The CSIR NET full form expands as Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – National Eligibility Test, and it is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The CSIR NET exam takes place twice a year in several centers across the country.
Students preparing for the exam need to concentrate on the following subjects:
- Life Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Chemical Sciences
- Earth Sciences
- Mathematical Sciences
While filling up the application form, candidates must select from the subject options. Qualifying candidates can get a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) position or become a lecturer in government-run higher education institutions across the country. This path includes colleges and universities at the State and national levels.
Besides covering the CSIR NET full form, this article will help you understand the requirements, eligibility, and exam pattern.
CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria
There are two levels of eligibility criteria to give a CSIR NET exam, namely, education and age.
- Age-wise, aspirants appearing for the exam must not be older than 28 years, but there are exceptions for OBC, ST/SC, and PwD candidates. As a result, the relaxation limit is set at three years for OBC candidates and five years for PwD and ST/SC candidates.
- The educational criteria for the CSIR NET exam require that the students meet the following conditions:
- Must have completed M.Sc (or equivalent) degree or Integrated BS-MS or BS for four years or B.Tech or BE or B.Pharma from a government-recognized institution.
- Candidates from the general and OBC categories must have obtained at least 55% marks in any of the above qualifications.
- Candidates belonging to SC/ST and PwD categories must have got at least 50% with these qualifications.
- Candidates who have completed their Master’s course before 19th September 1991 must have obtained their UGC PhD degree.
CSIR NET Exam Pattern
Two levels of exams are held to assess the candidates before they are sent for the interviews. The first is a ‘General’ exam, a common test for every type of UGC NET exam, and the second is specific to the CSIR NET selection.
The first segment is Part A, which is a ‘General Aptitude’ test containing 20 questions. The applicants are allowed 120 minutes to solve the exam, and there is a negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer.
Parts B and C of the CSIR NET exam have one of five subjects, which are the core of the qualification process. The total number of questions depends on the subject selected by the candidate. You will get multiple-choice questions having a total weightage of 200 marks. The time allotted here is 180 minutes.
| Subject | Number of Questions |
| Chemical Science | 120 |
| Earth Science | 150 |
| Mathematical Science | 120 |
| Life Science | 140 |
| Physical Science | 75 |
The individual markings for each question in all of these five exams vary.
How to Apply for the CSIR NET Exam?
While applying for the exam, check the CSIR NET full form and understand what the exam is about to avoid confusion with other NET exams, as their syllabus and pattern are different.
- Visit the official CSIR NET website and find the ‘Apply Now’ button. The exam is held twice a year and has a limited time to apply, so keep an eye on the exam date.
- Fill in the required details on the Registration page. You will be asked to enter personal information, qualifications and upload scanned documents. Plus, you will also be asked to select a test center as part of the registration.
- After providing the details, you must pay the registration fee. For applicants in the General (including General EW) category, the fee is INR 1000. Candidates from the OBC-NCL category must pay INR 500, and the charge for SC/ST students is INR 250. Students from the PwD category are not charged any fees.
Tips for Preparing for the CSIR NET Exam
Whatever mode you choose to prepare for the exam, make sure to match the CSIR NET full form with the one given above. Then start by reviewing and learning the syllabus. Make an effort to understand the exam’s pattern while going through the previous year’s question papers and their answer keys.
Lastly, prepare a plan and segregate the entire syllabus into small chunks. Cover the most important topics first and gradually move towards the easier ones.
Conclusion
Let’s review what we have covered briefly in this article. The CSIR NET full form is the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – National Eligibility Test. You can give this exam twice a year, and the age limit for the General category students is 28 years. The exam has three parts, with Part A testing your General Aptitude and Parts B and C related to the core subjects. Stay updated with the exam-related information and keep preparing to secure the best results. All the best!
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