The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the notification for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET June 2026 examination. Applications are now open and eligible candidates can register online at https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/ from 27 May 2026 to 19 June 2026. This exam determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor appointments, and Ph.D. admissions in science disciplines across India.
Whether you are a science postgraduate aiming for a research career or teaching position in a university, the CSIR NET 2026 is your gateway. Read on for the complete breakdown key dates, eligibility, fees, subject-wise exam pattern, and a step-by-step application guide.
Mark your calendar. Missing any of these deadlines could cost you a full exam cycle:
|
Event |
Date |
|
Online Registration & Application Opens |
27 May 2026 |
|
Last Date to Submit Application Form |
19 June 2026 (11:50 PM) |
|
Last Date for Fee Payment |
20 June 2026 (11:50 PM) |
|
Correction Window (Application Form) |
22 – 23 June 2026 (11:50 PM) |
|
Announcement of Exam City |
Will be intimated on website |
|
Admit Card Download |
Will be intimated on website |
|
Date of Examination |
17 & 18 July 2026 |
|
Display of Answer Key |
Will be intimated on website |
|
Declaration of Result |
Will be intimated on website |
The Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted by NTA on behalf of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). It serves three purposes depending on the category you qualify under:
|
Category |
Eligible For |
JRF |
Asst. Prof |
Ph.D. |
|
Category 1 |
JRF + Assistant Professor + Ph.D. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Category 2 |
Assistant Professor + Ph.D. |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Category 3 |
Ph.D. Admission Only |
No |
No |
Yes |
3.1 Educational Qualification
3.2 Age Limit
CSIR NET is offered in five subjects. Choose the one that aligns with your Master’s specialization:
|
Code |
Subject |
Key Specializations |
|
701 |
Chemical Sciences |
Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical Chemistry |
|
702 |
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Sciences |
Geology, Geophysics, Meteorology, Oceanography, Physical Geography |
|
703 |
Life Sciences |
Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Botany, Zoology, Genetics, Microbiology, Biodiversity and Taxonomy, Physiology |
|
704 |
Mathematical Sciences |
Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics |
|
705 |
Physical Sciences |
Atomic & Molecular Physics, Classical Dynamics, Condensed Matter Physics, Electromagnetics, Experimental Design ,Electronics , Nuclear & Particle Physics, Quantum Physics, Thermodynamics |
The exam is 180 minutes (3 hours), conducted in CBT mode in two shifts. The paper has three parts:
i) CHEMICAL SCIENCES
|
CHEMICAL SCIENCES (701) |
PART A |
PART B |
PART C |
TOTAL |
|
Total questions |
20 |
40 |
60 |
120 |
|
Max No of Questions to attempt |
15 |
35 |
25 |
75 |
|
Marks for each correct answer |
2 |
2 |
4 |
200 |
|
Marks for each incorrect answer
(Negative marking for part A, B & C is @ 25%) |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1 |
– |
ii) EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC, OCEAN AND PLANETARY SCIENCES
|
EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC, OCEAN AND PLANETARY SCIENCES (702) |
PART A |
PART B |
PART C |
TOTAL |
|
Total questions |
20 |
50 |
80 |
150 |
|
Max No of Questions to attempt |
15 |
35 |
25 |
75 |
|
Marks for each correct answer |
2 |
2 |
4 |
200 |
|
Marks for each incorrect answer |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1.32 |
– |
iii) LIFE SCIENCES
|
LIFE SCIENCES (703) |
PART A |
PART B |
PART C |
TOTAL |
|
Total questions |
20 |
50 |
75 |
145 |
|
Max No of Questions to attempt |
15 |
35 |
25 |
75 |
|
Marks for each correct answer |
2 |
2 |
4 |
200 |
|
Marks for each incorrect answer |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1 |
– |
iv) MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES (704) | PART A | PART B | PART C | TOTAL |
Total questions | 20 | 40 | 60 | 120 |
Max No of Questions to attempt | 15 | 25 | 20 | 60 |
Marks for each correct answer | 2 | 3 | 4.75 | 200 |
Marks for each incorrect answer (Negative marking in Part A & B is 25%; no negative marking in Part C) | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0 | – |
v) PHYSICAL SCIENCES
PHYSICAL SCIENCES (705) | PART A | PART B | PART C | TOTAL |
Total questions | 20 | 25 | 30 | 75 |
Max No of Questions to attempt | 15 | 20 | 20 | 55 |
Marks for each correct answer | 2 | 3.5 | 5 | 200 |
Marks for each incorrect answer | 0.5 | 0.875 | 1.25 | – |
Note : There is no separate qualifying cut-off score required for individual sections (Part A, Part B, or Part C). Cumulative marks of all three parts of all three parts determine the merit list .Minimum benchmark : 33% for General/EWS/OBC and 25% for SC/ST/PWD.
Fees can be paid via Debit/Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI (SBI / ICICI payment gateway):
Category | Application Fee |
General (Unreserved) | Rs. 1,150 |
General-EWS / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | Rs. 600 |
SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third Gender | Rs. 325 |
Note: Additional bank/payment gateway service charges apply as per the selected payment mode. Fee once paid is non-refundable.
The entire application is online . No physical documents need to be submitted to NTA. Follow these steps:
The entire application is online . No physical documents need to be submitted to NTA. Follow these steps:
CSIR NET June 2026 will be conducted in over 200 cities across India. Tamil Nadu centres include Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Erode, Namakkal, Thanjavur, and more. Candidates must select 4 city preferences during application. City allotment is at NTA’s discretion and the choice cannot be changed after the correction window closes.
Before diving into books, understand what you are up against:
Yes. Applications opened on 27 May 2026 and the last date to apply is 19 June 2026.
Yes. Final year / result-awaited students may apply provisionally. They must complete their degree within two years of the CSIR NET result date.
For Category 2 and Category 3 qualifiers, marks are valid for one year from the date of result for Ph.D. admission. There is no end period for the Assistant Professor eligibility certificate.
Yes, for Parts A and B (25% deduction for wrong answers). Part C also has negative marking for most subjects, except Mathematical Sciences where Part C has zero negative marking.
You must select 4 city preferences in order of priority during application. Exam centre allotment is subject to NTA’s administrative decision.
Rs. 37,000 per month for the first two years + Rs. 20,000 annual contingent grant. On SRF upgrade (after Ph.D. registration), the stipend increases to Rs. 42,000 per month.
The CSIR NET June 2026 examination is one of the most important opportunities for science graduates aiming for research fellowships and academic careers. With the application window now open and limited time available, candidates must complete their registration early, double-check all form details, and begin focused subject preparation immediately.
Start Your CSIR NET 2026 Journey with Professor Academy Today!
Last Date to Apply: 19 June 2026
Apply Now: https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/
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