AIIMS has placed NORCET 12 Stage I on 10 April 2027 and Stage II on 30 April 2027 in its exam calendar. If you start in the last week of October, you have 24 weeks. That is enough time to finish every subject, practise properly and still revise without panic.
This NORCET 12 study plan breaks those 24 weeks into three phases, with one clear target for every week. It works for full-time aspirants and for nurses who are already on duty.
Table of Contents
NORCET 12 exam dates
| Event | Date (as per AIIMS calendar) |
|---|---|
| Notification | Expected around February–March 2027 |
| Stage I (Prelims) CBT | 10 April 2027 |
| Stage I result | 21 April 2027 |
| Stage II (Mains) CBT | 30 April 2027 |
| Stage II result | 11 May 2027 |
Dates can change. Check aiimsexams.ac.in regularly, and apply as soon as the notification is out.
NORCET exam pattern
This is the pattern used in NORCET 11. Expect NORCET 12 to follow it unless the new notification says otherwise.
| Stage | Questions | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I (Prelims) | 100 | 90 minutes | 80 nursing + 20 general knowledge and aptitude |
| Stage II (Mains) | 160 | 180 minutes | Nursing only |
Each correct answer earns 1 mark and each wrong answer loses one-third of a mark. Stage I is a qualifying round; the final merit list depends on Stage II.
How the NORCET 12 study plan works
- Build (10 weeks): read every subject once, make short notes and solve topic-wise MCQs.
- Practise (8 weeks): second reading, previous year questions and sectional tests.
- Test (6 weeks): full mock tests, error analysis and revision only.
Medical Surgical Nursing gets four weeks because it carries the most questions in nursing officer exams. Smaller subjects share a week.
Phase 1: Build (Weeks 1–10)
| Week | Dates | Subject focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Oct – 1 Nov | Anatomy and Physiology |
| 2 | 2 – 8 Nov | Fundamentals of Nursing (part 1) |
| 3 | 9 – 15 Nov | Fundamentals of Nursing (part 2) and First Aid |
| 4 | 16 – 22 Nov | Medical Surgical: cardiovascular and respiratory |
| 5 | 23 – 29 Nov | Medical Surgical: gastrointestinal and renal |
| 6 | 30 Nov – 6 Dec | Medical Surgical: neuro, endocrine and musculoskeletal |
| 7 | 7 – 13 Dec | Medical Surgical: oncology, ENT, eye, skin, burns and critical care |
| 8 | 14 – 20 Dec | Obstetrics and Midwifery |
| 9 | 21 – 27 Dec | Child Health Nursing |
| 10 | 28 Dec – 3 Jan | Mental Health Nursing |
Target for this phase: 30–40 topic-wise MCQs every day, and one page of short notes per chapter.
Phase 2: Practise (Weeks 11–18)
| Week | Dates | Subject focus |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 4 – 10 Jan | Community Health Nursing: epidemiology and health system |
| 12 | 11 – 17 Jan | Community Health Nursing: national health programmes; Nutrition |
| 13 | 18 – 24 Jan | Pharmacology |
| 14 | 25 – 31 Jan | Microbiology, Biochemistry and Pathology |
| 15 | 1 – 7 Feb | Nursing Management, Education, Research and Statistics |
| 16 | 8 – 14 Feb | General knowledge and aptitude; revise Medical Surgical |
| 17 | 15 – 21 Feb | Second reading: Fundamentals and Obstetrics, with previous year questions |
| 18 | 22 – 28 Feb | Second reading: Child Health, Mental Health and Community Health |
Target for this phase: 50 MCQs a day plus one sectional test every Sunday. Apply for NORCET 12 as soon as the notification appears.
Phase 3: Test (Weeks 19–24)
| Week | Dates | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 – 7 Mar | Second reading: Pharmacology and Medical Surgical; 2 full Prelims mocks |
| 20 | 8 – 14 Mar | 3 full mocks; build your error notebook |
| 21 | 15 – 21 Mar | 3 full mocks; fix the weakest two subjects |
| 22 | 22 – 28 Mar | 3 full mocks; current affairs for the GK section |
| 23 | 29 Mar – 4 Apr | 2 Prelims mocks + 1 Mains-length mock (160 questions) |
| 24 | 5 – 9 Apr | Light revision from short notes and the error notebook; rest on 9 April |
Rule for Phase 3: no new chapters. Every mock is followed by an equal amount of time reviewing it. The review is where your score improves.
Stage II bridge plan (10–30 April)
Do not wait for the Stage I result before starting Mains preparation. The gap is only 20 days.
- 10–16 April: one 160-question mock every other day; revise Medical Surgical and Fundamentals.
- 17–24 April: mocks on alternate days; revise Obstetrics, Child Health, Mental Health and Community Health.
- 25–29 April: error notebook and short notes only. Sleep well before 30 April.
Mains has no GK section, so give all your time to nursing subjects. Practise sitting for three hours straight; stamina matters.
Daily routine for the NORCET 12 study plan
If you are a working nurse (2–3 hours a day)
- 45–60 minutes of reading before or after duty
- 30–40 MCQs in one sitting, with answers checked the same day
- 15 minutes of short-note revision before sleep
- Use off days for sectional tests and mocks
If you are preparing full time (6–7 hours a day)
- Morning: two reading blocks of 90 minutes each
- Afternoon: 50 MCQs and their review
- Evening: a sectional test or previous year questions
- Night: 20 minutes on short notes and the error notebook
Keep one full day a week lighter. A NORCET 12 study plan that you can sustain for 24 weeks beats an intense plan you drop after three.
Negative marking: when to guess
With four options and a one-third penalty, a completely blind guess has an average value of zero. You gain nothing over time by guessing randomly.
If you can rule out even one option, the odds turn in your favour. So the rule is simple: attempt when you can eliminate at least one option; skip when you have no idea.
Habits that make the plan work
- One source per subject. Switching books wastes time.
- Error notebook. Write every wrong MCQ with the correct reason. Revise it weekly.
- Previous year questions. They show what AIIMS likes to ask.
- Weekly check. Every Sunday, compare your week against the plan and adjust the next week.
- Sleep and meals. Seven hours of sleep improves recall more than late-night study.
Notes and resources
Use these Health Educational Media notes during Phase 1 and Phase 2:
- Vital Signs: unit index (Week 2–3)
- Infection Control in the Clinical Setting (Week 3)
- Maternal and Child Health care guide (Weeks 8–9)
- Introduction to Epidemiology and Health System in India (Week 11)
- Immunization and cold chain (Week 12)
For Community Health Nursing, browse the CHN-I study resources in our marketplace. If you sat NORCET 11, see our NORCET 11 choice filling guide. Also preparing for other exams? Read the PGIMER Nursing Officer exam plan.
Frequently asked questions
When is the NORCET 12 exam?
As per the AIIMS exam calendar, NORCET 12 Stage I is on 10 April 2027 and Stage II is on 30 April 2027. Confirm on aiimsexams.ac.in.
Is 6 months enough for NORCET 12 preparation?
Yes. Six months is enough to cover every subject once, do a second reading and take 15 or more full mock tests, if you study daily and follow a plan.
Can working nurses follow this NORCET 12 study plan?
Yes. With 2–3 hours a day and mocks on off days, the same weekly targets work. Expect some weeks to stretch by a day or two.
Which subject should I start with?
Start with Anatomy and Physiology for one week, then Fundamentals, then Medical Surgical Nursing, which carries the most questions.
Is there negative marking in NORCET?
Yes. In NORCET 11, each wrong answer lost one-third of a mark in both stages. Check the NORCET 12 notification for any change.
Print the three phase tables, stick them near your study place and tick off each week. Steady weeks add up. We wish you success in NORCET 12.
Official source: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Exam dates are from the AIIMS examination calendar as reported in October 2026; the pattern is from NORCET 11. Always follow the official NORCET 12 notification.
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