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CSIR NET (JRF / Assistant Professor)

Evidence status: ✅ official. The official website (https://csirnet.nta.ac.in) is accessible and provides the latest information bulletin. The facts below are based on the official website.

CSIR NET decides eligibility for JRF and Assistant Professor in the sciences: Chemical, Earth, Life, Mathematical and Physical Sciences. It is held twice a year.

At a glance
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for CSIR
Mode Computer-based test (CBT)
Duration 3 hours

Official sources

Exam pattern

The exam is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) with a duration of 3 hours. It consists of three parts:

Part Description
Part A General aptitude, logical reasoning, and problem-solving (common to all subjects)
Part B Subject-specific questions
Part C Higher-value, deeper conceptual subject-specific questions

Note: The number of questions to attempt, marks per question, and negative marking schemes vary by subject and part. Please refer to the latest official information bulletin on the official website for the specific marking scheme applicable to your subject.

Syllabus

The syllabus covers the chosen subject at the M.Sc. level, plus a common General Aptitude section.

  • Part A: General aptitude (common to all subjects).
  • Parts B and C: Subject-specific syllabus for Chemical, Earth, Life, Mathematical, or Physical Sciences.

Detailed syllabus documents are available in the latest Information Bulletin on the official website: https://csirnet.nta.ac.in

How to prepare (free, in order)

  1. Review the official information bulletin for the specific 'attempt any N of M' rules for your subject.
  2. Focus on Part C for high-value marks, as it tests deep conceptual understanding.
  3. Practice with previous years' papers to understand the subject-specific pattern.

Free resources