PGIMER Chandigarh Nursing Officer 2026 — Exam Pattern & Syllabus

SECTION A: EXAM PATTERN (As per Official Notice)

A.1 Basic Structure

Parameter	Detail
Exam Name	Computer Based Test (CBT)
Mode	Online
Medium/Language	English only
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (Objective)
Total Questions	100
Total Marks	100 (1 mark per question)
Total Duration	100 minutes (1 minute 40 seconds/60 sec average per question)
Negative Marking	0.25 marks deducted per wrong answer
Unattempted Questions	No negative marking (only wrong answers are penalized)
Interview	None — Group ‘B’ posts have interview dispensed with
Mode of Selection	Merit list based purely on CBT score

A.2 Qualifying (Cut-off) Marks — Category-wise

Category	Minimum Qualifying %	Marks (out of 100)
General / EWS	40%	40 marks
SC / ST / OBC	35%	35 marks
PwBD	As per parent category (Gen/SC/ST/OBC)	35–40 marks
Reserved candidate applying for UR post	40%	40 marks

Qualifying the CBT does not guarantee selection — it only makes a candidate eligible for the next stage (shortlisting for document verification).

A.3 Shortlisting Ratio

Formula: 3 × Number of posts advertised for a category (+ any tied candidates at the cut-off boundary)

Example: If 66 OBC posts are advertised, roughly 3 × 66 = 198 OBC candidates (plus ties) will be shortlisted for document verification — NOT all 66 will simply be picked; a wider pool is called first.

A.4 Marking Scheme — Quick Reference

Answer Type	Marks Awarded
Correct Answer	+1
Wrong Answer	−0.25
Not Attempted	0

Net Score Formula: (Correct Answers × 1) − (Wrong Answers × 0.25)

Tip for candidates: Since there’s negative marking, guessing without any subject knowledge can lower the score. Only attempt when reasonably confident, or when at least 1-2 options can be eliminated.

A.5 Tie-Breaking Rules (If Aggregate Marks Are Equal)

Applied strictly in this sequence:

1. Fewer wrong answers/negative marks → ranked higher
2. Earlier Date of Birth → ranked higher (older candidate wins tie)
3. Higher % in 10+2 (Senior Secondary) → ranked higher
4. Higher % in Matric/10th → ranked higher

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SECTION B: SYLLABUS

B.1 Official Position (Important — Read First)

The official PGIMER notice does NOT provide a fixed, topic-by-topic syllabus.

Practical meaning: The exam is entirely based on the Nursing curriculum taught in B.Sc Nursing / Post Basic B.Sc Nursing / GNM (General Nursing & Midwifery) courses — there is no separate portion for General Knowledge, Reasoning, or English (unless a corrigendum is issued later specifying otherwise). Candidates should watch PGIMER’s website for any addendum before the exam.

B.2 Likely Subject-wise Coverage (Based on Standard Nursing Curriculum)

Since the syllabus is tied to the nursing course itself, the question paper is generally expected to be distributed across core nursing subjects. Below is a detailed subject-wise topic breakdown for preparation purposes:

1. Fundamentals of Nursing

• Nursing process & documentation
• Vital signs monitoring
• Infection control & asepsis
• Personal hygiene & comfort measures
• Positioning, mobility & body mechanics
• Wound care & dressing techniques
• Medication administration (routes, calculations, safety)
• Specimen collection

2. Anatomy & Physiology

• Structure & function of body systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, endocrine, renal, reproductive)
• Homeostasis mechanisms

3. Medical-Surgical Nursing (Adult Health Nursing)

• Nursing management of disorders: cardiovascular, respiratory, GI, renal, endocrine (e.g., diabetes), neurological, musculoskeletal
• Pre- and post-operative nursing care
• Oncology nursing basics
• Emergency & critical care nursing (ICU/CCU concepts, triage)
• Fluid & electrolyte balance

4. Obstetrics & Gynecological Nursing (Midwifery)

• Antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care
• Normal labor & delivery process
• High-risk pregnancy conditions
• Family planning methods
• Gynecological disorders & nursing care

5. Pediatric (Child Health) Nursing

• Growth & development milestones
• Immunization schedule (National Immunization Programme)
• Nutritional disorders in children
• Common pediatric illnesses & nursing management
• Neonatal care

6. Community Health Nursing

• National Health Programmes (e.g., NHM, RCH, TB/Leprosy/Malaria control programs)
• Primary Health Care approach
• Epidemiology basics
• Environmental sanitation & health education
• Maternal & Child Health (MCH) services

7. Psychiatric / Mental Health Nursing

• Common psychiatric disorders (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia)
• Therapeutic communication techniques
• Crisis intervention
• Psychopharmacology basics

8. Nursing Foundation, Management & Ethics

• Nursing theories & models
• Ward/unit management
• Nursing ethics, patient rights, and legal aspects
• Quality assurance & patient safety

9. Nursing Research & Biostatistics

• Basic research process
• Sampling methods
• Data presentation & interpretation

10. Allied Subjects

• Microbiology (relevant to infection control)
• Pharmacology (drug classifications, dosage calculation, side effects)
• Pathology (basic disease processes)
• Nutrition & Dietetics

B.3 Preparation Strategy Recommendation

Focus Area	Suggested Approach
Core Nursing Subjects	Revise B.Sc Nursing/GNM textbooks & class notes thoroughly
Practice Tests	Solve previous PGIMER/AIIMS/ESIC Nursing Officer papers (similar pattern) for question style
Time Management	Practice 100 MCQs in 100 minutes under mock exam conditions
Negative Marking Strategy	Avoid blind guessing; attempt only when reasonably sure
Updates	Regularly check www.pgimer.edu.in for any syllabus corrigendum before the exam