CSIR-UGC NET December 2026: apply by 5 November; the life sciences paper now also leads to DBT fellowships
Applications for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 are open until 11:50 pm on 5 November, with a late-fee window to 9 November. The exam is on 19, 22 and 27 December. The bulletin says CSIR and the Department of Biotechnology will award fellowships through the renamed Life Sciences and Bio-Technology paper.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is taking applications for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026. Its public notice is dated 7 October 2026. The test decides eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), for Assistant Professor posts and for PhD admission in five science subjects.
Key dates
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application and fee | 7 October to 5 November (till 11:50 pm) |
| Late application, ₹500 late fee | 6 to 9 November (pay by 11:50 pm on 9 November) |
| Correction window | 10 to 12 November |
| Examination | 19, 22 and 27 December |
| Shifts | 9 am to noon and 3 pm to 6 pm (three hours) |
Note the change: NTA's earlier exam calendar had pencilled in 20 and 21 December. Plan around the dates in this notice. The paper is set in English and Hindi.
The five subjects
- Chemical Sciences
- Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
- Life Sciences and Bio-Technology
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physical Sciences
What is new for biology students
The information bulletin says CSIR and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have agreed to award fellowships in Life Sciences and Bio-Technology through this exam. The DBT-JRF scheme has run since 2004 and is managed for DBT by the Regional Centre for Biotechnology. Fellows selected for DBT funding follow this bulletin's eligibility and age rules, but DBT pays and administers the fellowship. CSIR carries no financial liability for those awards.
In practice, one sitting of the life sciences paper can now lead to a CSIR, UGC or DBT fellowship. Read the subject syllabus in the bulletin closely, because the paper now carries a biotechnology label as well.
Eligibility, fee and stipend
- Master's degree: at least 55% (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD and third gender). Final-year students can apply provisionally.
- Four-year bachelor's degree: at least 75% (with a 5% relaxation for reserved categories). It qualifies you for the JRF and for PhD admission, but not for Assistant Professor.
- JRF age limit: 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with up to five years' relaxation for eligible groups, including women. There is no upper age limit for the Assistant Professor and PhD-only categories.
- Fee: ₹1,150 (General), ₹600 (EWS / OBC-NCL), ₹325 (SC / ST / PwD / third gender).
- Stipend: ₹37,000 a month for the first two years as JRF, then ₹42,000 as SRF after an assessment, plus a ₹20,000 annual contingency grant.
CareerBox News Desk — reporting on the National Testing Agency’s public notice of 7 October 2026 and the Information Bulletin for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026. Official portal: csirnet.nta.nic.in. Dates and eligibility change; confirm them on the official portal before you act.