Recently, the National Testing Agency (NTA) released the CSIR UGC NET Exam Pattern 2021. Every year, several aspirants appear for the exam. Those who successfully clear the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) NET exam can assume the position of a lecturer in the subject areas grouped under the faculty of Science and Technology only.
However, it’s also crucial to have a thorough understanding of the subjects and question paper pattern associated with CSIR NET to clear the exam with ease. Basically, the question paper is broadly divided into three categories or sections: Part A, B, and C. Part A consist of general questions to test a candidate’s general aptitude and is common to all subjects. On the other hand, Section B consists of subject-specific questions. There are 5 CSIR NET subjects in total, namely,
- Chemical Sciences
- Earth Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physical Sciences
CSIR NET Subjects
- Chemical Sciences: The Chemical Sciences paper consists of 120 multiple questions, and the candidate is expected to attempt only 75 questions of these in total. The question paper is divided into three parts. The question in parts A, B, and C carry 2, 2, and 4 marks for each question, respectively. One-fourth of a mark gets deducted for each incorrect answer.
The CSIR NET Chemical Sciences syllabus is further divided into four parts:
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Interdisciplinary Topics
- Earth Sciences: It is one of the eminent CSIR NET subjects and easy to understand and compend. Earth Science refers to the study of the Earth’s structure, properties, processes, and biotic evolution. This paper tests the scientific understanding of the natural materials and processes linking the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. There are 75 questions that candidates have to attempt out of 150 questions in total. For sections A and B, there is a negative marking of 0.5 for a wrong answer, and for section C, for every incorrect answer, you will lose 1.32 marks.
CSIR NET Earth Sciences get further divided into six parts:
- Geology
- Applied Geology
- Physical Geography
- Geophysics
- Meteorology
- Ocean Sciences
- Life Sciences: It is a branch of science that deals with the study and analysis of living organisms, including biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, and related subjects. The primary aim of this paper is to ascertain and dissect the candidate’s knowledge about the subject matter. Candidates are expected to attempt 75 questions out of 140, and there is a negative marking of 0.5, 0.5, and 1 mark in parts A, B, and C, respectively.
There are 13 topics that come under the Life Sciences subject, as outlined below:
| Molecules and their Interaction | Cellular Organization |
| Fundamental Processes | System Physiology-Animals |
| Cell Communication and Cell Signaling | Developmental Biology |
| Inheritance Biology | System Physiology-Plant |
| Ecological Principles | Photosynthesis |
| Diversity of Life Forms | Evolution and Behaviour |
| Methods in Biology | Applied Biology |
- Mathematical Sciences: This CSIR NET subject refers to the study of mathematics as well as other areas associated with academic disciplines that are mathematical in nature and not directly related to subfields of mathematics. There are 120 questions, out of which 60 need to be attempted by the candidate. CSIR NET Mathematical Sciences includes the following topics:
- Analysis Linear Algebra
- Complex Analysis, Algebra, and Topology
- Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs)
- Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
- Numerical Analysis, Calculus of Variations
- Linear Integral Equations
- Classical Mechanics
- Statistics
- Exploratory Data Analysis
- Physical Sciences: Physical science is a branch of natural science that deals with non-living systems and focuses on testable explanations and predictions about the universe. This CSIR NET subject tests your comprehension of scientific methods and knowledge of the inorganic world. You need to attempt 55 questions out of 75. Physical Sciences is divided into two parts: Core and Advanced
- Core topics include Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and Experimental Methods.
- Advanced topics include Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and Experimental Methods, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Nuclear and Particle Physics.
In a nutshell, study all these CSIR NET subjects properly and fulfill your dream to pursue lectureship jobs in the PSU, research fellowships, etc. Prepare well, and good luck!
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