The CSIR NET Life Sciences examination is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) twice a year, typically in June and December. A key requirement for effective preparation is access to relevant study materials. While numerous online resources are available, books are indispensable for thorough concept building and strengthening foundational knowledge in the subject. Below, candidates will find a comprehensive list of recommended books to aid their preparation.
Essential unit-wise reference books for CSIR NET Life Sciences preparation
Part – A
General Aptitude – Theory & Practice (Pathfinder Publication)
by Ram Mohan Pandey
Part – B and C
| Unit | Books Name | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| Unit – 1 | Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry Principles of Biochemistry | Nelson and Cox Voet, Voet, and Pratt |
| Unit – 2 | Molecular Biology of the Cell The cell: A molecular approach | Bruce Alberts, Johnson, Lewis and other Cooper and Hausman |
| Unit – 3 | Molecular Biology of the Gene Lewin’s Genes | James D. Watson, Baker, Bell, Gann, Levine, Losick Jocelyn E. Krebs, Elliott S. Goldstein, Stephen T. Kilpatrick |
| Unit – 4 | Molecular Biology of the Cell Kuby Immunology | Bruce Alberts, Johnson, Lewis and other Jenni Punt, Judy Owen, Sharon Stanford, Patricia Jones |
| Unit – 5 | Developmental Biology | Scott F. Gilbert |
| Unit – 6 | Plant physiology and Development | Taiz and Zeiger |
| Unit – 7 | Textbook of Medical Physiology (human Physiology) Principles of Animal Physiology | Guyton and Hall Christopher D. Moyes and Patricia M. Schulte |
| Unit – 8 | Principles of Genetics Genetics: A Conceptual Approach | Klug and Cummings Benjamin A. Pierce |
| Unit – 9 | Campbell Biology Life Sciences: Fundamental and Practice Prescott Microbiology | Lisa A. Urry, Michael L. Cain and other Pranav Kumar and Usha Mina Joanne M. Willey, Linda M. Sherwood and other |
| Unit – 10 | Fundamentals of Ecology and Environment Elements of Ecology | Pranav Kumar and Usha Mina Smith and Smith |
| Unit – 11 | Life Sciences: Fundamental and Practice Evolution | Pranav Kumar and Usha Mina Douglas J. Futuyma and Mark Kirkpatrick |
| Unit – 12 | Principles of Gene Manipulation and Genomics Plant Breeding: Principles and Methods | S.B. Primrose and R.M. Twyman B.D. Singh |
| Unit – 13 | Biophysics & Molecular Biology -Tools and Techniques Gene cloning and DNA analysis: An Introduction Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. | Pranav Kumar T. A. Brown Wilson and Walker |
Practice books and Previous year’s question banks
MCQs, Life Sciences and Biotechnology
by Pranav Kumar (Pathfinder Publication)
Previous year’s Papers: CSIR-NET Life Sciences
by Pranav Kumar and Usha Mina (Pathfinder Publication)
While consulting different standard reference books for each unit of the CSIR NET Life Sciences exam offers comprehensive understanding, it often requires significant time and effort. If you have a full year to prepare, diving deep into these reference books for every unit is highly recommended. However, if your time is limited and you already possess strong conceptual clarity, a more efficient strategy is to rely on Pathfinder Publication’s specialized books for CSIR NET Life Sciences, which are designed for targeted preparation.