CSIR NET syllabus: how it is structured and where to get it
The CSIR NET syllabus is published by CSIR HRDG, not by NTA. Here is how it is organised across Parts A, B and C, and how to use it for the December 2026 exam.
The official CSIR NET syllabus is published by CSIR’s Human Resource Development Group (CSIR HRDG) at csirhrdg.res.in, not by NTA. The December 2026 Information Bulletin (section 3.6) points candidates there.
We have not reproduced the subject unit lists on this page. We could not check them against the CSIR HRDG documents, and the unit lists that circulate on coaching sites are not an official source. Download the syllabus for your subject from CSIR HRDG and work from that.
How is the CSIR NET syllabus structured?
Each subject paper has three parts, and the syllabus maps onto them like this:
| Part | What it draws on | Same for all subjects? |
|---|---|---|
| Part A | General Aptitude | Yes |
| Part B | Your subject syllabus, as MCQs | No |
| Part C | Your subject syllabus, as higher-order, analytical application questions | No |
The number of questions, the attempt limits and the marks for each part are on the exam pattern page.
What is in the Part A General Aptitude syllabus?
Part A is common to all five subjects. According to the bulletin, it covers:
- Logical reasoning
- Graphical analysis
- Analytical and numerical ability
- Quantitative comparison
- Series
- Puzzles
In every subject you may attempt 15 of the 20 Part A questions, at 2 marks each. That is 30 of the 200 marks, from a syllabus that does not depend on your subject.
Which subjects are there?
| Code | Subject |
|---|---|
| 701 | Chemical Sciences |
| 702 | Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences |
| 703 | Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (LS-BT) |
| 704 | Mathematical Sciences |
| 705 | Physical Sciences |
What changed in Life Sciences?
For December 2026, subject 703 has been renamed Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (LS-BT). Under a CSIR–DBT arrangement, DBT-JRF fellowships in this subject are now awarded through CSIR NET. If you are using older Life Sciences material, check the current syllabus on CSIR HRDG to see whether any content has changed along with the name.
How should I use the syllabus?
- Download it from CSIR HRDG, not from a coaching site, and print it.
- Mark each unit as strong, shaky or not started.
- Think in two layers. Part B checks whether you know the subject. Part C checks whether you can apply it to unfamiliar problems. A topic you can recall but not apply is not finished.
- Do not skip Part A. It is the same for everyone and is worth 30 marks.
The preparation strategy page turns this into a plan for the weeks before 19 December, and the important dates page has every deadline.
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