CSIR NET December 2026: Last Date Extended to 9 November, and the ₹500 Late Fee Is Gone
Published 06/11/2026
In short: The CSIR NET December 2026 form and fee can now be completed until 11:50 pm on Monday, 9 November 2026, with no late fee. Until this change, anyone applying after 5 November had to pay ₹500 extra. If your son or daughter is a science postgraduate who has not finished the form, this weekend is the time.
What happened
On 5 November 2026, the last day under the original schedule, the National Testing Agency (NTA) issued a public notice extending the deadline for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 exam. NTA says the extension is for candidates who have not yet completed their application.
Here is what changed:
| Before the notice | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Last date at the normal fee | 5 November, 11:50 pm | 9 November, 11:50 pm |
| 6 to 9 November | Late window, ₹500 extra | Normal fee, no late fee |
| Last date to pay | 9 November (with late fee) | 9 November (normal fee) |
The notice says all other terms in the information bulletin stay the same. So the one-time correction window of 10 to 12 November and the exam dates of 19, 22 and 27 December have not moved. Admit card and exam city dates are still "to be announced later".
We wrote about this exam when the form opened: our earlier CSIR NET guide covers eligibility, the age limit and the paper pattern. This piece only covers what changed.
For students
- Don't wait for Monday night. Exam portals slow down near a deadline, and NTA itself asks candidates to finish early. Aim to submit by Sunday.
- A form counts only after the fee goes through. Filling the form is not enough. Make sure the payment shows as successful and download the confirmation page.
- Check the basics before you pay. Subject, category, exam city choices and your Master's marks (or four-year bachelor's marks) are the details that matter most later.
- Spotted a mistake after paying? Don't fill a second form. Note it down and fix it in the correction window from 10 to 12 November. That window opens only once.
- Then switch to preparation. About six weeks remain before 19 December. Plan timed practice papers for your subject.
Finish it this weekend
- 1Fill the form at csirnet.nta.nic.in
- 2Pay the normal fee, no ₹500 extra
- 3Download the confirmation page
- 4Note any mistake for 10–12 Nov
For parents
The money. The fee is the same as before: ₹1,150 for General, ₹600 for EWS and OBC (NCL), and ₹325 for SC, ST, PwD and third-gender candidates, plus bank charges and GST. The ₹500 late fee no longer applies to anyone applying up to 9 November.
If your child already paid the late fee on 6 November or later, the notice does not say anything about refunds. Do not pay again. Keep the payment receipt and check the CSIR NET website and NTA's helpdesk for any further notice.
Why it is worth finishing. A Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) through this exam is a paid fellowship that can make a PhD possible without a loan. Even without JRF, the result can make a candidate eligible for Assistant Professor posts and PhD admission, or PhD admission only.
Paperwork to keep handy: a recent photo, a signature scan, category or disability certificate (PDF) if it applies, and a photo ID. Save the confirmation page and payment receipt in two places.
Key dates
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| 9 Nov 2026, 11:50 pm | Last date to apply and pay, no late fee |
| 10–12 Nov 2026 | One-time correction window |
| To be announced | Exam city slip and admit card |
| 19, 22 and 27 Dec 2026 | Exam (9 am to noon and 3 pm to 6 pm) |
CSIR NET December 2026
- NOV9Apply and pay by 11:50 pm, no late fee
- NOV10One-time corrections open, till 12 Nov
- DEC19Exam starts; also 22 and 27 Dec
Sources
- NTA, Public notice: extension of last date for Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 (5 November 2026): new last date and fee date of 9 November, no late fee, other terms unchanged. Checked 6 Nov 2026.
- NTA, Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin (7 October 2026): original schedule, fees, correction window and exam dates. Checked 6 Nov 2026.
- NTA, CSIR NET official website for the form and later notices. Checked 6 Nov 2026.
If a calm map of the PhD and fellowship route would help, more on easyapply.in.
Dates can change. Confirm on the official website before you pay or apply.