Applications open for CSIR UGC NET December 2025: Apply online before October 24

National Testing Agency (NTA) has invited Online Applications for Joint CSIR UGC-NET December 2025, a test to be conducted as a Computer Based Test (CBT) to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for 'Award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor' (Category 1), 'Appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.' (Category 2) and 'Admission to Ph.D. only' (Category 3) in Indian universities and colleges.

Examination will be held in (i) Chemical Sciences (ii) Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences (iii) Life Sciences (iv) Mathematical Sciences and (v) Physical Sciences.

Eligibility: Applicant should hold Master’s Degree/equivalent with at least 55% marks (without rounding off) [50% marks for OBC NCL/SC/ST/PwD/ Third gender category]. Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination have been completed by 19 September 1991 (irrespective of date of declaration of result) need only 50% marks.

Those pursuing Master’s degree/equivalent or those awaiting results of their qualifying Master’s degree or those whose qualifying examinations have been delayed may also apply provisionally. They will be considered eligible for NET, only after they have passed their Master’s Degree/equivalent examination with the prescribed marks. Such candidates must complete their Master’s degree/equivalent examination within two years from the date of NET result with required percentage of marks. However, those who qualify for ‘Admission to Ph.D. Only’ must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within one year from the date of NET result.

Those with a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s degree can also apply. They should have a minimum 75% marks [70% marks for SC/ ST/ OBC (NCL)/ EWS/ Differently-Abled, and other categories]/equivalent grade. Such candidates qualifying in NET, will be eligible for the award of JRF and for admission to Ph.D., but will not be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor.

Those pursuing Four Year/8 Semester Bachelor’s Degree Programme and are in their last semester/year may also apply provisionally. They shall be considered eligible for the award of JRF/admission to Ph.D. only after fulfilling the requirements within two years (if qualified for award of JRF)/within one year (if qualified for admission to Ph.D. only) from the date of declaration of the NET result.

Those with a Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programme are allowed to appear in a subject in which they want to pursue a Ph.D. irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor’s degree.

Upper Age limit: (a) JRF: Not more than 30 years as on the 1.12.2025. A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to candidates belonging to OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third gender categories and to women applicants. Relaxation will also be provided to certain other categories, details of which are given in the Information Bulletin (b) Assistant Professor/Admission to PhD: There is no upper age limit for applying.

Pattern of Question Papers: Examination will be held as a Computer Based Test on 18 December 2025. Duration will be 180 minutes. Shift 1 will be from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and Shift 2 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Medium of the Paper will be English and Hindi. The test will have Objective Type Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) in 3 parts. Part A shall be common to all subjects and will have questions pertaining to General Aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning, graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative comparison, series formation, puzzles etc. Part B will have subject-related conventional Multiple-Choice questions (MCQs), generally covering the topics given in the syllabus. Part C will have higher order questions that may test the candidate’s knowledge of scientific concepts and/or application of the scientific concepts. The questions shall be of analytical nature where a candidate is expected to apply scientific knowledge to arrive at the solution to the given scientific problem. There will be no break between papers. The subject-wise scheme of examination is given in the Information Bulletin at https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/. Syllabus may be seen at www.csirhrdg.res.in

Application: Application can be submitted online at https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/ latest by 11.50 pm on 24 October 2025. Application Fee is Rs. 1150/- (Rs. 600/- for General-EWS/OBC(NCL) and Rs. 325/- for SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender). Application fee can be paid through Credit/Debit Card/Net Banking/UPI up to 11.50 pm on 25 October 2025. Correction in Particulars of Application Form can be done online from 27 October 2025 to 11.50 pm on 29 October 2025. Intimations regarding Announcement of the City of Examination and Downloading of Admit Cards from NTA website will be intimated later on website.

Dates for the display of Recorded Response, Provisional Answer Key, Declaration of Result etc; will be intimated later, on the website.

The merit lists decided by Result Committee will be made on the basis of performance of candidates in the test. There will be no separate cut-off for Part A, B & C. The cumulative marks of all parts are taken into consideration for drawing of merit list. There is a minimum bench mark of 33% for General, EWS & OBC category and 25 % in respect of SC/ ST and PwD categories for both fellowship and Assistant Professor. The score card will be published with total percentile score and marks. The validity of qualifying certificate of Assistant Professor is forever.

The number of candidates who will be qualified for JRF-NET, Assistant Professor and ‘admission to the Ph.D. only’ will be decided by the results committee.

The JRF-qualified candidates are admitted into the Ph.D. programme based on an interview. For admission to Ph.D., the marks obtained in the NET by the candidates in category-2 and category-3 will be valid for a period of one year from the date of declaration of the result. For candidates qualified under the category-2 and category-3, the marks obtained in the NET will have 70% weightage and 30% weightage will be based on the performance in the interview/viva voce conducted by the University/HEI concerned. The Ph.D. admission will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and the marks obtained in the interview/viva voce.

The stipend of a JRF selected through CSIR- NET will be Rs. 37,000/- per month for the first two years. In addition, 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 (NET) and the stipend will be increased to Rs. 42,000/- per month for the 3rd and subsequent years, on the basis of assessment of Fellows’ research progress/ achievements.

Those aspiring for the NFOBC, NFSC or NFPwD/NFPwBD must also apply for Joint CSIR UGC NET December, 2025. However, the result of NFOBC, NFSC and NFPwD/NFPwBD will be compiled/declared by the respective nodal agency on their websites. Candidates must provide correct information in online application form (wherever asked for) to be eligible for these fellowships. These fellowships/schemes are governed by the guidelines available on official websites of implementing agencies/ministries.

The data of UGC-NET candidates can be shared by the UGC/NTA with Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) for admission to Ph.D. programmes and with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) & other organizations for their recruitment processes.

For any queries or /clarifications, candidates can call NTA Help Desk at 011-40759000 or write to NTA at csirnet@nta.ac.in.