The ESIC Nursing Officer exam pattern and syllabus depend on which body runs the recruitment. Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Nursing Officer posts were filled through a UPSC recruitment test in 2024, while in 2026 ESIC hospital vacancies were offered through AIIMS NORCET. This guide explains both verified patterns, the full subject-wise syllabus, how recent papers have trended and how the selection process works.
In this guide:
- How ESIC recruits Nursing Officers
- ESIC Nursing Officer exam pattern and syllabus at a glance
- UPSC recruitment test pattern (2024)
- NORCET pattern (2026 route)
- Subject-wise syllabus
- Paper trends
- Selection process
- Frequently asked questions
How ESIC recruits Nursing Officers
ESIC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment that runs hospitals and dispensaries across India. Its Nursing Officer post is a Group B post in Level 7 of the pay matrix.
- 2024 cycle: UPSC advertised 1,930 Nursing Officer posts for ESIC in March 2024. The recruitment test was held on 7 July 2024 in pen and paper mode, and UPSC declared the written result on 12 August 2024, followed by document verification.
- 2026 cycle: ESIC New Delhi was listed with 219 Nursing Officer vacancies in the NORCET 10 vacancy table reported in April 2026. Candidates were selected through the AIIMS NORCET two-stage exam.
Because the route can change from one cycle to the next, always read the latest advertisement. Our ESIC Nursing Officer notification 2026 page tracks the current status.
ESIC Nursing Officer exam pattern and syllabus at a glance
| Feature | UPSC recruitment test (2024) | AIIMS NORCET (2026 route) |
|---|---|---|
| Stages | One written recruitment test, then document verification | Stage I (preliminary, qualifying) and Stage II (mains, merit) |
| Mode | Pen and paper | Computer based test |
| Duration | 2 hours | Stage I: 90 minutes; Stage II: 180 minutes |
| Question type | Objective, multiple choice, equal marks | Objective MCQs; Stage II focused on case scenarios |
| Negative marking | One-third of the marks of the question | One-third mark per wrong answer |
| Medium | English | As per the NORCET notice |
| Syllabus | 16 nursing and allied subjects | Nursing subjects, plus GK and aptitude in Stage I |
UPSC recruitment test pattern for ESIC Nursing Officer (2024)
As per the UPSC advertisement of March 2024 for ESIC Nursing Officer posts:
- The recruitment test was of two hours duration.
- All questions were objective type, multiple choice, carrying equal marks.
- The test was in English only.
- One-third of the marks assigned to a question was deducted for every wrong answer.
- Selection was on the basis of the written recruitment test followed by document verification; no interview was part of this process.
The total number of questions and marks should be read from the official notice of the cycle you are appearing for. Do not rely on unofficial pattern charts that quote different figures.
NORCET pattern (when ESIC posts are filled through AIIMS)
When ESIC posts are part of NORCET, you take the same exam as AIIMS aspirants. The figures below are from the NORCET 11 notice (Notice No. 103/2026, dated 24 July 2026).
| Stage | Questions and marks | Duration | Sections | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I (Preliminary, qualifying) | 100 MCQs, 100 marks (20 general knowledge and aptitude, 80 nursing) | 90 minutes | 5 sections of 20 questions, 18 minutes each | 1/3 mark |
| Stage II (Mains, merit) | 160 MCQs, 160 marks, focused on case scenarios | 180 minutes | 4 sections of 40 questions, 45 minutes each | 1/3 mark |
Stage I qualifying percentile in that notice: UR/EWS 50, OBC 45, SC/ST 40, with 5 percentile relaxation for PwBD. Stage II qualifying marks: UR/EWS 50%, OBC 45%, SC/ST 40%, with 5% relaxation for PwBD. Merit is decided only by Stage II. For a detailed explanation, see our NORCET exam pattern and syllabus guide.
Subject-wise syllabus for ESIC Nursing Officer
The 2024 UPSC advertisement listed 16 subjects. The key areas in the right column are what nursing officer papers commonly test within each subject, to help you plan your reading.
| Official subject (UPSC 2024) | Key areas to study |
|---|---|
| Nursing Foundation | Vital signs, asepsis, infection control, drug administration, bed making, care of the dying, documentation |
| Medical Surgical Nursing (including Pathology and Pharmacology) | System-wise disorders, pre and post-operative care, critical care, oncology, burns, drug classes and nursing implications |
| Nursing Education (including e-technology) | Teaching methods, curriculum, evaluation, audio-visual aids, educational technology |
| Paediatric Nursing | Growth and development, milestones, immunisation, neonatal care, childhood illnesses, IMNCI |
| Mental Health Nursing | Psychiatric disorders, therapies, psychopharmacology, defence mechanisms, mental health legislation |
| Nursing Management | Principles of management, staffing, budgeting, supervision, quality assurance |
| Nursing Research and Statistics | Research process, sampling, data collection tools, measures of central tendency, basic statistics |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing | Antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care, complications of pregnancy, newborn care, family planning, gynaecological disorders |
| Community Health Nursing | Epidemiology, national health programmes, health care delivery system, demography, environmental health |
| Anatomy | Body systems, bones, muscles, organs and their relations |
| Physiology | Functions of systems, blood, hormones, normal values |
| Psychology | Learning, motivation, personality, emotions, intelligence |
| Sociology | Family, social institutions, social problems, culture and health |
| Nutrition and Dietetics | Nutrients, deficiency diseases, therapeutic diets, RDA concepts |
| Microbiology | Microorganisms, sterilisation and disinfection, immunity, common infections |
| Biochemistry | Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals |
Our subject notes cover these areas in exam format: fundamentals of nursing notes, medical surgical nursing notes, paediatric nursing notes and psychiatric nursing notes.
How ESIC and related nursing officer papers have trended
Looking at the UPSC syllabus for ESIC and central nursing officer papers from 2021 to 2025 at a qualitative level, a few patterns are clear:
- Clinical subjects dominate. Medical surgical nursing and fundamentals together form the largest block in almost every central nursing officer paper.
- Case-based questions are rising. NORCET Stage II is officially focused on case scenarios, and other recruiters have also moved from one-line recall towards “what is the priority action” questions.
- Minor subjects decide ranks. The UPSC ESIC syllabus explicitly includes nursing education, management, research, psychology, sociology and biochemistry. These are short to prepare and give an edge over aspirants who skip them.
- Community health facts are steady scorers. National programmes, immunisation, epidemiology and health indicators appear regularly.
- Pharmacology appears across subjects. Drug questions show up inside medical surgical, obstetric, paediatric and psychiatric sections.
How to use previous year papers
- Solve the UPSC ESIC 2024 paper and recent NORCET papers under timed conditions.
- Mark which subject each question belongs to and note your accuracy per subject.
- Re-read the topic behind every wrong answer from your notes, not just the answer key.
- Repeat the same paper after four to six weeks to check retention.
Pair this with our ESIC Nursing Officer preparation strategy, which includes a 6-month plan and timetables.
Selection process
| Route | Steps |
|---|---|
| UPSC (2024) | Online application, recruitment test, written result, document verification, final result and allocation by ESIC |
| AIIMS NORCET (2026) | Online registration, Stage I (qualifying), Stage II (merit), result, document verification and posting by the participating institution as per merit and choice |
Eligibility in both routes centres on B.Sc Nursing, Post Basic B.Sc Nursing or GNM with registration as a nurse and midwife. The GNM experience rule differed: the 2024 UPSC notice asked for one year of experience in a hospital of at least 50 beds, while the NORCET 11 notice asked for two years. Always follow the notice of your cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in the ESIC Nursing Officer exam?
Yes. The 2024 UPSC recruitment test deducted one-third of the marks of a question for each wrong answer, and NORCET also deducts one-third mark per wrong answer.
Is there an interview for ESIC Nursing Officer?
No interview was part of the 2024 UPSC process; selection was through the written test and document verification. NORCET also has no interview.
Are GK and reasoning part of the ESIC Nursing Officer syllabus?
The 2024 UPSC syllabus listed only nursing and allied subjects. When ESIC posts are filled through NORCET, the Stage I paper includes 20 questions of general knowledge and aptitude.
Which subject has the highest weightage?
No official subject-wise weightage has been published. In practice, medical surgical nursing and fundamentals of nursing form the biggest share of nursing officer papers.
What is the pay level of an ESIC Nursing Officer?
The post is in Level 7 of the 7th Pay Commission pay matrix, which starts at a basic pay of Rs 44,900, plus applicable allowances.
Prepare with Concept RNA
Cover every subject in the ESIC Nursing Officer syllabus and practise both pen and paper style and NORCET style papers with our nursing officer programme.