CSIR NET mock tests
Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test
Free practice tests
- CSIR NET practice test 1: Chemical Sciences in the December 2026 pattern: 15 Part A, 35 Part B and 25 Part C questions in 180 minutes.
- CSIR NET practice questions 1: Untimed practice for Part A, Chemical Sciences and Life Sciences and Bio-Technology, with at least three questions on every topic.
About CSIR NET
Joint CSIR-UGC NET decides eligibility for a Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor, for appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D., or for admission to Ph.D. only. The December 2026 cycle is a computer-based test held by the National Testing Agency. A candidate applies in one subject only.
The five subjects are Chemical Sciences (701), Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences (702), Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (703), Mathematical Sciences (704) and Physical Sciences (705). Each paper has three parts and lasts 180 minutes with no break. Part A is general aptitude and is common to every subject. Part B is subject-related. Part C is analytical and carries higher marks. The bulletin's computer-based-test procedure describes one countdown for the whole paper and allows movement between sections during that time.
A candidate answers only some of the questions that are set. Chemical Sciences sets 20, 40 and 60 questions and evaluates at most 15, 35 and 25. If more are answered, only the first 15, 35 and 25 are evaluated. Each question has four options and one correct answer, worth 2, 2 and 4 marks. A wrong answer takes away 0.5, 0.5 and 1 mark (25 percent). Life Sciences and Bio-Technology uses the same attempt limits and the same marks, from sets of 20, 50 and 75. Earth sciences uses the same attempt limits, but a wrong Part C answer takes away 1.32 marks (the table prints 33 percent). Mathematical Sciences evaluates 15, 25 and 20 questions at 2, 3 and 4.75 marks; Part C has no negative marking and may have more than one correct option, with credit only when every correct option is identified. Physical Sciences evaluates 15, 20 and 20 questions at 2, 3.5 and 5 marks, with 0.5, 0.875 and 1.25 taken away for a wrong answer. A blank scores 0. A calculator is not allowed. The paper is in English and Hindi; if a translation is ambiguous, the English wording is final.
There is no separate cut-off for the three parts. The merit list uses the total. The bulletin sets a minimum benchmark of 33 percent for General, EWS and OBC, and 25 percent for SC, ST, PwD and PwBD, for fellowship, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission. How many candidates are qualified is decided by the results committee. The scorecard shows marks and a percentile. This site's timed practice test is Chemical Sciences only, with the 15, 35 and 25 questions that are evaluated, and it reports raw marks out of 200. Life Sciences and Bio-Technology is sampled in the untimed pool. Earth, Mathematical and Physical Sciences are not included.
CSIR NET Joint CSIR-UGC NET computer-based test (Chemical Sciences, with Life Sciences and Bio-Technology in the practice pool) exam pattern
3 hours (180 minutes); at least one extra hour for eligible candidates with benchmark disability
- Chemical Sciences, Part A: General Aptitude: Within the shared 180 minutes, 15 questions to be evaluated, out of 20 set; 30 marks
- Chemical Sciences, Part B: Within the shared 180 minutes, 35 questions to be evaluated, out of 40 set; 70 marks
- Chemical Sciences, Part C: Within the shared 180 minutes, 25 questions to be evaluated, out of 60 set; 100 marks
- Life Sciences and Bio-Technology, Part A: General Aptitude: Within the shared 180 minutes, on the Life Sciences paper instead of Chemical Sciences, 15 questions to be evaluated, out of 20 set; 30 marks
- Life Sciences and Bio-Technology, Part B: Within the shared 180 minutes, on the Life Sciences paper, 35 questions to be evaluated, out of 50 set; 70 marks
- Life Sciences and Bio-Technology, Part C: Within the shared 180 minutes, on the Life Sciences paper, 25 questions to be evaluated, out of 75 set; 100 marks