The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 for the upcoming June examination, scheduled for 17th and 18th July 2026. Explore the complete subject-specific syllabus, updated exam patterns, mark distribution, and negative marking criteria for Chemical, Earth, Life, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences.
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026
The CSIR NET 2026 syllabus is systematically categorized to evaluate both foundational knowledge and advanced research aptitude. Part A consists of a common paper for all candidates focusing on general science, quantitative reasoning, and analytical skills. Parts B and C are designed to test subject-specific depth and application-based problem-solving. Reviewing the comprehensive syllabus is essential for effective exam preparation.
CSIR NET 2026: Overview
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | Joint CSIR UGC NET June 2026 |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Purpose | JRF, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Admission |
| Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration | 180 Minutes (3 Hours) |
| Medium of Paper | English and Hindi |
| Maximum Marks | 200 |
| Question Type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Official Website | csirnet.nta.nic.in |
CSIR NET Subjects
The CSIR NET 2026 examination is held across five major science streams. Candidates must select the subject that aligns with their postgraduate educational qualifications. The five core subjects are as follows:
- Chemical Sciences
- Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physical Sciences
CSIR NET Subject-Wise Syllabus
Each discipline features a distinct curriculum balancing fundamental theories and advanced concepts. The complexity of the questions naturally increases from Part B to Part C. Refer to the table below for a concise overview of key focal areas for every CSIR NET subject:
| Subject | Key Areas |
|---|---|
| Chemical Sciences | Inorganic, Organic, Physical Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Topics |
| Earth Sciences | Geology, Geophysics, Meteorology, Ocean Sciences, Physical Geography |
| Life Sciences | Cell Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Biotechnology, Physiology |
| Mathematical Sciences | Analysis, Algebra, Differential Equations, Statistics |
| Physical Sciences | Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electronics, Nuclear Physics |
CSIR NET Subject Exam Pattern
All five subjects utilize a three-part MCQ-based format, totaling 200 marks within a 3-hour duration. While Part A remains uniform, Parts B and C vary significantly regarding question counts, marking schemes, and penalties for incorrect answers. The following table provides a comprehensive summary of the CSIR NET subject-wise exam patterns:
| Subject | Part A (Q/Attempt) | Part B (Q/Attempt) | Part C (Q/Attempt) | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Sciences | 20/15 | 40/35 | 60/25 | 200 |
| Earth Sciences | 20/15 | 50/35 | 80/25 | 200 |
| Life Sciences | 20/15 | 50/35 | 75/25 | 200 |
| Mathematical Sciences | 20/15 | 40/25 | 60/20 | 200 |
| Physical Sciences | 20/15 | 25/20 | 30/20 | 200 |
CSIR NET Chemical Science Exam Pattern
The CSIR Chemical Sciences examination rigorously evaluates proficiency in Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry, alongside relevant interdisciplinary research topics.
| Part | Total Questions | Questions to Attempt | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 20 | 15 | 2 | 30 |
| Part B | 40 | 35 | 2 | 70 |
| Part C | 60 | 25 | 4 | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
CSIR NET Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences Exam Pattern
The Earth Sciences paper encompasses Geology, Geophysics, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Physical Geography. Note that Part C features a distinct 33% negative marking policy, while Parts A and B adhere to the standard 25% reduction for incorrect responses.
| Part | Total Questions | Questions to Attempt | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 20 | 15 | 2 | 30 |
| Part B | 50 | 35 | 2 | 70 |
| Part C | 80 | 25 | 4 | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
CSIR NET Life Sciences Exam Pattern
The Life Sciences paper utilizes the integrated CSIR-DBT NET syllabus, bridging biology and modern biotechnology. In Part C, candidates must solve 25 out of 75 questions, with a uniform 25% negative marking applied across all three sections.
| Part | Total Questions | Questions to Attempt | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 20 | 15 | 2 | 30 |
| Part B | 50 | 35 | 2 | 70 |
| Part C | 75 | 25 | 4 | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
CSIR NET Mathematical Sciences Exam Pattern
The Mathematical Sciences paper employs a unique structure: Part B carries 3 marks per question, whereas Part C offers 4.75 marks per question. Notably, Part C excludes negative marking but requires selecting all correct options to secure full credit, as no partial marks are awarded.
| Part | Total Questions | Questions to Attempt | Marks per Question | Total Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 20 | 15 | 2 | 30 | 25% |
| Part B | 40 | 25 | 3 | 75 | 25% |
| Part C | 60 | 20 | 4.75 | 95 | None |
| Total | 200 |
CSIR NET Physical Sciences Exam Pattern
In Physical Sciences, Part B focuses on core principles with 3.5 marks per question, while Part C tests advanced concepts with 5 marks per question. A 25% negative marking penalty is consistently applied across all segments of the exam.
| Part | Total Questions | Questions to Attempt | Marks per Question | Total Marks | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | 20 | 15 | 2 | 30 | 25% |
| Part B | 25 | 20 | 3.5 | 70 | 25% |
| Part C | 30 | 20 | 5 | 100 | None |
| Total | 200 |
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 For Chemical Science
The Chemical Sciences syllabus is organized into three primary domains—Inorganic, Physical, and Organic Chemistry—supplemented by interdisciplinary subjects. Key topics under each are outlined below:
Inorganic Chemistry:
- Chemical periodicity; structure and bonding (VSEPR Theory); Hard-Soft acid-base concept
- Main group elements: allotropy, synthesis, structure, bonding
- Transition elements, coordination compounds: spectral and magnetic properties, reaction mechanisms
- Inner transition elements: redox chemistry, analytical applications
- Organometallic compounds and homogeneous catalysis; cages and metal clusters
- Bioinorganic chemistry: porphyrins, metalloenzymes, nitrogen fixation, oxygen transport
- Analytical chemistry: separation, spectroscopic, electro-, and thermoanalytical methods
- Characterisation by IR, Raman, NMR, EPR, Mössbauer, UV-vis, MS
- Nuclear chemistry: fission, fusion, radio-analytical techniques
Physical Chemistry:
- Quantum mechanics: particle-in-a-box, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, variational principle, perturbation theory
- Atomic structure, spectroscopy, term symbols, MO and VB theories, Huckel theory
- Group theory: symmetry elements, point groups, selection rules
- Molecular spectroscopy: rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra; IR, Raman; NMR basics
- Chemical thermodynamics: laws, Maxwell’s relations, phase equilibria, Le Chatelier principle
- Statistical thermodynamics: Boltzmann distribution, partition functions
- Electrochemistry: Nernst equation, Kohlrausch’s law, Debye-Hückel theory
- Chemical kinetics: rate laws, steady state approximation, transition state theory, enzyme kinetics
- Colloids, surfaces, solid state, polymer chemistry, data analysis
Organic Chemistry:
- IUPAC nomenclature; stereochemistry: configurational and conformational isomerism
- Aromaticity; reactive intermediates: carbocations, carbanions, free radicals, carbenes
- Reaction mechanisms: addition, elimination, substitution; named reactions and rearrangements
- Retrosynthesis, disconnection, synthons, protecting groups
- Asymmetric synthesis: chiral auxiliaries, enantioselective methods
- Pericyclic reactions; heterocyclic compounds with O, N, S
- Natural products: carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, terpenes, steroids, alkaloids
- Structure determination by IR, UV-Vis, NMR, Mass spectrometry
Interdisciplinary Topics:
- Nanoscience and technology; catalysis and green chemistry
- Medicinal chemistry; supramolecular chemistry; environmental chemistry
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 For Earth Sciences
The Earth Sciences curriculum is comprehensive, featuring a foundational Paper I and five specialized sub-disciplines in Paper II.
Paper I – General Topics (Part B):
- Earth and Solar System: Kepler’s laws, geological time scale, radioactive isotopes, meteorites
- Earth materials and surface processes: minerals, rocks, weathering, erosion, river basins of India
- Interior of the Earth: seismology, stress and strain, folds, faults, plate tectonics
- Oceans and Atmosphere: ocean currents, thermohaline circulation, ENSO, Indian monsoon, greenhouse gases
- Environmental Earth Sciences: hydrological cycle, water resources, natural hazards, remote sensing
Paper II – Sub-disciplines (Part C):
- Geology: Mineralogy and petrology; structural geology and geotectonics; paleontology; sedimentology and stratigraphy; marine geology; geochemistry; economic geology; Precambrian geology; Quaternary geology; applied geology (remote sensing, hydrogeology, engineering geology, mineral exploration)
- Physical Geography: Geomorphology; climatology; bio-geography; environmental geography; geography of India
- Geophysics: Signal processing; gravity and magnetic methods; electrical and electromagnetic methods; seismic methods; seismology; plate tectonics and geodynamics; well logging; numerical analysis
- Meteorology: Physical meteorology; cloud physics; dynamic meteorology; numerical weather prediction; general circulation modelling; synoptic meteorology; satellite meteorology; aviation meteorology
- Ocean Sciences: Physical oceanography (water masses, waves, tides, Ekman theory, ocean gyres, El Niño); chemical oceanography (seawater chemistry, carbon system, biological pump); biological oceanography (marine organisms, food webs, coral reefs)
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 For Life Science
The Life Sciences curriculum adopts the merged CSIR-DBT format, comprising 14 units that span core biological sciences and biotechnological applications. A summary of these units is provided below:
| Unit | Topics |
|---|---|
| 1. Structure and Function of Biomolecules | Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids; enzyme kinetics; metabolism; bioenergetics |
| 2. Cellular Organization | Cell membrane, organelles, chromosomes, cell cycle, microbial physiology, AMR |
| 3. Fundamental Processes | DNA replication, repair, recombination; transcription; translation; gene expression control |
| 4. Cell Communication and Cell Signaling | Signal transduction, G-protein receptors, innate and adaptive immunity, cancer, host-pathogen interaction |
| 5. Developmental Biology | Gametogenesis, fertilization, morphogenesis in animals and plants, stem cells, programmed cell death |
| 6. System Physiology – Plant | Photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen metabolism, plant hormones, stress physiology |
| 7. System Physiology – Animal | Cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, excretory, endocrine systems; gut microbiome; metabolic health |
| 8. Inheritance Biology | Mendelian genetics, mutations, linkage mapping, human genetics, quantitative genetics |
| 9. Evolution and Diversity | Origin of life, natural selection, speciation, taxonomy, microbial, plant, and animal diversity |
| 10. Ecology and Behavioural Biology | Population, community, ecosystem ecology; biodiversity conservation; Biodiversity Act 2002; animal behaviour |
| 11. Bioinformatics and Computational Biology | BLAST, FASTA, sequence alignment, molecular modelling, AlphaFold, drug design, systems biology |
| 12. Biochemical Engineering and Industrial Biotechnology | Bioprocess engineering, bioreactors, fermentation technology, downstream processing, metabolic engineering |
| 13. Advances in Biotechnology | Recombinant DNA, CRISPR, genome editing, medical and agricultural biotechnology, organoids, environmental biotech |
| 14. Methods in Biology | Molecular techniques, spectroscopy, genomics, immunotechniques, microscopy, electrophysiology, bioethics, statistics |
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 For Mathematical Science
The Mathematical Sciences curriculum includes four distinct units. Unit 1 is mandatory for all test-takers; Mathematics majors must also complete Units 2 and 3, while Statistics students are required to complete Unit 4.
| Unit | Topics |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 (All candidates) | Real analysis, sequences and series, continuity, differentiability, Riemann and Lebesgue integrals, metric spaces; linear algebra: vector spaces, matrices, eigenvalues, canonical forms, quadratic forms |
| Unit 2 (Mathematics) | Complex analysis: Cauchy’s theorem, residues, conformal mappings; algebra: groups, rings, fields, Galois theory; topology: basis, separation axioms, compactness |
| Unit 3 (Mathematics) | ODEs, PDEs (Laplace, Heat, Wave equations); numerical analysis: Newton-Raphson, Runge-Kutta, interpolation; calculus of variations; linear integral equations; classical mechanics |
| Unit 4 (Statistics) | Probability theory, Markov chains, standard distributions; estimation, hypothesis testing; regression, ANOVA; multivariate analysis; sampling methods; experimental designs; linear programming; queuing models |
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 For Physical Sciences
The Physical Sciences curriculum is categorized into foundational topics (tested in Part B) and advanced theoretical/applied topics (tested in Part C).
Part A - Core Topics:
| Topic | Key Areas |
|---|---|
| Mathematical Methods | Vector calculus, linear algebra, special functions, Fourier and Laplace transforms, complex analysis, probability |
| Classical Mechanics | Newton’s laws, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, rigid body dynamics, special relativity |
| Electromagnetic Theory | Electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves, interference, diffraction |
| Quantum Mechanics | Schrödinger equation, eigenvalue problems, uncertainty principle, angular momentum, perturbation theory |
| Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics | Laws of thermodynamics, ensembles, partition functions, quantum statistics, Planck’s law |
| Electronics and Experimental Methods | Semiconductor devices, op-amps, digital electronics, A/D and D/A converters, error analysis |
Part B – Advanced Topics:
| Topic | Key Areas |
|---|---|
| Mathematical Methods | Green’s function, PDEs in 2D/3D, tensors, group theory SU(2) and O(3) |
| Classical Mechanics | Poisson brackets, canonical transformations, Noether’s theorem, Hamilton-Jacobi theory |
| Electromagnetic Theory | Plasma dispersion, transmission lines, radiation from moving charges, retarded potentials |
| Quantum Mechanics | Spin-orbit coupling, WKB approximation, Born approximation, Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations |
| Thermodynamics | Phase transitions, ferromagnetism, Ising model, Bose-Einstein condensation, Brownian motion |
| Atomic and Molecular Physics | Helium spectrum, LS and JJ couplings, Zeeman and Stark effects, NMR, laser physics |
| Condensed Matter Physics | Bravais lattices, band theory, superconductivity, liquid crystals, quasicrystals |
| Nuclear and Particle Physics | Nuclear properties, liquid drop model, shell model, radioactive decays, quark model, particle symmetries |
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 Subject-Wise PDF
Review the CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 PDF documentation below. For your convenience, all subject-specific syllabi have been compiled in a structured table for quick reference.
| Subject | Link |
| CSIR NET General Aptitude Syllabus | Download PDF |
| Chemical Science | Click Here |
| Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Science | Click Here |
| Life Science | Click Here |
| Mathematical Sciences | Click Here |
| Physical Sciences | Click Here |
CSIR NET Syllabus 2026
The CSIR NET June 2026 examination is scheduled to take place on 17th and 18th July 2026, conducted in two daily shifts as announced by the NTA.
The final date for application submission is 19th June 2026, while the window for examination fee payment remains open until 20th June 2026.
Yes, most subjects incorporate a 25% negative marking scheme. However, Earth Sciences Part C includes a 33% penalty, and Mathematical Sciences Part C is exempt from negative marking.
The exam is conducted for five subjects: Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
Interested candidates can submit their applications and download the detailed information bulletin and syllabus directly from the official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in.