CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 OUT: Check Dec Session Age Limit & Minimum Qualification for JRF/LS
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test 2025 ( CSIR NET )
Exam On - 18 Dec '25
CSIR NET December session 2025 registration window closed on October 27, 2025. The notification was released on September 25, 2025. The authority prescribes the CSIR UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 along with the notification in terms of age limit, educational qualification and nationality. CSIR JRF Age Limit is 30 years. Read below for more details on NTA CSIR NET Eligibility for JRF and LS.
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 is the most important aspect of the CSIR UGC NET 2025 exam which is conducted by the NTA two times a year. The notification PDF was released on September 25 at csirnet.nta.nic.in. The application form dates for the December session were September 25 to October 27. The fee payment last date is October 28. The application correction window will open from October 30 to November 1. The eligibility criteria was released for the December session in the information bulletin. The CSIR JRF age limit is 30 years. There is no upper age limit for Lectureship. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) prescribes the CSIR NET eligibility in terms of age limit, educational qualification and nationality. Before filling out the application form for the CSIR NET exam, it is important for candidates to check the CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria.
The CSIR NET Dec 2025 exam will be conducted on December 18, 2025. The exam is conducted for five papers- Mathematical Science, Life Science, Chemical Science, Earth Science, and Physical Science.
No, a candidate cannot apply for more than one subject in the CSIR NET exam. Candidates can only apply for one subject as per the exam cycle.
Candidates can check the CSIR NET 2025 Mathematical Science Analysis for June session in the table below based on the students' review.
Part Name | Total MCQs | Total MCQs to be Attempted | Good Attempts | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Part A | 20 | 15 | 10-12 | Easy to Moderate |
Part B | 40 | 25 | 14-18 | Moderate to Difficult |
Part C | 60 | 20 | 16-20 | Moderate to Difficult |
Total | 120 | 60 | 110-115+ Marks | Moderate to Difficult |
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Exam Overview
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Nationality
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Minimum Educational Qualification
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Subject-wise Educational Qualification
- CSIR NET Age Limit 2025
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Relaxation for Third Gender Category
- CSIR NET Reservation Criteria 2025
- CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Important Points
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
7 Oct '25 - 7 Nov '25
SBI Clerk
22 Nov '25 - 23 Nov '25
29 Nov '25
30 Nov '25 - 31 Dec '25
31 Dec '25
2 Nov '25
Candidates must meet CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 to appear for the exam. It is the minimum criteria that candidates must fulfil before appearing for the exam. Candidates' CSIR NET Application Form is rejected if they do not meet the eligibility criteria. CSIR NET age limit, educational qualification, number of attempts, etc. are the important criteria for CSIR NET eligibility.
Also Read:
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Exam Overview
The Highlights for the CSIR NET 2025 exam are mentioned in the table below:
| Exam Features |
Exam Particulars |
|---|---|
| Exam Name |
CSIR NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test) |
| Conducting Body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Level |
National |
| Exam Frequency |
Twice a year |
| Mode of Exam |
Online - CBT (Computer-Based Test) |
| Exam Fees |
|
| Exam Duration |
180 minutes |
| No. of Papers and Total Marks |
|
| Exam Pattern |
Multiple Choice Questions |
| Language/Medium of Exam |
English and Hindi |
| Official Website |
https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/ |
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Nationality
Only candidates who are Indian citizens are eligible to apply for the exam.
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Minimum Educational Qualification
- Candidates need to possess either of the below-mentioned qualifications with at least 55 per cent marks (for General and OBC) or 50 per cent marks (for Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates).
| MSc or equivalent degree |
Integrated BS-MS |
| BS (4 years) |
BE |
- Candidates enrolled for MSc or having completed MSc or equivalent degree/Integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/BTech/ BPharma/ MBBS as of the last date of the CSIR NET Application Form are also eligible to apply under the Result Awaited (RA) category. However, the condition for RA category candidates is such that they should complete their qualifying degree with the required percentage of marks within the validity period of two years from the date of declaration of the Joint CSIR UGC NET result failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.
- Candidates holding a BSc (Hons) or equivalent degree or candidates enrolled in an integrated MS-PhD program with at least 55 per cent marks (50 per cent for SC/ST/PwD candidates) are also eligible to apply for the exam. However, candidates holding an undergraduate degree will be eligible for a CSIR fellowship only after getting registered for PhD/Integrated PhD course within the validity period of two years, informs the official website.
- Candidates possessing only a Bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) only and not for the Lectureship (LS)/Assistant Professor. For instance, BE/BS/BTech/BPharma/MBBS final year/result awaited candidates are eligible to apply for JRF only.
- Candidates who possess a PhD degree and who have passed their master’s before September 19, 1991, with at least 50 per cent marks are eligible to apply for lectureship only.
CSIR NET Life Science Eligibility
To be eligible for the CSIR NET Life Science exam, candidates must fulfil the CSIR NET Life Science Eligibility which is mentioned below:
- Educational Qualification: Candidates must have a Master of Science (M.Sc.) or equivalent degree in Life Sciences, with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC candidates) or a B.Tech degree in Biotechnology, with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC candidates)
- Nationality: Candidates must be Indian nationals
- Age limit: The upper age limit for the CSIR NET exam is 30 years. However, there is an age relaxation of 5 years for SC/ST/OBC/PWD candidates and 3 years for women candidates
CSIR NET Eligibility for OBC
As per the information bulletin, there is no end period for the validity of the qualifying certificate of Assistant Professor.
As per the information bulletin, the upper age limit for the CSIR NET exam should not be more than 30 years as on the first 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 (as per the Central list of OBC) /SC/ST/PwD/PwBD/Third gender categories and to women applicants.
Candidates can refer to the table for CSIR NET Eligibility for OBC.
| Category | Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| OBC | Master's degree in Science or equivalent degree with at least 55 per cent marks |
Note: There is also an age relaxation of 5 years for female candidates and candidates with disabilities.
CSIR NET Eligibility for Female
Candidates can refer to the table for CSIR NET Eligibility for OBC.
| Gender | Educational Qualification | Age Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Female | Master's degree in Science or a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Technology with at least 55 per cent marks | 21 to 30 years (5 years relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwD candidates) |
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Subject-wise Educational Qualification
The table below covers the subject-wise CSIR NET 2025 Qualification.
| Subject |
Educational Qualification |
|---|---|
| Life Science |
Academic Qualification in Life Science only |
| Chemical Science |
Candidate must hold a degree in MSc/BS/B-Tech or any other equivalent qualification in Chemistry |
| Earth Science |
Candidate must have completed their MSc/BS-MS/BS-4 Years/B-Pharma or any other equivalent degree in Earth Science |
| Mathematics |
Candidate must hold MSc/BS-MS/BS/B-Tech degree or any other equivalent qualification in Mathematics |
| Physical Science |
Candidate must have completed MSc Physics or BS-MS in Physics or any other equivalent qualification |
CSIR NET Age Limit 2025
The CSIR NET age limit criteria differ for JRF and Lecturership. Have a look:
CSIR JRF Age Limit
Candidates should be a maximum of 30 years. That is not more than 30 years as on the 1st day of the month in which the examination is concluded i.e. December, 2025 to be eligible to apply for CSIR NET JRF.
CSIR NET 2025: Relaxation in Upper Age Limit for JRF NET
The upper age limit is relaxed for reserved category candidates who want to apply for CSIR NET JRF. Have a look:
| Category | Upper Age Limit |
|---|---|
| SC/ ST/ PwD/ Female | 35 years |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 33 years |
CSIR NET Age Limit for Lectureship
There is no upper age limit for candidates applying for CSIR NET lectureship.
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Relaxation for Third Gender Category
Candidates belonging to the Third gender category are eligible to draw the same relaxation in fee, age and educational qualification for the CSIR NET as are available to SC/ ST categories. The subject-wise qualifying CSIR NET Cut-off for the Third gender category will be the lowest among those for SC/ ST/ PwD/ OBC–NCL/ General-EWS categories.
CSIR NET Reservation Criteria 2025
CSIR follows the stipulated guidelines regarding the marks relaxation for different categories. Candidates can check the table below for CSIR NET Reservation Criteria 2025.
| Category | Relaxation in marks |
|---|---|
| Other Backward Classes | 5 per cent |
| Scheduled Caste | 5 per cent |
| Scheduled Tribe | 5 per cent |
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 - Important Points
- If a candidate applies for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and fulfils the eligibility criteria for lectureship, s/he is considered for both
- If a candidate is found over-age for JRF, s/he is automatically considered for lectureship/ assistant professorship only
- Candidates who have completed pursuing an MSc or are awaiting the final result of their MSc are eligible for lectureship subject to fulfilling the laid down CSIR NET eligibility criteria
- CSIR NET Admit Card will not be issued to candidates who do not fulfil the eligibility criteria.
Read More:
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Dec '25 | SSC JE Tier 1 Exam 2025 |
30 Jun '25 | SSC JE Tier 1 Notification 202... |
4 Oct '25 - 6 Oct '25 | Application Correction |
1 Oct '25 - 3 Oct '25 | HP TET Nov 2025 Application Wi... |
Aug '25 | Kerala SET 2025 July Exam |
12 Jun '25 | Kerala SET 2025 July Applicati... |
7 Oct '25 - 7 Nov '25 | UGC NET 2025 Dec Application |
7 Nov '25 | UGC NET 2025 Dec Application f... |
29 Sep '25 | KTET Answer Key |
18 Sep '25 - 19 Sep '25 | KTET Exam Date |
10 Oct '25 | Special OTET Answer Key |
27 Sep '25 | OTET Exam Date |
22 Jul '25 | TSTET Final Answer Key 2025 |
22 Jul '25 | TSTET Result Declaration |
22 Nov '25 - 23 Nov '25 | IBPS RRB PO 2025 Prelims Exam |
6 Dec '25 - 7 Dec '25 | IBPS RRB Clerk 2025 Prelims Ex... |
22 Aug '25 - 31 Aug '25 | IAS Main 2025 Exam Date |
25 May '25 | IAS Prelims 2025 Exam Date |
7 Sep '25 | JK SET Exam |
1 Sep '25 | Release of admit card |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
Some of the topics that a candidate can revise in the CSIR NET Chemical Science subject:
Organic Reactive Intermediates: Carbocation, Carbanions, Free Radicals, Benzynes
Stereochemistry: Stereogenicity, Stereoselectivity, Enantioselectivity
Organic Reaction Mechanisms
Pericyclic Reactions
Structure Dete
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
The authority will release the CSIR NET 2025 result for the December session on the official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in. It will contain the name of a candidate, roll number, category, parents' name, Post applied (JRF and Assistant Professor or Assistant Professor Only), subject code, etc.
G
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 6 days ago
The authority will release the CSIR NET answer key on the official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in. It contains correct answers for all the questions asked in the exam. The answer key contains the following details as mentioned below:
Exam name | Exam date |
Exam shift | Exam subject name |
Exam subject code | Question IDs |
Correct option IDs | - |
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 6 days ago
The CSIR NET 2025 final answer key will be released on the official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in. After analysing the representations of the aspirants, the NTA will release the CSIR UGC NET final answer key for the Dec session. The answer key will be released in two phases- Provisional and Final.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 6 days ago
Candidates can calculate the CSIR NET Chemical Sciences scores through the answer key in the following manner.
CSIR NET Chemical Science Paper Parts | Marks Allotted for Each Question | Marks Deducted for Each Question |
|---|---|---|
A | +2 | -0.5 |
B | +2 | -0.5 |
C | +4 | -1 |
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
As per the information bulletin, the upper age limit for the CSIR NET exam should not be more than 30 years as on the first 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 (as per the Central list of OBC) /SC/ST/
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
The CSIR NET 2025 application form was released on September 25 at csirnet.nta.nic.in. The last date to apply was October 27, 2025. Candidates can fill out the application form by visiting the official website or through a direct link provided here on this page.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Candidates can check below the specifications required to upload the images in the CSIR NET application form:
| Documents | Format | Size in KB |
|---|---|---|
| Photograph | JPG | 10-200 |
| Signature | JPG | 10-50 |
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The authority will release the CSIR NET 2025 result for the December session at csirnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates required an application number and date of birth to view their scorecard. After the CSIR NET result, the candidates who will be qualified for the exam will be provided with the CSIR NET eli
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
As per the information bulletin, there is no end period for the validity of the qualifying certificate of Assistant Professor.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Candidates required to score at least 33% in the General, EWS, and OBC categories, and 25% in the SC, ST, and PwD categories to qualify. This is the minimum bench mark. In Life Science subject, the raw marks obtained have been normalised into NTA score/percentile and results have been declared based on percentile cut-off as indicated.