Last updated: 5 November 2026 · This is our single, permanent page for CSIR NET Life Science (Joint CSIR-UGC NET, subject code 703 – Life Sciences and Bio-Technology). Every new exam cycle – December 2026, June 2027, December 2027 and later – is added here as soon as the National Testing Agency (NTA) publishes it, so bookmark this one link instead of searching again each session.
🔔 Latest update (5 Nov 2026)
NTA has extended the last date for the CSIR NET December 2026 application to 9 November 2026 (11:50 PM), without any late fee. Fee payment must also be completed by 9 November 2026 (11:50 PM). The exam is scheduled for 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 in computer-based mode.
CSIR NET Life Science – all exam cycles at a glance
| Exam cycle | Notification status | Application window | Exam date(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSIR NET Life Science December 2026 | Released (Information Bulletin, Oct 2026) | 7 Oct – 9 Nov 2026 (extended) | 19, 22 & 27 Dec 2026 | To be announced by NTA |
| CSIR NET Life Science June 2027 | Not released yet | Will be updated here | Will be updated here | – |
| CSIR NET Life Science December 2027 | Not released yet | Will be updated here | Will be updated here | – |
| CSIR NET Life Science June 2026 (previous) | Completed | – | – | Scores 29 Aug 2026; result & rank 10 Sep 2026; e-certificates notice 25 Sep 2026 |
We do not publish guessed dates. A cycle row changes only after an official NTA or CSIR notice appears on csirnet.nta.nic.in.
CSIR NET Life Science December 2026 – important dates
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application opened | 7 October 2026 |
| Last date to submit the form (revised) | 9 November 2026, 11:50 PM |
| Last date for fee payment (revised) | 9 November 2026, 11:50 PM |
| Correction window | Originally 10–12 Nov 2026 in the bulletin – check NTA’s site for any revised dates after the extension |
| City intimation slip | To be announced |
| Admit card | To be announced |
| Exam dates | 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 |
| Shift timings | Shift 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon · Shift 2: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| Answer key and result | To be announced |
Application fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹1,150 |
| General-EWS / OBC (NCL) | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third gender | ₹325 |
Bank or payment-gateway charges are extra. Payment is online only (debit/credit card, net banking or UPI). Under the 5 Nov 2026 extension, no late fee applies up to 9 November.
Eligibility for CSIR NET Life Science
Educational qualification
- A master’s degree (or equivalent) with at least 55% marks for General/EWS candidates, and at least 50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third-gender candidates. Marks are not rounded off.
- Students in the final year of their master’s, or awaiting results, can apply provisionally. They must clear the degree with the required marks within two years of the NET result (one year if they qualify only for “Admission to PhD”).
- Four-year (8-semester) bachelor’s graduates need at least 75% aggregate (5% relaxation for reserved categories as per UGC). They can qualify for JRF and PhD admission, but not for Assistant Professor. They may choose the subject in which they want to do a PhD.
- Only Indian nationals are eligible.
Age limit
- JRF: maximum 30 years as on 1 December 2026. Up to 5 years relaxation for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, third-gender and women candidates; also for relevant research experience or armed-forces service. Total relaxation cannot exceed 5 years.
- Assistant Professor: no upper age limit.
- Admission to PhD only: no upper age limit.
What you can qualify for: the three result categories
| Category | JRF | Assistant Professor | PhD admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 – JRF + Assistant Professor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Category 2 – Assistant Professor + PhD | No | Yes | Yes |
| Category 3 – PhD admission only | No | No | Yes |
For PhD admission under Categories 2 and 3, the NET marks stay valid for one year from the result, and universities give them 70% weightage (30% interview). The Assistant Professor qualification has no expiry.
JRF stipend and DBT-JRF through this exam
- JRF: ₹37,000 per month for the first two years, plus a ₹20,000 annual contingency grant.
- SRF: ₹42,000 per month from the third year, after an expert-committee assessment and PhD registration.
- DBT-JRF: CSIR and the Department of Biotechnology now award DBT fellowships in Life Sciences and Bio-Technology through this same exam, with the same eligibility and age rules. DBT administers those fellowships.
- The number of fellowships per subject is limited and can change from cycle to cycle.
CSIR NET Life Science exam pattern (Life Sciences and Bio-Technology, code 703)
| Part A | Part B | Part C | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions given | 20 | 50 | 75 | 145 |
| Questions to attempt (max.) | 15 | 35 | 25 | 75 |
| Marks per correct answer | 2 | 2 | 4 | 200 |
| Negative mark per wrong answer | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 25% |
- Computer-based test, 3 hours, no break between parts. The paper is in Hindi and English.
- Part A is general aptitude (reasoning, graphs, numerical ability, puzzles) and common to all subjects.
- Part B has standard subject MCQs from the syllabus; Part C has higher-order, analytical questions.
- If you answer more than the allowed number in a part, only the first 15 / 35 / 25 answers are evaluated – so do not over-attempt.
The official syllabus is published by CSIR HRDG at csirhrdg.res.in.
How to apply for CSIR NET Life Science
- Open csirnet.nta.nic.in and register with your own email ID and mobile number (registration is also enabled through MeriPehchaan single sign-on).
- Log in with the application number and password, fill personal and education details, choose subject 703 (Life Sciences and Bio-Technology) and your exam cities.
- Capture a live photograph and upload your photo (10–200 KB, JPG), signature (10–50 KB, JPG) and, if applicable, category / PwD certificates or the result-awaited attestation form (PDF, 50–300 KB).
- Pay the fee online and download the confirmation page.
Only one application per candidate is allowed. NTA does not edit details after submission except through the one-time correction window.
After you qualify: where to use your CSIR NET
JRF and PhD-only qualifiers can apply for PhD admissions and project positions at institutes such as BRIC labs, CSIR labs, IISERs and IITs. We post these openings as soon as they are notified:
- Academic research jobs, JRF and PhD calls
- Government research jobs
- Biotechnology jobs
- All life-science jobs in India
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to apply for CSIR NET December 2026?
9 November 2026 up to 11:50 PM, for both the form and the fee, after NTA’s extension notice of 5 November 2026. No late fee is charged up to that date.
When is the CSIR NET Life Science December 2026 exam?
The bulletin lists 19, 22 and 27 December 2026. Your exact date and shift will be on your admit card.
Can final-year MSc students apply?
Yes. They are admitted provisionally and must finish the master’s with the required percentage within two years of the result (one year for the PhD-only category).
Is there an age limit for CSIR NET Life Science?
Only for JRF: 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with up to 5 years relaxation for eligible groups. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD-only.
How much is the JRF stipend?
₹37,000 per month for the first two years and ₹42,000 per month as SRF from the third year (after assessment), as stated in the December 2026 bulletin.
When will the CSIR NET June 2027 notification come?
NTA has not announced it yet. We will add the June 2027 dates to the table at the top of this page as soon as the official notice is released.
Official links
- CSIR NET official website (NTA)
- Information Bulletin – Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 (PDF)
- Public notice: last date extended to 9 Nov 2026 (PDF)
- CSIR HRDG (syllabus and fellowship rules)
- NTA helpdesk: [email protected] · 011-40759000 / 011-69227700
All details on this page are taken from official NTA and CSIR documents. If an official notice differs from this page, the official notice is final.