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IOE B.E./B.Arch. Entrance Examination — Complete Syllabus Overview
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IOE B.E./B.Arch. Entrance Examination — Complete Syllabus Overview

The Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) and Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) Entrance Examination is one of the most competitive academic assessments in Nepal, conducted by the Entrance Examination Board of the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan University. Every year, thousands of Science stream students who have completed Grade 11 and 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics compete for a limited number of seats across IOE’s constituent campuses — Pulchowk Campus (Lalitpur), Thapathali Campus (Kathmandu), Pashchimanchal Campus (Pokhara), Purwanchal Campus (Dharan), and Chitwan Engineering College — as well as IOE-affiliated colleges across Nepal.

The syllabus for the B.E./B.Arch. entrance examination was revised from 2080 BS onwards. The updated syllabus covers four subjects — Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and English — all based on the NEB Grade 11 and 12 curriculum. This page provides the complete, topic-accurate IOE entrance syllabus with subject-wise marks distribution, exam pattern, eligibility criteria, and preparation strategy.

Exam at a Glance

  • Conducting Body: Entrance Examination Board, Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan University
  • Exam Type: Computer-Based Test (CBT) — objective MCQs only
  • Total Questions: 100
  • Total Marks: 100
  • Exam Duration: 2 hours
  • Negative Marking: 5% deduction per wrong answer (−0.05 marks per wrong MCQ based on that subject’s per-question mark)
  • Question Format: Four options per question; answered by mouse click; once answered, answer can be changed but cannot be left blank
  • Exam Venue: IOE ICTC, Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur; and Western Regional Campus, Pokhara (and designated satellite centers)
  • Official Website: entrance.ioe.edu.np
  • Application Fee: Rs. 2,000–2,500 (payable via Siddhartha Bank voucher, eSewa, Khalti, or ConnectIPS)

Subject-wise Marks and Questions Distribution

  • Mathematics: 40 questions — 40 marks (highest weightage)
  • Physics: 30 questions — 30 marks
  • Chemistry: 20 questions — 20 marks
  • English: 10 questions — 10 marks
  • Total: 100 questions — 100 marks

Mathematics carries the highest combined weight at 40 marks, making it the single most important subject for IOE entrance preparation. Physics follows at 30 marks. Together, Mathematics and Physics account for 70 out of 100 total marks — with 70% of the paper — making strong preparation in these two subjects the most decisive factor in securing a good rank.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Must have passed Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL), Higher Secondary Level (NEB Grade 12), A Level, Engineering Diploma Level, or equivalent examination with at least 45% of total marks
  • For NEB letter grading: minimum C Grade in each subject in the final grade
  • Must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in Grade 11 and Grade 12
  • Students who have appeared in the Grade 12 final exam (result awaited) are also eligible to apply and sit the entrance exam
  • Engineering Diploma (Carom) students who have appeared in the sixth semester exam are also eligible
  • Foreign nationals may apply only for the full-fee program

Mathematics Syllabus — 40 Marks

1. Set, Logic and Functions

  • Set, real number system, intervals, absolute value, logic, connectives, laws of logic
  • Function: types of functions — injective, surjective, bijective; algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions; inverse and composite functions

2. Algebra

  • Matrices and determinants: types, properties, inverse of a matrix
  • Complex numbers and polynomial equations
  • Sequence and series: AP, GP, HP; permutation and combination
  • Binomial theorem, exponential and logarithmic series

3. Trigonometry

  • Trigonometric equations and general values
  • Inverse trigonometric functions and principal values
  • Properties of triangles: in-centre, orthocentre, circumcentre; solution of triangles

4. Coordinate Geometry

  • Straight lines and pair of lines
  • Circles: equations in different forms, tangent and normal
  • Conic sections: parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola — standard equations and simple properties
  • Coordinates in space: plane and its equation

5. Calculus

  • Limits and continuity: indeterminate forms, L’Hôpital’s rule
  • Derivatives: rules, geometrical and physical meanings, higher order derivatives; applications — tangent and normal, rate of change, maxima and minima
  • Integration: linear properties, rules, standard integrals, definite integrals; applications — area under a curve, area between two curves
  • Differential equations: order and degree; first order, first degree equations — variable separable, homogeneous, linear, and exact differential equations; integrating factor

6. Vectors and their Products

  • Vectors in plane and space: algebra of vectors, linear combination, linearly dependent and independent sets
  • Product of two vectors: scalar (dot) product, vector (cross) product, scalar triple product

7. Statistics and Probability

  • Measures of location and measures of dispersion
  • Correlation and regression
  • Basic probability terms: conditional and compound probability, additive and multiplicative rules, Bayes’ theorem

Physics Syllabus — 30 Marks

1. Mechanics

  • Physical quantities, vectors, and kinematics: dimensions, resolution and polygon laws of vectors, vector algebra, equations of motion, projectile motion, relative motion
  • Newton’s laws of motion and friction: conservation of linear momentum, applications in equilibrium and non-equilibrium, laws of solid friction
  • Work, energy and power: work-energy theorem, kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, conservative and non-conservative forces, elastic and inelastic collisions
  • Circular motion, gravitation, and SHM: centripetal force, conical pendulum, banking of track, gravitational potential, variation of g, satellite motion, rocket launch technology; energy in SHM, spring-mass system, simple pendulum, damped and forced oscillation, resonance
  • Rotational dynamics: moment of inertia, radius of gyration, rotational KE, centre of gravity and centre of mass, torque, conservation of angular momentum
  • Elasticity: Hooke’s law, Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, modulus of rigidity, Poisson’s ratio, elastic energy
  • Fluid mechanics: buoyancy, flotation, Archimedes’ principle, surface tension, capillarity, viscosity, Newton/Stokes/Poiseuille’s formulae, Reynolds number, continuity equation, Bernoulli’s equation

2. Heat and Thermodynamics

  • Temperature and heat: thermal equilibrium, specific heat, latent heat, method of mixtures, Newton’s law of cooling, triple point
  • Thermal expansion: expansion of solids and liquids, measurement and applications
  • Transfer of heat: conduction, convection, radiation, thermal conductivity, black body radiation, Stefan-Boltzmann law
  • Thermal properties of matter: molecular properties, kinetic theory of gases, heat capacities of gases and solids
  • Laws of thermodynamics: first law, relation of specific heats, thermodynamic processes; second law, heat engine efficiency, Carnot/Otto/Diesel cycles, refrigerator, entropy

3. Geometric and Physical Optics

  • Reflection: plane and curved mirrors, mirror formula
  • Refraction: plane surface, critical angle, total internal reflection, lateral shift, prism, minimum deviation, lenses, lens formula, lens maker’s formula, combination of lenses, optical fiber
  • Dispersion: spectrum, dispersive power, chromatic aberration, achromatism, spherical aberration, scattering of light
  • Nature and propagation of light: Huygens’ principle, velocity of light
  • Interference: coherent sources, Young’s double slit experiment
  • Diffraction: Fraunhofer diffraction, diffraction grating, resolving power
  • Polarization: Brewster’s law, transverse nature of light, polaroid

4. Waves and Sound

  • Wave motion: travelling and stationary waves
  • Mechanical waves: velocity of sound in solid, gas, and liquid; effect of temperature, pressure, humidity
  • Waves in pipes and strings: closed and open pipes, resonance tube, laws of vibration of fixed strings
  • Acoustic phenomena: pressure amplitude, intensity level, quality and pitch, ultrasonic and infrasonic waves, Doppler effect

5. Electricity and Magnetism

  • Electrostatics: Coulomb’s law, electric field and Gauss’s law, potential and potential gradient, capacitors — combination and types, effect of dielectrics, energy stored, polarization
  • DC circuits: Ohm’s law, resistivity and conductivity, galvanometer and ohmmeter, internal resistance, Joule’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws and applications
  • Thermoelectric effect: Seebeck effect, thermocouples, Peltier effect, thermopile, Thomson effect
  • Magnetic effect: force on conductor and charge, torque, Hall effect, Biot-Savart’s law, Ampere’s law, force between parallel conductors
  • Magnetic properties of matter: earth magnetism, magnetic materials, permeability, susceptibility, hysteresis
  • Electromagnetic induction: Faraday’s law, induced EMF, AC generators, self and mutual induction, energy stored by inductor, transformer
  • Alternating currents: RMS value, phasor diagrams, LCR circuits, quality factor, power factor

6. Modern Physics

  • Electrons: Millikan’s experiment, cathode rays, specific charge
  • Photons and quantization of energy: photoelectric effect, Planck’s constant, Bohr’s theory, spectral series, de Broglie theory, uncertainty principle, X-rays and Bragg’s law, laser
  • Solids and semiconductor devices: intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, P-N junction, rectification, Zener diode, transistor, logic gates
  • Radioactivity and nuclear reactions: atomic mass, isotopes, nuclear density, mass-energy relation, mass defect, fission and fusion, radioactive decay law, carbon dating, health hazards
  • Recent trends in physics: particle physics (quarks, leptons, baryons, mesons, Higgs boson); universe (Big Bang, Hubble’s law, dark matter, gravitational waves, black holes); seismology (pressure, surface, and internal waves); telecommunication (radio, TV, mobile, GPS, remote sensing); environment (energy crisis, pollution, ozone layer); new technology (nanotechnology, superconductors)

Chemistry Syllabus — 20 Marks

1. Physical Chemistry

  • Chemical arithmetic: Dalton’s atomic theory, laws of stoichiometry, atomic and molecular mass, empirical and molecular formula, limiting reactants, Avogadro’s hypothesis, equivalent masses
  • States of matter: gaseous state, liquid state, solid state
  • Atomic structure and periodic classification of elements
  • Oxidation, reduction, and equilibrium
  • Volumetric analysis
  • Ionic equilibrium: acids, bases, and salts
  • Electrochemistry
  • Energetics of chemical reactions, chemical kinetics, chemical bonding and shapes of molecules

2. Inorganic Chemistry

  • Non-metals: hydrogen, oxygen, ozone, water, nitrogen and its compounds, halogens, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur, noble gases, and environmental pollution
  • Metals: metallurgical principles, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, coinage metals (copper, silver, gold)
  • Extraction of metals: zinc, mercury, iron compounds

3. Organic Chemistry

  • Introduction: fundamental principles, purification of organic compounds, nomenclature, structural isomerism, idea of reaction mechanism
  • Hydrocarbons: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Haloalkanes and haloarenes
  • Alcohols, phenols, and ethers
  • Aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and derivatives (aliphatic and aromatic)
  • Nitro compounds and amines (aliphatic and aromatic)

English Syllabus — 10 Marks

1. Grammar I

  • Sequence of tense, concord and subject-verb agreement
  • Direct and indirect speech
  • Kinds of sentences and transformation of sentences

2. Grammar II

  • Basic grammatical patterns and structures, conditional sentences
  • Parts of speech, active and passive voice
  • Verbals: infinitives, gerunds, and participles
  • Punctuation and use of prepositions
  • Vocabulary
  • Idiomatic expressions

3. Phonetics

  • Phonemes: vowels and consonants
  • Syllables and stress: word stress and sentence stress

4. Reading Comprehension

  • Comprehension of reading passages on a variety of topics and styles — general English and technical English

How the IOE Entrance Syllabus Relates to the NEB Curriculum

The IOE entrance syllabus is explicitly based on the NEB Grade 11 and 12 curriculum. Students who have studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English thoroughly at the +2 level already have the foundational content knowledge the entrance exam tests. However, the entrance exam differs from the NEB board exam in three critical ways: it is a computer-based MCQ-only test (no long answers or derivations), it has negative marking (−5% per wrong answer), and it tests the combined Grade 11 and Grade 12 content from all chapters in a single 2-hour paper.

This means entrance preparation requires a different study strategy from NEB board preparation. While board exams reward detailed written derivations and structured answers, the IOE entrance rewards rapid, accurate concept recall, smart elimination of wrong options, and disciplined time management — 100 questions in 120 minutes means an average of just 72 seconds per question.

IOE Constituent Campuses and Programs

Admission through the IOE entrance exam gives access to programs across the following campuses under Tribhuvan University:

  • Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur — Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Communication, Mechanical, Computer, Architecture (most competitive; highest cutoffs)
  • Thapathali Campus, Kathmandu — Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering
  • Pashchimanchal Campus, Pokhara — Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Communication, Computer
  • Purwanchal Campus, Dharan — Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Communication
  • Chitwan Engineering College, Bharatpur — Civil, Electrical, Computer

In addition to the five constituent campuses, IOE has affiliated colleges across Nepal that admit students based on the same entrance exam results. Seats at constituent campuses are allocated on scholarship, government-fee, and full-fee categories based on entrance rank and eligibility.

Tips to Score High in the IOE Entrance Examination

  • Prioritize Mathematics and Physics above all else: With 70 out of 100 marks between them, these two subjects determine your rank more than anything else. Spend at least 60% of your preparation time on Mathematics and Physics combined.
  • Master MCQ-specific techniques: IOE entrance is MCQ-only. Practice eliminating wrong options quickly, identifying answer patterns, and solving numericals in under 90 seconds. This is fundamentally different from writing board exam answers.
  • Be disciplined with negative marking: With a 5% deduction per wrong answer, guessing randomly is costly. Skip questions you’re genuinely unsure about and return to them only after attempting all confident answers. A blank answer costs zero; a wrong guess costs marks.
  • Complete the full NEB Grade 11 and 12 syllabus for all four subjects: The entrance syllabus explicitly covers both Grade 11 and Grade 12 content in all subjects. Many students under-prepare Grade 11 topics (like Mechanics, DC Circuits, or Organic Chemistry foundations) because their recent focus was on Grade 12. Both years matter equally.
  • Solve past IOE entrance papers under timed conditions: This is the single most effective preparation strategy. Past papers reveal exactly which topics repeat most often, what difficulty level is expected, and how to pace yourself across 100 questions in 2 hours.
  • For Physics, prioritize derivation-to-MCQ conversion: Many entrance MCQs test the same physics principles tested in board derivations, but in a single-formula or single-concept format. Practice applying formulas in short numerical settings, not just deriving them.
  • For Chemistry, focus on reactions, conversions, and calculations: Organic chemistry conversion questions appear in MCQ format, requiring you to identify the correct product or reagent rapidly. Inorganic chemistry and electrochemistry numerical MCQs are also consistently present.
  • For English, practice reading comprehension speed: The comprehension section in English requires reading a passage and answering questions quickly. Practice timed comprehension exercises regularly to build the reading speed needed within the 2-hour limit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What subjects are tested in the IOE B.E./B.Arch. entrance exam?

The IOE entrance examination covers four subjects: Mathematics (40 marks, 40 questions), Physics (30 marks, 30 questions), Chemistry (20 marks, 20 questions), and English (10 marks, 10 questions) — totaling 100 marks across 100 MCQ questions in 2 hours.

Is there negative marking in the IOE entrance exam?

Yes. The IOE entrance exam deducts 5% of the marks allocated to a question for each wrong answer. This means answering randomly is costly — students should skip genuinely uncertain questions rather than guess.

What is the minimum eligibility to appear in the IOE entrance exam?

Students must have completed Grade 12 (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, scoring at least 45% of total marks — or a minimum C Grade in each subject for NEB letter-graded students. Students with results still awaited (having appeared in Grade 12 exams) are also eligible to apply and sit the exam.

How is the IOE entrance exam conducted?

The IOE entrance exam is a Computer-Based Test (CBT). All 100 questions appear on a computer monitor with four answer options each. The examinee must click the correct option using a mouse — keyboard use is not permitted. The exam runs for exactly 2 hours at designated IOE examination centers.

Which IOE campus is the most competitive?

Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur (also called Pulchowk Engineering College or IOE, Pulchowk) consistently has the highest cutoff scores across all programs. Computer Engineering and Electronics and Communication Engineering at Pulchowk are typically the most competitive streams after Architecture. Students aiming for Pulchowk Campus need to score significantly above average in the entrance exam.

How does the IOE entrance syllabus relate to NEB Grade 11 and 12?

The IOE entrance syllabus is directly based on the NEB Grade 11 and 12 curriculum for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English. All topics in the entrance syllabus appear in the NEB curriculum — but the entrance exam tests both years’ content in a single 2-hour MCQ paper with negative marking, which requires a different preparation strategy from the NEB board exam.

Where can I find study resources for IOE entrance preparation?

You can find Physics and Mathematics study resources relevant to IOE entrance preparation on nneducation.com. Browse our Physics Grade XI and Grade XII courses and the Entrance Mock section for practice. The official IOE entrance syllabus PDF is also embedded at the top of this page for your reference.

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