CSIR NET Chemical Science Syllabus 2026: Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme

The CSIR NET 2026 exam is scheduled for 17th & 18th July 2026. If you are an aspirant aiming to excel in this examination, mastering the latest syllabus, exam structure, and marking scheme is essential. Find the comprehensive details below.

The CSIR NET Chemical Science syllabus is categorized into three distinct sections: Parts A, B, and C. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of the exam pattern and core topics for each section. With a total duration of 3 hours, the exam assesses your proficiency through a specific number of questions and marks. Understanding these key parameters is vital for effective time management and strategy.

• This is an objective-type exam with MCQs
• There will be 120 questions for 200 marks.
• The duration of the exam is 3 hours (180 minutes).
• Three sections are there - A, B and C
• Negative Marking of ¼ marks allotted to the question.

Part	Detailed Syllabus	Total Questions	Required to Answer	Marks for Each Question	Total marks
A	General Science, Quantitative Reasoning & Analysis and Research Aptitude	20	15	2	30
B	Chemistry Syllabus	40	35	2	70
C	Based on scientific concepts and/or the application of the scientific concepts.	60	25	4	100
	Total	120	75		200

CSIR NET Chemical Science Syllabus: Part A

Part A represents the common aptitude paper required for all CSIR UGC NET candidates. It evaluates your general science knowledge, quantitative reasoning, analytical skills, and research aptitude. Review the standardized list of topics to prepare effectively for this section.

Reasoning Syllabus

• Clock and Calendar
• Direction and Distance
• Puzzle
• Series Formation
• Coding and Decoding
• Ranking and Arrangement

Graphical Analysis & Data Interpretation Syllabus

• Graph
• Mode, Median, Mean
• Pie-chart
• Line & Bar Chart
• Measures of Dispersion
• Table

Numerical Ability Syllabus

• Time and Work
• HCF and LCM
• Geometry
• Proportion and Variation
• Permutation and Combination
• Simple and Compound interest

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CSIR NET Chemistry Syllabus: Part B and C

Parts B and C are specialized, focusing exclusively on Chemical Sciences. These sections cover the core domains of Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry, along with relevant interdisciplinary topics. Below, we have outlined the complete curriculum for your exam preparation.

Inorganic Chemistry Syllabus

• Chemical periodicity
• Structure and bonding in homo- and heteronuclear molecules, including shapes of molecules (VSEPR Theory).
• Concepts of acids and bases, Hard-Soft acid base concept, Non-aqueous solvents.
• Main group elements and their compounds: Allotropy, synthesis, structure and bonding, industrial importance of the compounds.
• Transition elements and coordination compounds: structure, bonding theories, spectral and magnetic properties, reaction mechanisms.
• Inner transition elements: spectral and magnetic properties, redox chemistry, analytical applications.
• Organometallic compounds: synthesis, bonding and structure, and reactivity. Organometallics in homogeneous catalysis.
• Cages and metal clusters.
• Analytical chemistry- separation, spectroscopic, electro- and thermoanalytical methods.
• Bioinorganic chemistry: photosystems, porphyrins, metalloenzymes, oxygen transport, electron- transfer reactions; nitrogen fixation, metal complexes in medicine.
• Characterisation of inorganic compounds by IR, Raman, NMR, EPR, Mössbauer, UV-vis, NQR, MS, electron spectroscopy and microscopic techniques.
• Nuclear chemistry: nuclear reactions, fission and fusion, radio-analytical techniques and activation analysis.

Organic Chemistry Syllabus

• IUPAC nomenclature of organic molecules including regio- and stereoisomers.
• Principles of stereochemistry: Configurational and conformational isomerism in acyclic and cyclic compounds; stereogenicity, stereoselectivity, enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity and asymmetric induction.
• Aromaticity: Benzenoid and non-benzenoid compounds – generation and reactions.
• Organic reactive intermediates: Generation, stability and reactivity of carbocations, carbanions, free radicals, carbenes, benzynes and nitrenes.
• Organic reaction mechanisms involving addition, elimination and substitution reactions with electrophilic, nucleophilic or radical species. Determination of reaction pathways.
• Common named reactions and rearrangements – applications in organic synthesis.
• Organic transformations and reagents: Functional group interconversion including oxidations and reductions; common catalysts and reagents (organic, inorganic, organometallic and enzymatic). Chemo, regio and stereoselective transformations.
• Concepts in organic synthesis: Retrosynthesis, disconnection, synthons, linear and convergent synthesis, umpolung of reactivity and protecting groups.
• Asymmetric synthesis: Chiral auxiliaries, methods of asymmetric induction – substrate, reagent and catalyst controlled reactions; determination of enantiomeric and diastereomeric excess; enantio-discrimination. Resolution – optical and kinetic.
• Pericyclic reactions – electrocyclisation, cycloaddition, sigmatropic rearrangements and other related concerted reactions. Principles and applications of photochemical reactions in organic chemistry.
• Synthesis and reactivity of common heterocyclic compounds containing one or two heteroatoms (O, N, S).
• Chemistry of natural products: Carbohydrates, proteins and peptides, fatty acids, nucleic acids, terpenes, steroids and alkaloids. Biogenesis of terpenoids and alkaloids.
• Structure determination of organic compounds by IR, UV-Vis, 1H & 13C NMR, and Mass spectroscopic techniques.

Physical Chemistry Syllabus

• Basic principles of quantum mechanics: Postulates; operator algebra; exactly- solvable systems: particle-in-a-box, harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom, including shapes of atomic orbitals; orbital and spin angular momenta; tunneling.
• Approximate methods of quantum mechanics: Variational principle; perturbation theory up to second order in energy; applications.
• Atomic structure and spectroscopy; term symbols; many-electron systems and antisymmetry principle.
• Chemical bonding in diatomics; elementary concepts of MO and VB theories; Huckel theory for conjugated π-electron systems. 5. Chemical applications of group theory; symmetry elements; point groups; character tables; selection rules.
• Molecular spectroscopy: Rotational and vibrational spectra of diatomic molecules; electronic spectra; IR and Raman activities – selection rules; basic principles of magnetic resonance.
• Chemical thermodynamics: Laws, state and path functions and their applications; thermodynamic description of various types of processes; Maxwell’s relations; spontaneity and equilibria; temperature and pressure dependence of thermodynamic quantities; Le Chatelier principle; elementary description of phase transitions; phase equilibria and phase rule; thermodynamics of ideal and non-ideal gases, and solutions.
• Statistical thermodynamics: Boltzmann distribution; kinetic theory of gases; partition functions and their relation to thermodynamic quantities – calculations for model systems.
• Electrochemistry: Nernst equation, redox systems, electrochemical cells; DebyeHuckel theory; electrolytic conductance – Kohlrausch’s law and its applications; ionic equilibria; conductometric and potentiometric titrations.
• Chemical kinetics: Empirical rate laws and temperature dependence; complex reactions; steady state approximation; determination of reaction mechanisms; collision and transition state theories of rate constants; unimolecular reactions; enzyme kinetics; salt effects; homogeneous catalysis; photochemical reactions.
• Colloids and surfaces: Stability and properties of colloids; isotherms and surface area; heterogeneous catalysis.
• Solid state: Crystal structures; Bragg’s law and applications; band structure of solids.
• Polymer chemistry: Molar masses; kinetics of polymerization.
• Data analysis: Mean and standard deviation; absolute and relative errors; linear regression; covariance and correlation coefficient.

Interdisciplinary topics

• Chemistry in nanoscience and technology.
• Catalysis and green chemistry.
• Medicinal chemistry.
• Supramolecular chemistry.
• Environmental chemistry.

CSIR NET Chemical Science Syllabus PDF

Access the official CSIR NET Chemical Science syllabus PDF provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA) via the link below. A well-defined syllabus acts as your roadmap, preventing unnecessary study and ensuring you stay focused on the specific topics expected in the exam.

Download CSIR NET Chemical Science Syllabus 2026 PDF Here

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