The Candidates who want to become an assistant professor or aspire to become a junior research fellow already know about the UGC NET exam. This exam is conducted by NTA twice a year to decide the eligible candidates. However, students often get confused while learning about the UGC NET exam, because in India there is another NET exam, which also happens twice a year. The exam is Joint CSIR-UGC NET. So, before getting more confused, let’s talk about the exams and learn the differences between CSIR and UGC NET and the similarities right away.
University Grants Commission, or UGC, is a statutory body under the Ministry of Education (MoE). It assists in the coordination and maintenance of Indian universities and colleges. With its headquarters in New Delhi, UGC has six regional centres across the nation. UGC provides recognition and funds to various colleges and universities and helps allocate fellowships. UGC has conducted the NET exam through NTA.
UGC NET is an eligibility test. This exam tests the eligible aspirants, to find out if they have any potential to become an assistant professor or get award JRF. This exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Until July 2018 the UGC NET exam was conducted by CBSE. From December 2018 NTA had taken over the responsibility to conduct this exam. This exam is conducted in CBT mode twice a year.
The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
CSIR stands for The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. It is a research and development organization. It encourages the advancement of economic and industrial and scientific growth. The Headquarters of CSIR is situated in New Delhi. CSIR is an organization that puts forward Research projects and Development (R&D) in the area of Technology and Science. From the structural basis, CSIR has 1 innovation complex, 37 laboratories, 3 units, and 39 outreach centres across India. It also conducts NET exams to find eligible aspirants and generate funds.
This test is conducted to find out the eligibility of candidates. Similarly, like UGC NET, this exam also offers qualified candidates Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and provides job opportunities as an Assistant Professor. They can also get admission to Ph.D. CSIR and UGC provide research fellowships in the field of science and technology. CSIR has assigned NTA to conduct exams twice a year. This exam is often called CSIR UGC NET.
At first glance, these two exams may seem similar. However, there are several differences between the CSIR NET and UGC NET Eligibility Criteria that become clear upon closer examination. Let’s learn the dissimilarities according to the eligibility
Eligibility Parameters | UGC NET | Joint CSIR UGC NET |
Age Limit | For JRF, an unreserved candidate’s age limit should not cross 30 years. Relaxation is granted for reserved candidates. There is no upper age restriction for the lectureship. | For JRF, the unreserved age limit is 30 years. For reserved categories, there is age relaxation as per government norms. No upper age restrictions for the lectureship |
Educational Qualification | Post graduation with 55% marks in streams such as Humanities, Social Science, Electronic Science, Computer Science & Applications. | Degree in BTech/BE/BPharma/MBBS/BS (4 years)/Integrated BS-MS/MSc with 55% marks in any of these streams. |
Also Read: B.Ed or NET: Which One Is Better for Starting Your Career as a Teacher
The subjects offered in UGC NET are completely different from the subjects offered in CSIR NET. As the main aim of CSIR is to propagate development in the field of science and technology, the only available subjects are from science and technological backgrounds. Here is the list of subjects both exams are offering:
ABOUT | UGC NET | CSIR UGC NET |
Subjects | 83 | 5 |
Name of Subjects | Subjects covering Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines. | Subjects related to Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Chemical Science, and Mathematics. |
UGC NET exam duration is for 3 hours and the total marks for this is 300. This exam consists of two papers. Let’s learn about the details.
Papers | Total Question | Total Marks | Duration |
Paper 1 (General) | 50 | 100 | 3 Hours |
Paper 2 (Specialized) | 100 | 200 | |
Total | 150 | 300 |
Also Read: Which is better for you: Coaching or self-study for the UGC NET?
This exam is also scheduled for three hours. The paper distribution is completely different from UGC NET and it also has negative markings for wrong attempts.
Papers | Subjects | Total Questions | Marks for each Questions | Negative Marking | Maximum no. of questions to be attempted |
Part A | 20 | 20 | 2 | 0.5 | 15 |
Part B | 40 | 50 | 2 | 0.5 | 35 |
Part C | 60 | 80 | 4 | 1.32 | 25 |
With careful evaluation we can identify that, as much as there are similarities between the two tests, there are also many differences between CSIR NET vs. UGC NET. Now let’s find out more about this topic:
Factors | UGC NET | CSIR UGC NET |
Functioning Area | Colleges, Universities, Research Institutes | Colleges, Universities, Research Institutes, Scientific Laboratories |
Disciplines | Disciplines of Humanities, Social sciences, Commerce and Law | Science & Mathematics |
Appointment | Academic and research institutes in India | Academic, Research Institutes and Scientific Laboratories |
Scope | JRF, SRF, Assistant Professor, Research Assistant, Associate Professor, Professor, Project Fellow, Project Head, Project Lead | Along with Junior Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Candidate can appointed asScientists grade of (B,C,D,E,F,& H), Candidates can also join as a Distinguished Scientist, Secretary at DRDO, DG, R&D and Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri. |
Learn More: Career Scope after clearing UGC NET
We have already discussed the differences between CSIR NET and UGC NET, but there are some similarities we should also keep in mind. Let’s discuss it in lengths:
Authorization: UGC and CSIR both organizations have given authorization to the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct exams.
Frequency: Joint CSIR UGC NET exam and UGC NET both usually take place twice a year in June/July and in November/December.
Qualifying Process: The qualifying procedure for both the exams are almost similar. Both the tests are made as a determinant factor for recruitment of assistant professors/ Researcher. From both the exams only 6% of candidates can qualify and are able to secure a position in academia. 2%-3% candidates among them are qualified for JRF.
Evaluation Structure: Candidates are evaluated based on their general aptitude knowledge and subject knowledge for both exams.
Career Scope: Both tests are taken to determine the skills and proficiency in a candidate for judging their ability to become an Assistant professor and JRF.
We have discussed the differences as well as similarities of UGC NET and Joint CSIR UGC NET exam often called CSIR NET at length. We hope that this article has already cleared all your doubts regarding these exams.
Is CSIR NET a good career option?
Definitely. If you qualify for CSIR NET with top scores you can start your career as an assistant professor or you can enhance your research interests by joining as a JRF in any prestigious institution. You can also work in government/private scientific laboratories and strengthen the scientific research which are currently running in our country.
Are UGC NET and CSIR NET the same?
These two exams have their similarities and differences. The purpose of this exam is the same for both examinations. But the pattern, and syllabus are different.
Is UGC NET only for Arts?
UGC NET not only covers the arts disciplines, but also covers social sciences and commerce subjects too. You can choose your subject according to your post graduation discipline.
Is CSIR NET for science?
CSIR NET is only restricted to Science, Engineering and mathematics. The subjects they offer are Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences.
What are the benefits of clearing CSIR NET?
The most possible offers you can get after clearing CSIR NET are:
Assistant professor, Research Assistant (RA), Research fellow (JRF/SRF), Scientific Assistant, Lab Technician. You can also join the DRDO/BARC’s scientific laboratory.
What is the fellowship amount of UGC NET JRF qualified candidates?
The fellowship amount for UC NET JRF qualified candidates starts from 35000 INR.
Can I pass CSIR NET without coaching?
It depends upon the resources and study materials you have for the examination. But, structured coaching can help you more with your study. The educators can guide and provide you with important study materials, tricks and test series to ace your preparation.
Which fellowship is better? CSIR or UGC NET?
Both fellowships have their advantages and provide a huge amount of financial assistance to qualified candidates. These two fellowships are prestigious and beneficial to the candidates. However, the fellowship amounts are different for both but these two are equally best in their place.
What is the salary for a CSIR-qualified lecturer?
The starting amount for any CSIR-qualified lecturer is 25000-30000 per month.
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