NTA CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 JRF and Assistant Professor

NTA CSIR-UGC NET JRF and Assistant Professor Recruitment 2026: Overview

The National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous body under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, has opened applications for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026. This is not a direct job notice — it is the national test that decides whether Indian nationals qualify for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), for appointment as Assistant Professor, or for Ph.D. admission in science subjects at Indian universities and colleges. Clearing it is the entry ticket for most science research and college teaching careers, so final-year postgraduates and research hopefuls in the sciences should look at it closely.

Posts and Disciplines

You can qualify under one of three categories, depending on your marks and eligibility:

• JRF and Assistant Professor: the top category — it brings the research fellowship and also makes you eligible to be appointed as an Assistant Professor.
• Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission: you can be appointed to college or university teaching posts and join a Ph.D. programme, but without the JRF fellowship.
• Ph.D. admission only: qualifies you for Ph.D. admission alone.

The test is held in five science subjects:

• Chemical Sciences
• Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
• Life Sciences and Bio-Technology
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physical Sciences

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Indian nationals only: The test determines eligibility for Indian nationals, so foreign nationals cannot use it.
• Eligibility rules are in the bulletin: The public notice does not print the degree, marks, age or fee conditions — they are given in the Information Bulletin on csirnet.nta.nic.in. Read it fully before you pay.
• Computer-based test: The exam is held only in CBT mode, with the paper available in English and Hindi.
• Late window comes at a cost: If you miss the regular window, you can still apply in a short late window by paying an extra Rs. 500 late fee.
• Correction window: NTA opens a short window to correct particulars in your form after submission — corrections are allowed on the website only.
• City and admit card later: Your exam city, admit card, answer key and result will be announced later on the NTA website, so keep checking it for updates.

Application Submission Notes

Applications are accepted online only on csirnet.nta.nic.in, and the fee is paid online by debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI. Make sure your payment goes through successfully — an unpaid form is not complete.

For any doubt about the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026, you can call NTA at 011-40759000 / 011-69227700 or email csirnet@nta.ac.in.