The NUST NET syllabus is your FSc Part-1 and Part-2 textbooks, plus an English section on the SAT pattern. What changes between candidates is the paper. NET-Engineering is 50% Mathematics, 30% Physics and 20% English. The other four papers swap the subjects, and the chapter list for each subject is below.
Key facts
- Five NET papers, each with published subject weightings
- Questions come from HSSC Part-1 and Part-2 level studies
- Every question is an MCQ with four options
- English follows the pattern of the SAT
- NUST publishes percentages, not question counts
Source: NUST subjects included in NET with weightings page and UG FAQ, checked October 2026
What NUST says the syllabus is
NUST does not publish a chapter-by-chapter syllabus. Its salient features page says NET "is compiled from text books prescribed for HSSC courses" and advises candidates to consult the relevant textbooks of the various boards. The FAQ adds that the test is based on SSC and HSSC level studies, Part-1 and Part-2.
So there is no secret NET syllabus. If a topic is in your FSc books, it is fair game. The chapter lists further down follow the National Curriculum 2023 textbooks, which is how our practice bank is organised. If your board uses older books, the topics are mostly the same with different chapter numbers.
Weightings for each NET paper
| Paper | Subjects and weightings | For |
|---|---|---|
| NET-Engineering | Mathematics 50%, Physics 30%, English 20% | Engineering and Computing programmes |
| NET-Applied Sciences | Biology 50%, Chemistry 30%, English 20% | Pre-Medical candidates for BS Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Food Science, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Physics |
| NET-Business Studies & Social Sciences | Quantitative Mathematics 50%, English 50% | BBA, Economics, Mass Communication, Psychology, Accounting & Finance, LLB and the other social science degrees |
| NET-Architecture | Design Aptitude 50%, Mathematics 30%, English 20% | B Architecture and B Industrial Design only |
| NET-Natural Sciences | Mathematics 50%, English 50% | BS Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry, for candidates outside the standard streams |
NET is 200 MCQs. If you apply the weightings to 200, NET-Engineering works out to about 100 Mathematics, 60 Physics and 40 English questions. That split is derived, not published. NUST only publishes the percentages. Read which NET paper to take if you are unsure of yours.
Chemistry does not appear in NET-Engineering at all. Pre-Engineering students spend a lot of hours on organic chemistry for boards. None of it is tested on the Engineering paper.
Mathematics chapters
Mathematics is half of NET-Engineering and Natural Sciences, and 30% of NET-Architecture.
| Year | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Part-1 | Complex Numbers, Functions and Graphs, Theory of Quadratic Functions, Matrices and Determinants, Partial Fractions, Sequences and Series, Permutations and Combinations, Mathematical Induction and Binomial Theorem, Division of Polynomials, Trigonometric Identities, Trigonometric Functions and Their Graphs, Limit and Continuity, Differentiation, Vectors in Space |
| Part-2 | Graphical Representation of Functions, Further Differentiation, Integration, Differential Equations, Analytical Geometry, Conic Section, Kinematics, Numerical Method, Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Their Graphs, Solution of Trigonometric Equations, Vector Valued Functions and Their Differentiation |
Calculus runs across both years. Differentiation and integration are where we would start, because nearly every other chapter leans on them.
Physics chapters
Physics is 30% of NET-Engineering.
| Year | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Part-1 | Measurements, Force and Motion, Circular and Rotational Motion, Work, Energy and Power, Solids and Fluid Dynamics, Heat and Thermodynamics, Waves and Vibrations, Physical Optics and Gravitational Waves, Electrostatics and Current Electricity, Electromagnetism, Special Theory of Relativity, Nuclear and Particle Physics |
| Part-2 | Thermal Physics, Simple Harmonic Motion, Physical Optics, Electrostatics, Alternating Current, Quantum Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Medical Physics, Space and Environment |
Practise by chapter from physics practice.
Chemistry chapters
Chemistry is 30% of NET-Applied Sciences.
| Year | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Part-1 | Periodic Table and Periodic Properties, Atomic Structure, Chemical Bonding, Stoichiometry, States and Phases of Matter, Chemical Energetics, Reaction Kinetics, Chemical Equilibrium, Acid-Base Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Hydrocarbons, Nitrogen and Sulfur, Halogens, Atmosphere, Basic Separation Techniques, Lab Safety and Practical Skills |
| Part-2 | Group 2 Elements, Transition Metals, Basics of Organic Chemistry, Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Halogenoalkanes, Hydroxy Compounds, Carbonyl Compounds and Carboxylic Acids, Organic Nitrogen Compounds, Organic Synthesis, Polymers, Biochemistry, Chromatography, Spectroscopy-1, Spectroscopy-2 NMR, Materials and Energy, Medicine, Agriculture and Industry, Water |
Stoichiometry is the chapter to fix first. Mole calculations turn up inside equilibrium, electrochemistry and organic questions too.
Biology chapters
Biology is 50% of NET-Applied Sciences, the single biggest block on that paper.
| Year | Chapters |
|---|---|
| Part-1 | Biodiversity and Classification, Bacteria and Viruses, Cells and Subcellular Organelles, Molecular Biology, Enzymes, Bioenergetics, Structural and Computational Biology, Plant Physiology, Human Digestive System, Human Respiratory System, Human Circulatory System, Human Skeletal and Muscular Systems |
| Part-2 | Thermoregulation and Osmoregulation, Human Urinary System, Human Nervous System, Human Endocrine System, Human Reproductive System, Inheritance, Chromosome and DNA, Biotechnology, Immunity, Biostatistics, Pharmacology, Evolution, Ecology |
Practise by chapter from biology practice.
English and Quantitative Mathematics
English is on every paper, from 20% on Engineering to 50% on Business and Natural Sciences. NUST's FAQ says the English paper follows the SAT pattern. It is not tied to an FSc English textbook. Our English section splits it into three areas: vocabulary, analogies, and grammar and usage.
Quantitative Mathematics is 50% of the Business paper. It covers algebra and factorisation, trigonometry, geometry, matrices, functions, sets and number systems, logs, probability and averages. Practise it at quantitative maths.
Design Aptitude
Design Aptitude is half of NET-Architecture. It is not in any FSc textbook. NUST's weightings page links to Design Aptitude guidelines on the SADA website (sada.nust.edu.pk), and that is the only official source on what the section contains. Read it before you prepare.
How to use the weightings
Spend your hours in proportion to the paper. On NET-Engineering, Mathematics is worth more than Physics and English together. A week spent tidying up a minor Physics chapter is a week not spent on calculus. Our full syllabus page lays out every paper in one place, and the NET paper pattern covers time per question.
FAQ
Is NET syllabus based on FSc Part 1 and Part 2?
Yes. NUST's FAQ says NET is based on SSC and HSSC level studies, Part-1 and Part-2, and that the question bank is built from textbooks.
Is chemistry included in NET Engineering?
No. NET-Engineering is Mathematics 50%, Physics 30% and English 20%. Chemistry is only on NET-Applied Sciences.
How many questions of maths are in NET?
NUST publishes only the weighting: 50% on NET-Engineering. At the 200-MCQ total, that works out to about 100 questions. That figure is derived, not official.
Which board's books does NET follow?
None in particular. NUST tells candidates to consult the relevant HSSC textbooks of the various boards of education.
