CSIR-UGC NET is a national-level exam to determine the eligibility for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor (LS), and admission to the Ph.D. programme only in Indian universities and colleges. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been conducting the CSIR-NET examination since 2019, on behalf of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). However, CSIR, specifically its Human Resource Development Group (HRDG), remains the overseeing body that awards the fellowships and determines eligibility criteria.
Stipend: The stipend of a JRF selected through CSIR-NET will be Rs. 37,000/- per month for the first two years. In addition, an annual contingent grant of Rs. 20,000/- is reimbursed directly to the fellow. On Completion of two years as JRF and if the Fellow is registered for Ph.D., the Fellowship will be upgraded to SRF and the stipend will be increased to Rs. 42,000/- per month for the 3rd and subsequent years, subject to satisfactory performance.
Eligibility: General/ General-EWS candidates who have secured at least 55% marks in a Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from recognized universities/ institutions are eligible for this Test. OBC-NLC/ SC/ ST/ PwD/ Third gender category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks in a Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this Test.
Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course may also apply for this test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally. Such candidates must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within two years from the date of the NET result. Those candidates who qualify for ‘Admission to Ph.D. Only’ must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within one year from the date of the NET result.
Upper Age limit: For JRF, candidates should not be more than 30 years as on the 1st day of the month in which the examination is concluded. A relaxation of upto 5 years is provided to the candidates belonging to OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third gender categories and to women applicants. Relaxation will also be provided to the candidates with research experience. For Assistant Professor and Admission to PhD, there is no upper age limit in applying for CSIR UGC-NET.
Mode of Examinations: The Examinations will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.
Exam Pattern: The maximum number of marks for the exam is 200, and the total duration is 180 minutes. The question paper is divided into three parts: A, B, and C.
Part A shall contain questions about General Aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning, graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative comparison, series formation, puzzles, etc. This part contains a total of 20 questions, out of which 15 questions have to be attempted. Marks for each correct answer 2, Marks for each incorrect answer 0.5.
Part B contains subject-related conventional Multiple-Choice questions (MCQs), generally covering the topics given in the syllabus. This part contains a total of 40 questions, out of which 25 questions have to be attempted. Marks for each correct answer 3, Marks for each incorrect answer 0.75.
Part C shall contain higher-level questions that may test the candidate's knowledge of scientific concepts. This part has a total of 60 questions, out of which questions have to be attempted. Marks for each correct answer are 4.75; there is no negative marking in part C.
For any other details about the exam, read the official notification on the NTA website.
Syllabus: Click here to check the CSIR-NET Mathematics exam syllabus.
Previous year's question papers: Solving previous years' papers helps you understand the exam pattern, question types, and difficulty level. It also boosts time management skills and builds confidence for the actual exam. Additionally, it highlights important topics and areas that need more focus.
View all CSIR-NET Mathematics papers from previous years here.
Cutoff marks: View the previous year's cutoff marks here.
If you have any questions regarding the exam, please feel free to leave a comment.