2.1.1.
a) General/ Unreserved/ General-EWS candidates who have secured at least 55% marks
(without rounding off) in Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from recognized
universities/ institutions are eligible for this Test. The Other Backward Classes (OBC)
belonging to Non-Creamy Layer/Scheduled Caste (SC)/ Scheduled Tribe (ST)/ Persons
with Disability (PwD)/ Third gender category candidates who have secured at least 50%
marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for
this Test.
b) Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course or candidates
who have appeared for their qualifying Master’s degree (final year) examination and
whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying examinations have been
delayed may also apply for this test. However, such candidates will be admitted
provisionally and shall be considered eligible for NET, only after they have passed their
Master’s Degree or equivalent examination with at least 55% marks (50% marks in case
of OBC-NCL/ SC/ ST/ PwD/ Third gender category candidates). Such candidates must
complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within two years from the date
of NET result with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as
disqualified.
However, those candidates who qualify for ‘Admission to Ph.D. Only’ must complete their
Master’s degree or equivalent examination within one year from the date of NET result
with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.
c) Candidates belonging to the Third gender category are eligible to draw the same
relaxation in fee, age and Eligibility Criteria for NET as are available to SC/ST/PwD
categories. The subject-wise qualifying cut-offs for this category would be the lowest
among those for SC/ ST/ PwD/ OBC–NCL/ General-EWS categories in the corresponding
subject.
d) The Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination have been completed by 19
September 1991 (irrespective of date of declaration of result) shall be eligible for a
relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks (i.e. from 55% to 50%) for appearing in NET.
e) Candidates are neither required to send any certificates/documents in support of their
eligibility nor printout of their Application Form or Confirmation Page to NTA. However, the
candidates, in their own interest, must ensure themselves about their eligibility for the test.
In the event of any ineligibility being detected by the CSIR/UGC/NTA at any stage, their
candidature will be cancelled, and they shall be liable for legal action. NTA does not verify
the information provided by the candidates during online registration and hence
candidature will be purely provisional subject to the fulfillment of eligibility criteria.
f) Candidates with post-graduate diploma/ certificate awarded by Indian University/ Institute
or foreign degree/ diploma/ certificate awarded by the foreign University/ institute should in
their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their diploma/degree/ certificate with
Master’s degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities
(AIU), New Delhi (www.aiu.ac.in).
g) The candidates having passed a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme should
have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale
wherever the grading system is followed. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade
may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ ST/ OBC (non-creamy layer)/ Differently-Abled,
Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the
decision of the Commission from time to time (refer to University Grants Commission
Page 12 of 91
(Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022
https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/0909572_Minimum-Standards-and-Procedure-for-Awardof-PhD-Degree.pdf)
The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree, will be
eligible for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for admission to the
Ph.D. The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree,
will not be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor.
h) The candidates who are pursuing Four Year/8 Semester Bachelor’s Degree Programme
and are in their last semester/year may also apply for the test. However, such candidates
will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for the award of
JRF/admission to Ph.D. only after fulfilling the requirements contained in the University
Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree)
Regulations, 2022 within two years (if qualified for award of JRF)/within one year (if
qualified for admission to Ph.D. only) from the date of declaration of the NET result, failing
which they shall be treated as disqualified.
i) The candidates with a Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programme are allowed to appear in
a subject (the List of Subjects and their Codes for Joint CSIR-UGC NET June, 2025 are
given at (Annexure-II) in which they want to pursue a Ph.D. irrespective of the discipline
in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor’s degree.
2.1.2 Upper Age limit:
a) JRF: Not more than 30 years as on the 1st day of the month in which the examination is
concluded i.e. JULY, 2025. A relaxation of upto 5 years is provided to the candidates
belonging to OBC-NCL (as per the Central list of OBC available on website:
www.ncbc.nic.in) /SC/ST/PwD/Third gender categories and to women applicants.
Relaxation will also be provided to the candidates with research experience, limited to the
period spent on research in the relevant / related subject of post-graduation degree,
subject to a maximum of 5 years, on production of a certificate from appropriate authority,
which should be a recognized Indian university / Institute of National Importance / foreign
university which is duly approved / recognized / accredited in its own Country / Public
Sector Undertaking of Government of India / State Government in India. The research
should not have been carried out towards completion of graduation or post-graduation
degree(s). A relaxation of upto 5 years is provided to the candidates who have served in
the armed forces subject to the length of service in the armed forces upto the first day of
the month in which the concerned Joint CSIR-UGC-NET is, conducted, i.e., June, 2025
Total age relaxation on the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years under any
circumstances.
b) Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR UGC-NET
for Assistant Professor.
c) Admission to PhD: There is no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR-UGC-NET for
Admission to PhD.
2.1.3 Declaration
In the event of any ineligibility being detected by CSIR / UGC / NTA at any stage, their
candidature will be cancelled and they shall be liable for legal action. NTA does not verify
the information provided by the candidates during online registration and hence
candidature will be purely provisional subject to the fulfillment of eligibility criteria.
