CSIR UGC NET December 2026: Notification Out, Apply Online Till 5 Nov — Fee, Eligibility, Exam Dates (19/22/27 Dec)

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If you are a science postgraduate looking at the December 2026 exam calendar, you have probably noticed something that is quietly tripping up thousands of candidates this month: there are two NET exams open at the same time — UGC NET and CSIR UGC NET — and they are not the same exam. This article is about the science one. If your Master’s is in Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Mathematics or Earth Sciences and you want a Junior Research Fellowship, this is your exam. Get it confused with the other NET, and you can lose a full year.

Here is the complete, verified breakdown of the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026: dates, fee, eligibility, the new Life Sciences & Biotechnology discipline, how the three exam days work, and exactly what the correction window lets you fix.

Quick Facts at a Glance

CSIR NET vs UGC NET — Same December, Two Different Exams

This is the confusion that costs science graduates a year. Both exams are run by NTA, both say “NET”, both determine eligibility for JRF and Assistant Professor, and both are open right now. But:

• CSIR NET is only for science subjects — five of them, plus the new Life Sciences & Biotechnology discipline. Its application portal is csirnet.nta.nic.in, and its deadline is 5 November 2026.
• UGC NET covers 87 subjects across humanities, commerce and social sciences. Its portal is ugcnet.nta.nic.in, and its deadline is 28 October 2026 — a full week earlier.

If you hold an M.Sc. or equivalent and are aiming for a research career, CSIR NET is the one built for you — the question papers, the fellowship seats and the Ph.D. admission rules are all science-specific. A science graduate who fills the UGC NET form thinking “NET is NET” ends up appearing for a paper that has nothing to do with their subject. We have covered the other exam separately — UGC NET December 2026 — so if you or a friend are weighing the two, read both schedules before paying the fee, because the fee is not refundable.

The Application Window — and What the Late Fee Window Really Means

Applications opened on 7 October 2026 and close on 5 November 2026 (11:50 PM). The fee must be successfully paid within the same window — an application without a completed fee transaction is not a completed application.

Missed the 5 November cut-off? The official schedule gives you a second chance: from 6 to 9 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM), you can still submit the form by paying an additional Rs. 500/- late fee on top of your category fee. The fee gateway stays open till 9 November (11:50 PM) for late-fee transactions. Treat this as a safety net, not a plan — last-day server congestion is real, and a failed transaction at 11:50 PM on 9 November has no third chance.

Exam on Three Specific Days — How Subject Scheduling Works

Unlike a single-day exam, CSIR NET December 2026 is spread across three dates: 19, 22 and 27 December 2026. Each subject is allotted to one of these days and one of the two daily shifts (09:00 AM–12:00 Noon or 03:00 PM–06:00 PM). You do not get to choose your day or shift.

Your admit card is the only document that tells you the exact combination — the notice states clearly that the centre, date and shift are “as mentioned on the Admit Card”. When NTA releases the detailed date sheet closer to December, check which date your subject falls on, then cross-check it against your admit card the day it downloads. A very common and avoidable mistake is assuming a subject’s day from the previous cycle — the allocation changes, so confirm it fresh every time.

Correction Window 10–12 November — What You Can Actually Fix

The correction window runs from 10 to 12 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM), and it is explicitly for “Correction in the Particulars of submitted Application Form online only”. A few honest points about how to use it:

• This window is longer than usual — three full days. NTA is giving candidates more breathing room than the UGC NET December cycle, whose correction window is 2–4 November. Use it proactively: log in on the 10th itself and re-read every field, rather than discovering an error on the 12th at 11 PM.
• Fix the fields that actually matter downstream: name spelling, date of birth, category, subject choice, and the uploaded photograph and signature. These are the fields that get cross-checked at document verification and admit-card issuance.
• Some things are effectively locked in spirit even if the portal lets you type: don’t bank on being able to change your exam centre preferences after submission — NTA allots centres based on availability, and late changes are routinely refused.
• After 12 November (11:50 PM), the form is final. No email to NTA, no helpline call, will reopen it. Triple-check before that.

Eligibility at a Glance

As per the official notice:

• Qualification: Master’s Degree or equivalent in the relevant science subject.
• Marks: at least 55% marks (without rounding off) for General / Unreserved / General-EWS candidates; at least 50% marks (without rounding off) for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) / SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender candidates.
• Final-year candidates: those pursuing a Master’s Degree, or who have appeared in the final-year examination and whose results are awaited, may apply provisionally — but must complete the degree with the required percentage within the time limit specified in the Information Bulletin.
• OBC (NCL) means as per the Central List — the state-list certificate is not the same thing, so confirm which list your certificate follows before selecting the category.

Age limits for the JRF category and the detailed Ph.D.-admission-only conditions vary — check the Information Bulletin’s eligibility chapter rather than guessing.

Application Fee

The fee is payable online only — Debit Card / Credit Card / Net-Banking / UPI through the payment gateway (SBI / Canara) during the application. Keep the transaction reference number; a payment debited but not confirmed on the portal is a problem you must resolve with NTA before the fee deadline passes.

How to Apply — Step by Step

1. Open the official portal csirnet.nta.nic.in and download the Information Bulletin first — read the subject syllabus, eligibility and fee rules before touching the form.
2. Register with a valid email ID and mobile number, then fill the application form in one careful sitting.
3. Upload the photograph and signature in the prescribed size and format.
4. Choose your subject and category with care — OBC (NCL) means the Central List.
5. Pay the fee online within the window (by 5 November; by 9 November with the Rs. 500/- late fee).
6. Download and save the confirmation page. Then, on 10–12 November, revisit the form in the correction window and re-verify every particular.

FAQs

Q. What is the last date to apply for CSIR UGC NET December 2026?
5 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) without late fee; 9 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) with an additional Rs. 500/- late fee.

Q. When is the CSIR NET December 2026 exam?
19, 22 and 27 December 2026, in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode, in two shifts each day. Your subject’s exact date and shift will be on your admit card.

Q. Is CSIR NET the same as UGC NET?
No. CSIR NET is the science-subjects exam (portal: csirnet.nta.nic.in); UGC NET covers 87 subjects across humanities, commerce and social sciences (portal: ugcnet.nta.nic.in). The deadlines differ too: 5 November vs 28 October 2026.

Q. Can I correct my application after submitting it?
Yes — from 10 to 12 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM), online only. After that the form is final.

Q. What is the fee for OBC candidates?
Rs. 600/- for General-EWS / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer, Central List) candidates, payable online. An extra Rs. 500/- applies in the 6–9 November late window.

Q. Can final-year M.Sc. students apply?
Yes, provisionally — but you must complete the Master’s Degree with the required marks within the time limit stated in the Information Bulletin.

All details above are based on the official NTA Public Notice dated 07/10/2026 and the Information Bulletin for Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026, as published on csirnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates must read the Information Bulletin and confirm every date and fee on the official portal before applying.

Important Links

Raju

Founder & Editor

Tracks every Sarkari notification and breaks it down into simple, accurate English so you never miss a date or misread eligibility.