About CSIR-UGC NET
CSIR and UGC provide Research Fellowships for training in methods of researchunder
expert guidance of faculty members/scientists working in University Department/ National
Laboratories and Institutions in various fields of Science. Joint CSIR-UGCNETFellowships are tenable in Universities/IITs/Post Graduate Colleges/Govt. ResearchEstablishments including those of the CSIR, Research & Development establishmentsof
recognized public or private sector industrial firms and other recognized institutions. Onlybonafide Indian Citizens are eligible for the test. Joint CSIR-UGC NET Fellowshipistenable in India. The programme is aimed at National Science & Technology HumanResource Development. A large number of JRFs are awarded each year by CSIR to candidates holdingBS-4years program/ BE/ B.Tech./ B. Pharma/ MBBS/ Integrated BS-MS/M.Sc. or Equivalent
degree/ B.Sc. (Hons) or equivalent degree holders or students enrolled in integratedMS- Ph.D. program with at least 55%^ marks for General/General-EWS & (50%^for OBC- NCL/SC/ST/Third gender candidates and Persons with Disability) after qualifyingtheTest conducted by CSIR twice a year in June and December. ^(without rounding off)
Joint CSIR UGC NET is a test being conducted to determine the eligibility of Indiannationals for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for Lectureship (LS) /Assistant
Professor in Indian universities and colleges subject to fulfilling the eligibility criterialaiddown by UGC. Online applications for JRF/NET are invited twice a year onall Indiabasis through Press Notification of Joint CSIR-UGC NET for JRF and LS/AP. This Test also determines the eligibility of candidates for Lectureship/Assistant Professor
in Indian University/Colleges. Those who qualify for JRF are eligiblefor
Lectureship/Assistant Professor also, subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria laiddownbyUGC. Some aspirants are declared successful in eligibility for Lectureship/Assistant
Professor only based on their performance in the test. The validity of qualifyingcertificate of Lectureship/Assistant Professor is forever.
10The award of Joint CSIR-UGC NET Fellowship is for a fixed tenure and does not implyany assurance or guarantee for subsequent employment by CSIR-UGCNETtothebeneficiary. 1.3. About Junior Research Fellowship Stipend
The stipend of a JRF selected through CSIR- National Eligibility Test (NET) will beRs. 31,000/- p.m for the first two years. In addition, annual contingent grant of
Rs. 20,000/- per Fellow will be provided to the University / Institution. The Fellowshipwill
be governed by terms and conditions of CSIR, UGC or Research Scheme, as applicable. On Completion of two years as JRF and if the Fellow is registered for Ph.D., theFellowship will be upgraded to SRF (NET) and the stipend will be increasedtoRs. 35,000/- p.m for the 3
rd and subsequent years, on the basis of assessment of
Fellows’ research progress/ achievements through interview by an Expert Committeeconsisting of the Guide, Head of the Department and External Member fromoutsidetheUniversity/ Institution who is an expert in the relevant field, not belowtherankof
Professor/ Associate Professor. As far as possible, the External Member shouldbethechairman of three members Committee. Where the guide happens to be the Headof theDepartment, the Dean, Faculty of Science or any senior member of the Department maybe associated as the third member of the Committee. In the event of the Committeenot
recommending up-gradation or the fellow has not registered for Ph.D., the candidatewill
continue as JRF with a stipend of Rs. 31,000/- p.m. for the 3
rd year or his/her fellowshipmay be terminated depending upon the recommendation of the Committee andthedecision of CSIR in this regard shall be final. The progress of research work of JRFwill
be assessed by duly constituted three member assessment committee again at theendof 3rd year for such up-gradation. The number of fellowship for each subject is limited.
CSIR NET Highlights 2023
Important information regarding CSIR NET Exam 2023 is summarized in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
| Name of the Exam | CSIR NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Level | National |
| Exam Frequency | Twice per year |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Exam Duration | Three hours |
CSIR NET Exam Dates 2023
Based on the schedule of the previous examinations and currently available information, the tentative exam dates of the CSIR NET 2023 exam are given below in the following table.
| Events | for December Session |
| Online Registration Date | 1 Nov ’23 – 30 Nov ’23 |
| Release of CSIR UGC NET Admit Card | After 10 Dec’2023 |
| Release of CSIR UGC NET Admit Card | Third week of December 2023 |
| CSIR NET Exam Date for December 2023 Session | 26 Dec ’23 – 28 Dec ’23 |
CSIR UGC NET Exam Key Features
CSIR UGC NET upper age limit for JRF is 28 years. However, there is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor/Lecturer Post. The educational qualification for CSIR UGC NET exam is minimum M.Sc or equivalent degree/ Integrated BS-MS / BS-4 years / BE / B.Tech / B Pharma / MBBS with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PWD candidates). Candidates who are in the final year of their M.Sc can also apply for the CSIR UGC NET exam. As the CSIR UGC NET exam is being conducted in for subjects – Earth Science, Life Science, Chemical Science, Mathematics and Physical Science. The syllabus for each subject is different. Check CSIR UGC NET Syllabus.
CSIR NET Notification 2023
CSIR NET 2023: The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the CSIR NET Notification 2023 for the December session on November 1, 2023. Along with the notification, CSIR NET Application Form 2023 has also been released by the NTA on the official website. Interested candidates can fill out the CSIR NET Online Form 2023 from November 1 to November 30, 2023, and the correction window will be activated by the NTA from December 2 to 4, 2023. According to the updates, CSIR NET December 2023 exam will be held by NTA on December 26, 27 & 28, 2023. CSIR NET Application Form Link has been provided below in this article.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been entrusted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct the CSIR UGC NET exam to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship (LS) in Indian universities and colleges. Given below are important highlights regarding CSIR NET Notification 2023 for the reference of candidates.
There are five papers in CSIR NET 2023 Exam – Mathematical Science, Life Science, Chemical Science, Earth Science, and Physical Science. Normally, NTA CSIR UGC NET is conducted twice a year in June and December. The CSIR NET exam is held in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. Check below the important details regarding the CSIR UGC NET 2023 exam such as dates, the application process, eligibility criteria, CSIR NET exam pattern, CSIR NET syllabus 2023 and result preparation criteria.
NTA determines the CSIR NET eligibility criteria based on the age group and on educational qualification. Candidates willing to apply for CSIR NET 2023 must possess M.Sc. or equivalent degree/Integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/B Tech/B. Pharma /MBBS with at least 55% marks to be eligible to apply for the exam.
CSIR NET Age Limit 2023
There is no age limit for applying for lectureship but candidates attempting JRF have an upper age limit of 28 years as of January 01, 2023.
CSIR NET Educational Qualifications 2023
- M.Sc or equivalent degree/ Integrated BS-MS / BS-4 years / BE / B.Tech / B Pharma / MBBS with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PWD candidates)
- Candidates who are in the final year of post-graduation are eligible to apply.
- Candidates enrolled in Integrated MSc-Ph.D program with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PWD candidates) are eligible to apply.
- B.Sc. (Hons) or equivalent degree holders can also apply.
CSIR NET Application Form 2023
The candidates interested to appear in CSIR NET 2023 are required to fill out the application form for the same. The mode for filling out the application form is made online. Candidates should follow the steps below to complete the application process for the CSIR NET examination.
- At first, the candidates are required to get themselves registered online.
- Login with the credentials used during the registration process.
- Fill out the application form available with the application number & password shared on your email id and phone number.
- Upload the scanned documents as per requirements. The instructions for the same will be available there.
- After submitting the form, pay the application fee through the online payment gateways available.
CSIR NET Application Fee 2023
The application fee will be submitted according to the category an individual belongs to. The application fee for various categories is mentioned in the table below:
| Category | Category Application Fee |
| General/General-EWS | INR 1100 |
| OBC-NCL | INR 550 |
| SC/ST | INR 275 |
| Third gender | INR 275 |
| PwD | NIL |
CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2023
The detailed examination pattern for the CSIR NET exam is provided below:
CSIR NET Chemical Sciences
- Part A, B, and C will have 20, 40, and 60 questions respectively out of which candidates have to answer a maximum of 15, 35, and 25 questions.
- Each question will have four alternatives or responses. Only one of them will be the correct response.
- Questions in Part A, B, and C will be of 2, 2, and 4 marks respectively.
- There will be negative marking for incorrect answers(One-fourth of marks).
CSIR NET Earth Sciences
- Part A, B, and C consist of 20, 50, and 80 questions each out of which candidates have to answer a maximum of 15, 35, and 25 questions each.
- Part A and B consist of 2 mark questions and for wrong answers, 0.5 marks will be deducted.
- Part C consists of questions of 4 marks each and for every wrong answer, 1.32 marks will be deducted.
CSIR NET Life Sciences
- Part A, B, and C consist of 20, 50, and 75 questions each out of which candidates have to answer a maximum of 15, 35, and 25 questions each.
- For each question, there will be four alternate responses out of which only one is the correct answer.
- Part A, B, and C consist of questions of 2, 2, and 4 marks each.
- Incorrect answers will result in the deduction of 25% marks
CSIR NET Mathematical Sciences
- Part A, B, and C consist of 20, 40, and 60 questions out of which candidates are expected to answer 15, 25, and 20 questions in Part A, Part B, and Part C respectively.
- Each question will have four alternative responses. In Part A and Part B, only one response will be correct but questions in Part C can have more than one correct response.
- Credit will only be awarded only when the exact number of correct responses is marked.
- There will be 25% marking for Part A and B but negative marking is not applicable for Part C.
CSIR NET Physical Sciences
- Part A, B, and C consist of 20, 25, and 30 questions each out of which candidates are expected to answer a maximum of 15, 20, and 20 questions respectively.
- Each question will have four alternative responses out of which only one will be correct.
- 25% marks will be deducted for wrong answers.
Amongst the various non-teaching positions recruited by CSIR, one of them is for Junior Secretariat Assistant. The candidates who want to appear for the exam must check the list of CSIT Junior Secretariat Assistant books to prepare for Paper 1 and 2.
CSIR NET Syllabus 2023
CSIR NET Syllabus is prescribed by Human Resource Development Group (HRDG) on its official website for all the 5 subjects. The detailed CSIR NET Syllabus is given below:
CSIR NET Chemical Sciences Syllabus
The syllabus is divided into four sections.
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Interdisciplinary Topics
CSIR NET Earth Sciences Syllabus
The syllabus is divided into various sections.
- Geology
- Applied Geology
- Physical Geography
- Geophysics
- Meteorology
- Ocean Sciences
CSIR NET Life Sciences Syllabus
Candidates should take a detailed look into the topics listed in the following table.
| Molecules and their Interaction | Cellular Organization |
| Cell Communication and Cell Signaling | Developmental Biology |
| Fundamental Processes | System Physiology-Animals |
| Inheritance Biology | System Physiology-Plant |
| Diversity of Life Forms | Evolution and Behavior |
| Ecological Principles | Photosynthesis, Respiration and photorespiration, Nitrogen metabolism, Plant hormones, Sensory photobiology, Solute transport, and photoassimilate translocation, Secondary metabolites, and Stress physiology. |
| Ecological Principles | Applied Biology |
CSIR NET Mathematical Sciences Syllabus
The CSIR NET syllabus for mathematical sciences consists of four units. All candidates should answer questions from Unit 1. Candidates from mathematics background are expected to solve problems from Units 2 and 3 while candidates from statistics background are expected to solve questions from Unit 4.
- Unit 1: Analysis Linear Algebra
- Unit 2: Complex Analysis, Algebra, Topology
- Unit 3: Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs), Partial Differential Equations (PDEs), Numerical Analysis, Calculus of Variations, Linear Integral Equations, Classical Mechanics
- Unit 4: Statistics, Exploratory Data Analysis
CSIR NET Physical Sciences Syllabus
The syllabus is divided into two levels – core and advanced.
| Topics | Sub-Topics |
| Core | Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and Experimental Methods |
| Advanced | Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and Experimental Methods, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, and Nuclear and Particle Physics |
CSIR NET Subject-wise Question Papers 2023: Download PDF
CSIR NET Previous Year Question Paper
CSIR NET Books 2023
Some books recommended for CSIR NET 2023 are listed in the table below. Check the CSIR NET Preparation Tips here.
| Subject | Book | Author/Publisher |
| Chemical Sciences | UGC-CSIR JRF/ NET Chemical Sciences (Chemistry) | Trueman’s |
| Earth Sciences | Joint CSIR-UGC NET Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences | R. Gupta’s |
| Life Sciences | UGC CSIR NET/ SET (JRF & LS) Life Sciences | Arihant |
| Mathematical Sciences | CSIR-UGC NET/ SET (JRF & LS) Mathematical Sciences | Khanna Publishers |
| Physical Science | CSIR-UGC NET/ JRF/ SET Physical Sciences | Upkar’s |
CSIR NET Study Notes 2023
CSIR NET Admit Card 2023
Candidates can download the CSIR NET admit card from the official website. The admit card will contain the various details of the examination like the examination center, exam date, time of examination, etc. Candidates can download the admit card following the steps below.
- Step 1: Visit the official website https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/.
- Step 2: Click on the CSIR-UGC NET Admit Card 2023 link on the homepage of the website.
- Step 3: A new webpage will open. Candidates should enter the required details to download the admit card.
- Step 4: If everything is done correctly, the candidate’s admit card will be displayed on the screen.
- Step 5: Download the admit card and print it out for future use.
The admit card will contain the following details.
- Name
- Roll Number
- Date of Birth
- Subject
- Signature
- Photo
- Exam Date, Time, and Venue
CSIR NET Answer Key 2023
After the examination, the official answer keys will be published on the website. Candidates can check the published answers and even raise objections if they think the answers are incorrect. All the candidates will be able to check their CSIR NET Exam Answer Key on the official website using the credentials generated during the registration procedure
CSIR NET Result 2023
The results of CSIR NET 2023 is published soon after the answer keys. The results of the June 2023 session are published on July 25, 2023 and the results of the December 2023 session will be published in January 2024.
CSIR NET Expected Cut-Off 2023
The cut-offs for the CSIR NET can depend on various factors like the number of candidates appearing for the examination, the difficulty of the question paper, the performance of the candidates, etc. Expected cut-offs based on previous years’ results are listed in the table below.
CSIR NET Salary 2023
The salary details for CSIR NET exam are given in the table below:
| Post | Salary |
| Junior Research Fellows | 31,000 +HRA (Depends on the Institution) |
| Senior Research Fellows | 35,000+HRA (Depends on the Institution) |
| Assistant Professor | 45,000 |
| Associate Professor | 80,000 |
| Professor | 82,000 |
CSIR NET is an integral step for candidates looking for a career in teaching and research. If a candidate clears the exam, they will have opportunities to seek permanent teaching positions in universities and colleges. Furthermore, those who have qualified for JRF will definitely have an advantage when it comes to pursuing research.
CSIR NET FAQs
Ques. What is the difference between CSIR NET and UGC NET?
Ans. UGC NET is conducted for Humanities and Commerce while CSIR NET is conducted for five science subjects – Mathematical Science, Life Science, Chemical Science, Earth Science, and Physical Science.
Ques. How many times can we write CSIR NET?
Ans. The number of attempts for the CSIR NET exam is not limited. Candidates can appear for the exam as many times as they wish provided they meet the CSIR NET eligibility criteria.
Ques. For how many years is the CSIR NET result valid?
Ans. The lectureship result is valid for a lifetime. However, the fellowship certificate is only valid for two years.
Ques. Is CSIR NET mandatory to pursue Ph.D.?
Ans. No. Candidates who have not cleared CSIR NET can pursue a Ph.D. However, clearing CSIR NET is currently mandatory to pursue a career as an assistant professor in India.
Ques: Is there any negative marking?
Ans: Yes. There is a negative marking for wrong answers given. Candidates are advised to answer the questions that are sure to be correct.
Ques. What are the minimum marks to qualify for CSIR NET?
Ans. The cut-offs may vary year to year but the minimum benchmark for qualification is 33% for General, EWS, and OBC categories and 25% for SC, ST, and PwD candidates.
Ques. How many sessions of CSIR NET are there per year?
Ans. Normally there are two sessions. One will be in June of every year and the other in December. Official notifications will be released months in advance of the exam and candidates will be notified in case of any delays.
Ques. Can CSIR NET be attempted after B.Sc.?
Ans. No. A postgraduate degree is required to attempt CSIR NET. Candidates doing their final year of post graduation can also apply.
Pingback: Difference between CSIR NET and UGC NET – Exam Job Expert