CSIR NET Cut Off 2026: JRF, AP & PhD Cut-Off Marks
The CSIR NET Cut Off 2026 has been released for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET June 2026 examination. Candidates can now check the subject-wise and category-wise cut-off percentages for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor eligibility and PhD admission.
The June 2026 exam was conducted on 17 and 18 July 2026 for five science subjects. Moreover, NTA conducted the examination in CBT mode across 224 cities. A total of 1,87,739 candidates registered, while 1,50,057 candidates appeared.
CSIR-HRDG has published separate cut-offs for Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3. Therefore, candidates should check the table that matches their subject, category and qualification goal.
CSIR NET Cut Off 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Exam Name | Joint CSIR-UGC NET June 2026 |
| Exam Dates | 17 and 18 July 2026 |
| Exam Mode | Computer Based Test |
| Subjects | 5 |
| Exam Cities | 224 |
| Registered Candidates | 1,87,739 |
| Appeared Candidates | 1,50,057 |
| Score Release | 29 August 2026 |
| Result and Rank Notice | 10 September 2026 |
| Cut-Off Release | 10 September 2026 |
| Cut-Off Authority | CSIR-HRDG |
| Category 1 | Junior Research Fellowship |
| Category 2 | Assistant Professor |
| Category 3 | PhD Admission Only |
NTA first declared the examination scores on 29 August 2026. Afterward, the result and rank were made available through the official CSIR NET portal, while CSIR-HRDG published the final cut-off tables.
JRF Cut Off for CSIR NET 2026
The CSIR NET JRF Cut Off 2026 applies to candidates seeking Junior Research Fellowship under Category 1. However, the required percentage differs according to subject and reservation category.
| Subject | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|
| Chemical Science | 62.250 | 56.250 | 55.000 | 43.500 | 38.500 | 27.750 |
| Earth Science | 71.020 | 64.700 | 65.380 | 55.540 | 57.610 | 33.650 |
| Life Science | 66.500 | 59.250 | 58.000 | 49.500 | 44.750 | 30.750 |
| Mathematical Science | 43.000 | 37.625 | 37.500 | 30.250 | 27.375 | 25.250 |
| Physical Science | 45.875 | 40.125 | 41.250 | 34.438 | 34.563 | 25.625 |
The official table shows that Earth Science recorded the highest UR JRF cut-off at 71.020%. Meanwhile, Life Science followed at 66.500%, while Chemical Science stood at 62.250%.
By comparison, the UR cut-off was 45.875% for Physical Science and 43.000% for Mathematical Science. Therefore, cut-off levels varied sharply across the five subjects.
Assistant Professor Cut Off 2026
Category 2 applies to candidates seeking eligibility for Assistant Professor. Therefore, candidates should compare their marks with the relevant subject and category shown below.
| Subject | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|
| Chemical Science | 56.025 | 50.625 | 49.500 | 39.150 | 34.650 | 25.000 |
| Earth Science | 63.918 | 58.230 | 58.842 | 49.986 | 51.849 | 30.285 |
| Life Science | 59.850 | 53.325 | 52.200 | 44.550 | 40.275 | 27.675 |
| Mathematical Science | 38.700 | 33.863 | 33.750 | 27.225 | 25.000 | 25.000 |
| Physical Science | 41.288 | 36.113 | 37.125 | 30.994 | 31.107 | 25.000 |
Among UR candidates, Earth Science recorded the highest Assistant Professor cut-off at 63.918%. In addition, Life Science stood at 59.850%, while Chemical Science recorded 56.025%.
On the other hand, Mathematical Science had a UR cut-off of 38.700%. Therefore, candidates should avoid using one subject’s cut-off as a target for another subject.
PhD Admission Cut Off 2026
Category 3 applies to candidates seeking admission to PhD only. The official subject-wise cut-offs are given below.
| Subject | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|
| Chemical Sciences | 46.250 | 37.750 | 38.500 | 30.250 | 28.250 | 25.000 |
| Earth Sciences | 54.880 | 44.990 | 48.240 | 40.830 | 42.810 | 25.470 |
| Life Sciences | 50.250 | 40.500 | 42.000 | 36.500 | 33.000 | 25.000 |
| Mathematical Sciences | 33.000 | 33.000 | 33.000 | 25.000 | 25.500 | 25.000 |
| Physical Sciences | 34.938 | 33.000 | 33.000 | 25.000 | 25.000 | 25.000 |
Again, Earth Sciences had the highest UR PhD-only cut-off at 54.880%. Meanwhile, Life Sciences recorded 50.250% and Chemical Sciences stood at 46.250%.
Therefore, candidates applying for PhD admission should use the Category 3 table rather than the JRF or Assistant Professor cut-off.
CSIR NET Minimum Qualifying Marks 2026
The official cut-off notice also gives a basic minimum benchmark. However, candidates should not confuse this benchmark with the actual competitive cut-off.
| Category | Minimum Benchmark |
|---|
| General / UR | 33% |
| EWS | 33% |
| OBC | 33% |
| SC | 25% |
| ST | 25% |
| PwD | 25% |
CSIR-HRDG states that the minimum benchmark is 33% for General, EWS and OBC candidates and 25% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Moreover, the benchmark applies to Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3.
However, merely reaching 33% or 25% does not mean that a candidate has cleared the final cut-off. For example, the UR JRF cut-off for Earth Science was 71.020%, which was far above the basic 33% benchmark.
Is There a Separate Cut-Off for Part A, B and C?
No. The official June 2026 notice clearly states that there is no separate cut-off for Part A, Part B and Part C.
Instead, CSIR considers the cumulative marks of all parts while preparing the merit list. Therefore, candidates should focus on their overall performance rather than trying to clear a separate sectional cut-off.
Important Points About CSIR NET Cut Off 2026
First, the cut-off is different for JRF, Assistant Professor and PhD-only eligibility. Additionally, separate percentages apply to UR, EWS, OBC, SC, ST and PwD candidates.
Also, ranks are allotted first to successful candidates who qualify for JRF. Afterward, candidates are distributed between CSIR and UGC according to the number of fellowships available for each subject.
However, the Information Bulletin remains final if any discrepancy arises. Therefore, candidates should always rely on official CSIR-HRDG and NTA documents for final eligibility.
CSIR NET 2026 vs 2025 JRF Cut-Off
The 2026 JRF cut-off changed significantly when compared with the June 2025 session.
| Subject | UR JRF 2026 | UR JRF 2025 | Change |
|---|
| Chemical Science | 62.250% | 50.750% | +11.500 |
| Earth Science | 71.020% | 61.290% | +9.730 |
| Life Science | 66.500% | 51.500% | +15.000 |
| Mathematical Science | 43.000% | 53.375% | -10.375 |
| Physical Science | 45.875% | 51.188% | -5.313 |
The biggest increase among UR candidates came in Life Science, where the JRF cut-off rose from 51.50% in 2025 to 66.50% in 2026. Chemical Science and Earth Science also recorded notable increases.
In contrast, Mathematical Science and Physical Science recorded lower UR JRF cut-offs than in 2025. Therefore, the comparison shows why candidates should not assume that cut-offs will move in the same direction across all subjects.
Previous Year CSIR NET Cut Off 2025
For comparison, the official June 2025 JRF cut-offs were as follows:
| Subject | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|
| Chemical Science | 50.75 | 44.50 | 43.75 | 33.25 | 28.00 | 25.50 |
| Earth Science | 61.29 | 53.97 | 53.13 | 44.99 | 43.38 | 26.70 |
| Life Science | 51.50 | 44.00 | 43.75 | 37.25 | 35.75 | 25.00 |
| Mathematical Science | 53.375 | 46.00 | 43.375 | 35.375 | 30.75 | 25.125 |
| Physical Science | 51.188 | 42.375 | 43.375 | 31.625 | 29.188 | 25.125 |
These figures belong to the June 2025 examination and should only be used for trend analysis. Therefore, candidates checking their June 2026 result must use the new 2026 tables above.
CSIR NET June 2026 Candidate Statistics
NTA reported 1,87,739 registrations and 1,50,057 appearances for the June 2026 examination. Additionally, Life Sciences had the largest number of candidates.
| Subject | Registered | Appeared |
|---|
| Life Sciences | 83,546 | 67,650 |
| Mathematical Sciences | 31,574 | 24,964 |
| Physical Sciences | 27,791 | 21,810 |
| Chemical Sciences | 38,740 | 30,885 |
| Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences | 6,088 | 4,748 |
| Total | 1,87,739 | 1,50,057 |
For example, 67,650 candidates appeared in Life Sciences, which was much higher than the number appearing in the other subjects. Therefore, candidate volume may also help explain why cut-off patterns differ between disciplines.
Factors Affecting CSIR NET Cut Off
Several factors can influence the final cut-off. Therefore, candidates should not depend only on previous-year marks.
Difficulty Level
A more difficult paper can affect overall scores. On the other hand, an easier paper may result in stronger candidate performance.
Number of Candidates
Higher participation can increase competition. As a result, the final cut-off may change.
Candidate Performance
If a large number of candidates score well, the competitive cut-off may rise. However, weaker overall performance can produce the opposite effect.
Number of Fellowships
The available number of JRF fellowships also matters. Therefore, fellowship availability can affect final selection.
Subject and Category
Cut-offs vary by both subject and reservation category. Consequently, candidates should compare their score only with the relevant table.
How to Check CSIR NET Cut Off 2026
First, visit the official CSIR-HRDG website.
Next, open the Joint CSIR-UGC NET Cut-off June-2026 notice.
After that, open the official cut-off PDF.
Then, select the relevant qualification category:
- Category 1 – JRF
- Category 2 – Assistant Professor
- Category 3 – PhD Admission Only
Finally, find your subject and reservation category and compare your score with the official percentage.
The June 2026 cut-off is listed on the CSIR-HRDG website, while NTA provides the result and scorecard through the Joint CSIR-UGC NET portal.
CSIR NET Cut Off 2026 FAQs
Has the CSIR NET Cut Off 2026 been released?
Yes. CSIR-HRDG published the Joint CSIR-UGC NET June 2026 cut-off on 10 September 2026.
Which subject has the highest JRF cut-off for UR candidates?
Earth Science has the highest UR JRF cut-off at 71.020%. Therefore, it stands above Life Science and Chemical Science.
How much is the JRF cut-off for Chemical Science?
The UR JRF cut-off for Chemical Science is 62.250%. Meanwhile, it is 56.250% for EWS and 55.000% for OBC candidates.
What is the Life Science JRF cut-off in 2026?
The UR JRF cut-off for Life Science is 66.500%. In addition, the EWS cut-off is 59.250% and the OBC cut-off is 58.000%.
How much is required for Mathematical Science JRF?
The UR JRF cut-off for Mathematical Science is 43.000%. However, the percentage varies according to category.
What is the Physical Science JRF cut-off?
Physical Science has a UR JRF cut-off of 45.875%. Meanwhile, the OBC cut-off is 41.250%.
Conclusion
The CSIR NET Cut Off 2026 is now available for JRF, Assistant Professor eligibility and PhD admission. Therefore, candidates should compare their scores with the correct subject, category and qualification type.
Notably, 2026 brought major increases in the UR JRF cut-offs for Chemical Science, Earth Science and Life Science when compared with June 2025. On the other hand, Mathematical Science and Physical Science recorded lower UR JRF cut-offs.
