CSIR UGC NET is an exam designed to assess the eligibility of Indian nationals for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship (LS)/Assistant Professor roles at UGC-recognized institutions and colleges in India. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the Joint CSIR-UGC NET Examination in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format, under the supervision of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Latest Updates-

• 20th August 2025- Results are Out for CSIR UGC NET 2025, Go and Check Now
• 3rd August 2025 – Last date to raise objections against the provisional CSIR NET 2025 answer key.
• 28th July 2025 – Rescheduled CSIR NET Exam conducted for all subjects in a single day.
• Mid-July 2025 – Exam city slips (test center details) released on the official website for candidates.
• 3rd June 2025 – CSIR NET June 2025 notification released; registration open till 23rd June with correction window till 26th June.

About CSIR

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a modern R&D organization noted for its cutting-edge R&D knowledge base in several S&T domains. CSIR and UGC provide Research Fellowships for training in research methodologies under the professional direction of faculty members/scientists working in university departments, national laboratories, and institutions in various scientific subjects.

Oceanography, geophysics, chemicals, medicines, genomics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology are all covered by CSIR, and mining, aeronautics, instrumentation, environmental engineering, and information technology. It offers considerable technology involvement in many social initiatives, including the environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, and farm and non-farm sectors. Furthermore, CSIR’s contribution to S&T’s human resource development is notable.

CSIR NET Exam: Overview

The CSIR NET Exam offers a great opportunity for candidates aiming for a career in teaching or research in India. Check the key dates and details for the June 2025 session in the table below.

Exam Particulars	Details
Name of Exam Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Name	CSIR National Eligibility Test
Official Website	CSIR NET
Cycle	June 2025
Level of Exam	National
Exam Frequency	Twice a Year
Mode of Examination	Online
Pattern of Examination	Objective Type with MCQs
Duration of Examination	180 minutes (3 hours)
Purpose	Eligibility for JRF/Assistant Professor posts/PhD Admission
Language of Exam	English, Hindi
Exam Help Desk (Email)	csirnet@nta.ac.in
Exam Help Desk (Contact No.)	011-69227700, 011-40759000

CSIR NET Notification

The CSIR UGC NET 2025 Notification for the June session has been released online at @csirnet.nta.ac.in. Candidates planning to apply should thoroughly review the notification for details on exam dates, application process, paper pattern, syllabus, eligibility, and more.

CSIR NET Exam Dates

The CSIR NET exam dates, including application and other key events, are announced with the official notification. The detailed subject-wise schedule is published on the official website shortly before the exam. Candidates should stay updated with the CSIR NET dates and plan their preparation accordingly.

Event	Date
Notification Release Date	June 3, 2025
Start of Online Application	June 3, 2025
Last Date to Apply	June 24, 2025
Last Date for Fee Payment	June 27, 2025
Correction Window	June 28–29, 2025
Admit Card Release	July 24, 2025
CSIR NET 2025 Exam Date	July 28, 2025
Provisional Answer Key Release	August 1, 2025
Result Declaration	20th August 2025

CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who wish to register for the CSIR-UGC NET 2025 examination must check the eligibility criteria. The NTA (National Testing Agency) determines the qualifying conditions based on age, educational qualifications, and country.

Nationality

• Only Indian citizens are eligible to apply for the CSIR NET 2025 Test.
• If an applicant is discovered to be ineligible, his or her application form will be rejected.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have either of the following credentials with at least 55% (for General and OBC) or 50% (for Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates).

• Candidates who are enrolled in MSc or have completed 10-2-3 years of MSc or equivalent degree/Integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/B Tech/ B Pharma/ MBBS as of the CSIR NET application deadline 2025 are also eligible to apply under the Result Awaited (RA) category. However, the requirement for RA category applicants is to finish their qualifying degree with the requisite percentage of marks within two years after the announcement date of the Joint CSIR UGC NET result, failing which they would be disqualified.

• Candidates with a Ph.D. and a master’s degree completed before September 19, 1991, with at least 50% marks, can apply for lectureships alone.

• Candidates with a BSc (Hons) or equivalent degree or those enrolled in an integrated MS-PhD program must have at least 55% (or 50% for SC/ST/PwD students) to apply for the test. On the other hand, candidates with an undergraduate degree will be eligible for a CSIR fellowship only after enrolling in a Ph.D./Integrated PhD course within the validity period of two years, according to the official website.

• Candidates with only a Bachelor’s degree are only eligible to apply for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), not the Lectureship (LS)/Assistant Professor. BE/BS/B Tech/B Pharma/MBBS final year/result awaiting applicants, for example, are only eligible to apply for JRF.

Eligibility Criteria: Subject-wise

The table below details the CSIR NET 2025 Educational Qualification by subject:

Subject	Qualification Required
Chemical Science	Candidates must have an MSc/BS/B-Tech degree in Chemistry or an equivalent qualification.
Earth, Ocean, Atmospheric and Planetary Science	Candidates must have an MSc/BS-MS/BS-4 Years/B-Pharma or an equivalent degree in Earth, Ocean, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science.
Life Science	Candidates with academic qualifications in Life Sciences are required.
Mathematics	Candidates must have an MSc/BS-MS/BS/B-Tech degree in Mathematics or an equivalent qualification.
Physical Science	Candidates must have an MSc in Physics or a BS-MS in Physics, or an equivalent certificate.

Age Limitation

As of July 1, 2023, the maximum age restriction for the granting of a Joint Research Fellowship (JRF) is 28 years.

• Candidates applying for CSIR NET lectureships have no upper age limit.

• The upper age restriction for reserved category candidates (SC/ST/PwD and female applicants) may be lowered by up to 5 years and 3 years for OBC – Non-creamy layer candidates.

Category	Age Limit
SC/ ST/ PwD/ Female	33- years
OBC (non-creamy layer)	31- years

Candidates may also examine the age-related relaxation for candidates from the restricted categories.

Category	Age Limit Relaxation Years
Female	5
Scheduled Caste	5
Scheduled Tribe	5
OBC (non-creamy layer)	3
Persons with disability (PwD)	5

Note: Some important points to remember

• Candidates who qualify for a Lectureship will be eligible for both Lecturer recruitment and a Junior Research Fellowship in a Scheme/Project, if otherwise qualified. They will, however, be ineligible for Regular JRF-NET Fellowship.

• Candidates for the JRF (NET) grant will get a fellowship from CSIR or UGC based on their assignment or schemes with which they may find an affiliation.

• Candidates considered eligible for Junior Research Fellowships and Lectureships under the UGC scheme would be subject to UGC rules and regulations in this respect.

Reservation Criteria 2025

The CSIR has established criteria for reducing the minimum marks necessary and the maximum age limit for candidates from various reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD) and female applicants.

In terms of categories CSIR NET, the following table details the relaxation of marks for qualified applicants from reserved categories:

Category	Marks Relaxation Percentage
Other Backward Classes	5%
Scheduled Caste	5%
Scheduled Tribe	5%

Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship Selection

Candidates must indicate whether they are applying for JRF or LS positions based on their eligibility and indicate their preference in this manner on the CSIR UGC NET application form.

• A candidate who applies for JRF and meets the requirements for a Lectureship will also be considered for JRF & LS.
• A candidate will only be considered for Lectureship (NET) if it is determined that they are too old for JRF (NET).
• The candidate’s selection or choice on the application form is final, and requests for changes will not be taken into consideration subsequently.
• The number of candidates who pass the exam depends on the number of fellowships available and their performance in the exam, provided they meet the requirements for eligibility.
• Candidates who hold a M.Sc. degree or fall under the M.Sc. Result Awaited (RA) category is eligible for lectureships (LS), provided they meet the UGC’s eligibility requirements.

CSIR NET Exam Application Form

The NTA will release the CSIR NET 2025 Notification and the CSIR NET Application Form 2025 on the official website csirnet.nta.nic.in.

Candidates are advised to be careful to finish their payment since no application will be approved without payment of the required fee.

CSIR NET Application Fee

To complete the CSIR UGC NET application process, candidates must pay the required application fee, which varies by category. Payment of the fee is essential for successful submission of the form. The category-wise CSIR NET application fee is provided below.

Category	CSIR NET Application Fee
General	Rs. 1150
General-EWS/OBC-NCL	Rs. 600
SC/ST/3rd Gender/PwD	Rs. 325

How to Apply for CSIR UGC NET?

Candidates can complete the CSIR NET online form 2025 by following the instructions below:

Step 1: Sign up / Register for CSIR- UGC NET 2025.

Candidates must follow the actions listed below to register online:

• Visit the examination’s official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in.
• To access the link to complete the application, click it.
• Select “New Registration” from the menu.
• Read the page’s instructions carefully after downloading the CSIR NET information pamphlet.
• Click the “Click Here to Proceed” button after selecting the checkbox at the bottom of the page.
• After pressing the button, the CSIR NET registration form will appear on the screen.
• Complete the registration form by providing all the information requested.

Personal Details
Name	Date Of Birth
Parents Name	ID Type
Gender	ID Card Number
Contact Details
Permanent Address	Mobile Number
Email ID

• Select a password.
• Select a security query.
• Then input the security response to the security pin that is displayed on the screen.
• Select “Submit”
• Check the information you have provided by selecting the checkboxes at the bottom of the page.
• Select “Final Submit” from the menu.

Step 2: Complete the CSIR- UGC NET application

Candidates must click the “Complete Application Form” option to continue filling out the CSIR UGC NET online application form. The information that applicants must include in the form is listed below.

• Fill in the security code that appears on the screen.
• Select “Submit”
• Check the information you’ve entered by selecting the checkboxes at the bottom of the page.
• Select “Final Submit” from the menu.

Step 3: Upload Your Scanned Signature and Photo

Candidates must next upload scanned copies of their signature and photo according to the guidelines.

Documents	Uploading Format	Size (in KB)
Signature	JPG	4KB – 30KB
Photograph	JPG	10KB – 200KB

Step 4: CSIR- UGC NET Application Fee must be Paid

Upon successful payment of the charge, a confirmation page will be created. The confirmation page must be printed at least three times by candidates, and they must save all copies for their records.

Required Documents for CSIR- UGC NET Application

The CSIR- UGC NET 2025 application form must be completed with the following details and supporting documentation:

• A valid email address
• A functioning mobile number
• Class 10, 12, graduation, and post-graduate transcripts
• A scanned copy of a passport-sized picture
• A scanned copy of your signature and, if necessary, a disability certificate.
• Banking information is required to pay the charge.

Correction to Application Form

• Soon after registration is complete, NTA will offer a service for CSIR NET Application Form Correction.
• The official website, csirnet.nta.nic.in, is the only place where the online Application Form Correction service is available.
• Additionally, NTA informs candidates through email and SMS about form and appearance modification.
• Candidates can change or alter areas including name, parents’ names, date of birth, contact information, category, and gender.
• To make modifications, candidates must supply supporting documentation and, if applicable, pay additional costs.
• This is the final opportunity to modify and improve the application form. No more requests will be granted.

Login Procedures after Forgetting Password

• The candidates must initially respond to the security question.
• Give the verification code that will be given by text message to the applicants’ registered cell phone number.
• Use the reset connection link that will be provided to the applicant’s registered email address.

A few days before the test, the CSIR UGC NET admit card will be made accessible. The admission card will provide further information about the schedules, exam location, and other factors.

CSIR NET Admit Card

Candidates who plan to sit for the exam must bring the CSIR NET Admit Card and an original picture ID evidence to the exam site. The CSIR NET 2025 admit card must be brought to the designated test location. Candidates who do not have their admission card when it is needed might not be allowed to attend the exam paper.

NTA does not distribute hall tickets through mail, courier, or email. It will be accessible online at the CSIR’s main website.

How to Download CSIR NET Exam Admit Card?

Applicants to download their CSIR UGC NET test admission cards may use the procedures listed below:

• Step 1: Go to the NTA’s official website.
• Step 2: Select the ‘CSIR NET Admit Card link.
• Step 3: Key in the application number, birth date, and security code (as seen in the illustration).
• Step 4: Click the Login button.
• Step 5: Select “Download Admit Card” from the menu.
• Step 6: Download the admission card, save it, and print it.

Details Available on CSIR- UGC NET Exam Admit Card

The admission card includes the following information regarding the applicant and test.

• Candidate’s name
• Candidate’s roll number
• Candidate’s photo         
• Candidate’s signature
• CSIR NET exam slot and time  
• Time of reporting at the test centre
• CSIR NET exam centre name   
• CSIR NET exam centre address

Items Permitted at the Exam Centre 2025

Candidates to the CSIR NET testing sites may bring the following objects:

• Personal Water Bottle (Transparent).

• A simple transparent Ball Point Pen
• Personal hand sanitiser (50 ml)
• Self Declaration (Undertaking) and CSIR NET admission card retrieved from the NTA website.
• Another passport-size picture
• Original ID evidence
• No candidate may enter the center while donning his or her mask. The center will supply the facemask.

CSIR NET Syllabus

The NET syllabus is public by the CSIR on their official website. Candidates who plan to take the exam can download the PDF for the course materials for each of the five subjects and use them offline. The CSIR NET exam consists of three parts, A, B, and C. The Part A syllabus is the same for everyone, while the Part B and C syllabuses depend entirely on the candidates’ chosen subjects. Candidates can choose the subject when completing their online application.

The CSIR NET Syllabus is a collection of topics from various subjects for which the exam is given. All applicants must be familiar with the exam topics to improve their chances of selection. Part-A is based on General Science, Quantitative Reasoning and analysis, and Research Aptitude. Part B is based on the concerned subject and Part- C is based on the scientific concepts or their applications.

CSIR – UGC NET Subjects

Subjects	Codes
Chemical Science	701
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Science	702
Life Science	703
Mathematical Science	704
Physical Science	705

Details of the CSIR NET Syllabus 2025

Chemical Sciences	Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Sciences	Life Sciences	Mathematical Sciences	Physical Sciences
Branches of Chemistry	Oceans and Atmosphere	Cellular Organization	Analysis	Mathematical Methods of Physics
Organic Chemistry	Environmental Earth Sciences	Inheritance Biology	Algebra	Atomic & Molecular Physics
Inorganic Chemistry	Mineralogy and Petrology	Developmental Biology	Classical Mechanics	Electromagnetic Theory
Medicinal Chemistry	The Earth and the Solar System	Molecules and their Interaction Relevant to Biology	Linear Integral Equations	Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics
Physical Chemistry	Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes	Applied Biology	Calculus of Variations	Nuclear and Particle Physics
Catalysis and Green Chemistry	Geophysics	Diversity	Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)	Condensed Matter Physics
Chemistry in Nanoscience and Technology	Palaeontology and its applications	Fundamental Processes	Numerical Analysis	Quantum Mechanics
Supramolecular Chemistry	Marine Geology and Palaeontology	Evolution and Behaviour	Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs)	Electronics and Experimental Methods

CSIR NET Exam Pattern

Exam questions for the CSIR UGC NET 2025 will be objective-type multiple-choice and asked from the applicants’ selected topic. View a summary of the test pattern in the table below.

Particulars	Exam Pattern
Exam Mode	Online – Computer Based Test (CBT)
Exam Duration	3 Hours (180 minutes)
Total Sections	3 in each paper
Total Questions	Total Questions- 610 Need to Attempt- 310
Types of Questions	MCQ: 4 options with 1 correct answer
Total Marks	200 for each paper (Paper1 and Paper 2)
Negative Marking	Yes
Language	English and Hindi

The test would be divided into three sections for each subject, which are covered in depth in the following sections:

• There will be 200 total marks awarded for each test.
• Each test will include three sections: Part A, Part B, and Part C.
• Each test has a different scoring scheme. Below, you can see the exam schedule for each exam.

CSIR- UGC NET Marking Schemes (Subject-wise)
Subjects	No. of Questions	To be attempted	Marking Scheme	Negative Marking
Chemical Sciences	120 Part A- 20 Part B- 40 Part C- 60	75 Part A- 15 Part B- 35 Part C- 25	200 Part A- 2  Part B- 2 Part C- 4	Part A- 0.5 Part B- 0.5 Part C- 1
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences	150 Part A- 20 Part B- 50 Part C- 80	75 Part A- 15 Part B- 35 Part C- 25	200 Part A- 2 Part B- 2 Part C- 4	Part A- 0.5 Part B- 0.5 Part C- 1.32
Life Sciences	145 Part A- 20 Part B- 50 Part C- 75	45 Part A- 15 Part B- 35 Part C- 25	200 Part A- 2 Part B- 2 Part C- 4	Part A- 0.5 Part B- 0.5 Part C- 1
Mathematical Sciences	120 Part A- 20 Part B- 40 Part C- 60	60 Part A- 15 Part B- 25 Part C- 20	200 Part A- 2  Part B- 3 Part C- 4.75	Part A- 0.5 Part B- 0.75 Part C- 0
Physical Sciences	75 Part A- 20 Part B- 25 Part C- 30	55 Part A- 15 Part B- 20 Part C- 20	200 Part A- 2  Part B- 3.5 Part C- 5	Part A- 0.5 Part B- 0.875 Part C- 1.25

Best Books for CSIR NET

Candidates can review the subject-specific CSIR NET Best Books 2025 in the table below to assist them in preparing for the exam.

Subjects	Book Name	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 Exam Answer Key

On August 9, 2024, that year’s CSIR UGC NET tentative answer key was made available online at https://csirnet.nta.nic.in. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the CSIR UGC NET(commonly known as CSIR NET) exam at the national level to select applicants for the award of Junior Research Fellowships (JRF).

Steps to Check the Answer Key

All candidates on the official website using the login information created during the registration process may see the CSIR NET Exam Answer Key. Candidates can use the procedures listed below to verify the CSIR NET answer key:

• Step 1: Go to the CSIR UGC NET official website. (https://csirnet.nta.nic.in)
• Step 2: To verify the answer key, click the link on the homepage. From the drop-down option, choose the CSIR NET answer key.
• Step 3: As shown on the screen, enter the required information, including the application number, password, and security pin.
• Step 4: Choose the Login button.
• Step 5: Keep the response sheet and answer key so you can figure out your projected grade.

How to Challenge the Answer Key?

Candidates can contest the CSIR NET Exam Answer Key 2025 by doing the following actions:

• Step 1: Go to the CSIR UGC NET official website.
• Step 2: Select the “Challenges Regarding Answer Key” link on the website’s home page.
• Step 3: A login screen will be presented to you. Once your Application Number, Password/Date of Birth, and Security Pin have been entered, click Submit.
• Step 4: Next, click the link to contest the solution key.
• Step 5: Select the appropriate response option ID for the question that has been challenged.
• Step 6: Press the Save Your Claims button to save your claims.
• Step 7: Upload the supporting documentation for your claim.
• Step 8: Press the ‘Save Your Claims & Pay Fee’ option to save your claims and pay the fee.

CSIR NET Result

After the CSIR NET 2025 test has been successfully administered, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will publish the results on its official website. Candidates may see their results by visiting the official website when the CSIR NET Results are released online. The candidates who passed the test will receive their eligibility certificates and JRF Award Letters from NTA following the announcement of the CSIR NET Result 2025. The job of Assistant Professor at Indian colleges and universities is also open to qualified people.

How to view the results?

Candidates can use the methods listed below to verify their CSIR UGC NET 2025 result:

How to Check the Result if the Application Number is Forgotten?

If applicants forget their application number, they can obtain a new one on the exam’s official website by following the instructions below:

Step 1: Explore the CSIR NET website.

Step 2: Select the link for the result.

Step 3: Select the ‘Forgot Application No.’ link.

Step 4: Type in the information below:

• Name
• Name of the mother and father
• Date of birth
• Security pin (as shown on the screen)

Step 5: Press the button labelled “Get Application Number.”

After the CSIR- UGC NET Results, what comes next?

In due order, NTA issues eligibility certificates and JRF award letters to candidates who complete the CSIR NET exam. Then, all qualified individuals can apply for an assistant professorship at an Indian university or college or do research in the field of science of their choice.

CSIR NET Certificate

The NTA has made the CSIR UGC NET 2025 certifications available on the official website, certificate.nta.ac.in. Candidates may now use the procedure to get their CSIR NET certificate for 2025.

CSIR NET Salary Structure

Candidates interested in a teaching and research career should take the CSIR NET test. After passing this admission exam, the chosen individual can pursue a PhD at a reputable university. If you pass the NET JRF exam, you are qualified for the numerous occupations listed in the table below.

Job Position	Monthly Expected Salary (in INR)
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

For the first two years, a JRF selected through CSIR-NET will receive a monthly stipend of Rs.31000. A yearly contingent grant of Rs.20000 will also be given to the university or institution for each fellow. The terms and conditions of the CSIR, UGC, or Research Scheme, as appropriate, will govern the Fellowship. The Fellowship will be upgraded to SRF (NET) after two years as JRF.

Suppose the Fellow is enrolled in a PhD. In that case, the stipend will be increased to Rs. 35,000/- per month for the third and subsequent years, based on an assessment of the Fellow’s research progress/achievements through an interview by an Expert Committee consisting of the Guide, Head of the Department, and External Member from outside the University/Institute who is an expert in the relevant field.

CSIR NET Cut-Off

The CSIR NET Cut-Off is the score at which candidates will be chosen for JRF and Lectureship positions. To pass the CSIR NET exam, candidates must score at least 33% in the General, EWS, and OBC categories and 25% in the SC, ST, and PwD categories. There are three parts to the CSIR UGC NET: Parts A, B, and C. However, there are no sectional cut-offs; instead, the cut-off is determined by adding the marks obtained in each component. The cut-off marks vary for both categories, Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship.

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Frequently Asked Questions: