IIT JAM Vs CSIR NET

Are you thinking of preparing for IIT JAM or CSIR NET? If yes, then this article is for you. Know everything about the exams, the difference between IIT JAM vs CSIR NET, and so much more!

Table of Contents

IIT JAM vs CSIR NET: Highlights
IIT JAM vs CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria
IIT JAM vs CSIR NET Syllabus
CSIR UGC NET vs IIT JAM Exam Pattern

IIT JAM vs CSIR NET: While preparing for entrance examinations, students often find themselves confused between IIT JAM and CSIR NET. Many aspirants assume that both exams are similar; however, there are several key differences. IIT JAM vs CSIR NET: which exam is tougher? There are many important aspects of IIT JAM vs CSIR NET that candidates must be aware of. This article discusses all major differences between IIT JAM vs CSIR NET, including eligibility criteria, syllabus, and more. Read the complete article to understand all the differences between CSIR UGC NET and IIT JAM. IIT JAM 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on February 15, 2026.

IIT JAM vs CSIR NET: Highlights

The list of differences between IIT JAM and CSIR NET is quite long. The table below highlights the significant differences between IIT JAM vs CSIR NET exams.

Particulars	IIT JAM	CSIR NET
Conducting Body	IIT Delhi	National Test Agency
Frequency of the Exam	Once a year	Twice a year
Exam Level	National Level Exam	National Level Exam
Mode of Exam	Online - CBT (Computer-Based Test)	Online - CBT (Computer-Based Test)
Age Limit	There is no age restriction	Below 28 years of age and 5 years for SC / ST / OBC-NCL / Physically or Visually handicapped and female candidates
Duration	3 hours	3 hours
Language	English	English and Hindi

IIT JAM vs CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria is an important step in determining the difference between IIT JAM vs CSIR NET. Here's a breakdown of the differences between IIT JAM and CSIR NET eligibility criteria.

Particulars	IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria	CSIR NET Eligibility Criteria
Nationality	Indian citizens and foreign citizens are eligible to apply for IIT JAM 2026 exam	Students must be Indian citizens to fill out CSIR NET 2026 application form
Age limit	There is no age restriction to apply for IIT JAM 2026 entrance exam.	Candidates who must be below 28 years of age can apply for CSIR NET exam. Students from reserved categories and female candidates get 5 years of age relaxation.
Educational Qualification	All the candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree in Science. Candidates must have the subjects Geology, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics, Physics, and Chemistry as compulsory subjects.	Candidates must have a graduation degree such as M. Sc, Integrated BS-MS, B Tech, or MBBS with a minimum of 55% marks can apply for CSIR NET examination.

IIT JAM vs CSIR NET Syllabus

IIT JAM syllabus and CSIR NET syllabus details are mentioned below.

IIT JAM Syllabus

IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus is mentioned below in the table.

Subject	Topics
Biotechnology (BT)	Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics
Chemistry (CY)	Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry
Geology (GG)	Planet Earth, Geomorphology, Structural Geology, Palaeontology, Stratigraphy, Mineralogy, Petrology, Economic Geology, Applied Geology
Mathematics (MA)	Sequences and Series of Real Numbers, Functions of Two Real Variables, Differential Equations, Vector Calculus, Group Theory, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis
Mathematical Statistics (MS)	Sequences and Series, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Matrices, Differential Equations, Statistics, Probability, Random Variables, Standard Distributions, Joint Distributions, Sampling distributions, Estimation, Testing of Hypotheses
Physics (PH)	Mathematical Methods, Mechanics and General Properties of Matter, Oscillations, Waves and Optics, Electricity and Magnetism, kinetic theory, Thermodynamics, Modern Physics, Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics, Simple Oscillators

CSIR NET Syllabus

CSIR NET Syllabus 2026(Part A, B, C) is mentioned below in the table.

Subject	Topics
Earth Science	The Earth and the Solar System Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics Oceans and Atmosphere Environmental Earth Sciences
Geology	Mineralogy and Petrology Structural Geology and Geotectonics Paleontology and its Applications Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Marine Geology and Paleoceanography Geochemistry Economic Geology Precambrian Geology and Crustal Evolution Quaternary Geology Applied Geology Physical Geography Geophysics Meteorology Ocean Sciences
Physical Science	Mathematical Methods of Physics Classical Mechanics Electromagnetic Theory Quantum Mechanics Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics Electronics and Experimental Methods
Chemical Science	Inorganic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Organic Chemistry Chemistry in nanoscience and technology Catalysis and Green Chemistry Medicinal Chemistry Supramolecular Chemistry Environmental Chemistry
Life Science	Molecules and their Interaction Relevant to Biology Cellular Organization Fundamental Processes Cell Communication and Cell Signaling Developmental Biology System Physiology – Plant System Physiology – Animal Inheritance Biology Diversity of Life Forms Ecological Principles Evolution and Behavior Applied Biology Methods in Biology
Mathematical Science	Analysis Linear Algebra Complex Analysis Algebra Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) Numerical Analysis Calculus of Variations Linear Integral Equations Classical Mechanics Descriptive Statistics, Exploratory Data Analysis

CSIR UGC NET vs IIT JAM Exam Pattern

IIT JAM and CSIR NET exam patterns are different, as shown below.

Exam Name	IIT JAM	CSIR NET
Exam Mode	Online CBT mode	Online - CBT (Computer-Based Test)
Paper Language	English	English and Hindi
Paper subjects	Biotechnology Physics Mathematics Chemistry Mathematics Statics Geology	Chemical Sciences Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences Life Sciences Mathematical Sciences Physical Sciences
Duration	3 hours	3 hours
Total Questions	60 questions	150 MCQs for each paper
Type of Questions	MCQs (multiple choice) MSQs (multiple select) NATs (numerical answer)	MCQs questions
Total number of Questions	60 questions	150 questions
Negative Marking	1/3 mark for 1-mark questions 2/3 mark for 2 marks questions No negative marking in Section B & C.	0.5 for Part A and Part B 1 for Part C

Read More: IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern

Knowing the difference between IIT JAM and CSIR NET is advantageous when deciding on a career path. Students can choose between IIT JAM and CSIR NET based on differences in eligibility, exam pattern, and other factors. Based on our observations of IIT JAM vs CSIR NET, we can conclude that both exams are equally difficult.

Hope, this article on IIT JAM vs CSIR NET exam will help you. If you want to know more, stay tuned with CollegeDekho !

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About Pg admission fees and eligibility at Vijayam Degree & PG College

-machithaUpdated on December 17, 2025 07:15 PM

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