CSIR NET Exam Date 2026 Out, Official Schedule, Exam Pattern

National Testing Agency (NTA) is a national-level test that is conducted to determine the eligibility of Indian candidates for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor, or admission to various PhD programmes in Indian universities and colleges. The JOINT CSIR-UGC NET June 2026 Exam is scheduled for 17th and 18th July 2026. The exam will be held in 2 shifts at various exam centres throughout the country. 

CSIR NET Exam Date 2026 Out

The CSIR NET June 2026 Examination date has been announced by NTA along with its notification PDF. The exam will be conducted on 17th and 18th July 2026 in computer-based mode in two shifts from 9 am to 12 noon and from 3 pm to 6 pm. Further details regarding the exam venue, exam timing, exam centre, etc., will be released along with the admit card. 

CSIR NET 2026 Overview

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test (CSIR NET) is organised by the National Testing Agency twice every year in June and December. Make sure you go through the highlights of the CSIR NET 2026 Exam from the tabulated data below to have a better understanding of the eligibility test.

CSIR NET 2026- Important Dates

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the complete schedule regarding the CSIR NET exam, along with the CSIR NET Notification PDF. CSIR NET 2026 June exam will be held on 17th and 18th July 2026. Check important dates from the table below.

CSIR NET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates applying for JRF must be 30 years or younger, while there is no age limit for those applying for Assistant Professor or Ph.D. admission through CSIR December NET.

CSIR NET 2026 Application Fee

The applicants have to pay the CSIR NET application fee in online mode via debit card/credit card/internet banking. The category-wise application fee is as follows.

Steps to Apply for CSIR NET June 2026

Candidates can apply for the CSIR Eligibility test for the June session by following these simple steps.

PART I: Registration

1. Register on the official website to get your Application Number.
2. Enter basic details as per your Class 10 certificate:
3. Full Name (No prefixes like Mr./Ms..), Mother’s and Father’s Name, Date of Birth (Format: dd/mm/yyyy), Use your own mobile number and email ID (only one per application).
4. Email and phone number can’t be changed later, so be careful.

PART II: Fill the Complete Application Form

1. You can edit your form before final submission.
2. The form can be filled in multiple steps, you can save it as a draft and complete it later before the last date.
3. Upload documents, pay the fee, and print the Confirmation Page.
4. Form is considered submitted only after fee payment is successful.
5. OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) should refer to the central list on www.ncbc.nic.in
6. Enter gender, address with PIN Code, subject of the exam, and preferred exam cities carefully these cannot be changed later.

PART III: Upload Documents

Make sure all files are clear, scanned, and in correct specifications

Photograph

1. Clear face, no cap/goggles, white background, 80% face visible.
2. JPG/JPEG format only, 10 kb to 200 kb.
3. Spectacles allowed if worn regularly.
4. No computer-generated or altered photos.

Signature

1. Full signature in running handwriting.
2. Use blue/black pen on white paper.
3. JPG/JPEG format, 10 kb to 50 kb.

PART IV: Pay Exam Fee

1. Pay via Net Banking / Credit Card / Debit Card / UPI.
2. Save a copy of the payment receipt for future reference.

CSIR NET 2026 Exam Pattern

The CSIR UGC NET 2026 exam will be conducted in an online mode, with objective-type multiple-choice questions being asked from the subject chosen by candidates. The examination will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode in two shifts. Shift 1 will take place from 9 am to 12 noon, and Shift 2 will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. 

The exam will cover five subjects: Chemical Sciences, Earth/Atmospheric/Ocean/Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences and will be conducted in English and Hindi. Have a look at the CSIR NET 2026 exam pattern overview from the table below.

For each subject, the test would consist of three parts, for which the detailed CSIR UGC NET Exam Scheme has been discussed below- 

1. Each exam will be conducted for a total of 200 marks.
2. There will be three sections - Part A, Part B and Part C in each exam.
3. The marking system for each exam differs. We have provided the exam pattern for each exam below.

CSIR NET Syllabus 2026 - Click to Check

CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2026 - Click to Check

CSIR NET 2026 Answer Key

Once the exams are conducted, NTA will release the provisional answer key on its website. Candidates will get an opportunity to challenge this answer key. And to do so the candidate has to pay Rs. 1000 per challenged question. After reviewing these challenges, NTA will release the final answer key on its website. You cannot challenge this final CSIR NET Answer Key in any manner whatsoever. 

CSIR NET 2026 Result

Candidates will be given a fellowship as per the CSIR merit list. Only those candidates who will obtain the cut-off will be eligible for the final merit list. NTA will publish two separate merit lists on its website for the result of JRF and Lectureship, respectively. Candidates who qualify in the JRF merit list will also be eligible for the Lectureship/Assistant Professor fellowship. As per the notification, there shall be no re-evaluation of the CSIR NET result. 

CSIR UGC NET Cut Off 2026

CSIR NET Cut off 2026 will be released by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) along with the UGC NET Result. The cutoff marks have been released subject-wise and category-wise separately for the Joint CSIR UGC NET for each session separately. Have a look at the CSIR NET June 2026 Cut Off for Junior Research Fellowship and Lectureship/Assistant Professor from section below. 

CSIR NET June 2026 JUNE Cut Off 

CSIR NET 2026 Exam Centres

Candidates can check the list of exam cities available in each state and union territory where the CSIR NET 2026 exam will be conducted.