Exam syllabus & pattern

Full syllabus coverage

Every unit in the CSIR-NET Chemical Sciences syllabus below is covered on ChemVidya — practice questions and in-app study notes across Inorganic, Organic, Physical, analytical methods and the advanced Part-C topics.

Notes cover concept → key formulas → common traps → quick-recall tables for each topic; the question bank gives worked solutions with textbook sources. Everything is included in one Full Access plan.

CSIR-NET Chemical Sciences

For Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship / Assistant Professor eligibility. A single objective paper of 200 marks in three parts.

Exam pattern (three parts)

• Part A — General Science & Aptitude: 20 questions, attempt any 15 (2 marks each). Common to all CSIR-NET subjects — logical reasoning, graphical/data analysis, numerical ability, quantitative comparison, series formation and puzzles.
• Part B — Core Chemical Science: 40 questions, attempt any 35 (2 marks each). Conceptual MCQs across the core syllabus.
• Part C — Advanced Chemical Science: 60 questions, attempt any 25 (4 marks each). Higher-order, analytical and application-based questions; this part is rank-deciding.

The exact attempt counts and per-part marks are fixed by the official scheme each cycle; total attemptable comes to about 75 questions for 200 marks. Confirm in the current notification.

Syllabus — Inorganic Chemistry

• Chemical periodicity — periodic trends, effective nuclear charge, electronic configurations.
• Structure and bonding in homo- and heteronuclear molecules — VSEPR, dipole moments, MO theory of diatomics, hybridisation.
• Concepts of acids and bases — Brønsted, Lewis, HSAB, non-aqueous solvents.
• Main-group elements and their compounds — allotropy, hydrides, oxides, oxoacids, halides; boranes, carboranes, silicates, silicones, phosphazenes, interhalogens, noble-gas compounds.
• Transition elements and coordination compounds — bonding theories (VBT, CFT/LFT), isomerism, nomenclature, electronic spectra (term symbols, Tanabe–Sugano), magnetism, reaction mechanisms, stability of complexes.
• Inner-transition elements — spectral/magnetic properties, redox chemistry, analytical applications of lanthanides and actinides.
• Organometallic chemistry — bonding (18-electron rule), metal carbonyls, metallocenes, homogeneous catalysis (hydrogenation, hydroformylation, Wacker, metathesis).
• Cages and metal clusters.
• Bioinorganic chemistry — metalloenzymes, O₂ transport/storage, electron-transfer proteins, metal ions in biology.
• Nuclear chemistry — radioactivity, decay, fission/fusion, applications of isotopes.
• Analytical chemistry — gravimetric and volumetric analysis, separation and chromatographic techniques, error analysis and data treatment.
• Solid-state chemistry — crystal structures, defects, band theory, electrical/magnetic properties.
• Characterisation — IR, Raman, electronic, ESR, NMR, Mössbauer, magnetic susceptibility, mass spectrometry, diffraction methods.

Syllabus — Physical Chemistry

• Quantum chemistry — postulates, operators, particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, rigid rotor, hydrogen atom, variation and perturbation methods, Hückel theory.
• Atomic and molecular structure — angular momentum, term symbols, spin-orbit coupling.
• Spectroscopy — rotational, vibrational, electronic, Raman, NMR, ESR, Mössbauer; selection rules; Born–Oppenheimer approximation; laser and photochemistry basics.
• Chemical thermodynamics — laws, enthalpy, entropy, free energy, chemical potential, partial molar quantities, solutions, phase equilibria, colligative properties.
• Statistical thermodynamics — Boltzmann distribution, partition functions, ensembles, thermodynamic functions from molecular data.
• Chemical kinetics — rate laws, complex and chain reactions, steady-state, Arrhenius/collision/transition-state theory, fast reactions, catalysis (homogeneous, enzyme).
• Electrochemistry — ionic equilibria, conductance, Debye–Hückel theory, electrode processes, cells, EMF, overpotential, polarography.
• Surface chemistry and catalysis — adsorption isotherms, micelles, heterogeneous catalysis.
• Colloids and macromolecules.
• Solid state — symmetry, lattices, X-ray diffraction.
• Polymer chemistry — molecular weights, kinetics of polymerisation.
• Data analysis — propagation of errors, regression, statistical treatment of experimental data.

Syllabus — Organic Chemistry

• IUPAC nomenclature of organic molecules, including stereochemistry.
• Stereochemistry — chirality, configuration (R/S, E/Z), conformation, optical/geometrical isomerism, asymmetric induction, prochirality.
• Reaction mechanisms and reactive intermediates — carbocations, carbanions, radicals, carbenes, nitrenes, benzynes; substitution (S_N1/S_N2/S_NAr), elimination and addition; methods of mechanism determination (isotope effects).
• Aromaticity and aromatic chemistry — Hückel's rule, electrophilic/nucleophilic aromatic substitution.
• Pericyclic reactions — electrocyclic, cycloaddition, sigmatropic; Woodward–Hoffmann rules; FMO.
• Organic photochemistry — Norrish reactions, photochemistry of carbonyls, alkenes and arenes.
• Named reactions, reagents and organic synthesis — modern reagents, protecting groups, retrosynthesis, asymmetric synthesis, organometallic reagents in synthesis.
• Heterocyclic chemistry — synthesis and reactivity of 5- and 6-membered N/O/S heterocycles.
• Chemistry of natural products — carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, terpenoids, alkaloids, steroids; biogenesis.
• Structure determination by IR, UV-Vis, NMR (¹H, ¹³C) and mass spectrometry.
• Bio-organic and supramolecular concepts — host-guest chemistry, molecular recognition.

Interdisciplinary & cross-cutting topics

The official syllabus lists interdisciplinary topics spanning the three core areas:

• Chemistry in nanoscience and technology.
• Catalysis and green chemistry.
• Medicinal chemistry (drug design, structure-activity basics).
• Supramolecular chemistry.
• Environmental chemistry (pollutants, analysis, remediation).
• Instrumentation and data analysis spanning physical, inorganic and organic chemistry.

Refer to the official CSIR-HRDG Chemical Sciences syllabus PDF for the complete unit-wise list.

GATE Chemistry (CY)

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, Chemistry paper — for M.Tech/PhD admission, PSU recruitment and fellowships.

Exam pattern

• General Aptitude: 10 questions — 15 marks (~15% weightage).
• Chemistry: 55 questions — 85 marks (~85% weightage), covering Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry.
• Mix of 1-mark and 2-mark questions (25 one-mark + 30 two-mark).
• Negative marking applies to MCQs only (1/3 for 1-mark, 2/3 for 2-mark). No negative marking for MSQ or NAT.
• Engineering Mathematics is not part of the GATE CY syllabus.

Syllabus outline

• Physical Chemistry: structure (quantum, atomic/molecular), spectroscopy, equilibrium, kinetics, thermodynamics, surfaces and interfaces.
• Inorganic Chemistry: main-group elements, transition elements, coordination compounds, organometallics, bioinorganic, solid state, instrumental analysis.
• Organic Chemistry: stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, named reactions, pericyclic and photochemistry, heterocycles, biomolecules, spectroscopic structure determination.

Confirm topic weightage and the current syllabus on the official GATE 2026 organising-institute website.

IIT-JAM Chemistry / M.Sc Entrance

Joint Admission Test for M.Sc at the IITs and IISc. B.Sc-level chemistry across three question types.

Exam pattern (three sections)

• Section A — MCQ: 30 questions (10 one-mark + 20 two-mark); one correct option; negative marking (1/3 and 2/3).
• Section B — MSQ: 10 questions, 2 marks each; one or more correct options; no negative marking.
• Section C — NAT: 20 questions (10 one-mark + 10 two-mark); answer a real number on a virtual keypad; no negative marking.

Syllabus outline (B.Sc level)

• Physical Chemistry: atomic & molecular structure, thermodynamics, chemical & phase equilibria, electrochemistry, kinetics, solid state, spectroscopy.
• Organic Chemistry: basic concepts & stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, organic synthesis, qualitative organic analysis, natural products, aromaticity & heterocycles.
• Inorganic Chemistry: periodic table & periodicity, chemical bonding, main-group & transition elements, coordination chemistry, analytical chemistry, bioinorganic, instrumental methods.

Confirm the section-wise syllabus on the official IIT-JAM website for the conducting IIT.

SET / SLET (State Eligibility Test)

State-Level Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor / Lectureship eligibility, conducted by individual states. Pattern broadly mirrors UGC/CSIR-NET.

Exam pattern

• Paper I: general / teaching & research aptitude, reasoning, comprehension and general awareness (common to all subjects).
• Paper II: the chosen subject — Chemical Sciences — covering Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry at PG level.
• Marks, number of questions and negative-marking rules vary by state conducting body.

Subject syllabus

The Chemical Sciences (Paper II) syllabus for most states closely follows the CSIR-NET Chemical Sciences syllabus — the same Physical, Organic and Inorganic units listed above. Prepare with the CSIR-NET core syllabus and adjust for your state's notification.

*Negative marking and the exact pattern differ by state (MH-SET, TN-SET, Assam SLET, etc.). Always check your state SET/SLET notification.

Government chemistry posts

Recruitment exams for chemistry graduates and postgraduates — teaching and technical roles across central and state bodies.

Typical posts & level

• PGT Chemistry (KVS / NVS / state boards): PG-level chemistry plus teaching aptitude and pedagogy.
• Drug Inspector (UPSC / state PSCs): pharmaceutical and analytical chemistry, drugs & cosmetics rules, pharmacology basics.
• Lab Chemist / Junior Chemist / Scientific Assistant: analytical chemistry, instrumentation, laboratory practice, quantitative analysis.

What to prepare

A strong base in Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry plus analytical and instrumental methods covers most of these papers. Many also add general awareness, reasoning or the specific Acts and rules relevant to the role.

Each recruiting body publishes its own syllabus and pattern — always prepare from the official advertisement for the specific post.