CSIR NET vs UGC NET: The Differences In Eligibility, Exam Pattern and Career Scope

CSIR NET vs UGC NET: The Differences In Eligibility, Exam Pattern and Career Scope
December 2, 2024
Teaching Exams . UGC NET

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 (UGC) – The Exam Co-ordinator

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.

What is UGC NET?

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. 

What is Joint CSIR-UGC NET?

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.

CSIR NET  vs  UGC NET: Eligibility Criteria

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

CSIR NET  vs  UGC NET: SUBJECTS

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 Pattern

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?

CSIR NET: Exam Pattern

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

Career Scope: UGC NET Vs. CSIR NET

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 

Similarities between CSIR & 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.

 

FAQs

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.

csir net vs ugc net
difference between ugc net and csir net