CSIR-NET Dec 2026

CSIR-NET Earth Sciences syllabus

All 19 units of the official syllabus — in the board's own words. Free, no login.

  1. The Earth and the Solar System
  2. Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes
  3. Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics
  4. Oceans and Atmosphere
  5. Environmental Earth Sciences
  6. Mineralogy and Petrology
  7. Structural Geology and Geotectonics
  8. Paleontology and its Applications
  9. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
  10. Marine Geology and Paleoceanography
  11. Geochemistry
  12. Economic Geology
  13. Precambrian Geology and Crustal Evolution
  14. Quaternary Geology
  15. Applied Geology
  16. Physical Geography
  17. Geophysics
  18. Meteorology
  19. Ocean Sciences

1The Earth and the Solar System

  • Milky Way and the solar system. Modern theories on the origin of the Earth and other planetary bodies. Earth‟s orbital parameters, Kepler‟s laws of planetary motion, Geological Time Scale, Space and time scales of processes in the solid Earth, atmosphere and oceans. Radioactive isotopes and their applications. Meteorites Chemical composition and the Primary differentiation of the earth. Basic principles of stratigraphy. Theories about the origin of life and the nature of fossil record. Earth‟s gravity and magnetic fields and its thermal structure: Concept of Geoid and, spheroid, Isostasy

2Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes

  • Gross composition and physical properties of important minerals and rocks, properties and processes responsible for mineral concentrations, nature and distribution of rocks and minerals in different units of the earth and different parts of India. Physiography of the Earth, weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition of Earth‟s material, formation of soil, sediments and sedimentary rocks, energy balance of the Earth‟s surface processes, physiographic features and river basins in India

3Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics

  • Basic concepts of seismology and internal structure of the Earth. Physico-chemical and seismic properties of Earth‟s interior. Concepts of stress and strain. Behaviour of rocks under stress, Folds, joints and faults. Earthquakes - their causes and measurement. Interplate and intraplate seismicity. Paleomagnetism, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics

4Oceans and Atmosphere

  • Hypsography of the continents and ocean floor –continental shelf, slope, rise and abyssal plains. Physical and chemical properties of sea water and their spatial variations. Residence times of elements in sea water. Ocean currents, waves and tides, important current systems, thermohaline circulation and the oceanic conveyor belt. Major water masses of the world‟s oceans. Biological productivity in the oceans. Motion of fluids, waves in atmospheric and oceanic systems. Atmospheric turbulence and boundary layer. Structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere, lapse rate and stability, scale height, geopotential, greenhouse gases and global warming. Cloud formation and precipitation processes, air- sea interactions on different space and time scales. Insolation and heat budget, radiation balance, general circulation of the atmosphere and ocean. Climatic and sea level changes on different time scales. Coupled ocean-atmosphere system, El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). General weather systems of India, - Monsoon system, cyclone and jet stream, Western disturbances and severe local convective systems, distribution of precipitation over India. Marine and atmospheric pollution, ozone depletion

5Environmental Earth Sciences

  • Properties of water, hydrological cycle, water resources and management. Energy resources, uses, degradation, alternatives and management, Ecology and biodiversity. Impact of use of energy and land on the environment. Exploitation and conservation of mineral and other natural resources. Natural hazards. Elements of Remote Sensing. I. GEOLOGY

6Mineralogy and Petrology

  • Concept of point group, space group, reciprocal lattice, diffraction and imaging. Concepts of crystal field theory and mineralogical spectroscopy. Lattice defects (point, line and planar). Electrical, magnetic and optical properties of minerals. Bonding and crystal structures of common oxides, sulphides, and silicates. Transformation of minerals - polymorphism, polytypism, and polysomatism. Solid solution and exsolution. Steady-state geotherms. Genesis, properties, emplacement and crystallization of magmas. Phase equilibrium studies of simple systems, effect of volatiles on melt equilibria. Magma -mixing, - mingling and -immiscibility. Metamorphic structures and textures, isograds and facies. Mineral reactions with condensed phases, solid solutions, mixed volatile equilibria and thermobarometry. Metamorphism of pelites, mafic -ultra mafic rocks and siliceous dolomites. Material transport during metamorphism. P-T-t path in regional metamorphic terrains, plate tectonics and metamorphism. Petrogenetic aspects of important rock suites of India, such as the Deccan Traps, layered intrusive complexes, anorthosites, carbonatites, charnockites, alkaline rocks, Kimberlites, ophiolites and granitoids

7Structural Geology and Geotectonics

  • Theory of stress and strain. Behaviour of rocks under stress. Mohr circle. Various states of stress and their representation by Mohr circles. Different types of failure and sliding criteria. Geometry and mechanics of fracturing and conditions for reactivation of pre-existing discontinuities. Common types of finite strain ellipsoids. L-, L-S-, and S-tectonic fabrics. Techniques of strain analysis. Particle paths and flow patterns. Progressive strain history. Introduction to deformation mechanisms. Role of fluids in deformation processes. Geometry and analyses of brittle-ductile and ductile shear zones. Sheath folds. Geometry and mechanics of development of folds, boudins, foliations and lineations. Interference patterns of superposed fold. Fault-related folding. Gravity induced structures. Tectonic features of extensional-, compressional-, and strike-slip-terrains and relevance to plate boundaries. mantle plumes. Himalayan Orogeny, concept of super continent, their assembly and breakup

8Paleontology and its Applications

  • Theories on origin of life. Organic evolution - Punctuated Equilibrium and Phyletic Gradualism models. Mass extinctions and their causes. Application of fossils in age determination and correlation. Paleoecology, Life habitats and various ecosystems, Paleobiogeography. Modes of preservation of fossils and taphonomic considerations. Types of microfossils. Environmental significance of fossils and trace fossils. Use of microfossils in interpretation of sea floor tectonism. Application of micropaleontology in hydrocarbon exploration. Oxygen and Carbon isotope studies of microfossils and their use in paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic interpretation. Important invertebrate fossils, vertebrate fossils, plant fossils and microfossils in Indian stratigraphy

9Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

  • Classification of sediments and sedimentary rocks , elastic, volcanoclastic and chemical. Classification of elastic rocks. Flow regimes and processes of sediment transport. Sedimentary textures and structures. Sedimentary facies and environments, reconstruction of paleoenvironments. Formation and evolution of sedimentary basins. Diagenesis of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks. Recent developments in stratigraphic classification. Code of stratigraphic nomenclature - Stratotypes, Global Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSP). Lithostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic and biostratigraphic subdivisions. Methods of startigraphic correlation including Shaw‟s Graphic correlation. Concept of sequence stratigraphy. Rates of sediment accumulation, unconformities. Facies concept in Stratigraphy - Walther‟s law. Methods for paleogeographic reconstruction. Earth‟s Climatic History. Phanerozoic stratigraphy of India with reference to the type areas- their correlation with equivalent formations in other regions. Boundary problems in Indian Phanerozoic stratigraphy

10Marine Geology and Paleoceanography

  • Morphologic and tectonic domains of the ocean floor. Structure, composition and mechanism of the formation of oceanic crust. hydrothermal vents-. Ocean margins and their significance. Ocean Circulation, Coriolis effect and Ekman spiral, convergence, divergence and upwelling, El Nino. Indian Ocean Dipole Thermohaline circulation and oceanic conveyor belt. Formation of Bottom waters, major water masses of the world‟s oceans. Oceanic sediments: Factors controlling the deposition and distribution of oceanic sediments, geochronology of oceanic sediments, diagenetic changes in oxic and anoxic environments. Tectonic evolution of the ocean basins. Mineral resources. Paleoceanography - Approaches to paleoceanographic reconstructions, various proxy indicators for paleoceanographic interpretation. Reconstruction of monsoon variability by using marine proxy records Opening and closing of ocean gateways and their effect on circulation and climate during the Cenozoic. Sea level processes and Sea level changes. Methods of paleo Sea Surface temperature. Quantifications

11Geochemistry

  • Atomic Structure and properties of elements, the Periodic Table, ionic substitution in minerals, Phase rule and its applications in petrology, thermodynamics of reactions involving pure phases, ideal and non-ideal solutions, and fluids, equilibrium and distribution coefficients. Nucleation and diffusion processes in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary environments, redox reactions and Eh- pH diagrams and their applications. Mineral/mineral assemblages as „sensors‟ of ambient environments. Geochemical studies of aerosols, surface-, marine-, and ground waters. Radioactive decay schemes and their application to geochronology and petrogenesis. Stable isotopes and their application to earth system processes, geochemical differentiation of the earth, geochemical cycles

12Economic Geology

  • Magmatic, hydrothermal and surface processes of ore formation. Metallogeny and its relation to crustal evolution, Active ore-forming systems, methods of mineral deposit studies including ore microscopy, fluid inclusions and isotopic systematics, ores and metamorphism- cause and effect relationships. Geological setting, characteristics, and genesis of ferrous, base and noble metals. Origin, migration and entrapment of petroleum, properties of source and reservoir rocks, structural, stratigraphic and combination traps. Methods of petroleum exploration. Concepts of petrophysics, Petroliferous basins of India. Origin of peat, lignite, bitumen and anthracite. Classification, rank and grading of coal, coal petrography, coal resources of India. Gas hydrates and coal bed methane. Nuclear and non-conventional energy resources

13Precambrian Geology and Crustal Evolution

  • Evolution of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere, lithological, geochemical and stratigraphic characteristics of granite - greenstone and granulite belts. Stratigraphy and geochronology of the cratonic nuclei, mobile belts and Proterozoic sedimentary basins of India. Life in Precambrian. Precambrian - Cambrian boundary with special reference to India

14Quaternary Geology

  • Definition of Quaternary. Quaternary Stratigraphy - Oxygen Isotope stratigraphy, biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy. Quaternary climates - glacial-interglacial cycles, eustatic changes, proxy indicators of paleoenvironmental/ paleoclimatic changes, - land, ocean and cryosphere (ice core studies). Responses of geomorphic systems to climate, sea level and tectonics on variable time scales in the Quaternary, Quaternary dating methods, –radiocarbon, Uranium series, Luminescence, Amino- acid. Quaternary stratigraphy of India- continental records (fluvial, glacial, aeolian, palaeosols and duricrust), marine records, continental-marine correlation of Quaternary record. Evolution of man and Stone Age cultures. Plant and animal life in relation to glacial and interglacial cycles during Quaternary. Tectonic geomorphology, neotectonics, active tectonics and their applications to natural hazard assessment

15Applied Geology

  • Remote Sensing and GIS: Elements of photogrammetry, elements of photo-interpretation, electromagnetic spectrum, emission range, film and imagery, sensors, geological interpretations of air photos and imageries. Global positioning systems. GIS- data structure, attribute data, thematic layers and query analysis. (i, Engineering Geology: Engineering properties of rocks and physical characteristics of building stones, concretes and other aggregates. Geological investigations for construction of dams, bridges, highways and tunnels. Remedial measures. Mass movements with special emphasis on landslides and causes of hillslope instability. Seismic design of buildings. (ii, Mineral Exploration: Geological, geophysical, geochemical and geobotanical methods of surface and sub-surface exploration on different scales. Sampling, assaying and evaluation of mineral deposits. (i, Hydrogeology: Groundwater, Darcy‟s law, hydrological characteristics of aquifers, hydrological cycle. Precipitation, evapotranspiration and infiltration processes. Hydrological classification of water-bearing formations. Fresh and salt-water relationships in coastal and inland areas. Groundwater exploration and water pollution. Groundwater regimes in India

16Physical Geography

  • 1) Geomorphology: Concepts in geomorphology. Historical and process Geomorphology. Landforms in relation to climate, rock type, structure and tectonics. Processes - weathering, pedogenesis, mass movement, erosion, transportation and deposition. Geomorphic processes and landforms - fluvial, glacial, eolian, coastal and karst. River forms and processes - stream flow, stage- discharge relationship, hydrographs and flood frequency analysis. Submarine relief. Geomorphology and topographic analysis including DEM, Environmental change- causes, effects on processes and landforms. Extra-terrestrial geomorphology. 2) Climatology: Fundamental principles of climatology. Earth‟s radiation balance, latitudinal and seasonal variation of insolation, temperature, pressure, wind belts, humidity, cloud formation and precipitation, water balance. Air masses, monsoon, Jet streams, tropical cyclones, and ENSO. Classification of climates - Koppen‟s and Thornthwaite‟s scheme of classification. Climate change. 3) Bio-geography: Elements of biogeography with special reference to India, environment, habitat, plant-animal association, zoo-geography of India, Biomes, elements of plant geography, distribution of forests and major plant communities. Distribution of major animal communities. Conservation of forests. Wildlife sanctuaries and parks. 4) Environmental Geography: Man-land relationship. Resources - renewable and non-renewable. Natural and man-made hazards - droughts, floods, cyclones ...

17Geophysics

  • 1) Signal Processing: Continuous and discrete signals, Fourier series, auto and cross correlations, linear time invariant systems with deterministic and random inputs, band limited signal and sampling theorem, Fourier and Fast Fourier transforms, Z-transform, convolution, Filters: discrete and continuous, recursive, non-recursive, optimal and inverse filters, deconvolution, fractal analysis. 2) Field theory: Newtonian potential, Laplace and Poisson‟s equations, Green‟s Theorem, Gauss‟ law, Continuation integral, equivalent stratum, Maxwell‟s equations and electromagnetic theory, Displacement potential, Helmhotz‟s theorem and seismic wave propagation. 3) Numerical analysis and inversion: Numerical differentiation and integration, finite element, and finite difference techniques, Simpson‟s rules, Gauss‟ quadrature formula, initial value problems, pattern recognition in Geophysics. Well posed and ill-posed problems, method of least squares, direct search and gradient methods, generalized inversion techniques, singular value decomposition, global optimization. 4) Gravity and Magnetic fields of the earth: Normal gravity field, Clairaut‟s theorem, Shape of the earth, deflection of the vertical, geoid, free-air, Bouguer and isostatic anomalies, isostatic models for local and regional compensation. Geomagnetic field, secular and transient variations and their theories, palaeomagnetism ...

18Meteorology

  • 1) Climatology: Same as under Geography 2) Physical Meteorology: Thermal structure of the atmosphere and its composition. Radiation: basic Laws - Rayleigh and Mie scattering, multiple scattering, radiation from the sun, solar constant, effect of clouds, surface and planetary albedo. Emission and absorption of terrestrial radiation, radiation windows, radiative transfer, Greenhouse effect, net radiation budget, Thermodynamics of dry and moist air: specific gas constant, Adiabatic and isoentropic processes, entropy and enthalpy, Moisture variables, virtual temperature, Clausius - Clapeyron equation, adiabatic process of moist air, thermodynamic diagrams: Hydrostatic equilibrium: Hydrostatic equation, variation of pressure with height, geopotential, standard atmosphere, altimetry. Vertical stability of the atmosphere: Dry and moist air parcel and slice methods. Tropical convection. Atmospheric optics - visibility - optical phenomenon - rainbows, haloes, corona, glarg, mirage. 3) Atmospheric Electricity: Fair weather electric field in the atmosphere and potential gradients, ionization in the atmosphere. Electrical fields in thunderstorms, theories of thunderstorm electrification - Structure of lightening flash-mechanism of earth-atmospheric change balance-role of thunderstroms. 4) Cloud Physics: Cloud classification, condensation nuclei, growth of cloud drops and ice-crystals, precipitation mechanisms: Bergeron, Findeisen process ...

19Ocean Sciences

  • 1) Physical Oceanography: T-S diagrams, mixing processes in the oceans, characteristics of important water masses. Wind generated waves in the oceans, their characteristics, shallow and deep water waves. Propagation, refraction, and reflection of waves. Wave spectrum, principles of wave forecasting. Tide-producing forces and their magnitudes, prediction of tides by the harmonic method, tides and tidal currents in shallow seas, estuaries and rivers. Factors influencing coastal processes, transformation of waves in shallow water, effects of stratification, effect of bottom friction, phenomena of wave reflection, refraction and diffraction, breakers and surf, littoral currents, wave action on sediments - movement to beach material, rip currents, beach stability, ocean beach nourishment, harbour resonance, seiches, tsunami, interaction of waves and structure. Estuaries: classification and nomenclature, tides in estuaries, estuarine circulation and mixing, depth - averaged and breadth - averaged models, sedimentation in estuaries, salinity intrusion in estuaries, effect of stratification, coastal pollution, mixing and dispersal of pollutants in estuaries and near- shore areas, coastal zone management. The global wind system, action of wind on ocean surface, Ekman‟s theory, Sverdrup, Stommel and Munk‟s theories, upwelling and sinking with special reference to the Indian ocean. Inertial currents, divergences and convergences, geostrophic motion, barotropic and baroclinic conditions ...

Official CSIR-UGC NET syllabus (csirnet.nta.ac.in), verbatim.

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