The Joint CSIR-UGC NET for ‘2023-December’ will take place from December 26 to 28 and the deadline to register online is 5 pm on November 30.
The National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University Grants Commission (UGC), is the eligibility exam for pursuing research in science/technology with junior research fellowship (JRF) and for appointment as lecturer/assistant professor in universities and colleges in the country. CSIR-UGC NET is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Who can appear?
Applicants for the test should have cleared MSc / four-year BSc, Integrated BS-MS, BTech, BPharm, MBBS or equivalent exam with at least 55-percent marks. Students currently pursuing these courses can also apply, but they need to pass with the required marks within two years after the result of CSIR-UGC NET is announced. Students enrolled for the Integrated MSc-PhD course can also apply.
The minimum mark for candidates belonging to Scheduled / Transgender / Differently-abled communities is 50 percent. Final-year students of bachelor courses and those awaiting results can apply only for teaching posts. They will not be considered for JRF.
The age of applicants for JRF should not exceed 28 years as on July 1, 2023. The upper age limit for Scheduled / Transgender / Differently-able / Women candidates is 33 years. For Backward categories, the maximum age is 31 years.
Applications could be submitted solely for JRF or teaching job. Candidates with certain qualifications can apply only for JRF. Those who have qualifications in Humanities can attempt a similar exam named UGC-NET.
How to apply
Candidates who wish to appear for CSIR-UGC NET should register on the website https://csirnet.nta.nic.in by 5 pm on November 30. A fee of Rs 1,100 could be submitted till 11:50 pm on the same day. The fee is Rs 550 for Backward / Economically-Weaker Section candidates and Rs 275 for applicants belonging to Scheduled / Transgender categories. Differently-abled candidates are exempted from payment of fees. One person can submit only a single application. Details regarding the procedure to apply are given in the information bulletin on the website.
Other fellowships
Those who wish to obtain National Fellowship for OBC (NFOBC) and National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities (NFPwD) also should attempt CSIR-UGC NET. However, further procedures regarding these fellowships will be carried out by the respective nodal agencies.
Pattern of test
CSIR-UGC NET will be conducted in five Science streams – Chemical / Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary / Life / Mathematical / Physical.
The test will be of three-hour duration and computer-based multiple-choice objective type. The dates are December 26, 27 and 28. There will be three sections for the test – A, B and C. Questions in ‘A’ section will be of general nature to be answered by all candidates. ‘B’ section will have questions on a specific subject. ‘C’ section will also include questions on the subject but would need deep knowledge and analytical skills to answer. Negative marks will be applied for certain wrong answers.
The syllabus of the test, scheme and model questions and answers are given on the website www.csirhrdg.res.in. There are test centres in all districts of Kerala, except Wayanad.
Other details
Those clearing the test would be eligible for a monthly stipend of Rs 37,000 and an annual contingency grant of Rs 20,000 for the first two years for research. Candidates having PhD registration will receive a stipend of Rs 42,000 from the third year. The test result will be valid for two years for research registration. Meanwhile, the certificate issued for a teaching position on clearing the test does not have a time limit. However, CSIR-UGC NET only decides the eligibility of a candidate to become a university/college teacher or researcher with a fellowship. The candidates themselves have to find the opportunities in this regard.
For additional details, check the notification, bulletin and FAQ on the website. The helpdesk number is 011 40759000. Email: csirnet@nta.ac.in