CSIR NET Life Sciences Syllabus 2026: With the release of the Joint CSIR UGC NET December 2026 notification, we came to know about the merger of the Life Sciences subject with the Biotechnology subject, which was previously conducted by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). With this merger, the candidates who are going to appear from the Life Sciences subject should have to prepare for both the subjects as one. The new updated syllabus has been provided in the information bulletin which is available on the official website at csirnet.nta.nic.in. The candidates should download the new syllabus and understand it before beginning the preparation. Also check the exam pattern for proper understanding.
CSIR NET Life Sciences Syllabus 2026 Highlights
The announcement to merge the Life Sciences (LS) subject with Biotechnology (BT) subject was announced in January 2026 through a short notice. As per the notice, the Joint CSIR-UGC-DBT JRF-NET Examination, to be implemented from the December 2026 cycle. Therefore, the syllabus also needs to be revised. Check the highlights in the table below:
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Particulars
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Details
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Conducting Body
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National Testing Agency (NTA)
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Exam Name
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Joint CSIR UGC NET December 2026
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No. of Subjects
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05
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Exam Mode
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CBT
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No. of Questions
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145
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No. of Parts
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Three- A, B, C
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Negative Marking
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25% negative marking applies to each part
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Official Website
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csirnet.nta.nic.in
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CSIR NET LS-BT Revised Syllabus 2026
The CSIR NET LS-BT syllabus has been revised keeping in mind the introduction of Biotechnology subject. The new syllabus contains the following topics:
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Structure and Function of Biomolecules
Cellular Organization
Fundamental Processes
Cell Communication and Cell Signaling
Developmental Biology
System Physiology - Plant
System Physiology - Animal
Inheritance Biology
Evolution and Diversity of Life Forms
Ecology and Behavioural Biology
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Biochemical Engineering and Industrial Biotechnology
Advances in Biotechnology
Methods in Biology
CSIR NET LS-BT Revised Syllabus 2026 PDF
The candidates who are going to appear for the CSIR NET LS-BT subject should download the revised syllabus pdf from the direct link provided here. This syllabus will help you in preparing your study roadmap clearly.
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CSIR NET LS-BT Syllabus 2026
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CSIR NET LS-BT Exam Pattern 2026
CSIR-NET exam for award of Junior Research Fellowship and eligibility for Lecturership shall be a Single Paper Test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). The question paper is divided in three parts- Part A, Part B, and Part C.
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Part A: This part carries 20 questions pertaining to General Science, Quantitative Reasoning & Analysis and Research Aptitude. The candidates shall be required to answer any 15 questions. Each question shall be of two marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 30 out of 200.
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Part B: This part will contain 50 MCQs generally covering the topics given in the syllabus. A candidate shall be required to answer any 35 questions. Each question shall be of two marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 70 out of 200.
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Part C: This part contains 75 questions that are designed to test a candidate's knowledge of scientific concepts and/or application of the scientific concepts. The questions shall be of analytical nature where a candidate is expected to apply the scientific knowledge to arrive at the solution to the given scientific problem. A candidate shall be required to answer any 25 questions. Each question shall be of four marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 100 out of 200.
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LIFE SCIENCES & Biotechnology (703)
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PART A
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PART B
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PART C
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TOTAL
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Total questions
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20
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50
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75
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145
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Max No of Questions to attempt
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15
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35
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25
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75
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Marks for each correct answer
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2
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2
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4
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200
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Marks for each incorrect answer (Negative marking for part A, B & C is @ 25%)
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0.5
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0.5
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1
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-
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