The National Testing Agency (NTA) has merged the Department of Biotechnology's Biotechnology Eligibility Test (DBT-BET) with the Life Sciences paper of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC NET), beginning with the December 2026 examination cycle.
Following the merger, a new discipline, Life Sciences and Bio-Technology (LS-BT), has been introduced under CSIR-UGC NET. The revised syllabus is available in the examination's information bulletin, and candidates preparing for the December session have been advised to review it before applying.
The change brings the two examinations under a common testing framework for candidates seeking research fellowships in life sciences and biotechnology. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will continue to administer fellowships funded under its programme.
What changes for candidates?
Under the revised structure, Life Sciences and Biotechnology will be offered as a single subject under CSIR-UGC NET, replacing the previous arrangement in which CSIR-NET Life Sciences and DBT-BET were conducted separately.
The combined examination will cover areas including biochemistry, biodiversity and taxonomy, biotechnology, botany, genetics, microbiology, physiology and zoology. Candidates should consult the revised syllabus in the official information bulletin to check the topics covered.
The merger follows an earlier proposal by CSIR and DBT to combine the two examinations and reduce overlap in their syllabuses. A notice issued by CSIR in May 2025 invited feedback on the proposed combined syllabus.
What is CSIR-UGC NET used for?
The Joint CSIR-UGC NET determines eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as an Assistant Professor and admission to PhD programmes in Indian universities and colleges.
Candidates are placed in one of three qualifying categories. The first covers JRF, Assistant Professor eligibility and PhD admission. The second covers Assistant Professor eligibility and PhD admission, while the third is for PhD admission only.
Under the revised arrangement, candidates qualifying for DBT-funded fellowships in Life Sciences and Biotechnology will be covered by the eligibility criteria specified in the CSIR-UGC NET information bulletin. DBT will administer these fellowships, while CSIR will not bear the financial liability for them.
CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 important dates
The examination will be conducted in two shifts, from 9 am to noon and from 3 pm to 6 pm. The specific date, shift and centre allotted to each candidate will be mentioned on the admit card. NTA has not yet announced the dates for the release of admit cards and advance city intimation slips.
Candidates can submit applications through the official CSIR-UGC NET website. They should check the December 2026 information bulletin for the eligibility criteria, application fee, examination scheme and revised syllabus.
