Many students have a dream to become a lecturer or researcher in India. If you are also willing to pursue your career either as a research analyst or lecturer in Indian universities, then choosing UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, or SET as your career path will be the right decision for you.
You can apply for NET and SET exams after completing your postgraduation courses as it is the required educational qualification. These exams are the best channels through which you can show your talent and fulfill your dream of getting placed at prestigious positions of JRF’s or assistant professors.
Since all the exams help you pursue career in the Educational fields, you may confuse between them and have queries like:
What are the differences between these exams?
Which one is best for you?
Can you appear UGC, CSIR, ICAR NET, and SET Exam?
Are CSIR NET/UGC NET/ICAR NET/SET Exam equivalent to each other?
To clear these confusions, here we have come up with detailed information of NTA UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET Exam. So, please read the article and know the differences between them.
In this blog, you will find the following details: -
About UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET Exam
Differences Between CSIR, UGC, ICAR & SET
Difference in Selection Criteria
Similarities between UGC, CSIR, ICAR NET & SET Exam
UGC NET Frequently Asked Questions
About UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET and SET Exam
All these exams, UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET, are conducted at the national and state levels by authorities to select the most eligible candidates for the post of assistant professor and researcher.
Below, you can check the detailed information about these exams.
What is the UGC NET Exam? - An Introduction
UGC NET is the acronym form of the University Grant Commission National Eligibility Test.
It is also called NTA NET. UGC NET Exam is a national-level exam that focuses on maintaining the minimum standards for teaching and research nationwide.
It is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) twice a year for the post of assistant professor at the university level and to provide the JRF award to Indian citizens.
This exam is for the arts, humanities, and management post-graduates who wish to become lecturers/professors/researchers.
Get Experts Guidance for Choosing the Right Subject for NET Exam
What is the CSIR NET Exam? - An Introduction
CSIR stands for the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, which is a national research and development organization.
National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the CSIR NET Exam twice a year (June & December).
This exam is for science stream candidates who want to become junior research fellow (JRF) and assistant professor in colleges/universities.
What is the ICAR NET Exam? - An Introduction
ICAR NET is an acronym form of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research National Eligibility Test.
ASRB NET or ASRB ICAR NET is a national-level exam conducted by the Agriculture Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) once a year.
The purpose of the exam is to recruit lecturers/ assistant professors in state agricultural universities and other agricultural universities.
What is the SET Exam? - An Introduction
SET stands for State Eligibility Test.
SET Exam is conducted on state-level once a year to fulfill the post of professors in state universities and provide a benefit of fellowship for the research program.
Currently, 15 state participates in this exam which are as follows: -
Andhra Pradesh State Eligibility Test (APSET)
Assam State Level Eligibility Test (Assam SLET)
Chhattisgarh State Eligibility Test (CG SET)
Gujarat State Eligibility Test (GSET)
Himachal Pradesh State Eligibility Test (HP SET)
Jammu & Kashmir State Eligibility Test (JK SET)
Kerala State Eligibility Test (Kerala SET)
Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET)
Madhya Pradesh State Eligibility Test (MP SET)
Maharashtra State Eligibility Test (MH SET)
Tamil Nadu State Eligibility Test (TNSET)
Telangana State Eligibility Test (TSSET)
Uttarakhand State Eligibility Test (USET)
West Bengal State Eligibility Test (WB SET)
Rajasthan State Eligibility Test (RSET)
Differences Between CSIR, UGC, ICAR & SET
In the table below, we have summed up some of the basic differences between these four exams. These are the main differences between UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET and SET Exam.
| Factors |
UGC NET |
CSIR NET |
ICAR NET |
SET Exam |
| Exam conducting Institute |
NTA (National Test Agency) |
NTA (National Test Agency) |
ASRB (Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board) |
State Agencies |
| Total Marks |
300 |
200 |
150 |
300 |
| Negative Marking |
No negative marking |
Different for all subjects/ parts A, B, C |
1/3rd per wrong answer |
No negative marking |
| Difficulty Level of the Paper |
Hard - Moderate |
Tough |
Moderate |
Moderate |
| Exam Mode |
Online mode |
Online mode |
Online mode |
Online mode |
| Official Website |
https://ntanet.nic.in |
https://csirnet.nta.nic.in |
http://www.asrb.org.in or https://icar.org.in |
Different for each state |
| Duration of the Exam |
3 hours |
3 hours |
2 hours |
3 hours |
| Total Subjects |
82 |
5 |
57 |
Depend on state |
Differences in Subjects of UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, SET Exam
The official authority conducts these exams in different subjects. With the help of the knowledge of these subjects, you can make a smart choice and decide which exam will be preferable for you.
Below, you can check the list of all subjects.
List of NTA UGC NET Exam Subjects
Till Dec 2018 along with general paper 1, there were 100 subjects in which you could apply. But from 2024 onwards, a total of 83 subjects are available for UGC NET.
Indeed, in the 2023-24 session, a new subject has been added to the UGC NET exam. Check all subjects’ names with their codes below: -
| Subject code |
Subjects |
| 01 |
|
| 02 |
|
| 03 |
Philosophy |
| 04 |
Psychology |
| 05 |
|
| 06 |
|
| 07 |
Anthropology |
| 08 |
|
| 09 |
|
| 10 |
|
| 11 |
Defense & Strategic Studies |
| 12 |
Home Science |
| 14 |
Public Administration |
| 15 |
Population Studies |
| 16 |
Music |
| 17 |
|
| 18 |
Maithili |
| 19 |
Bengali |
| 20 |
Hindi |
| 21 |
Kannada |
| 22 |
Malayalam |
| 23 |
Oriya |
| 24 |
Punjabi |
| 25 |
Sanskrit |
| 26 |
Tamil |
| 27 |
Telugu |
| 28 |
Urdu |
| 29 |
Arabic |
| 30 |
|
| 31 |
Linguistics |
| 32 |
Chinese |
| 33 |
Dogri |
| 34 |
Nepali |
| 35 |
Manipuri |
| 36 |
Assamese |
| 37 |
Gujarati |
| 38 |
Marathi |
| 39 |
French |
| 40 |
Spanish |
| 41 |
Russian |
| 42 |
Persian |
| 43 |
Rajasthani |
| 44 |
German |
| 45 |
Japanese |
| 46 |
Adult Education / Continuing Education / Andragogy / Non-Formal Education |
| 47 |
Physical Education |
| 49 |
Arab Culture and Islamic Studies |
| 50 |
Indian Culture |
| 55 |
UGC NET Labour Welfare / Pers. Mgmt. / Indl Rela/ Labr & Soc Welfr/ HRM |
| 58 |
|
| 59 |
|
| 60 |
Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian & Peace Studies |
| 62 |
Comparative Study of Religions |
| 63 |
|
| 65 |
Dance |
| 66 |
Museology & Conservation |
| 67 |
Archaeology |
| 68 |
Criminology |
| 70 |
Tribal & Regional Language/Literature/td> |
| 71 |
Folk Literature |
| 72 |
Comparative Literature |
| 73 |
Sanskrit Traditional Subjects (including Jyotisha / Sidhanta Jyotisha / Navya Vyakarna / Vyakarna / Mimamsa/Navya Nyaya / Sankhya Yoga / Tulanatmaka Darsana / Shukla Yajurveda / Madhva Vedanta / Dharma Sastra / Sahitya / Purana-itihasa /Agama /Advaita Vedanta) |
| 74 |
Women Studies |
| 79 |
Visual Arts (including Drawing & Painting / Sculpture / Graphics / Applied Art / History of Art) |
| 80 |
|
| 81 |
Social Medicine & Community Health |
| 82 |
Forensic Science |
| 83 |
Pali |
| 84 |
Kashmiri |
| 85 |
Konkani |
| 86 |
Social Medicine & Community Health |
| 87 |
|
| 88 |
|
| 89 |
Environmental Sciences |
| 90 |
International and Area Studies |
| 91 |
Prakrit |
| 92 |
Human Rights and Duties |
| 93 |
Tourism Administration & Management |
| 94 |
BODO |
| 95 |
Santali |
| 100 |
|
| 101 |
Sindhi |
| 102 | Hindu Studies |
If you have a post-graduation degree in any of the above subjects, then you can opt NTA UGC NET Exam to proceed toward your career goals.
Check the complete syllabus for your selected subjects through UGC NET Syllabus 2024.
List of CSIR NET Exam Subjects
NTA conducts the CSIR NET Exam in five science-related subjects. With the help of the subject list given below, you can wisely choose whether you should appear in CSIR NET or not.
| S. No. |
Subjects |
| 01 |
General Aptitude (common for all subjects) |
| 02 |
|
| 03 |
|
| 04 |
|
| 05 |
|
| 06 |
Get the complete syllabus for the subject of your choice from here - CSIR NET Syllabus 2024.
ICAR NET Subject List
ASRB ICAR NET is conducted online in 57 subjects which are as follow: -
| List of ICAR NET Subjects |
||||
| Agricultural Biotechnology |
Agriculture Entomology |
Agriculture Microbiology |
Economics Botany and Plant Genetic Resources |
Genetics and Plant Breeding |
| Nematology |
Plant Biochemistry |
Plant Pathology |
Plant Physiology |
Seed Science and Technology |
| Agricultural Structure and Process Engineering |
Floriculture and Landscaping |
Fruit Science |
Spices, Plantation and Medicinal and Aromatic Plants |
Vegetable Science |
| Animal Biochemistry |
Animal Genetics and Breeding |
Animal Nutrition |
Animal Physiology |
Animal Reproduction and Gynaecology |
| Dairy Chemistry |
Dairy Microbiology |
Dairy Technology |
Livestock Product Technology |
Livestock Production Management |
| Poultry Science |
Veterinary Medicine |
Veterinary Parasitology |
Veterinary Pathology |
Veterinary Pharmacology |
| Veterinary Public Health |
Veterinary Surgery |
Aquaculture |
Fisheries Resources Management |
Fish Processing Technology |
| Fish Nutrition |
Fish Health |
Fish Genetics and Breeding |
Agriculture Chemicals |
Agriculture Meteorology |
| Agroforestry |
Agronomy |
Environmental Science |
Soil Science |
Agricultural Business Management |
| Agricultural Economics |
Agricultural Extension |
Agricultural Statistics |
Home Science |
Farm Machinery and Power |
| Computer Application and IT |
Land and Water Management Engineering |
Bioinformatics |
Food Technology |
Veterinary Anatomy |
Check the complete syllabus for the ICAR NET Exam from here – ASRB ICAR NET Syllabus.
Get Free NET Exam Study Plan & Boost your Learning
SET Exam Subjects
SET Exam includes different subjects for all 15 states. Here is the list of total numbers of subjects for Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Karnataka. To know the number and name of subjects and their syllabus for your state, refer to the respective official website.
| State |
Number of Subjects Included |
| Maharashtra State Eligibility Test (MH SET) |
32 |
| West Bengal State Eligibility Test (WB SET) |
30 |
| Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET) |
41 |
Can I appear in the UGC, CSIR, ICAR NET & SET Exams? Difference Between Eligibility!
Now that you are aware of the basic knowledge of all these exams, you must ensure the eligibility guidelines decided by the respected exam convener institutes.
Here we are providing you the details of these criteria for all the exams individually.
Are You Eligible for the UGC NET?
Have a look at the UGC NET Eligibility Criteria containing educational qualifications and the age limit criteria that you need to fulfill to become applicable for the UGC NET.
You will be eligible for UGC NET if you have completed your master’s degree or equivalent examination in one of the following courses from the universities/institutions recognized by UGC.
You must have a post-graduation degree (in any of the UGC NET subjects) with 55% (for General Candidates) or 50% (for ST/SC/PWD/OBC/ Transgenders) marks.
The maximum age limit is 31 years for the JRF while there is no age limit for the lectureship. The age relaxation is applicable as per the UGC Regulations.
If you clear all the eligibility criteria for the exam, then you must prepare for it. Start with understanding the syllabus and then plan your exam preparation.
| Download Free UGC NET Material for All Subjects [Trusted & Recommended by 4600+ Selected Students] |
| Updated Syllabus for All Subjects |
| Sample Theory Notes |
| Model Test Papers with Solution (Paper 1 & 2) |
| 5 Previous Exam Papers with Answer Keys |
| Complete Study Plan for Paper 1 |
| Paper Analysis by Eduncle Experts |
| Personalized Guidance by Subject Experts |
| Free Demo Class (Commerce, English, CSA, GP1) |
Who is Eligible to Apply for CSIR NET?
The aspirants must have the CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria like educational qualification and age limit as mentioned below:
If you have completed your master’s degree with a minimum of 55% (for General Candidates) or 50% (for ST/SC/PWD/OBC/) marks from the recognized university then you are eligible to apply for the CSIR NET Exam.
The graduate candidates are also eligible to apply for the CSIR NET Exam. However, they will be awarded the CSIR NET Certificate after the completion of the Post-graduation within two years.
For JRF, the age of the candidates must be below 28 years.
After satisfying the complete eligibility criteria, start your preparation with expert-designed free sample material. At Eduncle, we have provided you with the complete study kit for CSIR NET Exam that you can get from below: -
| Download Free CSIR NET Material for All Subjects [Trusted & Recommended by 4600+ Selected Students] |
| Updated Syllabus for All Subjects |
| Sample Theory Notes |
| Model Test Papers with Solution (Part A, B & C) |
| 5 Previous Exam Papers with Answer Keys |
| Complete Study Plan for Part A |
| Paper Analysis by Eduncle Experts |
| Personalized Guidance by Subject Experts |
ICAR NET Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for ASRB ICAR NET are: -
A master's degree or equivalent in the same discipline for which one is applying.
There is no age limit.
SET Exam Eligibility Criteria
If you want to become a lecturer and researcher in the university of your state, then the SET Exam is perfect for you. To apply for the exam, you will require: -
A master’s degree with a minimum of 55% (for General Candidates) or 50% (for ST/SC/PWD/OBC/) marks from the recognized university.
There is no age limit.
Note - The above eligibility can vary from state to state.
All States have different eligibility criteria for the exam. So, if you want to apply for any, then you must satisfy state eligibility criteria set by the same conducting authority. You can check the complete eligibility from the official website.
Difference Between Paper Pattern for UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, SET Exam
To qualify for these exams, you must know the paper pattern for the NTA UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET Exam. Below we are providing you the complete paper pattern for all these exams. You can check it and analyze the differences.
UGC NET Exam Pattern
The exam is conducted in two different papers (Paper- 1 and Paper – 2) in a single three-hour duration.
It consists of 300 marks (Paper 1 - 100 marks and Paper 2 - 200 marks).
There is no negative marking.
If you are going to appear in the upcoming UGC NET Exam, then you must check the complete UGC NET Exam Pattern for 2024.
CSIR NET Exam Pattern
CSIR NET Exam consists of only a single paper with three different sections (Part – A, Part – B, and Part- C).
It is conducted for a total of 200 marks.
The marking scheme is different for each subject.
The total time duration is 3 hours to solve the complete paper.
Negative marking is different for each subject.
Check the complete CSIR NET Exam Pattern released by NTA and start your preparation accordingly.
Download UGC & CSIR NET Exam Syllabus 2024 Free PDF (All Subjects)
ICAR NET Paper Pattern
ASRB conducts the exam in a single paper consisting of 150 objective-type multiple-choice questions.
The total time duration is 2 hours to solve the complete paper.
The exam is included of 150 marks.
There will be negative markings on each wrong answer.
The exam is conducted in English and Hindi both languages.
State Eligibility Test Exam Pattern
The paper pattern of the SET Exam is similar to University Grant Commission National Eligibility Test.
This exam is also conducted in two papers with a single 3 hours duration without any break.
The paper consists of 150 objective-type questions with 300 marks.
There will be no negative marking.
Difference Between ICAR, UGC, CSIR NET and SET Exam in Terms of Selection Ratio
The selection ratio for these exams is different. You can check the previous stats to know the differences between the selection ratio.
| Selection Ratio |
UGC NET Dec 2023 |
CSIR NET Dec 2023 |
ICAR NET 2018 |
SET Exam |
| Number of candidates registered |
9,45,872 |
2,19,146 |
- |
The selection ratio of the SET Exam is different for each state. So, if you are going to appear in the State Eligibility Test, then go to the respective official website to know the complete selection ratio.
|
| Several candidates appeared |
6,95,928 |
1,75,355 |
31,127 |
|
| Selection ratio |
6% of appeared candidates |
Depend on CSIR NET Cutoff Marks |
0.22% (6,987 Qualified) |
Note - Set your goal by checking the NTA UGC NET Result & UGC NET Cut Off and get an idea about the complete selection criteria.
NTA UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET Exam - Career Scope is Different
There’s a different career scope after qualifying for the exams.
The NTA UGC NET qualified candidates get a chance to work with NET Coordinating Institutes.
CSIR NET qualified candidates have to work with the CSIR Research Laboratories.
After qualifying for the ICAR NET Exam, you can make your career in all agriculture-related organizations and can join as a teacher in colleges/ institutes.
SET Exam qualified candidate can apply for lectureship in the universities and colleges which comes under the respective state government.
Suggested Read -
We hope, now all your doubts regarding these exams are clear. Apart from these differences, there are a few similarities between them.
Similarities between NTA UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET, and SET Exam
As you can see, there are many reasons for which these exams are different from each other. But few factors make them similar. Below, we are listing all the similarities between these exams.
These exams are conducted for the recruitment of JRF and assistant professors.
The qualifying procedure is similar. Candidates are selected only based on their performances in the test.
The candidates are assessed on the basis of their aptitude knowledge and subject knowledge.
The eligibility criteria are also similar.
The application forms are submitted online for all these exams.
Download NET Exam Mock Test Papers Free PDF
UGC NET Frequently Asked Questions
Here, we have compiled the questions that are frequently asked by students, if you also have a query then you must read the following question. Also, we have covered all the UGC NET exam-related queries of aspirants in our UGC NET FAQ blog, you can refer to it for any UGC NET information.
Q1. Is NET and JRF the same?
Ans. JRF stands for Junior Research Fellowship and NET is the National Eligibility Test You have to qualify for the UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET or SET Exam to be able to receive the JRF award, through which you can pursue your career in the research field.
Q2. Which is better, UGC NET or CSIR NET?
Ans. There is no comparison of superiority between them because these exams are conducted for students from different academic backgrounds.
CSIR NET exam is for the science stream and has subjects like Chemical science, Life science, Physical science, etc. whereas, UGC NET includes more than 80 subjects that are mostly related to the non-science category.
Q3. What is the difficulty level of UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR NET and SET exams?
Ans. These exams are conducted for lectureship and research at national and state levels, which makes them quite competitive. However, the difficulty level may vary from medium to tough for different sessions.
Q4. What are the qualifying marks for UGC NET, CSIR NET, and ICAR NET (General category)?
Ans. Qualifying marks for the General category are mentioned below: So, these were the differences and similarities between NTA UGC NET, CSIR NET Exam, ICAR NET, and SET Exam.
| Exam |
Qualifying Marks |
| UGC NET |
40% |
| CSIR NET |
33% |
| ICAR NET |
50% |
We hope that we helped you to get the right and complete information regarding the details of these exams. Now considering all the factors like eligibility, syllabus, career scope, etc. you can select your preference.
You can share this article with your friends who are also confused between them. Also, if you have any queries, then share them with us through the comment box below. We will try to solve your doubts as soon as possible.
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