CSIR UGC NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria (Released): Check Age Limit, Marks Required, Other Details

CSIR NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria

CSIR NET eligibility 2025 is set by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). Students who are planning to appear for CSIR NET exam 2025, have to go through the eligibility criteria of CSIR NET 2025 first and then apply for the exam. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research defines CSIR NET eligibility criteria based on age limit, nationality, educational qualification, etc.

According to CSIR UGC NET 2025 eligibility criteria, students must have an MSc or equivalent degree/Integrated BS-MS/BS-4 years/BE/B Tech/B. Pharma /MBBS with at least 55% of marks to become eligible to apply for CSIR NET 2025 exam. Students who have enrolled in MSc or an integrated PhD are also eligible to appear for CSIR NET exam. As per the set criteria, an students must be 30 years old in order to apply for CSIR UGC NET 2025 examination for the June Session. There is no age limit for Lectureship (LS) or Assistant Professor for CSIR NET eligibility 2025.

CSIR UGC NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria is one of the very important aspects for the students to check before applying for the exam.  The application form for CSIR NET 2025 is live till June 26, 2025. Scroll down to learn more about CSIR NET 2025 eligibility criteria in detail.  

Eligible students for CSIR NET 2025 are those who, by the last date for CSIR NET applications, are enrolled in or have completed an MSc programme or an equivalent degree, an Integrated BS-MS programme, a BS-4 year programme, BE, BTech, BPharma, or MBBS.

Continue reading to know more about CSIR NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria!

Factors Determining CSIR NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria

Factors determining CSIR NET eligibility criteria 2025 are mentioned below:

1. Based on Nationality

Candidates who are Indian citizens may apply for the CSIR NET 2025 exam based on their nationality.

2. Based on the Age limit 

JRF Age Limit for CSIR NET 2025

The maximum age for applying for a JRF award is 30 years old. The upper age limit may be relaxed by up to 5 years for SC/ST/Third gender/People with Disability (PwD)/female applicants and 3 years for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) applicants.

Age Limits for Lectureship (LS)/Assistant Professor in CSIR NET 2025

There is no maximum age for applicants to the CSIR NET lectureship.

3. CSIR UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Based on Qualification

It is crucial to think about the qualification. Candidates must have either of the following qualifications with at least 55% (for General and OBC) or 50% (for Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates).

Master’s Degree or Equivalent Degree

• Candidates enrolled in MSc programmes or who have completed 10+2+3 years of MSc or an equivalent degree/Integrated BS-MS/ BS-4 years/ BE/ BTech/ B Pharma/ MBBS as of the CSIR NET application deadline 2025 are also qualified to apply under the Result Awaited (RA) category.
• Candidates in the RA category must complete their qualifying degree with the required percentage of marks within two years of the date of the announcement of the Joint CSIR UGC NET result, or they will be considered disqualified.

BSc (Hons) or Equivalent Degree or Candidates Enrolled in an Integrated MS-PhD Program

• Candidates with a BSc (Hons) or an equivalent degree, as well as those enrolled in an integrated MS-PhD programme and possessing at least a 55% grade point average (or 50% for SC/ST/PwD candidates), are also qualified to apply for the exam. Additionally, according to the official website, candidates with undergraduate degrees will only be eligible for CSIR fellowships if they enrol in a PhD or integrated PhD programme within the two-year validity period according to CSIR UGC NET eligibility criteria 2025.

Bachelor’s Degree

• Candidates who only hold a bachelor's degree are only eligible to apply for Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), not Lecturerships (LS) or Assistant Professor positions. In other words, JRF applications are only accepted from BE/BS/BTech/BPharma/MBBS final year/result-awaited candidates. Such applicants are ineligible to submit an LS application.
• Candidates in their final year of a BSc (Hons) programme or those awaiting results are also ineligible.

Others

• Only candidates with a PhD and a master's degree earned before September 19, 1991, with at least a 50% average marks, may apply for lectureship positions.
• To qualify for a lectureship or assistant professor position, NET qualified candidates must meet the UGC's requirements.

CSIR UGC NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria: Subject-Wise Qualification

Candidates applying for CSIR NET 2025 must meet minimum requirements of 55% for General and Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates and 50% for candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD). Subject wise CSIR NET eligibility criteria 2025 is listed below:

• Life Science: In order to be eligible for CSIR NET in the field of life sciences, candidates must pursue academic credentials in this area
• Chemical Sciences: Candidates must hold an MSc, BS, B-Tech, or a comparable degree in chemical sciences with the required percentage
• Earth Sciences: According to CSIR NET eligibility 2025 for Earth Science, candidates must be enrolled in an Earth Science-related MSc, BS-MS, BS-4 Years, B-Pharma, or related programme
• Mathematical Sciences: Candidates for the mathematical sciences must hold an MSc, BS-MS, BS, BTech, or comparable degree in mathematics
• Physical Sciences: According to CSIR NET 2025 eligibility criteria, having a valid MSc in Physics, BS-MS in Physics, or any degree with an equivalent within the required percentage is a basic requirement

Important Note:

• Candidates enrolled in an MSc programme can also apply
• Only PhD holders who earned a master's degree with a grade of at least 50% prior to September 19, 1992, are qualified for a Lectureship
• Candidates who meet the requirements for a lectureship would also be given consideration for a junior research fellowship in a scheme or project
• Based on their assignment, candidates may receive JRF fellowships from CSIR, the UGC, or from programmes with which they may be affiliated
• Candidates who have been determined eligible under the UGC programme for a Junior Research Fellowship or a Lectureship are subject to UGC policies and guidelines

CSIR NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria: Reservations

The CSIR has formed some rules regarding the relaxation of the minimum mark requirement and upper age limit for aspirants from varied restricted groups (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD) as well as female applicants. According to CSIR UGC NET eligibility criteria 2025, relaxation of the marks for eligible candidates is mentioned in the table below:

Candidates can also check the latest CSIR NET eligibility criteria 2025 for the upper age limit relaxation which applies to reserved category candidates.

Age Relaxation in CSIR NET Eligibility 2025

Candidates can check the table below to know the age relaxation as per CSIR NET 2025 eligibility criteria: