CSIR NET Physical Sciences Syllabus
The CSIR UGC NET syllabus for Physical Science is broadly divided into two categories,core
and advanced. The detailed syllabus is given below.
Core: Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory,
Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and
Experimental Methods.
Advanced: Mathematical Methods of Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic
Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics, Electronics and
Experimental Methods, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and
Nuclear and Particle Physics.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE PART : ‘A’ [CORE]
I. Mathematical Methods of Physics
Dimensional analysis. Vector algebra and vector calculus. Linear algebra, matrices, Cayley-
Hamilton Theorem. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Linear ordinary differential equations of
first & second order, Special functions (Hermite, Bessel, Laguerre and Legendre functions).
Fourier series, Fourier and Laplace transforms. Elements of complex analysis, analytic
functions; Taylor & Laurent series; poles, residues and evaluation of integrals. Elementary
probability theory, random variables, binomial, Poisson and normal distributions. Central
limit theorem.
II. Classical Mechanics
Newton’s laws. Dynamical systems, Phase space dynamics, stability analysis. Central force
motions. Two body Collisions – scattering in laboratory and Centre of mass frames. Rigid
body dynamics- moment of inertia tensor. Non-inertial frames and pseudoforces. Variational
principle. Generalized coordinates. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism and equations of
motion. Conservation laws and cyclic coordinates. Periodic motion: small oscillations,
normal modes. Special theory of relativity- Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics
and mass–energy equivalence.
III. Electromagnetic Theory
Electrostatics: Gauss’s law and its applications, Laplace and Poisson equations, boundary
value problems. Magnetostatics: Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s theorem. Electromagnetic
induction. Maxwell’s equations in free space and linear isotropic media; boundary conditions
on the fields at interfaces. Scalar and vector potentials, gauge invariance. Electromagnetic
waves in free space. Dielectrics and conductors. Reflection and refraction, polarization,
Fresnel’s law, interference, coherence, and diffraction. Dynamicsof charged particles in static
and uniform electromagnetic l fields.
IV. Quantum Mechanics
Wave-particle duality. Schrödinger equation (time-dependent and time-independent).
Eigenvalue problems (particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, etc.). Tunneling through a barrier.
Wave-function in coordinate and momentum representations. Commutators and Heisenberg
uncertainty principle. Dirac notation for state vectors. Motion in a central potential: orbital
angular momentum, angular momentum algebra, spin, addition of angular momenta;
Hydrogen atom. Stern-Gerlach experiment. Time- independent perturbation theory and
applications. Variational method. Time dependent perturbation theory and Fermi’s golden
rule, selection rules. Identical particles, Pauliexclusion principle, spin-statistics connection.
V. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics
Laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamic potentials, Maxwell
relations, chemical potential, phase equilibria. Phase space, micro- and macro-states. Micro-
canonical, canonical and grand-canonical ensembles and partition functions. Freeenergy and
its connection with thermodynamic quantities. Classical and quantum statistics. Ideal Bose
and Fermi gases. Principle of detailed balance. Blackbody radiationand Planck’s distribution
law.
VI. Electronics and Experimental Methods
Semiconductor devices (diodes, junctions, transistors, field effect devices, homo- and hetero-
junction devices), device structure, device characteristics, frequency dependence and
applications. Opto-electronic devices (solar cells, photo-detectors, LEDs). Operational
amplifiers and their applications. Digital techniques and applications (registers, counters,
comparators and similar circuits). A/D and D/A converters. Microprocessor and
microcontroller basics. Data interpretation and analysis. Precisionand accuracy. Error analysis,
propagation of errors. Least squares fitting,
PART : ‘B’ [ADVANCED]
I. Mathematical Methods of Physics
Green’s function. Partial differential equations (Laplace, wave and heat equations in twoand
three dimensions). Elements of computational techniques: root of functions, interpolation,
extrapolation, integration by trapezoid and Simpson’s rule, Solution of first order
differential equation using Runge- Kutta method. Finite difference methods. Tensors.
Introductory group theory: SU(2), O(3).
II. Classical Mechanics
Dynamical systems, Phase space dynamics, stability analysis. Poisson brackets and
canonical transformations. Symmetry, invariance and Noether’s theorem. Hamilton-
Jacobi theory.
III. Electromagnetic Theory
Dispersion relations in plasma. Lorentz invariance of Maxwell’s equation. Transmission
lines and wave guides. Radiation- from moving charges and dipoles and retarded
potentials.
IV. Quantum Mechanics
Spin-orbit coupling, fine structure. WKB approximation. Elementary theory of scattering:
phase shifts, partial waves, Born approximation. Relativistic quantum mechanics: Klein-
Gordon and Dirac equations. Semi-classical theory of radiation.
V. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics
First- and second-order phase transitions. Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, and
ferromagnetism. Ising model. Bose-Einstein condensation. Diffusion equation. Random
walk and Brownian motion. Introduction to nonequilibrium processes.
VI. Electronics and Experimental Methods
Linear and nonlinear curve fitting, chi-square test. Transducers (temperature, pressure /
vacuum, magnetic fields, vibration, optical, and particle detectors). Measurement and
control. Signal conditioning and recovery. Impedance matching, amplification (Op-amp
based, instrumentation amp, feedback), filtering and noise reduction, shielding and
grounding. Fourier transforms, lock-in detector, box-car integrator, modulation techniques.
High frequency devices (including generators and detectors).
VII. Atomic & Molecular Physics
Quantum states of an electron in an atom. Electron spin. Spectrum of helium and alkali
atom. Relativistic corrections for energy levels of hydrogen atom, hyperfine structure and
isotopic shift, width of spectrum lines, LS & JJ couplings. Zeeman, Paschen-Bach &Stark
effects. Electron spin resonance. Nuclear magnetic resonance, chemical shift. Frank-
Condon principle. Born-Oppenheimer approximation. Electronic, rotational,vibrational and
Raman spectra of diatomic molecules, selection rules. Lasers: spontaneous and stimulated
emission, Einstein A & B coefficients. Optical pumping, population inversion, rate
equation. Modes of resonators and coherencelength.
VIII. Condensed Matter Physics
Bravais lattices. Reciprocal lattice. Diffraction and the structure factor. Bonding of solids.
Elastic properties, phonons, lattice specific heat. Free electron theory and electronic specific
heat. Response and relaxation phenomena. Drude model of electrical and thermal
conductivity. Hall effect and thermoelectric power. Electron motion in a periodic potential,
band theory of solids: metals, insulators and semiconductors. Superconductivity: type-I and
type-II superconductors. Josephson junctions. Superfluidity. Defects and dislocations.
Ordered phases of matter: translational and orientational order, kinds of liquid crystalline
order. Quasi crystals.
IX. Nuclear and Particle Physics
Basic nuclear properties: size, shape and charge distribution, spin and parity. Bindingenergy,
semi-empirical mass formula, liquid drop model. Nature of the nuclear force, form of
nucleon-nucleon potential, charge-independence and charge-symmetry of nuclear forces.
Deuteron problem. Evidence of shell structure, single-particle shell model, its validity and
limitations. Rotational spectra. Elementary ideas of alpha, betaand gamma decays and their
selection rules. Fission and fusion. Nuclear reactions, reaction mechanism, compound
nuclei and direct reactions. Classification of fundamental forces. Elementary particles and
their quantum numbers (charge, spin, parity, isospin, strangeness, etc.). Gellmann-Nishijima
formula. Quark model, baryons and mesons. C, P, and T invariance. Application of
symmetry arguments to particle reactions. Parity non-conservation in weak interaction.
Relativistic kinematics.
