CSIR NET Syllabus 2026: Subject-Wise Topics and Part A
The CSIR NET syllabus is published by CSIR's Human Resource Development Group (CSIR-HRDG), not by NTA, and it differs for each of the five subjects. Parts B and C follow a unit-wise syllabus. Part A, the common General Aptitude section, has an official description of the skills tested but no topic-wise list. This page lists the topics from the official documents and keeps our own study suggestions clearly separate.
The syllabus applies to the CSIR NET 2026 December cycle, with the exam tentatively set for 20 and 21 December 2026. Life Sciences now has a revised syllabus, so check that section first if you are a biology candidate.
Table of Contents
CSIR NET syllabus
Subject (code) | Official syllabus structure | Questions to attempt (A + B + C) |
|---|---|---|
Chemical Sciences (701) | Inorganic, physical and organic chemistry, plus interdisciplinary topics | 15 + 35 + 25 |
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences (702) | Five common topics in Part B; five specialisations in Part C | 15 + 35 + 25 |
Life Sciences (703) | 14 units in the revised syllabus | 15 + 35 + 25 |
Mathematical Sciences (704) | Four units; Unit I for all candidates | 15 + 25 + 20 |
Physical Sciences (705) | Core and advanced sections | 15 + 20 + 20 |
Part B tests conventional MCQs from the syllabus, and Part C tests application of the same concepts.
Key changes to know
Revised Life Sciences syllabus: CSIR-HRDG lists a revised UGC-CSIR-DBT syllabus for Life Sciences and Biotechnology, dated January 2026, and keeps the older file labelled as valid up to the June 2026 cycle.
Newer topics in the revised file: You will see AI-based protein structure prediction, the gut microbiome and holobionts, organoids, single-cell omics, and research ethics including the use of AI in publication.
Other four subjects: The Chemical, Earth, Mathematical and Physical Sciences files on the HRDG site are the ones used for this page.
Older pages: Many pages still show the earlier Life Sciences unit list, so follow the official CSIR-HRDG file.
Part A syllabus: General Aptitude
Part A is common to all subjects and carries 30 marks. CSIR-HRDG describes it as General Science, Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis, and Research Aptitude. The NTA bulletin describes it as General Aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning, graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative comparison, series formation and puzzles. Neither document gives a unit-wise list.
CSIR NET does not publish a topic-wise Part A syllabus. The checklist below is a working list built from the two official descriptions, not an official list.
Area | Topics to practise |
|---|---|
Quantitative reasoning | Percentages, ratio and proportion, averages, speed and distance, probability, basic geometry |
Data and graphs | Reading tables, bar charts and line graphs, quantitative comparison |
Logical reasoning | Number and letter series, puzzles, seating arrangements, syllogisms |
Research aptitude | Basic scientific method, units and measurement, interpreting experiments |
Because Part A has no fixed topic list, treat it as a skill rather than a syllabus. Short daily practice on data interpretation and reasoning puzzles builds speed, and Part A questions are generally the quickest marks to secure before you attempt the harder subject sections.
Life Sciences syllabus
The revised syllabus has 14 units. Each unit has lettered sub-topics, and the table compresses them to the main areas.
Unit | Main topics |
|---|---|
1. Structure and function of biomolecules | Biomolecules, bonds and interactions, enzymes and kinetics, bioenergetics, protein and nucleic acid conformation, metabolism |
2. Cellular organization | Membranes, organelles, chromosomes and genes, cell cycle and apoptosis, microbial physiology |
3. Fundamental processes | DNA replication and repair, transcription and RNA processing, translation, gene regulation and epigenetics |
4. Cell communication and signaling | Signal transduction, cell adhesion, innate and adaptive immunity, host-pathogen interaction, cancer |
5. Developmental biology | Basic concepts, gametogenesis and early development, animal and plant morphogenesis, cell death and ageing |
6. System physiology - plant | Photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen metabolism, hormones, photobiology, transport, secondary metabolites, stress |
7. System physiology - animal | Blood, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, excretory and digestive systems, endocrinology, microbiome, energy homeostasis |
8. Inheritance biology | Mendelian and extrachromosomal inheritance, mutations, genetic analysis, human and quantitative genetics, chromosomal alterations |
9. Evolution and diversity of life forms | Mechanisms of evolution, taxonomy, microbes, protists, fungi, plant life, animal life |
10. Ecology and behavioural biology | Population, community and ecosystem ecology, biodiversity and conservation, Biodiversity Act 2002, behavioural ecology |
11. Bioinformatics and computational biology | Databases, sequence analysis, gene annotation, molecular modelling, structure prediction, drug design, systems biology |
12. Biochemical engineering and industrial biotechnology | Engineering principles, bioprocess design, enzyme technology, downstream processing, metabolic engineering |
13. Advances in biotechnology | Recombinant DNA, medical, animal, agricultural, marine and environmental biotechnology |
14. Methods in biology | Molecular and biophysical methods, omics, radiolabeling, immunotechniques, microscopy, field methods, statistics, IPR and bioethics |
Units 1 to 5 are the core of most Life Sciences preparation, and they feed directly into the later units. Cover them first, then move to physiology, genetics and evolution, and keep the applied units 11 to 14 for the second half of your plan.
Chemical Sciences syllabus
Section | Topics to cover |
|---|---|
Inorganic chemistry (12 topics) | Periodicity, bonding and VSEPR, acids and bases, main group and transition elements, inner transition elements, organometallics, cages and clusters, analytical chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, spectroscopic characterisation, nuclear chemistry |
Physical chemistry (14 topics) | Quantum mechanics and approximate methods, atomic structure, bonding, group theory, molecular spectroscopy, thermodynamics, statistical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, kinetics, colloids, solid state, polymers, data analysis |
Organic chemistry (13 topics) | Nomenclature, stereochemistry, aromaticity, reactive intermediates, reaction mechanisms, named reactions, reagents, retrosynthesis, asymmetric synthesis, pericyclic reactions, heterocycles, natural products, structure determination by spectroscopy |
Interdisciplinary topics | Nanoscience, catalysis and green chemistry, medicinal chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, environmental chemistry |
Physical chemistry has the most numerical content, so schedule regular problem-solving time for it. Spectroscopy appears across all three branches, so one strong pass through IR, NMR and mass spectrometry pays off in each.
Mathematical Sciences syllabus
All candidates answer from Unit I. Mathematics candidates answer additional questions from Units II and III, and statistics candidates answer additional questions from Unit IV.
Unit | Topics |
|---|---|
Unit I | Real analysis, metric spaces, Lebesgue measure and integral; linear algebra including eigenvalues, canonical forms, inner product spaces and quadratic forms |
Unit II | Complex analysis; number theory and combinatorics; groups, rings, fields and Galois theory; topology |
Unit III | Ordinary and partial differential equations, numerical analysis, calculus of variations, linear integral equations, classical mechanics |
Unit IV | Probability, distributions, Markov chains, estimation and testing, nonparametric tests, linear models, regression, multivariate analysis, sampling, design of experiments, reliability, linear programming and queuing |
Unit I is the only common ground, so every candidate should master it before choosing a depth in the others. In Part C, remember that every correct option must be marked to earn credit.
Physical Sciences syllabus
The syllabus has a core part and an advanced part. Part B questions come from the core syllabus. Part C questions come from the advanced syllabus and from the core.
Core section | Topics |
|---|---|
I. Mathematical methods | Vectors, linear algebra, ODEs, special functions, Fourier and Laplace transforms, complex analysis, probability |
II. Classical mechanics | Central forces, rigid bodies, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism, small oscillations, special relativity |
III. Electromagnetic theory | Electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations, potentials, waves, reflection, interference and diffraction |
IV. Quantum mechanics | Schrodinger equation, angular momentum, hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, identical particles |
V. Thermodynamic and statistical physics | Laws, potentials, ensembles, partition functions, Bose and Fermi gases, blackbody radiation |
VI. Electronics and experimental methods | Semiconductor devices, op-amps, digital circuits, converters, error analysis, least squares fitting |
The advanced part extends these six areas, for example with Green's functions, Noether's theorem, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, plasma and waveguides, scattering theory, phase transitions and the Ising model. It also adds three new sections: atomic and molecular physics (spectra, lasers, resonance), condensed matter physics (lattices, band theory, superconductivity) and nuclear and particle physics (nuclear models, decays, quark model).
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences syllabus
Part B is common to all candidates and has five topics. Part C covers five specialisations, and you attempt 25 of the 80 questions.
Part B topic | Main areas |
|---|---|
1. The Earth and the Solar System | Origin of the Earth, Kepler's laws, geological time scale, isotopes, gravity and magnetic fields, isostasy |
2. Earth materials, surface features and processes | Minerals and rocks, weathering and erosion, soils and sediments, Indian physiography |
3. Interior of the Earth, deformation and tectonics | Seismology, stress and strain, folds and faults, plate tectonics |
4. Oceans and atmosphere | Seawater properties, currents and tides, atmospheric structure, circulation, monsoon, ENSO, pollution |
5. Environmental Earth sciences | Hydrological cycle, resources, natural hazards, remote sensing |
Part C specialisation | Main areas |
|---|---|
Geology | Mineralogy and petrology, structural geology, paleontology, sedimentology, marine geology, geochemistry, economic geology, Precambrian and Quaternary geology, applied geology |
Physical Geography | Geomorphology, climatology, biogeography, environmental geography, geography of India |
Geophysics | Signal processing, field theory, inversion, gravity, magnetic, electrical and seismic methods, seismology, well logging |
Meteorology | Physical, dynamic and synoptic meteorology, cloud physics, numerical weather prediction, climate modelling, satellite and aviation meteorology |
Ocean Sciences | Physical, chemical, geological and biological oceanography |
Since you attempt only 25 Part C questions, depth in one or two specialisations is usually worth more than thin coverage of all five.
Where to start in each subject
The syllabus is broad, so a clear starting point saves weeks. These are study suggestions based on how the units build on each other, not official priorities.
Subject | Start with | Move on to |
|---|---|---|
Life Sciences | Units 1 to 3: biomolecules, the cell and central dogma | Signaling, physiology, genetics, then the applied units |
Chemical Sciences | Bonding, thermodynamics and basic organic mechanisms | Spectroscopy, group theory and the interdisciplinary topics |
Mathematical Sciences | Unit I: real analysis and linear algebra | Units II and III, or Unit IV if you choose statistics |
Physical Sciences | Mathematical methods and classical mechanics | Quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical physics, then the advanced part |
Earth Sciences | The five common Part B topics | One or two Part C specialisations in depth |
How to use the official syllabus files
The HRDG files are detailed, and reading them well is a skill in itself. A few habits make them more useful:
Turn the file into a tracker: Copy each unit and sub-topic into a sheet and mark it as not started, read, practised or revised.
Check the file date: Confirm the version you downloaded matches the cycle you are appearing in, especially for Life Sciences.
Read the question from the topic: For each sub-topic, ask what a numerical, a conceptual and a statement-based question could look like, and practise all three.
Watch the notification: The final syllabus links are confirmed when the NTA notification for the December cycle is released, so recheck the official pages then.
How to cover the syllabus
This is a study suggestion, not an official schedule. Adjust the weeks to the time you have before 20 December 2026.
Weeks 1 to 6: Read the official syllabus once, then finish the core units of your subject. Spend 30 to 40 minutes daily on Part A.
Weeks 7 to 10: Move to the remaining units and start topic-wise tests after each one.
Weeks 11 to 14: Solve previous year papers by part, and practise numericals for Part C.
Final phase: Take full-length mocks under the real time limit, analyse each one on the same day, and revise from your error log.
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