’ with Dr S. Muthuventakatachalam, Author ‘Target High’, the much-revered book for NORCET preparation. NORCET aspirants from around the country watched him disclose the most effective tips to crack the exam the CBS platform. The recording of the webinar is available free of cost to all, on the ecbspd app. You can watch it too.

Dr Muthuvenkatachalam was glad to deliver a loving, all-the-best message to all the students who are looking forward to appearing in the NORCET 10 on April 11, 2026.