CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2025: Subject Wise Pattern & Marking Scheme
CSIR NET exam pattern is released by the National Testing Agency along with the CSIR NET notification. This will help aspirants acknowledge the exam pattern and prepare accordingly. Knowing the comprehensive details of CSIR NET Question Pattern will help them to strategize prepa2rations accordingly. The general studies and GK paper are common in the case of CSIR NET examinations. CSIR NET Exam has the negative marking and it has different criteria for each subject. Here we will discuss subject wise CSIR net exam pattern in depth.
Candidates can read the CSIR NET Exam Pattern in this article with detail.
- The exam comprises 200 marks,
- The question paper has 3 sections: Part Ahall be common to all subjects and contain questions from General Aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning,
graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative, comparison, series formation, puzzles etc Part B will have MCQs from the concerned subject while Part C will have higher order questions. - As per the CSIR NET Exam Pattern, there is negative marking for wrong answers.
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| Subjects | Free Notes Link | Important Questions PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Download CSIR NET Life Sciences Notes and Questions | Download Notes | Download Questions |
| Download CSIR NET Chemical Sciences Notes and Important Questions | Download Notes | Download Questions |
| Download CSIR NET Mathematical Sciences Notes and Important Questions | Download Notes | Download Questions |
| Download CSIR NET Physical Sciences Notes and Important Questions | Download Notes | Download Questions |
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CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2025: Overview
Aspirants should check the key elements of the CSIR UGC NET exam pattern while preparing for the csir net exam. Before attempting the mock test or a question paper, or even starting your preparation for CSIR NET exam. Aspirants must know the CSIR NET paper pattern to make a good strategy to ace the exam. Check the CSIR NET exam pattern highlights provided below:
| Particulars | CSIR UGC NET Exam Pattern Highlights |
| Name of the Exam | Council of Scientific Research National Eligibility Test |
| Number of papers | 5 (Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences) |
| Paper Code |
|
| Total Questions | Life Science - 75 out of 145 |
| Mathematical Science - 60 out of 120 | |
| Chemical Science - 75 out of 120 | |
| Physical Science - 55 out of 75 | |
| Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences - 75 out of 150 | |
| Exam mode | Online |
| Exam duration | 180 minutes |
| Type of questions | MCQs |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Marking scheme | Varies as per the subject chosen |
| Language of paper | English and Hindi |
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CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2025
Aspirants who are preparing for the CSIR exam should prepare in a better or orderly manner. We are providing here the Exam pattern for this year. The CSIR UGC exam pattern is a paper that contains multiple-choice questions of 200 marks. The CSIR Net exam pattern is divided into three parts - A, B and C.
Section A of the exam in all the subjects will be the same that is candidates’ general aptitude whereas sections B and C will have subject-specific questions. Each section contains a different number of questions. The total number of questions that candidates need to attempt in the exam differs according to the subject chosen by the individual. The duration for completing this exam is 3 hours.
CSIR exam is conducted for 5 subjects:
- Chemical science,
- Earth science,
- Life science,
- Mathematical Science
- Physical Science.
Aspirants have to indicate their opted subject while filling the online application form. Read this article for the subject wise exam pattern.
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Subject-Wise CSIR NET Exam Pattern 2025
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) for determining the eligibility of candidates for lectureship and for awarding Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in various science subjects. The CSIR UGC NET exam pattern varies depending on the subject. Here is the subject-wise CSIR NET exam pattern:
CSIR NET Exam Pattern: Chemical Science
It is important to know the CSIR NET exam pattern for Chemical Science in order to prepare for the exam effectively. Knowing the exam pattern will help you to understand the structure of the exam, the types of questions that will be asked, the duration of the exam, and the marking scheme. It helps to understand which subject needs more focus to grab more marks. The syllabus of Chemical Sciences is divided into four sections i.e. Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, along with Interdisciplinary Topics. In the below-mentioned table we have mentioned the details of the Chemical Science’s exam pattern for your better understanding.
The CSIR NET Exam Pattern for Chemical Science is discussed below in table.
CSIR UGC NET exam pattern for Chemistry
Section |
Part A |
Part B |
Part C |
Total |
| Total Questions | 20 | 40 | 60 | 120 |
| Maximum Questions to attempt | 15 | 35 | 25 | 75 |
| Maximum Marks | 30 | 70 | 100 | 200 |
| Correct Answer marks | 2 | 2 | 4 | - |
| Deduction for every wrong Answer | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | - |
- With the duration of 3 hours the candidate needs to complete the exam for chemical science that contains 120 MCQs.
- The marking scheme of part A and B carries 2 marks weightage for each question. However, In part C each question carries 4 marks.
- The negative marking for part A and B is of 0.5 marks and whereas it is for part C is 1 mark.
Candidates can check CSIR NET Chemistry Exam Pattern for more information.
CSIR NET Exam Pattern: Earth Science
Knowing the CSIR NET paper pattern and marking scheme for Earth Science is important as it gives an idea of the total number of questions that will be asked in the exam and the weightage given to each section. It also helps candidates to plan their study and revision accordingly. The syllabus of Earth Sciences will be divided in sections such as Geology, Applied Geology, Physical Geography, Geophysics, Meteorology, and Ocean Sciences. In the table mentioned-below, we have mentioned the details of the Earth Science’s exam pattern for better understanding.
The CSIR NET Exam Pattern for Earth Science is discussed below in table.
CSIR UGC NET exam pattern for Earth
Section |
Part A |
Part B |
Part C |
Total |
|
Total Questions |
20 |
50 |
80 |
150 |
|
Maximum Questions to attempt |
15 |
35 |
25 |
75 |
|
Maximum Marks |
30 |
70 |
100 |
200 |
|
Correct Answer marks |
2 |
2 |
4 |
- |
|
Deduction for every wrong Answer |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1.32 |
- |
- CSIR NET paper for Earth science contains a total of 150 MCQ in duration of 3 hours.
- In section A and B each question carries 2 marks whereas per section C carries 4 marks weightage.
- The negative marking in CSIR NET is 0.5 marks for each question in part A and B and 1.32 marks in Part C.
Candidates can check CSIR NET Earth Science Exam Pattern for more information.
CSIR NET Exam Pattern: Mathematical Science
Knowing the CSIR ner paper pattern and marking scheme for Mathematical Science is important because it will help aspirants to prepare better for the exam. If aspirants know the exam pattern and marking scheme, it gives them an idea of how the exam is structured and how much each section is worth. It will also help aspirants understand which topics they should focus on to score well. The syllabus for Mathematical Sciences is divided into four units i.e. Unit 1: Analysis Linear Algebra; Unit 2: Complex Analysis, Topology, and Algebra; Unit 3: Ordinary Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations , Numerical Analysis, Calculus of Variations, Linear Integral Equations, and Classical Mechanics; and Unit 4: Statistics, Exploratory Data Analysis. In the table mentioned-below, we have mentioned the details of the Mathematical Sciences exam pattern for better understanding.
The CSIR NET Exam Pattern for Mathematical Science is discussed below in table.
CSIR UGC NET exam pattern for Mathematics
Section |
Part A |
Part B |
Part C |
Total |
|
Total Questions |
20 |
40 |
60 |
120 |
|
Maximum Questions to attempt |
15 |
25 |
20 |
60 |
|
Maximum Marks |
30 |
75 |
95 |
- |
|
Correct Answer marks |
2 |
3 |
4.75 |
- |
|
Deduction for every wrong Answer |
0.5 |
0.75 |
0 |
- |
- CSIR NET Mathematics exam pattern contains a total of 120 MCQ out of which candidates need to attempt only 60 questions in 3 hours duration.
- There is only one correct option in part A and B there might be one or more correct options for each question. Marking scheme for part A carries 2 marks weightage for each question where section B carries 3 marks for each question and C carries 4.7 marks for each question.
- There is a negative marking of 2.5 marks for section A and 0.75 marks in section B and no negative mark in section C of the exam.
Candidates can check CSIR NET Mathematics Exam Pattern for more information.
CSIR NET Exam Pattern: Life Science
Having knowledge about the CSIR net paper pattern and marking scheme for Life Science helps them to understand the CSIR NET exam time allotted to submit the exam, and the marks allotted for each question with negative marking. It gives an idea of which subject needs more focus to stay ahead of the competition. It will help candidates plan their time more effectively and prevent them from running out of time during the exam by practicing questions. Topics included in the Life Sciences syllabus are Photosynthesis, Respiration and photorespiration, Diversity of Life Forms, and Molecules and their Interaction and many others. In the table mentioned-below, we have mentioned the details of the Life Sciences exam pattern for better understanding.
The CSIR NET Exam Pattern for Life Science is discussed below in table.
CSIR UGC NET exam pattern for Life Science
Section |
Part A |
Part B |
Part C |
Total |
|
Total Questions |
20 |
50 |
75 |
145 |
|
Maximum Questions to attempt |
15 |
35 |
25 |
75 |
|
Maximum Marks |
30 |
70 |
100 |
200 |
|
Correct Answer marks |
2 |
2 |
4 |
- |
|
Deduction for every wrong Answer |
0.5 |
0.5 |
1 |
- |
- There are a total 145 MCQs in this question paper out of which candidates need to attempt 75 questions in a duration of 3 hours.
- Part A and B carries weightage of 2 Marks whereas part C carries 4 marks weightage.
- The negative scheme for part A and B is 0.5 marks and one mark in part C of the exam.
Candidates can check CSIR NET Life Science Exam Pattern for more information.
CSIR NET Paper Pattern: Physical Science
It is important to know the CSIR exam pattern and marking scheme for Physical Sciences to understand the structure of the exam, the number of questions, and the weightage given to each section. This will help candidates to plan their preparation strategy accordingly and maximize their chances of success in the exam. The marking scheme will also help students to understand how their performance will be evaluated. The syllabus for Physical Science is divided in two parts i.e. Core and Advanced. Topics included in Core are Classical Mechanics, Mathematical Methods of Physics, Electromagnetic Theory, Thermodynamic, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Physics, Electronics and Experimental Methods. Advanced section of Physical Science includes topics like Condensed Matter Physics and Nuclear and Particle Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics and all topics included in core. In the table mentioned-below, we have mentioned the details of the Earth Science’s exam pattern for better understanding.
The CSIR NET Exam Pattern for Physical Science is discussed below in table.
CSIR UGC NET exam pattern for Physics
Section |
Part A |
Part B |
Part C |
Total |
|
Total Questions |
20 |
25 |
30 |
75 |
|
Maximum Questions to attempt |
15 |
20 |
20 |
55 |
|
Maximum Marks |
30 |
70 |
100 |
200 |
|
Correct Answer marks |
2 |
3.5 |
5 |
- |
|
Deduction for every wrong Answer |
0.5 |
0.75 |
1.25 |
- |
- There are a total 75 MCQs out of which candidate needs to attend 55 questions in a duration of 3 hours. In Part A each question carries 2 marks.
- On the other hand in part B and C each question carries a weightage of 3.5 and 5 marks respectively.
- The CSIR NET negative marking for part A, B, and C are 0.5, 0.875, and 1.25 for each section respectively.
Candidates can check CSIR NET Physics Exam Pattern for more information.
CSIR NET Negative Marking & Marking Scheme
Having a correct knowledge of CSIR UGC NET exam pattern is important but, aspirants must be aware of the marking scheme and CSIR NET Negative marking as well to score will in the CSIR NET exam. The marks weightage for each part is different and they should know the weightage for all the three parts of the exam, make a study plan and strategy accordingly. To help aspirants understand the marking scheme easily, all the details are provided below:
| CSIR NET Marks Distribution | |||
| Subject | Total Weightage | Negative Marking | Marking Scheme |
| Chemical Science | 200 | Part A: -0.5 | Part A: +2 |
| Part B: -0.5 | Part B: +2 | ||
| Part C: -1 | Part C: +4 | ||
| Earth Science | 200 | Part A: -0.5 | Part A: +2 |
| Part B: -0.5 | Part B: +2 | ||
| Part C: -1.32 | Part C: +4 | ||
| Life Science | 200 | Part A: -0.5 | Part A: +2 |
| Part B: -0.5 | Part B: +2 | ||
| Part C: -1 | Part C: +4 | ||
| Mathematical Science | 200 | Part A: -0.5 | Part A: +2 |
| Part B: -0.75 | Part B: +3 | ||
| Part C: No Negative Marking | Part C: +4.75 | ||
| Physical Science | 200 | Part A: -0.5 | Part A: +2 |
| Part B: -0.75 | Part B: +3.5 | ||
| Part C: -1.25 | Part C: +5 | ||
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Last updated: May 20, 2025
-> The NTA has released the CSIR NET 2025 Notification for the June session.
-> The CSIR NET Application Form 2025 can be submitted online by 23rd June 2025
-> The CSIR UGC NET is conducted in five subjects -Chemical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
-> Postgraduates in the relevant streams can apply for this exam.
-> Candidates must download and practice questions from the CSIR NET Previous year papers. Attempting the CSIR NET mock tests are also very helpful in preparation.
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