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).
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.
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 |
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.
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.
| Particulars | Dates |
| CSIR NET Notification | June 3, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Application Form | June 3, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Application Form (Last date of Submission) | June 23, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Application Form (Correction Window) | June 25 and 26, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Admit Card | June 21 to 30, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Exam Date | July 26, 27, and 28, 2025 |
| CSIR NET Provisional Answer Key Release | To be Announced |
| CSIR NET Objection Window Provisional Answer Key | To be Announced |
| CSIR NET Final Answer Key 2025 | To be Announced |
| CSIR NET Result | To be Announced |
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.
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).
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. |
As of July 1, 2023, the maximum age restriction for the granting of a Joint Research Fellowship (JRF) is 28 years.
| 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
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% |
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.
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.
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 |
Candidates can complete the CSIR NET online form 2025 by following the instructions below:
Candidates must follow the actions listed below to register online:
| Personal Details | |
| Name | Date Of Birth |
| Parents Name | ID Type |
| Gender | ID Card Number |
| Contact Details | |
| Permanent Address | Mobile Number |
| Email ID | |
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.
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 |
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.
The CSIR- UGC NET 2025 application form must be completed with the following details and supporting documentation:
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.
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.
Applicants to download their CSIR UGC NET test admission cards may use the procedures listed below:
Details Available on CSIR- UGC NET Exam Admit Card
The admission card includes the following information regarding the applicant and test.
Items Permitted at the Exam Centre 2025
Candidates to the CSIR NET testing sites may bring the following objects:
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.
| Subjects | Codes |
| Chemical Science | 701 |
| Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Science | 702 |
| Life Science | 703 |
| Mathematical Science | 704 |
| Physical Science | 705 |
| 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 |
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:
| 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 |
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 |
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).
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:
Candidates can contest the CSIR NET Exam Answer Key 2025 by doing the following actions:
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.
Candidates can use the methods listed below to verify their CSIR UGC NET 2025 result:
Step 1: Go to CSIR NET’s official website.
Step 2: Select “Joint CSIR UGC NET June 2025 Score Card” from the list of links.
Step 3: Provide the following information.
Step 4: Select “Submit.”
Step 5: View and save the CSIR NET scorecard and results.
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:
Step 5: Press the button labelled “Get Application Number.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Recommended Read:
Ans. If you’ve forgotten your UGC NET application number or password, follow these steps to retrieve it:
Visit the official website.
Click on the application form button.
Select “Forgot Application Number.”
Enter your name, father’s name, mother’s name, and date of birth.
Enter the security pin displayed on the screen.
Click “Get Application Number.”
Ans. The National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC), determines eligibility for assistant professor roles in Indian universities and colleges. NTA organizes CSIR NET for selecting JRF candidates and assistant professors in science fields, while UGC NET is conducted for JRF and assistant professor eligibility across 81 other subjects.
Ans. The CSIR NET exam is highly competitive and challenging, offering candidates valuable knowledge and experience. Held twice a year by NTA on behalf of UGC, it qualifies candidates for junior research fellowships (JRF) and teaching positions. To be eligible, candidates must have at least 55% in their Master’s degree. Successful candidates can apply for lecturer roles at IITs and NITs, as well as research programs.
Ans. The NTA score reflects the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or lower than a specific candidate in the session. It doesn’t indicate qualifications. The cut-off is expected to be similar to last year, with a possible increase of five marks (not percentage). Marks for correct answers will contribute to the raw score, which is then used to calculate the NTA score or percentile. The final merit list is based on the combined scores of all candidates.
Ans. To download CSIR certificates, follow these simple steps:
1: Sign in to the CSIR website.
2: Enter the required details as mentioned on the website and press the “submit” button.
3: Download the CSIR certificate visible on the screen.
4: Print the hard copy later for your records.
Authored by, Amay Mathur | Senior Editor
Amay Mathur is a business news reporter at Chegg.com. He previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. His areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. He is a Columbia University graduate.
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Chegg India does not ask for money to offer any opportunity with the company. We request you to be vigilant before sharing your personal and financial information with any third party. Beware of fraudulent activities claiming affiliation with our company and promising monetary rewards or benefits. Chegg India shall not be responsible for any losses resulting from such activities.
