I made a post recently looking for solid alternative to GATE exam. In that post I mentioned about UGC NET: Is It An Alternative To GATE? I was reluctant to clearly state that it’s an alternative to the GATE exam. But a comment made by Pratik made all doubts clear.
According to CSIR the eligibility will change from December 2012. In a short notice published on official website. CSIR-NET Eligibility condition updates are below.
“CSIR has been conducting Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility For Lectureship in five subjects of science twice a year in the month of June and December.
In order to encourage engineering graduates to pursue PhD, CSIR-NET is being extended to engineering students by introducing a sixth paper in engineering sciences which will be common to all areas of engineering disciplines from December, 2012. The eligibility criteria (educational qualification) for writing the test will be BE, B.Tech or equivalent in engineering with at least 55% marks for general/OBC and 50% marks for SC/ST, Physically and visually handicapped candidates.
Students in the 4th year of the programme will also be eligible to apply.
The syllabus and sample paper will be uploaded in the web by August, 2012”
With this it is clear that B.Tech final year students are eligible CSIR NET for research. This is one of the best decisions taken by CSIR to promote research in India. In coming post I would write more about CSIR laboratories in India and kind of research they conduct in those laboratories.
Also I am working on a guide to PhD in India, and I hope that would help many more students looking for right information and guidance.
Wish you all a great luck ahead and ask you to stay focused.