AIIMS NORCET

200 QUESTIONS – 180 MINUTES – AN YEAR’S WORTH OF PREPARATION AND CHANCE

OF BEING SELECTED?
Nursing Officer recruitment Common Eligibility Test (NORCET) – the fancier the name sounds, the
more challenging the competition. I don’t say this to scare you, readers. But NORCET is like a grand
finale of a reality show that you wait for throughout the year! It the time for your year-long
preparations to culminate into a successful attempt and bear the fruit of a job in a central government
hospital.
NORCET was first introduced in 2020 by AIIMS and helped in filling the nursing officers vacancy at
AIIMS and any other central government hospital that announces to fill their vacancies using this
exam. Based on the previous statistical data, around 1 lakh nursing students appear every year for this
nursing officer recruitment examination. For the past three NORCETs, approximately 4000 vacancies
were announced each year. With that, the probability of getting a job is almost 0.04. That means, out
of every 100 candidates appearing for the exam, only four will make it to the final list.

Below there’s a table of percentile cut-offs of qualified candidates for 2021 and 2022:

If you observe the trend, the cut-off has somewhat decreased for all the categories of candidates, but
the fact remains – Simply qualifying for the exam is not enough. You need to be at the top to bag a
job! And then you question to what rank candidates get a job. So in the tables below, I have
summarised the last ranks (year and category-wise) till which the candidate got the job in the first
round of counselling:
If we look into the non-PwBD category and compare 2020 and 2022 outcomes, we will see
that the cut-off rank has gone high in most categories, signifying increasing competition.
Theabove cut-off ranks are only for the AIIMS institutes; the competition for central
government hospitals like LHMC & SSKH, KSCH, Dr. RML Hospital, and Safdarjung hospital
is even higher.
These are the facts and figures of the most awaited nursing recruitment exam. After going
through the above tables, a few of you might have thought it’s time to gear up and double
our preparation. On the other hand, the majority of you might have started having second
thoughts about your career choice. To the latter group, I want to say, PEACE OUT,
PEOPLE! No field is devoid of competition. No matter your career choice, you would have
faced the same cutthroat competition everywhere. So what can be done now?
Let’s understand the characteristics of the candidates attempting the NORCET!
1. Females have the upper hand here: yeah yeah…..80:20 rule! Can you do something
about it? Nada. It’s a factor that can’t be controlled (as of now). But for the male candidates,
I would like to say that since you can’t handle this factor, it would be better to focus on the
preparation part.
2. The “reappearing” gang: a section of the candidate appearing in the exam already have a
job but are applying again either only for the sense of competition or to get a center in or
near their home state. So a majority of this section ends up leaving the seat after the result
because they didn’t get what they needed, and the minority section ends up accepting the
seat creating a vacancy for the next NORCET.
3. The educational difference: As you all know, the NORCET can be given by B.Sc.
graduates (without any clinical experience) and GNM diploma holders after two years of
experience in a 50 bedded hospital. The following point is not to undermine the GNM
candidates but to give them a reality check! B.Sc. graduates have more theoretical
knowledge than GNM candidates since their syllabus is more extensive. And since NORCET
tests more of your knowledge, GNM candidates need to level up their preparation game
more when compared to the B.Sc. Nursing graduates.
4. The freshers and oldies: the fresh pass-outs have more chance of qualifying for the
exams when compared to the experience holders. I still remember that during the induction
program of 20 Nursing officers, 18 passed their eligibility degree in that year or a year
before. So, my advice to the old pass outs is that you can still make it. Just keep yourself
updated with current knowledge. All you need is consistent effort!

PGIMER CHANDIGARH NURSING RECRUITMENT EXAM

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh is an autonomous
body under the Act of Parliament in 1967, functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, government of India. The institute aims to provide high-quality patient care, attain self-
sufficiency in postgraduate medical education and undertake basic community-based research.
Last year in November 2022, PGIMER Chandigarh opened the registration for the recruitment exam
for Group-B Nursing officers for PGI Satellite Centre, Sangrur, Punjab. The total vacancies were 195
(UR-81, SC-29, ST-14, OBC-52, EWS-19). The official site for registration and official information
is www.pgimer.edu.in.
The pay scale (per the 7th CPC pay matrix) is Level-7 (Rs.44900-142400/-). The age limit of the
candidates is 18-35 years. The candidates need to have the following educational qualification to
be eligible to appear in the exam:
(A)
(I) B.Sc. (Hons) in Nursing from a recognized University or Institute; OR Regular course
in B.Sc. Nursing from a recognized University or Institute. OR Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing from a
recognized University or Institute.
(II) Registered as a Nurse or Nurse and mid-wife (RN or RN & RM) with State Nursing
Council;
OR
(B)
(I) General Nursing and Midwifery Diploma from a recognized Board or Council.
(II) Registered as a Nurse or Nurse and midwife from State Nursing Council.
(III) One year experience after acquiring the educational qualifications mentioned at B (I)
above.
GNM candidates need to have a minimum of one year of clinical experience to be eligible for this
exam. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are exempted from payment of fees. SC/ST
category candidates need to pay Rs. 800/- plus transaction Charges as applicable. For all others,
including General/OBC/EWS, the application fee is Rs.1500/- plus transaction charges as applicable.
The examination is an online Computer based test (CBT) consisting of 100 MCQs in the English
language. The time duration is 100 minutes, and the maximum marks are 100. Each question carries
one (01) mark. There is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer. The minimum
qualifying/eligibility criteria for CBT will be 40% marks for the General/EWS category and 35% for
SC/ST/OBC categories, respectively. For Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, the minimum
qualifying criteria shall be as that prescribed for his/her caste category (General/SC/ST/OBC). In the
case of reserved category candidates applying for unreserved (UR) posts, the minimum qualifying
criteria shall be 40% for all categories.
The syllabus of the online computer-based test will be in accordance with the prescribed
educational qualification/ professional course and experience as mentioned in the
recruitment rules for the advertised post. It may include questions on such topics as he/she
has studied/practiced during the prescribed educational qualification/ professional course.
For a better understanding of the exam pattern and online exam interface, the institute also
provides a mock test on the following PGIMER Mock Test
The number of candidates that will be shortlisted will be three times the number of posts
advertised and ties (plus reserved category candidates securing marks above the cut-off for
the unreserved category). It’s an all-India exam, but the centers of the exam are limited to a
few cities like Ambala, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh/ Mohali,
Dehradun (UK), Delhi/ NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Kolkata,
Nagpur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Varanasi.
Also, the candidate must be in good mental and physical health and free from any physical defect
likely to interfere with the efficient discharge of his / her duties except for benchmark persons with
benchmark disabilities. The candidates are considered for an appointment after a medical
examination.
PGIMER also focuses on research; it also frequently announces research nurse contractual
vacancies with a monthly salary ranging between Rs.18000 – 36158/-

ESIC Nursing Officer Recruitment Exam

The Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is the result of the government’s vision to provide
a social security system to its working class. This department comes under the Ministry of Labour and
Employment (Government of India). Now you must wonder how much the healthcare workforce is
employed under ESIC.
As per the data available on the official site (https://www.esic.gov.in), as on 31st March 2021, ESIC
covered 35 states and union territories. There are around 160 ESI hospitals and 1502 ESI dispensaries.
It caters to the needs of 131607156 beneficiaries. As you can see, that’s a considerable number. So to
provide better services, the ESIC holds exams to recruit nursing officers for the available vacancies.
Let’s read about this exam’s details.
The ESIC Nursing Officer Recruitment Exam exam helps fill vacancies in various ESIC hospitals of
ESI Corporation of the specified state. If sources are to be trusted, the ESIC is planning to announce
1900+ vacancies this year. Along with the usual reservation, horizontal reservations for ex-
servicemen may also be there. The 80% seat reservation for female candidates doesn’t apply in the
ESIC nursing officer recruitment exam.

The candidates must have a Nursing Degree/Diploma with a minimum of 50% marks from a
recognized board or university to be educationally eligible for this exam. The GNM Candidates
should have a minimum of two years of experience in nursing. All applicants must have themselves
registered with the respective State Nursing Council. It’s advised to wait for the official notification to
confirm the eligibility conditions to appear in this exam.
The age limit for this exam is usually 21-35 years. Upper age limit relaxation is available for
government servants, employees of ESI Corporation, and ex-servicemen in addition to those
for the other reserved categories. The date for determining the age limit is usually the closing
date of the online application for all candidates. The exam fee is exempted for
SC/ST/PWD/Departmental candidates, female candidates, and ex-servicemen.
The expected pay is around Rs.44,900-1,42,400. The recruited nurses are entitled to
benefits such as DA, HRA, and other allowances per the ESIC rules. The applying
candidates should understand, though, that they can be posted anywhere in the specified
state and are willing to be transferred to any part of India on promotional posts, as per the
policy of ESIC.
You will have two hours to attempt 125 objective-type questions, which will be written in both
English and Hindi language. A negative marking is there of 0.25 for each wrong answer. The
exam syllabus includes topics from nursing, general awareness, and quantitative aptitude.
One hundred questions will be from the nursing part, and 25 from the rest of the syllabus.
Nursing Subjects:
Midwifery & Gynaecological Nursing
Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy
Fundamental of Nursing
Basic Information of Nursing Subject
Nursing Management
Community Health Nursing
Health Education
Community Pharmacy
Biochemistry
Medical Surgical of Nursing
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Mental health
Anatomy and Physiology
Drug Store Management
Computers in Nursing
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Psychology
Environmental Hygiene
Community Health Nursing
Toxicology
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Environmental Hygiene
General Awareness:
General Sciences
Indian History
Indian Parliament
Indian Rivers, Lakes, and Seas
Indian Sports Latest Update
Indian Tourism
Indian Artists
National and International events
Countries and Capital Famous Authors & Books
Indian Current Affairs
Indian Politics
Indian Famous Place
Civics
Famous Days and Dates
Inventions and Discoveries
Indian Environmental Issues
Latest General knowledge
Quantitative Aptitude:
Square Root and Cube Root
Simplification
Chain Rules
Volume and Surface Area
Height and Distance
Simple Interest
C.F and L.C.M
Stocks and Share
Ration and Proportions
Time and Works
Decimal Function
Races and Games
Allegation and Distance
Time and Distance

Railway Recruitment Board (RRB)

Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) the other largest body invites applications for the post of
Nursing Officers. A good number of vacancies are announced by RRB every year and therefore
it is always a good scope for the aspirants to get a job in railways. Any candidate who has
attained the age of 18 and has completed a 3-year General Nursing and Midwifery course at a
Nursing school and has obtained an RRB Certified Nurse or Midwife Certificate or B.Sc.
(Nursing) degree can apply for the job.

The RRB Nursing Officer exam is an excellent opportunity for all who are interested in applying
for government positions or looking to make a move into the Indian Railways department.

JIPMER Nursing Officer Recruitment Exam

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) traces its origin
to Ecole de Medicine de Pondicherry – an institute established by the French government in 1823.
This institute of national importance, spread over 192 acres and just 5 km away from the coastal line,
is a sight to behold for every individual wanting a career in healthcare.
JIPMER regularly announces Nursing officer vacancies. The pay scale for the nursing officer at
JIPMER is similar to that of all central government hospitals, which is Rs. 44,900/- in level 7 of the
pay matrix of the 7th CPC. Individuals with a B.Sc. or post-basic degree in nursing or GNM diploma
holders with a minimum of 2 years of experience in a 50 bedded hospital are eligible to appear for this
exam. The maximum age limit for a candidate is 35 years.
The CBT consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, with a maximum time to attempt of 90 minutes.
70% of these questions are related to the subject concerned, and 30% are related to general areas like
general knowledge, general intelligence, general English, and general mathematics. An overall
judgment of your nursing knowledge and basic IQ! Now that’s something holistic!! You are called for
the skill te only after you get a good rank in CBTst.
The following table mentions the minimum qualification marks for CBT and skill test:

Most candidates appearing in JIPMER Nursing Officer recruitment exam have found it difficult
comparing to the AIIMS NORCET exam. The candidates found the level of the question to be more
advanced and updated. Adding to the difficulty level was the extra weightage given to the general
areas. For a better understanding of the exam, the JIPMER provides an online mock test for the
candidates that can be accessed through their site http:://www.jipmer.edu.in.
Now let’s have a look at the topper in each category, the number of questions they attempted, and the
percentile:

I want you to carefully assess the data related to Rank holders 1 and 2. Rank holder 1 attempted fewer
questions compared to the rank holder 2. Because it’s not about the number of attempts, it’s about the
number of correct and incorrect responses in toto. And this simple difference created a gap of 36
marks. You must observe how many questions you must attempt in the exam to get a good rank. Your
highest target should be trying 90 out of 100 questions with an accuracy of 85%. No……..don’t panic!
Don’t panic…..take a deep breath. I mentioned the highest expectation, the lowest you can determine
Skill test is done in the form of OSCE. There are around 10-12 stations in an OSCE. The
skill test, as I previously mentioned, is of qualifying nature. You need to score more than
50%. It is held at the College of Nursing, JIPMER, Puducherry. A total of 1213 candidates
were shortlisted for the skill test in the last exam, and around 250 candidates were called
daily for the same. On the day of the skill test, biometric and certificate verification is also
done. If someone fails to carry the required documents, they are disqualified. Let’s have a
look at the cut-off ranks of the candidates that were called for the skill test:
In this blog post, I analyzed the result of their latest exam. It was organized to fill 433
vacancies (UR-175, EWS-43, OBC-116, SC-66, ST-33, horizontal reservation for PWBD-
23). As per JIPMER governing body, 80% of these vacancies were reserved for female
candidates. A total of 15953 candidates appeared for the same, so the probability of getting
success is about 3 in 100. The competition is less than NORCET, but the probability game
still does not favor an average

candidate. So, to help you transform from an average to an excellent candidate, you can
subscribe to Nursing Next Live’s Plan B(Test Series Pack) or JIPMER Crash Course
(coming soon).

It’s also essential for you to notice that JIPMER also regularly announces various Research
nurse vacancies on a contractual basis with a consolidated pay ranging from 15-20
thousand. Though these vacancies are for just 1-2 research nurses at a time, the frequency
of announcements is also less. But applying is not harmful if you are falling short of options.

If good pay and a prime institute have always been your priority, you should try your luck in
the JIPMER exam. For those seriously preparing for AIIMS Norcet, it won’t be tough.
Whether or not to attempt this paper is up to you. The exam centers for this exam are
limited. Most of them are in central or south India. North Indians might find it quite difficult to
adjust due to different food availability, and, of course, the language issue can’t be ignored.
But as we all know, these problems are secondary compared to the possibility of getting a
government job.

NIMHANS
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences is a medical institution in
Bangalore, India. NIMHANS is the apex centre for mental health and neuroscience education in
the country. It is an Institute of National Importance that operates autonomously under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Candidates between age 18 to 32 years & BSc Nursing from any recognized university or board
can apply for the position of Nursing Officer in NIMHANS. Relaxation in the age & reservation
as per the government norms.

Aspirants who possess BSc Nursing must utilize the chance of NIMHANS Nursing Officer.
Community Health Officer (CHO)
Country like India with a large population having diversified culture, tradition, and religion.
Here the people have different beliefs and practices. In this scenario, reaching out with health
services at semi-urban & rural areas plays a vital role in strengthening the health of the peoples
as a resource.

Here the roles of Community Health Nurses come as to critically analyze and reflect the needs
of patients in a particular community.

Career in Community Health is the fastest recruiting sector Health Care Division, and it gained
momentum after the pandemic. Every year a huge number of vacancies have been announced by
the different states therefore opting Community Health Nursing as a career is a wonderful
opportunity.

KERALA PSC/DHS
Kerala Public Service Commission announces vacancy every year for the post of Nursing
Officers in various districts all over Kerala.

There are two rounds of the selection process, the first is the written round and then the
document verification. The written exam duration is one hour and fifteen minutes. It is
conducted through the offline mode, through OMR sheets.