Difference Between UGC NET, JRF and CSIR NET

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The UGC NET and CSIR NET, conducted biannually by the NTA, are India’s premier eligibility tests for lectureship/JRF positions and PhD admissions, but differ fundamentally in scope – while UGC NET evaluates candidates in humanities, social sciences, and commerce through two papers, CSIR NET focuses exclusively on science streams with a three-part structure testing analytical abilities and scientific concepts, featuring negative marking unlike UGC NET, making it crucial for aspirants to choose based on their academic specialization, research interests, and career aspirations in either teaching or scientific research.

UGC NET & CSIR NET

The UGC NET and CSIR NET are national-level eligibility tests conducted twice yearly (June & December) to determine qualifications for lectureship and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) positions in Indian universities. While both exams serve similar purposes, they differ significantly in subject coverage:

UGC NET covers Humanities, Social Sciences, Commerce, and related disciplines
CSIR NET is exclusively for Science streams, including Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Earth Sciences

Administered by different government bodies (UGC for arts/commerce and CSIR for science), these exams also vary in exam pattern, marking scheme, and eligibility criteria, making it essential for candidates to choose the right test based on their academic background and career goals.

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in a Master’s Degree OR equivalent examination from universities/ institutions recognized by UGC in Humanities (including languages) and Social Science, Computer Science & Applications, Electronic Science etc. are eligible for this Test.

For Reserved Category: The Other Backward Classes(OBC) belonging to non-creamy layer/Scheduled Caste(SC)/Scheduled Tribe(ST)/ persons with disability(PwD) category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this test.

CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria

M.Sc. or equivalent degree/ Integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/B.Tech/B.Pharma/MBBS with at least 55% marks for General (UR)/General-EWS and OBC candidates and 50% for SC/ST, Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates.

NET Exam Pattern

The Examination pattern for both exams i.e. UGC NET and CSIR NET has been given below:

CSIR NET Exam Pattern

CSIR NET Examination will be going to be held for 5 subjects i.e. Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences and Mathematical Sciences. The candidates are advised to check out the following tables carefully and thoroughly.

Total Exam Time: 3 hours
Exam type: multiple-choice questions.
The Test will consist of three parts i.e. Part A, B, C.
Mode of Examination: Computer Based Test (CBT) only.
There will be a negative marking @ 25% for each wrong answer.

UGC NET Exam Pattern

UGC NET 2025 Exam is conducted in online mode (Computer Based Test). The Computer-Based Test (CBT) will consist of two papers i.e. Paper-I & Paper-II. There will be no break between Paper I and Paper II. Both papers will consist of objective-type, multiple-choice questions. You will see the latest NTA UGC NET Syllabus Paper 1 & 2 in detail.

UGC NET Exam Pattern
Paper	Marks	Number of Questions (All Are Compulsory)	Duration (First Shift)	Duration (Second Shift)
I	100	50	03 hours (09:00 am to 12:00 pm)	03 hours (03:00 pm to 06:00 pm)

Age Limit:

Post	Assitant Professor	Junior Research Fellow (JRF)
UGC NET	Nil	30 Year
CSIR UGC NET	Nil	28 Year

JRF(Junior Research Fellowship) Stipend

The stipend of a JRF selected through CSIR/UGC NET will be Rs.37,000/- p.m for the first two years. In addition, an annual contingent grant of Rs.20,000/- per Fellow will be provided to the University / Institution.

The Fellowship will be governed by terms and conditions of CSIR, UGC or Research Scheme, as applicable. On Completion of two years as JRF and if the Fellow is registered for PhD, the Fellowship will be upgraded to SRF (NET) and the stipend will be increased to Rs.42,000/- p.m for the 3rd.

UGC NET JRF Fellowship

CSIR NET JRF Fellowship

Difference Between UGC NET & CSIR NET

CSIR NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test) and UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) are both national-level exams conducted in India, but they serve different purposes and focus on different subject areas.

Content	CSIR NET	UGC NET
Subject Focus	CSIR NET is primarily focused on science subjects, including Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences. It is meant for candidates aiming to pursue research and teaching positions in scientific disciplines.	UGC NET covers a wide range of subjects, including humanities, social sciences, commerce, languages, computer science, and more. It is designed for candidates aspiring to become college and university professors or researchers in various academic disciplines.
Eligibility Criteria	Candidates with a postgraduate degree in relevant science subjects or a bachelor’s degree in engineering are eligible to apply for CSIR NET.	The eligibility criteria for UGC NET vary based on the subject. Generally, candidates need to have a postgraduate degree with a certain percentage of marks to apply.
Scope of Qualification	Qualifying for CSIR NET opens opportunities for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and eligibility for lectureships in scientific institutions and universities.	Qualifying UGC NET makes candidates eligible for lectureship positions in colleges and universities. Additionally, candidates can also apply for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in disciplines other than science.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus	The exam pattern for CSIR NET includes a single paper with a combination of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and numerical answer-type questions.	The exam pattern for UGC NET includes multiple papers (Paper-I and Paper-II) with MCQs. The syllabus varies based on the chosen subject
Frequency of Exam	CSIR NET is generally conducted twice a year for science subjects.	UGC NET is conducted biannually for various subjects.
Certification and Funding	Successful candidates of CSIR NET receive the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and are eligible to apply for research positions in CSIR laboratories and other institutions.	Qualifying for UGC NET makes candidates eligible for lectureship positions and also for the award of JRF in some disciplines.

Difference Between UGC NET, JRF and CSIR NET

Here’s a comparison table outlining the differences between UGC NET, JRF, and CSIR NET:

Parameter	UGC NET	JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	CSIR NET
Purpose	Eligibility test for Assistant Professorship and/or JRF in Indian universities and colleges	Fellowship awarded for research through UGC NET or CSIR NET	Eligibility test for JRF and Lectureship in CSIR labs and institutions
Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of UGC	Awarded through UGC NET or CSIR NET	Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Subjects	Humanities, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Environmental Science, etc.	Any subject eligible under UGC or CSIR NET	Science subjects such as Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Mathematical Sciences
Eligibility	Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (50% for reserved categories)	Master’s degree with the required percentage in eligible subjects	Same as UGC NET but only for Science streams
Scope	Qualifies candidates for Assistant Professorship and JRF	Supports research in universities, institutes, and laboratories	Qualifies candidates for JRF and Lectureship in CSIR labs and academic institutions
Financial Assistance	Not applicable	Monthly stipend for research work	Provides JRF and eligibility for Lectureship in Science subjects
Focus	Academics, teaching, and research in diverse fields	Research-based fellowship	Research aptitude and scientific disciplines
Validity	UGC NET qualification for Assistant Professorship is a lifetime	JRF is valid for 3 years, extendable for research purposes	Same as UGC NET, JRF validity is 3 years