The Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is the main entry point for science postgraduates in India who want a funded PhD, a lectureship or both. Since its eligibility system now has three result categories and five subject papers with different marking schemes, it pays to read the rules closely before you register.
Applications for the December 2026 cycle are open now. Everything here is taken from the Information Bulletin for Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026, published by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on csirnet.nta.nic.in.
December 2026: dates and fees
| Activity | Date (per the bulletin) |
|---|---|
| Online registration and application | 7 October to 5 November 2026 (11:50 pm) |
| Late submission (late fee ₹500) | 6 to 9 November 2026 |
| Correction window | 10 to 12 November 2026 |
| Exam dates | 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 |
| Shifts | 9:00 am–12:00 noon and 3:00–6:00 pm |
| City slip, admit card, answer key, result | To be announced on the NTA website |
| Category | Application fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹1,150 |
| General-EWS / OBC (NCL) | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third gender | ₹325 |
The bulletin calls these dates tentative, so check the public notices on csirnet.nta.nic.in before you plan travel.
Keep preparing
Continue with Document Verification Checklist – Central and Defence Recruitment₹299 — coaching के एक महीने से काफ़ी सस्ता / far cheaper than a month of coachingThe three result categories
The NET result places qualified candidates in one of three categories:
| Category | JRF | Assistant Professor | PhD admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. JRF and Assistant Professor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2. Assistant Professor and PhD admission | No | Yes | Yes |
| 3. PhD admission only | No | No | Yes |
Points from the bulletin that are easy to miss:
- PhD admission scores have a time limit. For Category 2 and 3 candidates, NET marks count for 70% of the PhD admission decision, and the university's interview counts for 30%. Those marks are valid for one year from the result.
- The Assistant Professor qualification has no end date.
- JRF holders still need an interview. They are admitted to a PhD through an interview held under UGC's 2022 PhD regulations.
- DBT fellowships come through the Life Sciences paper. The paper is now called Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (LS-BT). Through it, the Department of Biotechnology awards DBT-JRF fellowships under the same eligibility and age rules, administered by DBT.
What a JRF pays
| Stage | Amount (per the bulletin) |
|---|---|
| JRF, first two years | ₹37,000 per month |
| Contingency grant | ₹20,000 per year, reimbursed |
| SRF (NET), third year onwards | ₹42,000 per month |
The upgrade to SRF needs PhD registration and an expert committee's assessment. Without it, you may continue at the JRF rate in year three, or the fellowship may end. The number of fellowships per subject is limited and varies from cycle to cycle.
Eligibility in brief
Academic qualification
- Master's route: a Master's degree with at least 55% (no rounding off) for General/EWS candidates, or 50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender.
- Final-year students: you can apply provisionally. You must then complete the degree with the required marks within two years of the result, or within one year if you qualify for "PhD admission only".
- Four-year bachelor's route: you need at least 75% (with a 5% relaxation for eligible categories). This route makes you eligible for JRF and PhD admission, but not Assistant Professor. You may choose a subject different from your degree discipline.
Age (JRF only)
- You must be not more than 30 years on 1 December 2026.
- Up to 5 years' relaxation is available for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, third gender and women applicants.
- Research experience and armed forces service also count, but the total relaxation can never exceed 5 years.
- There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD-only eligibility.
Worked example: are you JRF-eligible by age? (illustrative)
Ananya and Rohit were both born on 15 November 1995, so on 1 December 2026 each is 31.
- Ananya can claim the women's relaxation (up to 5 years), so her limit becomes 35. She is eligible for JRF.
- Rohit is a General-category man with no qualifying research or service relaxation. He is over 30, so he cannot be awarded JRF. He can still qualify for Assistant Professor and PhD admission.
Paper pattern by subject
Every paper is a 3-hour computer-based test worth 200 marks, split into Parts A, B and C, with no break between them.
| Subject (code) | Questions A/B/C | Max to attempt A/B/C | Marks per correct A/B/C | Penalty per wrong A/B/C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Sciences (701) | 20/40/60 | 15/35/25 | 2/2/4 | 0.5/0.5/1 |
| Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary (702) | 20/50/80 | 15/35/25 | 2/2/4 | 0.5/0.5/1.32 |
| Life Sciences & Bio-Technology (703) | 20/50/75 | 15/35/25 | 2/2/4 | 0.5/0.5/1 |
| Mathematical Sciences (704) | 20/40/60 | 15/25/20 | 2/3/4.75 | 0.5/0.75/0 |
| Physical Sciences (705) | 20/25/30 | 15/20/20 | 2/3.5/5 | 0.5/0.875/1.25 |
Do not over-attempt. If you answer more than the maximum in any part, the bulletin says only the first N answered questions are evaluated. Extra answers are ignored even if they are correct. In Mathematical Sciences, Part C carries no negative marking.
Worked example: scoring a Physical Sciences paper (illustrative)
| Part | Correct | Wrong | Calculation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 12 | 2 | 12 × 2 − 2 × 0.5 | 23.0 |
| B | 14 | 4 | 14 × 3.5 − 4 × 0.875 | 45.5 |
| C | 10 | 4 | 10 × 5 − 4 × 1.25 | 45.0 |
| Total | 113.5 / 200 |
This candidate attempted 14, 18 and 14 questions, all within the limits of 15, 20 and 20. Their Part C could have taken six more attempts. A Part C answer is worth 5 marks against a 1.25 penalty, so an extra attempt pays off whenever your chance of being right is above 20%.
The number of candidates who qualify in each category is decided by a results committee. The bulletin does not publish fixed pass marks, so treat any "safe score" you read online as a guess.
Registration checklist
- Confirm your Master's (or 4-year bachelor's) percentage meets the threshold without rounding.
- Work out your JRF age eligibility for 1 December 2026, including any relaxation you can document.
- Keep certificates ready for the category, PwBD/UDID or research experience you will claim.
- Register on csirnet.nta.nic.in before 5 November 2026 to avoid the late fee.
- Download the official syllabus for your subject (Annexure-II of the bulletin) and map it to Parts B and C.
- Practise full 3-hour mocks that respect the "maximum to attempt" limits.
If you are weighing research against an industry route in life sciences, our biotechnology career scope guide sets out the options.