CSIR NET Eligibility 2024: Check Age Limit, Qualification for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Lectureship

CSIR NET Eligibility 2024: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has outlined the CSIR NET eligibility criteria in the official notification. Interested aspirants must carefully review the notification to determine their eligibility for the exam. Failure to meet any of the eligibility criteria will result in the rejection of their CSIR NET application form.

According to the official notification, any aspirant who has completed a master's degree and is aged up to 30 years can apply for the exam. The CSIR NET Eligibility 2024 comprises various parameters such as age limit, qualification, nationality, and other criteria. Scroll on to get all the details pertaining to CSIR NET eligibility criteria, including age limit, qualifications, etc.

CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2024

All interested candidates must fulfill the CSIR NET eligibility criteria before proceeding with the application form. NTA administers the CSIR NaET exam to assess candidates' eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for Lectureship (LS)/ Assistant Professor in the universities and colleges of India.

Here is the overview of the eligibility criteria for the CSIR NET 2024 exam tabulated below for the ease of the candidates.

Also, read:

• CSIR NET Cut Off
• CSIR NET Life Science Syllabus
• CSIR NET Eligibility

CSIR NET Age Limit 2024

The CSIR NET age limit differs for JRF and assistant professor positions. If candidates exceed the age limit at any stage, their candidature will be canceled, and they may face legal action. There is no upper age limit for applying to CSIR-NET for Assistant Professor and Admission to PhD. Let’s discuss the post-wise CSIR NET age limit shared below.

CSIR NET JRF Age Limit

Candidates must not exceed 30 years as on the 1st day of the month in which the examination is concluded i.e. June 2024 when applying for the CSIR NET 2024 exam.

CSIR NET Assistant Professor Age Limit

• There shall be no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR UGC-NET for Assistant Professor.
• There shall be no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR-UGC-NET for Admission to PhD.

CSIR NET Age Relaxation

As per CSIR NET Eligibility 2024, relaxation shall be provided on the upper age limit for reserved category candidates. Relaxation will also be given to the aspirants with research experience, limited to the period spent on research in the relevant/related subject of post-graduation degree, subject to submission of the certificate from the concerned authority. Let’s discuss the CSIR NET age limit relaxation for all the categories below.

CSIR NET Educational Qualification

CSIR NET educational qualification is one of the crucial parameters of the eligibility criteria. In case, candidates fail to fulfil any of the required qualifications, then it will lead to cancellation of their candidature. Let’s discuss the educational qualifications for the CSIR NET recruitment process below.

• General/ Unreserved/ General-EWS candidates who have obtained at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in a Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from recognized universities/ institutions are eligible for this Test. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to Non-Creamy Layer/Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST)/ Persons with Disability (PwD)/ Third gender category candidates must have obtained a minimum of 50% marks (without rounding off) in a Master’s degree or equivalent exam can apply for this test.
• Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course or aspirants who have participated in their qualifying Master’s degree (final year) exam and whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying exam has been postponed may also apply for this test. 
• Aspirants belonging to the third gender category are eligible to avail of the same relaxation in fee, age and eligibility criteria for NET as are available to SC/ST/PwD categories.

• PhD degree holders whose Master’s was completed by 19 September 1991 (irrespective of the date of declaration of result) are entitled to a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks. This relaxation allows them to participate in the NET exam with a reduced aggregate requirement, from 55% to 50%.

• Candidates with a post-graduate diploma/ certificate awarded by an Indian University/ Institute or a foreign degree/ diploma/ certificate awarded by a foreign University/ institute should in their own interest, determine the equivalence of their diploma/degree/ certificate with Master’s degree of recognised Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.
• The candidates must have passed a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme and should have obtained at least 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be permissible for those belonging to SC/ ST/ OBC (non-creamy layer)/ Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories.
• Candidates pursuing Four Year/8 Semester Bachelor’s Degree Programme and in their last semester/year can also apply for the test.
• The candidates with a Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programme are permitted to participate in a subject in which they want to pursue a PhD irrespective of the discipline in which they have secured the four-year bachelor’s degree.

CSIR NET Eligibility 2024: Nationality

The nationality criteria is an important component in the eligibility for the CSIR NET 2024 exam. As per the CSIR NET Eligibility 2024, the candidate must be an Indian National when applying for the test.

CSIR NET Eligibility Percentage

The educational qualification also depends on subjects i.e. Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. Let’s discuss the CSIR NET subject-wise educational qualification below.