Update checked on 7 November 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the last date to submit the online application form and complete the examination-fee transaction for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 examination. Candidates can now complete both steps by 9 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM, without a late fee, according to the NTA public notice dated 5 November 2026.
This extension is important for postgraduate science students and eligible final-year candidates who missed the earlier deadline. It is not an extension of the examination date. The examination is still listed for 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 in the information bulletin.
CSIR UGC NET December 2026: Revised application deadline
Table of Contents
| Activity | Revised date and time |
|---|---|
| Last date to submit the online application | 9 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Last date for successful examination-fee transaction | 9 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Late fee for the extended period | No late fee, as stated in NTA’s notice dated 5 November 2026 |
| Application correction window | 10 to 12 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Computer-based examination | 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 |
| Advance city intimation and admit card | Dates to be announced by NTA |
The extension notice applies to both submission of the online application and successful payment of the examination fee. Candidates should not wait until the final evening. NTA has specifically advised applicants to complete the process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical problems.
Who should consider applying?
Joint CSIR-UGC NET is intended for eligible Indian candidates seeking qualification for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor, or admission to a PhD programme, depending on the category in which they qualify. The examination is relevant to candidates in science and interdisciplinary research fields; it is not a general examination for every postgraduate subject.
Basic educational eligibility
- General, Unreserved and General-EWS candidates ordinarily need at least 55% marks in a recognised Master’s degree or equivalent qualification.
- OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender candidates ordinarily need at least 50% marks in the Master’s degree or equivalent qualification.
- Candidates currently pursuing the qualifying Master’s course, or awaiting their final-year result, may apply provisionally, subject to the conditions and time limits in the official information bulletin.
- Eligible candidates with a four-year/eight-semester bachelor’s degree may also apply under the separate provisions in the bulletin. The stated minimum is generally 75% aggregate, with applicable relaxation for specified categories. Qualification through this route can support JRF and PhD admission, but not appointment as Assistant Professor.
For JRF, the upper age limit is 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with relaxations for eligible categories and other cases specified by CSIR. There is no upper age limit for applying for the Assistant Professor or PhD-admission-only categories. These are summaries; applicants must check the complete eligibility chapter before paying the fee.
Application fee
The information bulletin lists the following examination fees. Applicable bank or payment-gateway service charges may be additional.
| Candidate category | Examination fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹1,150 |
| General-EWS / OBC-NCL | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third Gender | ₹325 |
The 5 November extension notice states that applications submitted by the revised deadline can be completed without a late fee. Use the amount shown in the live NTA payment portal for your category and retain the payment receipt.
How to complete the application
- Open the official Joint CSIR-UGC NET portal.
- Register using an email address and mobile number that you can access. Keep the application number and password safely.
- Complete the personal, educational and category details. Select the correct subject and examination-city preferences.
- Upload the live photograph and the required scanned photograph, signature and supporting certificates, wherever applicable, in the format and size specified by NTA.
- Pay the examination fee through an available online payment method before 11:50 PM on 9 November 2026.
- After successful payment, download and save the Confirmation Page. The application is not complete merely because the form has been filled in; successful fee payment and the Confirmation Page are important proof of submission.
Do not submit multiple applications for the same subject. Check spelling of your name, date of birth, category, qualification details, email address and mobile number before final submission. NTA’s bulletin says that only fields specifically enabled during the correction window can be changed; do not assume every detail will be editable.
Subjects and examination dates
The December 2026 examination covers five subject groups:
- 701: Chemical Sciences
- 702: Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences
- 703: Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (LS-BT)
- 704: Mathematical Sciences
- 705: Physical Sciences
One important point for Life Sciences and Biotechnology aspirants: the December 2026 bulletin lists a combined Life Sciences and Bio-Technology subject under code 703. Candidates should read the current subject syllabus and scheme rather than relying only on older examination material. The test will be a three-hour computer-based examination with objective multiple-choice questions. The subject-wise question structure and negative-marking rules differ, so check the scheme for your selected subject.
The bulletin lists 19, 22 and 27 December 2026 as examination dates, with shifts of 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Your exact date, shift and centre must be checked on the admit card. NTA has not yet announced the advance city-intimation or admit-card release dates in the bulletin.
What should applicants do after submitting the form?
- Save the Confirmation Page and fee transaction reference in more than one place.
- Check the application details again during the correction window from 10 to 12 November.
- Download the latest syllabus and subject scheme from the official CSIR resources.
- Begin revision using the current syllabus and practise computer-based multiple-choice questions, including analytical and application-based problems.
- Check the NTA portal and registered email regularly for city-intimation, admit-card and examination instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Has NTA extended the CSIR UGC NET December 2026 deadline?
Yes. NTA’s public notice dated 5 November 2026 extends both online application submission and successful fee payment up to 9 November 2026, 11:50 PM, without a late fee.
When is the correction window?
The information bulletin lists 10 to 12 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM. Only the fields enabled by NTA can be corrected.
When will the admit card be released?
The bulletin says the advance city-intimation slip and admit-card dates will be announced later. Candidates should rely on the official NTA portal for those dates.
Official sources and verification
- NTA Joint CSIR-UGC NET official portal — application and latest notices.
- NTA Public Notice dated 5 November 2026 — extension of application and fee-payment deadline.
- Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin — eligibility, fee, subject codes, examination scheme and dates.
- CSIR-HRDG official website — subject syllabus and related research-fellowship information.
Final advice: If you are eligible and intend to appear, complete the application and payment well before 9 November 2026, 11:50 PM. Treat the NTA notice and information bulletin as the final authority if any third-party report or coaching-site summary differs from them.
