QUEST’s Admission Rules: Merit = Matric 10% + HSC-I 20% + Test 70%, called the Combined Merit Percentage (CMP). You must score at least 40% in the pre-admission test, a one-hour MCQ paper in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and English. Each unaccounted gap year after SSC costs 10 marks (up to 30). Merit is prepared district by district (urban and rural quotas of Sindh).
Calculate your QUEST merit (CMP)
Free · instant · no loginQUEST uses your First Year (HSC-I) marks, so the total is set to 550. Gap marks are deducted from your HSC marks, as the prospectus describes.
What test score do you need?
Set your target merit and we work backwards from your SSC and HSC-I marks.
QUEST Merit Formula: 10% SSC + 20% HSC-I + 70% Test
| Component | Multiplying weightage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-admission test | 0.70 | One-hour MCQs: Maths (not for Pre-Medical), Physics, Chemistry, English; minimum 40% |
| First Year (HSC-I) | 0.20 | HSC-I marks, after any gap deduction |
| SSC (Matric, Science) | 0.10 | — |
Because the test carries 70%, every 10 test marks are worth 7 CMP points, more than your entire SSC weight. After the test results, QUEST prepares a preliminary merit list for each district and category and calls candidates for interview. Admission is offered on the spot, and the fee is paid the same day.
QUEST Gap-Year Deduction
| Unaccounted gap after SSC-II | Marks deducted from HSC |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 10 marks |
| 2 years | 20 marks |
| 3 to 5 years | 30 marks |
| More than 5 years | Not eligible |
The deduction applies whether you repeated an exam or the gap happened for any other reason. With HSC-I out of 550, 10 marks is about 1.8% of your HSC-I, or about 0.36 CMP points.
How to Calculate Your QUEST CMP
| Component | Marks | Percentage | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-admission test | 62 / 100 | 62.00% | 70% | 43.40 |
| HSC-I | 440 / 550 | 80.00% | 20% | 16.00 |
| SSC | 935 / 1100 | 85.00% | 10% | 8.50 |
| CMP | — | — | — | 67.90 |
QUEST Eligibility and Seats
| Group | Programmes | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Engineering | All B.E and BS programmes | B.E 60%, BS 50% in HSC-II (Hafiz marks excluded) |
| Pre-Medical | BS IT, AI, Chemistry, English (with a condensed maths course) | 50% |
| DAE | B.E in the relevant technology (Category-F) | 60% |
| HSC-I students | Apply now, confirm with HSC-II | Must later meet the HSC-II minimum |
Seats are shared among the rural and urban areas of every Sindh district on a population basis. Discipline is then awarded on joint merit. There are separate categories for BS CS, IT, Mathematics, Physics, AI and English, reserved seats for differently-abled candidates, and self-finance seats.
| Self-finance (one-time) | Fee |
|---|---|
| B.E Civil, B.E Software | Rs 11,55,000 |
| B.E Computer Systems | Rs 840,000 |
| Other B.E | Rs 525,000 |
| BS Cyber Security, BS Data Science | Rs 630,000 |
| BS Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Civil / Food Engg. Technology | Rs 210,000 |
| Foreign / overseas Pakistani | US$ 6,000 |
Common QUEST Merit Mistakes
- Using full HSC marks. QUEST’s CMP uses First Year (HSC-I) marks.
- Scoring below 40% in the test. You are not considered, whatever your academics.
- Forgetting the gap deduction. Each unaccounted gap year after SSC costs 10 marks.
- Missing the interview. Admission and the fee happen on the interview day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the QUEST merit formula?
Combined Merit Percentage = 10% SSC + 20% HSC-I + 70% pre-admission test, according to QUEST’s admission rules and prospectus.
What is the passing marks of the QUEST pre-admission test?
40%. Candidates below 40% are not considered for admission in their district merit quota.
What subjects are in the QUEST test?
A one-hour MCQ test in Mathematics (not for Pre-Medical candidates), Physics, Chemistry and English.
Does QUEST deduct marks for a gap year?
Yes. 10 marks for one unaccounted gap year after SSC-II, 20 for two years and 30 for three to five years.
What is the minimum percentage for QUEST engineering?
60% in HSC-II for B.E programmes and 50% for BS programmes. Hafiz-e-Quran marks are not counted for eligibility.
Is this the official QUEST merit?
No. This is an independent calculator built from QUEST’s admission rules and prospectus. QUEST’s district merit lists are official.
Related calculators and guides
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Official QUEST Admission Links
These are QUEST Nawabshah’s own pages. They open in a new tab.
QUEST admissions
- Admission Rules & ProceduresEligibility and the 10-20-70 merit formula.www.quest.edu.pk/apply-now
- Prospectus 2025 (25-Batch)Rules, seats, gap deduction and fees.www.quest.edu.pk/media/downloads/bec8f064c9ca48379ce4853cb3be1972_ProspectusBatch_2514.05.2025.pdf
- Admission AdvertisementCurrent batch advertisement.www.quest.edu.pk/admission/advertisement
- DownloadsForms and prospectus.www.quest.edu.pk/downloads