CSIR UGC NET 2026 Registration Closes Today at 11:50 PM

The extended registration window for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 examination will close on November 9, 2026. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has given candidates additional time to submit their online application forms and complete the examination fee payment. Eligible applicants who have not yet registered must complete the process by 11:50 pm on Monday through the official website, csirnet.nta.nic.in.

The application deadline was extended from November 5 to November 9 through an NTA public notice dated November 5. Importantly, the extension allows candidates to submit their applications without paying the previously announced late fee. The correction window will subsequently open on November 10 and remain available until November 12, 2026.

The December 2026 examination is scheduled for December 19, 22 and 27. It will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across five science disciplines. The examination determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions and PhD admission, depending on the qualifying category.

CSIR UGC NET 2026 registration deadline today: Important dates

NTA initially scheduled the last date for submitting the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 application form as November 5. However, the agency extended the deadline by four days to give candidates additional time to complete the application process.

According to the revised schedule, both the application submission and successful transaction of the examination fee must be completed by November 9 at 11:50 pm. Candidates should not wait until the final minutes because payment failures, internet interruptions or heavy website traffic could prevent successful submission.

The correction facility will give candidates an opportunity to edit permitted details in their submitted application forms. However, NTA will specify which fields can be changed when the correction window becomes active. Applicants should therefore review their information carefully before submitting the form.

Direct link to apply for CSIR UGC NET December 2026

Candidates can access the online application portal through the official CSIR UGC NET website. The registration process is entirely online, and applications submitted through other modes will not be accepted.

Direct application link: https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/

After opening the website, candidates should select the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 application link and follow the instructions displayed on the portal. They must complete registration, provide educational and personal information, upload the required documents and pay the applicable examination fee.

CSIR UGC NET 2026: How to apply online

Applicants who have not completed their registration can follow these steps to submit the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 application form:

• Visit the official website of Joint CSIR-UGC NET at csirnet.nta.nic.in.
• Find and click the online application link for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 examination.
• Complete the registration process using a valid email address and mobile number.
• Generate the application number and use it to log in to the candidate portal.
• Fill in the application form with the required personal details, educational qualifications and examination preferences.
• Upload the live photograph, scanned passport-size photograph, signature and other applicable certificates.
• Review the information entered in the form before proceeding to payment.
• Pay the prescribed examination fee using an available online payment method.
• Submit the application form and download the confirmation page generated after successful payment.
• Save a digital copy and take a printout of the confirmation page for future reference.

NTA considers an application successfully submitted only after receiving the prescribed examination fee. Candidates should therefore check their payment status and ensure that the confirmation page has been generated. A payment receipt alone should not be treated as a substitute for the completed application confirmation page.

CSIR UGC NET application fee 2026: Category-wise details

The examination fee varies according to the candidate’s category. As specified in the information bulletin, the standard application fee is ₹1,150 for General category candidates, ₹600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, and ₹325 for candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwD, PwBD and Third Gender categories.

The original information bulletin included a late fee of ₹500 for applications submitted between November 6 and November 9. However, NTA’s November 5 extension notice specifically extended the application and payment deadline to November 9 without any late fee. Therefore, candidates applying during the extended period are not required to pay the additional ₹500.

Applicants can pay through Net Banking, debit card, credit card or UPI using the available payment gateway options. Applicable bank or payment gateway processing charges and GST may be added to the examination fee.

Candidates should retain proof of payment and download the confirmation page after completing the transaction. If the payment is successful but the confirmation page does not appear, they should check the transaction status and contact the NTA helpdesk if necessary.

CSIR UGC NET 2026 exam dates and shift timings

The Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 examination will be conducted on December 19, 22 and 27. The test will take place in two shifts each day, according to the schedule published by NTA.

Each examination session will last three hours. The specific examination date, shift and centre allotted to an individual candidate will be mentioned on the admit card. NTA has not yet announced the release dates for the examination city intimation slip and admit card.

Candidates should regularly check the official website for updates instead of relying on unofficial schedules circulating on social media. The agency will publish the relevant details when the examination arrangements are finalised.

CSIR UGC NET 2026 exam pattern: Three parts in CBT mode

The December 2026 examination will be conducted in Computer-Based Test mode. The question paper will contain objective-type multiple-choice questions divided into three parts: Part A, Part B and Part C.

Part A generally evaluates candidates’ general aptitude, including reasoning, quantitative ability and analytical skills. Part B focuses on subject-related knowledge, while Part C tests candidates’ understanding of scientific concepts and their ability to apply knowledge to more complex problems.

The number of questions and the maximum number of questions candidates can attempt vary across subjects. The examination also follows subject-specific negative-marking rules. Applicants should consult the official information bulletin and their respective subject syllabus to understand the detailed marking scheme.

There will be no break between the three parts of the examination. Candidates should therefore plan their time carefully and become familiar with the question-paper structure before appearing for the test.

Five subjects included in the December 2026 examination

The Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 examination will cover five subject areas. Candidates must select the appropriate discipline while filling out the application form, based on their academic background and the eligibility requirements.

• Chemical Sciences: Covers areas of chemistry, including physical, organic and inorganic chemistry.
• Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences: Includes subjects related to geology, atmospheric science, oceanography and planetary science.
• Life Sciences and Biotechnology: Covers areas such as biochemistry, biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, botany, zoology and physiology.
• Mathematical Sciences: Includes pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics.
• Physical Sciences: Covers areas such as classical dynamics, quantum physics, nuclear physics, electromagnetism and thermodynamics.

Important change: DBT-BET merged with CSIR UGC NET Life Sciences

One of the significant changes introduced for the December 2026 examination is the integration of the Department of Biotechnology’s Junior Research Fellowship programme with the Joint CSIR-UGC NET framework.

CSIR and the Department of Biotechnology have agreed to award DBT-funded fellowships through the new Life Sciences and Biotechnology subject, identified as LS-BT. The revised discipline combines the relevant life sciences and biotechnology areas under a single examination framework.

This change is particularly important for candidates who previously planned to appear for the Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET). Applicants interested in the DBT-JRF programme should carefully review the revised LS-BT syllabus and eligibility conditions before submitting their applications.

The information bulletin states that fellowships funded by the Department of Biotechnology will continue to be administered by the department. Candidates should therefore read the official instructions to understand how the revised arrangement applies to their fellowship applications.

CSIR UGC NET 2026 eligibility criteria

Applicants must satisfy the prescribed educational qualification and category-wise minimum marks requirements to appear for the examination. According to the December 2026 information bulletin, candidates holding a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification from a recognised university or institution can apply if they meet the required percentage criteria.

General, Unreserved and General-EWS candidates must have secured at least 55% marks in their Master’s degree or equivalent examination. Candidates belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, PwBD and Third Gender categories require at least 50% marks.

Students pursuing their Master’s degree or those who have appeared for their final-year examination and are awaiting results may also apply provisionally. However, they must fulfil the prescribed educational qualification and minimum marks requirements within the period specified by the examination authorities.

The age limit depends on the category of eligibility being pursued. Candidates applying for Junior Research Fellowship must satisfy the applicable upper age limit and relaxation provisions. There is no upper age limit for candidates applying for Assistant Professor eligibility or admission to PhD programmes only.

Applicants should consult the official information bulletin for the complete eligibility conditions, including age limits, relaxations and qualification requirements. Meeting the minimum marks requirement alone does not automatically guarantee eligibility for every category.

What opportunities are available after qualifying CSIR UGC NET?

The Joint CSIR-UGC NET examination determines eligibility for three broad categories. The opportunities available to a candidate depend on the category under which they qualify and the applicable admission or recruitment requirements.

Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor: Candidates qualifying under this category become eligible for consideration for a Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor positions, subject to the relevant rules and selection procedures.

Assistant Professor and PhD admission: Candidates qualifying under the second category become eligible for Assistant Professor positions and PhD admission but do not qualify for the JRF award through this category.

PhD admission only: Candidates qualifying under the third category become eligible for PhD admission but are not eligible for the JRF award or Assistant Professor appointment through this result category.

Qualifying the examination establishes eligibility rather than guaranteeing a job, fellowship or university admission. Candidates must also satisfy the requirements of the recruiting institution or university and complete any additional selection procedures, such as interviews.

What candidates should do before the registration deadline

With the extended application window closing at 11:50 pm on November 9, candidates should avoid postponing the process. They should verify their personal information, category, educational qualifications and selected examination subject before submitting the form.

Applicants should also ensure that their photograph and signature meet the prescribed file requirements. The information bulletin requires candidates to upload a live photograph during the application process, along with a scanned photograph and signature. Applicable certificates and supporting documents must also be uploaded in the specified format.

Another important point is the use of a personal email address and mobile number that remain accessible. NTA sends important application-related communication through the registered contact details, so candidates should avoid entering incorrect or inactive information.

After payment, applicants should download and preserve the confirmation page. They should also keep their application number and login credentials secure because these details will be needed for future access to the application, correction window and examination-related updates.

CSIR UGC NET December 2026: What happens after registration closes?

Once the application process ends, the next major opportunity for candidates to review their submitted information will be the correction window scheduled from November 10 to November 12. This facility is intended to allow corrections in the fields permitted by NTA, but candidates should not assume that every detail can be changed.

NTA will later announce the examination city intimation slip and admit card release dates. The city slip will provide advance information about the examination city, while the admit card will contain the candidate’s allotted centre, date and shift details.

The examination is scheduled for December 19, 22 and 27, 2026. Candidates should use the remaining preparation time to revise their subject-specific syllabus, practise multiple-choice questions and understand the marking scheme for their chosen discipline.

For now, the most important task for eligible applicants who have not registered is to complete the application and fee payment before the extended deadline. The official portal at csirnet.nta.nic.in remains the authorised destination for registration and examination-related announcements.