CSIR UGC NET June 2026

The CSIR UGC NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) June 2026 is a national-level examination conducted jointly by CSIR and UGC for determining eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship/Assistant Professor positions in Indian universities and colleges. This exam is conducted for candidates in Science subjects including Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. Candidates qualifying as JRF receive a fellowship for pursuing PhD research, while those qualifying for Lectureship become eligible for assistant professor positions in universities and colleges across India. The examination is conducted twice a year (June and December cycles) and is recognized by all Indian universities following UGC norms. CSIR NET is one of the most prestigious examinations for science graduates seeking research and teaching careers in India.

Important Dates (Indicative - Official notification awaited)

Note: Exact dates will be announced in the official notification

Vacancy Details

CSIR UGC NET does not have a fixed vacancy count as it is an eligibility test. The number of candidates qualifying depends on their performance and the cutoff marks determined by the conducting authority.

Note: JRF positions are limited and awarded to top performers. Lectureship eligibility is granted to a larger pool of candidates.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

For Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship:

• M.Sc. or integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/BTech/BPharma/MBBS with at least 55% marks for General and OBC-NCL candidates (50% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates) in the respective subject
• Candidates pursuing final year of their qualifying degree can also apply provisionally

For Lectureship Only:

• Candidates who have completed their Master's degree or are awaiting results can apply

Subject Areas:

• Chemical Sciences
• Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
• Life Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physical Sciences

Age Limit

Age Criteria (as on last date of application):

Note: Age relaxation is cumulative for women and reserved category candidates

Nationality

• Indian citizens are eligible to apply
• Foreign nationals may apply for Lectureship only (not for JRF) as per UGC guidelines

How to Apply

1. Visit Official Website: Go to the official CSIR UGC NET portal at https://csirnet.nta.nic.in or https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in

1. New Registration: Click on 'New Registration' and provide basic details (name, email, mobile number) to generate Application Number and Password

1. Login to Portal: Use the generated credentials to login to the application portal

1. Fill Application Form: Complete all sections including personal details, educational qualifications, subject selection, exam city preferences, and upload required documents

1. Upload Documents: Upload scanned copies of recent photograph (10-100 KB), signature (4-30 KB), and category certificate if applicable (50-300 KB) in prescribed format

1. Pay Application Fee: Complete fee payment through online mode (Debit Card/Credit Card/Net Banking/UPI)

1. Submit Application: Review all details carefully and submit the application form

1. Download Confirmation: Take printout of the confirmation page for future reference

Application Fee Structure

Payment Mode: Online only (Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking/UPI/Paytm)

Selection Process

The CSIR UGC NET selection process consists of the following stages:

1. Single Tier Examination: Candidates appear for a single computer-based test (CBT) comprising three parts conducted in one session of 3 hours duration. Performance in this exam determines JRF and Lectureship eligibility.

1. Answer Key Challenge: After the examination, provisional answer keys are released. Candidates can challenge answers by paying a processing fee per question challenged.

1. Result Evaluation: Based on final answer keys, results are prepared. Candidates are awarded JRF, Lectureship (LS), or declared not qualified based on cutoff marks and performance.

1. Merit List Preparation: Separate merit lists are prepared for JRF and Lectureship categories considering subject-wise and category-wise reservations.

1. JRF Award Process: Candidates selected for JRF must register with CSIR-HRDG for fellowship disbursement and choose a research institution within the validity period.

1. Certificate Verification: JRF awardees need to submit original certificates for verification at the time of joining their research institution.

1. Lectureship Certification: Candidates qualifying for Lectureship receive eligibility certificates valid for appointment as Assistant Professor in universities and colleges.

Note: There is no interview process. Selection is purely based on written examination performance.

Examination Pattern

CSIR UGC NET is conducted as a Single Paper Computer Based Test (CBT) divided into three parts:

Single Paper (Combined - 3 Hours)

Negative Marking

• Part A: 0.5 marks deducted for each wrong answer
• Part B: 0.5 marks deducted for each wrong answer
• Part C: 1.0 mark deducted for each wrong answer
• No negative marking for unattempted questions

Qualifying Criteria

• For JRF: Minimum 33% marks in aggregate (Part A + Part B + Part C) and must feature in merit list
• For Lectureship: Minimum 33% marks in aggregate (Part A + Part B + Part C)
• Relaxation of 5% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates (28% minimum)

Note: Exam mode is Computer Based Test (CBT) only. No offline mode available.

Detailed Syllabus

Part A: General Aptitude

• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Graphical analysis and data interpretation
• Mathematical aptitude (algebra, calculus, statistics)
• Numerical ability and quantitative reasoning

Part B & C: Subject-Specific Syllabus

Chemical Sciences

• Inorganic Chemistry: Periodic table, chemical bonding, coordination chemistry, organometallic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry
• Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, photochemistry, quantum chemistry
• Organic Chemistry: Stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, biomolecules, spectroscopy (NMR, IR, UV, Mass)
• Interdisciplinary Topics: Material science, green chemistry, catalysis

Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences

• Earth and Planetary Materials: Mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry
• Surficial Processes: Geomorphology, sedimentology, paleontology
• Atmosphere and Hydrosphere: Meteorology, climatology, oceanography
• Solid Earth: Structural geology, tectonics, geophysics, seismology
• Applied Geology: Engineering geology, hydrogeology, remote sensing, GIS

Life Sciences

• Molecules and their Interaction: Biomolecules, metabolism, molecular biology, biochemistry
• Cellular Organization: Cell biology, signal transduction, cell cycle
• Fundamental Processes: Microbiology, immunology, developmental biology
• Cell Communication and Cell Signaling: Nervous system, endocrine system
• Developmental Biology and Plant Sciences: Plant physiology, genetics, ecology, evolution, biodiversity
• System Physiology: Animal physiology, biotechnology, bioinformatics

Mathematical Sciences

• Analysis: Real analysis, complex analysis, functional analysis, measure theory
• Linear Algebra: Vector spaces, matrices, eigenvalues, linear transformations
• Abstract Algebra: Groups, rings, fields, modules
• Topology: Metric spaces, topological spaces, connectedness, compactness
• Differential Equations: ODE, PDE, calculus of variations
• Numerical Analysis and Computer Programming: Numerical methods, programming fundamentals
• Statistics and Probability: Probability theory, statistical inference, stochastic processes

Physical Sciences

• Classical Mechanics: Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, central force problems
• Quantum Mechanics: Wave mechanics, operators, angular momentum, perturbation theory
• Electromagnetic Theory: Electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations, wave propagation
• Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics: Laws of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, statistical ensembles
• Atomic and Molecular Physics: Atomic structure, spectroscopy, molecular bonding
• Condensed Matter Physics: Crystal structure, band theory, superconductivity
• Nuclear and Particle Physics: Nuclear models, radioactivity, elementary particles
• Electronics and Experimental Methods: Semiconductor devices, digital electronics, instrumentation

JRF Fellowship and Lectureship Salary (Typical/Indicative)

JRF Fellowship Details

Total Monthly Income (JRF): ₹31,000 - ₹47,000 (including HRA)

Total Monthly Income (SRF - after upgradation): ₹35,000 - ₹51,000 (including HRA)

Assistant Professor Salary (for Lectureship Qualified)

Note: JRF fellowship is tax-free. Assistant Professor salary is subject to income tax and statutory deductions.

JRF fellows can upgrade to Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) after two years upon satisfactory performance assessment, which increases the monthly fellowship from ₹31,000 to ₹35,000. After completing PhD with JRF/SRF fellowship, candidates can pursue postdoctoral research, apply for Assistant Professor positions in universities/colleges using their NET Lectureship qualification, or join research institutions like CSIR labs, DRDO, ISRO, and other scientific organizations. Lectureship-qualified candidates appointed as Assistant Professors can progress through academic career stages: Assistant Professor (Level 10) → Assistant Professor (Level 11) → Assistant Professor (Level 12) → Associate Professor (Level 13A) → Professor (Level 14), with salary reaching up to ₹2,50,000+ per month at Professor level.

The CSIR UGC NET June 2026 admit card is expected to be released approximately 15-20 days before the examination date on the official website https://csirnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates must login using their application number and password/date of birth to download the admit card. The admit card contains important details including candidate's name, photograph, examination center address, reporting time, and examination instructions. Candidates must carry the admit card along with a valid original photo ID proof (Aadhaar card/Passport/Driving License/Voter ID) to the examination center, as entry without these documents is strictly prohibited.

The CSIR UGC NET June 2026 result is typically declared 6-8 weeks after the examination date on the official website. The result process includes release of provisional answer keys (within 7-10 days of exam), acceptance of challenges from candidates, preparation of final answer keys, and then result declaration. Candidates can check their results by logging into the official portal using their application number and date of birth. The result indicates whether the candidate has qualified for JRF, Lectureship, or not qualified. Score cards are made available for download from the website, and JRF-qualified candidates receive fellowship award letters from CSIR-HRDG separately.

CSIR UGC NET cutoff marks vary significantly by subject and category, typically ranging from 33-40% aggregate marks for general category candidates and 28-35% for reserved categories. For JRF qualification, the cutoff is substantially higher, usually in the range of 50-60% or above depending on the subject difficulty and number of candidates. Subject-wise, Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences generally have higher cutoffs (55-65% for JRF) while Life Sciences and Chemical Sciences have relatively moderate cutoffs (48-58% for JRF). Category-wise relaxation of 5% is provided to SC/ST/PwBD candidates. The exact cutoff is determined after the examination based on overall performance, number of candidates, and difficulty level of the question paper.

CSIR UGC NET Examination Centers

The examination is conducted across multiple cities in India:

North India: Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Srinagar, Shimla, Dehradun, Lucknow, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Rohtak, Karnal, Patiala

South India: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Mysuru, Mangalore, Vijayawada

East India: Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Durgapur, Rourkela

West India: Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Nashik, Aurangabad, Indore, Bhopal, Raipur

Northeast India: Guwahati, Shillong, Imphal, Aizawl, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Silchar

Central India: Jabalpur, Bilaspur, Gwalior, Ujjain

Note: Candidates can select up to 3 exam city preferences. Final allotment depends on availability and is communicated through the admit card.