Exam Pattern
INET Exam Pattern
INET (Indian Navy Entrance Test)
Each of the four sections carries its own 40% qualifying minimum, which changes what a total means. English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Mathematical Aptitude, and General Knowledge take 25 questions and 100 marks apiece, and a candidate scoring heavily in three while falling under 40% in the fourth does not qualify, whatever the aggregate says. The weakest section sets the outcome, not the strongest. Two of the four are built here, English and Reasoning and Numerical Ability, at the same proportion as the official paper; the other two are not, which leaves half of it outside this practice.
English and Reasoning & Numerical Ability
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 100 |
| Total marks | 400 |
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Negative marking | 1 per wrong answer |
| Sections | English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Mathematical Aptitude, General Knowledge |
| Test | Qs | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| English | 25 | 100 |
| Reasoning and Numerical Ability | 25 | 100 |
| General Science and Mathematical Aptitude | 25 | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 25 | 100 |
The official INET written exam has 100 questions for 400 marks in 2 hours, across four equal sections (25 questions, 100 marks each, 4 marks per correct answer, 1 mark deducted per wrong answer): English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Mathematical Aptitude, and General Knowledge, each requiring a separate 40% qualifying minimum. This mock covers English and Reasoning and Numerical Ability only, in the same equal proportion: 24 questions (12 each) in 29 minutes. General Science and Mathematical Aptitude is not covered, since the Navy officially bundles calculation-safe Mathematical Aptitude together with General Science facts as a single section with no published internal question-count split, so the two cannot be honestly separated. General Knowledge is excluded outright, since it depends on facts that carry higher correctness risk for self-authored content.
Official source · checked 16 August 2026The INET English and Reasoning & Numerical Ability exam pattern is 100 questions carrying 400 marks, to be answered in 120 minutes. That works out to about 72 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 4 sections are English, Reasoning and Numerical Ability, General Science and Mathematical Aptitude and General Knowledge. All 4 sections carry 100 marks each, so none of them repays disproportionate preparation and a weakness anywhere costs the same. All sections share one composite timer, so you are free to move between them and spend your time where it earns most.
INET English and Reasoning & Numerical Ability marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 4 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 1 mark; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is worth making rather than leaving the question blank.
- Worked example: attempt 80 of the 100 questions and get 60 right and 20 wrong, and you score 220 out of 400.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 72 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free INET mock test to see where your time actually goes.
INET exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in INET?
INET deducts 1 mark for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in INET?
INET has 100 questions. That leaves about 72 seconds per question in INET.
What are the total marks in INET?
INET is out of 400 marks, which works out at 4 marks a question.
How long is the INET exam?
INET runs for 120 minutes.
Does INET have a sectional time limit?
No. INET runs every section on one composite timer of 120 minutes, so you can move between sections freely and give the slower ones more of your time.