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ICMR Nursing JRF syllabus 2026 — complete topic list
The ICMR Junior Research Fellowship — Nursing Stream (ICMR Nursing JRF) is a national-level eligibility-cum-entrance exam conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. It is designed for M.Sc. Nursing graduates who aspire to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing under ICMR fellowship support. The exam syllabus is comprehensive, covering core nursing subjects, research methodology, biostatistics, and recent advances in nursing practice. Below is the complete topic list for the 2026 exam.
Exam structure at a glance
- Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
- Duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Total questions: 100
- Marking: +1 for each correct answer, -0.25 for each incorrect answer, 0 for unattempted
- Maximum marks: 100
The syllabus is divided into three major sections: Nursing Foundation & Medical-Surgical Nursing, Community Health Nursing & Maternal-Child Health, and Research Methodology & Biostatistics. Each section carries a specific weightage, which is detailed below.
Section-wise breakdown with weightage
Based on the official ICMR Nursing JRF exam pattern and previous years' analysis, the approximate weightage for each section is as follows:
| Section | Approximate Weightage | Number of Questions (approx.) | |---------|-----------------------|-------------------------------| | Nursing Foundation & Medical-Surgical Nursing | 30% | 30 | | Community Health Nursing & Maternal-Child Health | 25% | 25 | | Research Methodology & Biostatistics | 25% | 25 | | Recent Advances & Current Trends in Nursing | 10% | 10 | | General Aptitude & Logical Reasoning | 10% | 10 |
Note: The exact weightage may vary slightly each year. Candidates should refer to the official ICMR notification for the most accurate distribution.
Subject-wise topics in detail
1. Nursing Foundation & Medical-Surgical Nursing (30%)
- Nursing theories and models – Florence Nightingale, Virginia Henderson, Dorothea Orem, Sister Callista Roy, etc.
- Nursing process – Assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation
- Infection control – Standard precautions, hand hygiene, isolation techniques
- Pharmacology – Drug calculations, routes of administration, adverse drug reactions
- Medical-Surgical Nursing – Common medical conditions (cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine, neurological, musculoskeletal)
- Perioperative nursing – Pre-operative, intra-operative, post-operative care
- Critical care nursing – ICU management, mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring
- Oncology nursing – Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, palliative care
- Geriatric nursing – Age-related changes, common geriatric syndromes
2. Community Health Nursing & Maternal-Child Health (25%)
- Epidemiology – Principles, disease transmission, outbreak investigation
- National health programmes – Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), National Health Mission (NHM), National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), etc.
- Family welfare – Contraceptive methods, family planning counselling
- Maternal health – Antenatal, intranatal, postnatal care; high-risk pregnancy
- Child health – Growth and development, immunization schedule (Universal Immunization Programme), common childhood illnesses
- School health services – Screening, health education
- Environmental health – Water, sanitation, waste management
3. Research Methodology & Biostatistics (25%)
- Research design – Qualitative vs quantitative, experimental, quasi-experimental, descriptive, correlational
- Sampling techniques – Probability (simple random, stratified, cluster) and non-probability (convenience, purposive, snowball)
- Data collection tools – Questionnaires, interviews, observation, scales
- Ethical considerations – Informed consent, confidentiality, IRB approval
- Biostatistics – Measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), measures of dispersion (range, standard deviation, variance)
- Hypothesis testing – Null and alternative hypothesis, Type I and Type II errors, p-value
- Parametric and non-parametric tests – t-test, chi-square, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test
- Correlation and regression – Pearson’s r, Spearman’s rho, linear regression
- Data presentation – Tables, graphs, charts
4. Recent Advances & Current Trends in Nursing (10%)
- Evidence-based practice – Steps, barriers, implementation
- Nursing informatics – Electronic health records, telemedicine, mobile health
- Disaster nursing – Triage, mass casualty management
- Nursing education – Curriculum development, simulation-based learning
- Policy and administration – Nursing leadership, quality improvement, patient safety
5. General Aptitude & Logical Reasoning (10%)
- Verbal reasoning – Analogies, synonyms, antonyms, reading comprehension
- Numerical ability – Percentages, ratios, averages, data interpretation
- Logical reasoning – Syllogisms, blood relations, direction sense, puzzles
Recent syllabus changes for 2026
As of the latest available information, the ICMR has not announced any major syllabus overhaul for the 2026 exam. However, based on trends from the past three years, the following areas have seen increased emphasis:
- Nursing informatics and digital health – Reflecting the growing role of technology in healthcare.
- COVID-19 and pandemic management – Including infection prevention, vaccine logistics, and mental health support.
- Research ethics and plagiarism – More questions on ethical dilemmas and responsible conduct of research.
Candidates are advised to check the official ICMR website (https://www.icmr.gov.in/) for any updates closer to the exam date.
Topics ranked by frequency in past papers
Based on analysis of previous ICMR Nursing JRF question papers (2019–2024), the following topics have appeared most frequently:
| Rank | Topic | Frequency (approx.) | |------|-------|---------------------| | 1 | Nursing process & theories | Very High | | 2 | National health programmes | Very High | | 3 | Biostatistics – hypothesis testing | High | | 4 | Medical-surgical nursing – cardiovascular system | High | | 5 | Research designs | High | | 6 | Maternal and child health – immunization | Moderate | | 7 | Pharmacology – drug calculations | Moderate | | 8 | Infection control | Moderate | | 9 | Evidence-based practice | Low | | 10 | Disaster nursing | Low |
Note: This ranking is indicative and based on available past papers. Focus on high-frequency topics but do not ignore low-frequency ones as they can appear in any exam.
Official syllabus PDF download
The official ICMR Nursing JRF syllabus is typically released as part of the information bulletin along with the exam notification. To download the official syllabus PDF:
- 1Visit the ICMR official website: https://www.icmr.gov.in/
- 2Navigate to the 'Careers' or 'Recruitment' section.
- 3Look for the 'ICMR JRF Nursing Stream' notification.
- 4Click on the link titled 'Syllabus' or 'Detailed Syllabus' (usually a PDF).
If the direct link is not available, candidates can also check the official ICMR JRF portal or the website of the coordinating institute (e.g., ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology).
How to use this syllabus for preparation
- Create a study plan – Allocate time based on weightage. For example, spend 30% of your study time on Nursing Foundation & Medical-Surgical Nursing.
- Practice with mock tests – Use mock tests on PractiseExam.com to simulate the real exam environment and identify weak areas.
- Revise high-frequency topics – Focus on nursing process, national health programmes, and biostatistics.
- Solve previous year papers – This will help you understand the question pattern and difficulty level.
Recommended resources
- Standard textbooks: 'Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing' by Brunner & Suddarth, 'Community Health Nursing' by K. Park, 'Biostatistics' by B. K. Mahajan.
- Online resources: ICMR official website, PractiseExam.com for mock tests and study material.
- Study groups: Join online forums or WhatsApp groups for ICMR Nursing JRF aspirants.
Internal links for further reading
Final tips
- Start early – The syllabus is vast, so begin preparation at least 4-6 months before the exam.
- Take regular breaks – Avoid burnout by following a balanced study schedule.
- Stay updated – Follow ICMR announcements for any changes in syllabus or exam dates.
Good luck with your ICMR Nursing JRF 2026 preparation!