CSIR-NET DBT-BET Joint Exam has been officially announced by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) through an administrative notice dated 13 January 2026 as a new unified national eligibility test. According to the official PDF notification available on the CSIR-HRDG website, the CSIR-NET (Life Sciences) and DBT-BET (Biotechnology) exams are being merged into one joint competitive exam for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and eligibility for Lectureship, effective from the December 2026 examination cycle.
You can read the full official notification here: Official Joint CSIR-UGC-DBT JRF-NET Examination PDF.
See Our ServiceThe official notice from CSIR-HRDG explains that the CSIR-NET DBT-BET Joint Exam is a combined eligibility test replacing separate CSIR-NET (Life Sciences) and DBT-BET (Biotechnology) exams. This merger aims to eliminate redundancy in national eligibility testing and support interdisciplinary research needs across biological science fields.
| Concern | Description |
|---|---|
| Reduction in Total Seats | Some aspirants feared the merger could reduce total fellowship opportunities. (Source: Official PDF) |
| Academic Complexity | Life Science students expressed concerns regarding increased biotechnology content. (Official PDF) |
| Competition Increase | Biotechnology candidates anticipated higher competition with expanded candidate pool. (Official PDF) |
It further states the joint exam will include a balanced question paper with optional questions covering key topics from both Life Sciences and Biotechnology, emphasizing analytical ability and research aptitude. (Official PDF)
Candidates qualifying through the CSIR-NET DBT-BET Joint Exam in Biotechnology will now be eligible for all three categories of fellowship/eligibility:
- JRF & Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor & admission to Ph.D.
- Admission to Ph.D. only
This expands eligibility for biotech aspirants beyond the previous limited categories. (Official PDF)
The merged examination will be structured to ensure optional questions from both life sciences and biotechnology domains. Evaluation will emphasize conceptual understanding, research aptitude, and analytical skills to ensure fairness and relevance for students from diverse academic backgrounds. (Official PDF)
- Implemented from December 2026 cycle. (Official PDF)
- No reduction in fellowship seats. (Official PDF)
- Balanced and inclusive test design. (Official PDF)
- Expanded eligibility categories for biotechnology candidates. (Official PDF)
