The CSIR NET Life Science Exam is a national-level competitive examination conducted by the national testing Agency (NTA). This exam is held to test the eligibility of candidates for the posts of Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowships (JRF).
Life Science as a subject to give your career an edge is a wise decision indeed. It’s a subject associated with the technological study of Biology and Biotechnology that gives you an opportunity to grasp every important and unknown things & facts about animals, plants, micro-organisms and human beings.
If you want to make a career as a lecturer or researcher after pursuing a postgraduation in Life Science, then CSIR NET exam is one of the best exams which can lead you to get amazing career opportunities.
In this article, you will get important information related to CSIR NET Life Science exam 2024 like syllabus, exam pattern, important topics, books, study material, Previous question papers, preparation tips, mock test, etc. to give your preparation a good start.
Previous Years Question Papers
How to Prepare for Life Science Exam?
CSIR NET Life Sciences Eligibility Criteria
Before applying for an exam, you have to check out the eligibility criteria through which you get to know whether you are eligible for applying for the exam or not.
As per the guideline set by the NTA for CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria for Life Sciences, following are the condition that needs to be fulfilled.
Education Qualification -
M.Sc.or equivalent degree in Life Sciences
Integrated BS-MS
BS-4 years/ BE/ B. Tech/ B. Pharma
MBBS /B.Sc (Hons)
Required Percentage -
For General (UR)/General-EWS Candidates – 55%
B.Tech degree in Biotechnology, with a minimum of 55% marks
For OBC/SC/ST/PwD (Persons with Disability)/ Female Applicants – 50%
Age Limit -
For JRF 30 years - Relaxable up to 5 years in case of SC/ST/Third gender/ PwD/female applicants
For OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) - 3 Years Relaxation
For Lectureship/Assistant Professor - No upper age limit
See the detailed eligibility criteria here - CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria 2024.
CSIR NET Life Science Syllabus 2024 & Exam Pattern
Having complete knowledge of the Syllabus and Exam pattern is necessary if you want to have a good start on your preparation plan. It will provide you with a base for preparing the topics accurately.
The CSIR NET Life Science Syllabus is published By Human Resource Development Group in the official Notification. It is Divided into three Parts- A, B & C. The Syllabus of Part A is Common for all Candidates and includes General Science, Quantitative Reasoning & Analysis and Research Aptitude
The CSIR LS Syllabus of Section B and C are subject-specific and consists of topics such as Cell Organization, Fundamental Processes, Molecules and their Interaction, Applied Biology, System Physiology of plants and animals etc.
Below we have mentioned some important topics from the CSIR UGC NET 2024 Science Syllabus. The topics are suggested by our experts.
Important Topics of CSIR Life Sciences Part ‘A’
| Subject |
Topic |
| Numerical Ability | Number and Simplification, LCM and HCF Average, Quadratic Equations, Sequence and Series, Surds and Indices, Logarithms, Percentage, Profit and Loss, Simple Interest etc. |
| Reasoning |
Series Formation, Coding-Decoding, Distance and Directions, Calendar and Clock etc. |
| Data Interpretation and Graphical Analysis |
Mean, Median, Mode, Measures of Dispersion, Graphical Analysis: Bar Graph, Line Graph, Pie-Chart, Tabulation. |
Unit wise Important Topics of Part ‘B’ and ‘C’
| Unit Name |
Important Topics |
| Molecules and their Interaction Relevant to Biology | Structure of atoms, molecules and chemical bonds, Stabilizing interactions, Principles of biophysical chemistry,structure and function of biomolecules,Principles of catalysis etc. |
| Cellular Organization | Membrane structure and function, Structural organization, Cell division and cell cycle,Microbial Physiology etc. |
| Fundamental Processes | DNA replication, repair and recombination, RNA synthesis,Protein synthesis and processing,translation level etc. |
| Cell Communication and Cell Signaling | Host parasite interaction, Cell signaling, Cellular communication, Cancer, Innate and adaptive immune system etc. |
| Developmental Biology | Basic concepts of development, Basic concepts of development, Morphogenesis and organogenesis in animals. Morphogenesis and organogenesis in plants, Programmed cell death, aging and senescence etc. |
| System Physiology - Plant | Photosynthesis, Respiration and photorespiration, Nitrogen metabolism, Sensory photobiology, Stress physiology etc. |
| System Physiology - Animal | Blood and circulation, Cardiovascular System, Respiratory system, Nervous system, Excretory system, Digestive system, Sense organs etc. |
| Inheritance Biology | Mendelian principles, Concept of gene, Gene mapping methods, Human genetics, Quantitative genetics, Mutation etc. |
| Diversity of Life forms | Principles and methods of taxonomy, Levels of structural organization, animals and microorganisms Natural history of Indian subcontinent, Organisms of health and agricultural importance etc. |
| Ecological Principles | The Environment, Population ecology, Species interactions, Ecological succession,Biogeography etc. |
| Evolution and Behaviour | Emergence of evolutionary thoughts, Origin of cells, evolutionary history, Molecular Evolution, The Mechanisms, Brain, Behavior and Evolution. |
| Applied Biology | Microbial fermentation, Application of immunological principles, Transgenic animals and plants Genomics and its application to health, Bioresource and uses of biodiversity, Biosensors etc. |
| Methods in Biology | Molecular biology and recombinant DNA methods, Histochemical and immunotechniques, Biophysical methods, Statistical Methods Radiolabeling techniques, Microscopic techniques, Electrophysiological methods, Methods in field biology, Computational methods etc |
Understanding the CSIR NET Paper Pattern of Life Sciences is an essential part of preparation. You must have knowledge about the number of questions and the allotted time to attempt them in the examination.
Have a look at the Exam Pattern of CSIR NET Life Sciences given below -
| S.No. |
Sections |
No. of Ques. Given |
No. of Ques. to be Attempted |
Marks |
Neg. Marking |
Duration of Exam |
Types of Questions |
| 1 |
Part-A |
20 |
15 |
30 |
0.5 |
3 Hours |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) |
| 2 |
Part-B |
50 |
35 |
70 |
0.5 |
||
| 3 |
Part-C |
75 |
25 |
100 |
1 |
||
| Total Marks |
200 |
||||||
Go through the CSIR NET Life Science Syllabus & Exam Pattern to strategize your preparation.
Must Know about and CSIR NET Online Application Process that can help you in appearing for exam.
Download Free Study Plan & Boost your Learning
CSIR NET Life Science Study Material, Notes & Books
Study Material & Books undoubtedly play a very effective role in preparing for an examination.
You may find a number of best book for CSIR NET Life Science but there might be chances that they may not guide you in the perfect way.
To avoid the risk, we advise you to go with quality CSIR NET Life Science Study Material.
Here you can check the few best CSIR NET Books for Life Science below:-
| Unit |
Subject | Book publishers |
| Molecules and their Interaction Relevant to Biology | Biochemistry and Metabolism |
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry - Nelson and Cox |
| Biochemistry- Voet and Voet |
||
| Cellular Organization |
Cell Biology & Microbial Physiology | Molecular Cell Biology- Lodish |
| Lewin's Genes- Jocelyn Krebs,Elliott Goldstein,Stephen Kilpatrick |
||
| Fundamental Processes |
Molecular Biology |
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry- Nelson and Cox |
| Molecular Biology of the Gene- James D. Watson | ||
| Lewin's Genes- Jocelyn Krebs,Elliott Goldstein,Stephen Kilpatrick | ||
| Cell Communication and Cell Signaling | Host parasite interaction Cell Signaling,communication cancer and Immunology |
Microbiology- L.M.Prescott |
| Molecular Cell Biology- Lodish | ||
| Kuby Immunology- Owen,Punt,Stranford,7th Ed |
For detailed information about books, please visit - CSIR NET Life Science Books
| 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 |
CSIR NET Life Science Question Paper
After studying all the topics completely, you should know the topics from which the questions are asked in previous years. To get that idea you should solve the CSIR NET previous year Question papers of Life Science.
Here we have provided the CSIR NET Life Science Previous year Question Paper. You can download the papers for the following years with the help of link provided in the table.
| Question Papers [Free Download PDF] |
You can also check the correct answers with the help of CSIR NET Answer Keys.
CSIR NET Life Science Mock Test Papers
Experiences reveal that practice is a must in every exam as it will improve your confidence level to appear for the exam.
You should practice as many practice sets as you can, in order to improve your speed efficacy in the exam.
Eduncle has come up with the exclusive set of CSIR NET Mock Tests and Practice Questions Papers for Life Science that will provide you a clear idea of managing time and approaching paper effectively.
How to Prepare for CSIR NET Life Science?
"The door to success needs a lot of hard work, to get opened!". We all are aware of the fact that we are living in a world, where success can be achieved by those, who plan differently.
So below we are providing some important preparation tips for life Science suggested by Eduncle Experts to be kept in mind while preparing for the exam:-
Before starting your exam preparation, familiarizing yourself with the CSIR NET Syllabus and exam pattern. Understanding the syllabus will help you strategize your preparation better.
Practicing previous year question papers will help you understand the exam pattern, type of questions asked, and areas that need improvement.
Choose the right study material and resources, including textbooks, reference books, online resources, and previous years’ question papers. Ensure that the material you choose is comprehensive and covers all the topics in the syllabus.
Develop a study plan that allocates sufficient time for each topic according to your strengths and weaknesses. Ensure that you cover the entire syllabus and leave enough time for revision.
For more tips & tricks, please visit here –
CSIR NET Paper 1 Preparation Tips
How to Prepare for CSIR NET Life Science Exam?
Subscribe to Eduncle’s CSIR NET Channel Now!
Tips Need to Remember to Attempt the CSIR NET LS Paper
Part ‘A’
Spend half-an-hour maximum on Part ‘A’ section.
The questions in this section are based on lengthy mathematical equations.
Choose wisely the easy questions.
Don’t mark any of the answers if you are not sure, it will result in you with negative marking.
As per the exam pattern, you only need to attempt 15 questions in this section. So do not waste time solving extra questions and just move on to the next part.
Part ‘B’
Part ‘B’ section is considered the easy one.
You can easily complete it within half an hour, so don’t waste more than that.
In this section, you must have to attempt maximum of 35 questions only.
Part ‘C’
Part ‘C’ section includes questions that are hard to attempt.
You should wisely choose the easy one.
You should not waste your time on solving the question that is consuming much time.
The maximum limit of attempting questions in this section is 25.
To make your preparation more easy, we have provided a video on the important and scoring units of the CSIR NET JRF exam here:
Quick Fixing Some Misconceptions
There is no separate cut off for the three sections, you have to score overall total marks.
Applying for JRF will also make you eligible for NET Lectureship if you qualify the cuff off for CSIR NET Lectureship.
Applying for NET Lectureship will not make you eligible for CSIR NET JRF.
Attempting the questions beyond the given limit will not result in some more addition in scores.
FAQs about CSIR NET Life Science 2024
Here, we have covered the most asked Queries Regarding the CSIR NET 2024 Life Science Exam.Also, we have covered all the CSIR NET exam related queries of aspirants in our CSIR NET FAQs blog.
Ques. What is the CSIR UGC NET 2024 Life Sciences Syllabus?
Ans. The CSIR NET Syllabus of Life Science Divided into Three Parts- A, B & C. The Syllabus of Part A is Common for all Candidates. Parts B and C consist of subjects such as System Physiology, Cell Organization, Applied Biology, Evolution and Behaviour, Fundamental Processes etc.
Ques. Who is eligible for CSIR NET 2024 life science?
Ans. For Life Science, Candidates with a Masters’ degree (M.Sc.) in Life Science with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC).
Ques. How many students appeared for CSIR NET Life Science 2024?
Ans. In CSIR NET June 2024 Exam, 1,01,062 candidates appeared for Life Sciences Exam
Ques. What is the CSIR NET Paper Pattern 2024 for Life Science?
Ans. The Life Sciences paper consists of a total of 75 MCQs in total from Part A, B and C. Each question in Part A and B is for two marks and each question in Part C carries four marks. There is a negative marking of in Part A, B and C for each incorrect answer.
Ques. What are the qualifying marks for NET Life Science?
Ans. candidates belonging to the General, EWS, and OBC categories need to score a minimum of 33%, while the SC/ST and PwD categories require a minimum of 25%.
Here, in this article, we have given you the complete information about the CSIR NET Life Science Exam. We always aim to benefit you with reliable information so that you can make your dreams true.
Still, if you have any queries about the Life Science exam you can share it with us through the comment box below. We will try to solve your queries as soon as possible.
You can also join India’s No.1 Learning Community for CSIR NET, where you will get a doubt solution for all your exam-related queries with the help of experts from all over India. To join the community, you can download the Eduncle app now.
Thank You!!
