UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025: Download PDF Now!

The NTA UGC NET Exam is conducted annually twice to determine the eligibility of Indian Students for the post of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowship. It is a competitive exam that tests the eligibility of the students for the role of Assistant professors and JRF for several subjects. It is an eligibility test for reasoning, thinking and mathematical abilities. In this article, candidates can check the NTA UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus, and exam pattern and make themselves clear about the UGC NET Exam.

• Candidates should refer to the UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus before starting the preparation for the exam.
• For this NTA UGC NET Environmental Science paper aspirants would be required to appear for two papers, Paper- I and Paper- II with 50 and 100 questions respectively.
• The examination takes place for 3 hours, in which Paper-1 has 50 questions and Paper-II has 100 questions respectively.

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UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus Highlights

Before delving into the details of UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus, let us quickly go through the paper pattern and key points about the exam below:

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UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

The UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025 provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to studying the environment. It covers ecological principles, pollution, climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and governance. By emphasizing research methodology and analytical thinking, this UGC NET Environmental Science syllabus prepares candidates to tackle environmental challenges and contribute to a sustainable future. Here is the list of units mentioned below:

• Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences
• Environmental Chemistry
• Environmental Biology
• Environmental Geosciences
• Energy and Environment
• Environmental Pollution and Control
• Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
• Environmental Assessment, Management, and Legislation
• Statistical Approaches and Modelling in Environmental Sciences
• Contemporary Environmental Issues

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Now, let us go through unit-wise UGC NET Environmental Science syllabus topics in detail below:

Unit 1: Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences

Laws of Thermodynamics

Mass And Energy Transfer, Heat Transfer, Material Balance,

Ethics and Awareness

Environmental Education and Awareness, Environmental Ethics

Meteorological Parameters

Precipitation, Humidity, Lapse Rates, Pressure, Temperature, Wind Roses, Mixing Ratios, Radiation and Wind Velocity

The Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences

Definitions, Principles, and Scope

Spheres of the Earth

Structures and Compositions of the 4 Spheres: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Biosphere

Interaction between Man, Earth, & Environment

Biogeographic Provinces, Agroclimatic Zones Of India, Sustainable Development

Natural Resources and their Assessment

Principles & Applications of Remote Sensing & GIS, Ground Truthing, Cover/Land Use, Planning and Management, Urban Sprawling, Digital Image Processing, Vegetation Study, Forestry, Natural Resources, Climate Change

Above are the topics of Unit 1 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 2: Environmental Chemistry

Toxic Chemicals

Pesticides and their Classification and Effects, Biochemical Aspects of Heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr) and Metalloids (As, Se), CO, O3, PAN, VOC and POP, Carcinogens in the Air

Principles of analytical methods

Gravimetry, Bomb Calorimetry, Chromatography (Paper Chromatography, TLC, GC, and HPLC), Titrimetry, Flame photometry, Spectrophotometry (UV-VIS, AAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS), Electrophoresis, XRF, XRD, NMR, FTIR, GC-MS, SEM, TEM

The Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry

Chemical Potential, Stoichiometry, Classification Of Elements, Gibbs’ Energy, Unsaturated & Saturated Hydrocarbons, Chemical Equilibria, Solubility Of Gases In Water, The Carbonate System, Radioisotopes, and Chemical Kinetics

Composition of Air

Particles, Ions And Radicals In The Atmosphere, Chemical Processes In The Formation Of Inorganic And Organic Particulate Matters, Chemical Speciation, Thermochemical And Photochemical Reactions In The Atmosphere, Oxygen And Ozone Chemistry, Photochemical Smog

Hydrological Cycle

Water As A Universal Solvent, Bod And Cod, Sedimentation, Coagulation, Concept Of Do, Flocculation, Filtration, Ph And Redox Potential

Inorganic and Organic Components of Soil

Biogeochemical Cycles — Nitrogen, Carbon, Phosphorus, and Sulphur

Above are the topics covered in Unit 2 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 3: Environmental Biology

Ecology as an Interdisciplinary Science

Human Ecology, Origin of Life, Speciation, and Settlement

Ecosystem Structure and Functions

Biotic And Abiotic Components, Energy Flow In Ecosystems, Energy Flow Models, Food Chains And Webs, Biogeochemical Cycles, Ecological Succession, Species Diversity, Edge Effects, Ecological Habitats And Niche, Ecosystem Stability and Services, Factors Affecting Ecosystem

Basis of Ecosystem Classification

Types Of Ecosystem: Deserts, Forests, Rangelands, Wetlands, Lotics, Lentics, Estuarine (Mangroves), Oceanics

Biomes

Characteristics, Types (Chaparral, Savanna, Grassland, Deciduous, Taiga, Tundra, Highland Icy Alpine, & Tropical Rainforests) Classifications, Concepts, and Distributions

Population Ecology

Characteristics of Population, Growth And Regulations, Fluctuations, Dispersion And Metapopulation, Carrying Capacity, ‘R’ And ‘K’ Species, Keystone Species

Community Ecology

Definition, Types and Interaction (Predation, Herbivory, Parasitism, And Allelopathy), Biological Invasions, Community Concept

Biodiversity and its Conservation

Definition, Types, Biodiversity: Importance and Threats, ‘Hotspots’, Hotspots In India, Measures of Biodiversity, Strategies for Biodiversity Conservation, Gene Pool, Flora And Fauna of India, Biopiracy and Bioprospecting, Restoration Ecology

Concept of Industrial Ecology

Toxicology and Microbiology

Absorption, Distribution And Excretion Of Toxic Agents, Therapeutic Index, Biotransformation, Acute And Chronic Toxicity, Concept Of Bioassay, Threshold Limit Value, Margin Of Safety, Major Water-borne Diseases, and Air-borne Microbes

Above are the topics in Unit 3 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 4: Environmental Geosciences

Distribution of Water on Earth

Hydrology, Hydrogeology, Hydraulic Conductivity, Groundwater Tracers, Land Subsidence, Effects Of Excessive Use Of Groundwater, Groundwater Quality, Pollution Of Groundwater Resources, Ghyben-Herzberg Relation, Major Basins and Groundwater Provinces Of India, Darcy’s Law, Groundwater Fluctuations

Natural Hazards

Prediction Of Hazards And Mitigation Of Their Impacts, Catastrophic Geological Hazards, 

Natural Resource Explanation

Historical Perspective And Conservation Of Non-renewable Resources, Exploitation and Related Environmental Concerns

Origin of Earth

Primary Geochemical Differentiation, Energy Budget, Thermal Environment, Residence Time, Natural Cycles, Controls on Formation of Landforms, Seasons, El Nino, La Nina, Formation of Earth and its Components, Minerals And Rocks, Formation Of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks, Steady State and Equilibrium, Geostrophic Wind Field, Gradient Wind, .Coriolis Force, Western Disturbances, Indian Monsoon, Pressure Gradient Force, Frictional Force, Climates of India, Droughts, and Geophysical Fields

Weathering

Transportation, Clay Minerals, Soil Physical, Weathering Reactions, Cation Exchange Capacity, Erosion, Deposition of Sediments, Soil Formation, Chemical Properties, Soil Types and Climate Control On Soil Formation, Mineralogical Controls

Geochemical Classification of Elements

Geochemical Recycling Of Elements, Paleoclimate, Abundance of Elements in Earth, Crust, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Partitioning of Elements

Above are the topics covered in Unit 4 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 5: Energy and Environment

Sun as a Source of Energy

Solar Radiation and its Spectral Characteristics, Gas Hydrates, Gross-calorific Value, Fossil Fuels, Shale Oil, Coal Bed Methane, and Net-Calorific Value

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Fuels, Fission and Fusion, Principles and Types of Nuclear Reactors

Principles of Generation of Hydro-Power

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, Wind Power, Geothermal Energy, Tidal Energy, Solar Energy (Solar Collectors, Photo-Voltaic Modules, Solar Ponds)

Environmental Implications of Energy Use

Energy Use Pattern, Emissions of CO2 in Developed And Developing Countries, Radiative Forcing and Global Warming, Large-Scale Exploitation Of Energy Sources

Bioenergy

Methods to Produce Energy from Biomass

Above are the topics in Unit 5 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 6: Environmental Pollution and Control

Thermal, Marine, and Radioactive Pollution

Heat Islands, Abatement and Prevention, Sources and Impact, Coastal Management, Ionizing Radiations, Radiation Standards, Radiation Exposure, and Radiation Protection

Noise Pollution

Measurement Of Noise Indices, Impact Of Noise And Vibrations On Human Health, Noise Dose, Noise Pollution Standards, Noise Control, Abatement Measures - Active & Passive Methods, Vibrations & their Measurements, Weighting Networks

Air Pollution

Sources And Types Of Pollutants, Period, Frequency and Duration Of Sampling, Measurements of Ambient Air Pollutants Concentration And Stack Emissions, Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Air Pollutants On Human Health, Plants and Materials, Acid Rain, Dispersion of Air Pollutants, Mixing Height/Depth, Lapse Rates, Gaussian Plume Model, Line Source Model, And Area Source Model

Water Pollution

Types, Sources, Impact on Life, Water Quality Parameters, Indian Standards For Drinking Water (ISO:10500, 2012), Drinking Water Treatment: Coagulation And Flocculation, Sedimentation And Filtration, Disinfection And Softening, Wastewater Treatment: Primary, Secondary And Advanced Treatment Methods, Common Effluent Treatment Plant

Soil Pollution

Properties Of Soil, Soil Pollution Control, Industrial Effluents and their Interactions with Soil Components, Analysis Of Soil Quality, Soil Microorganisms, Degradation Of Pesticides And Synthetic Fertilisers

Above are the topics of Unit 6 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 7: Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

Solid Waste

Types and Sources, Solid Waste Management, Generation Rates, Solid Waste Components, Proximate And Ultimate Analysis Of Solid Wastes

Hazardous Wastes

Hazardous Waste Management, Treatment Methods - Precipitation, Oxidation-Reduction, Neutralization, Stabilization, Solidification, Incineration, Final Disposal, Types, Characteristics and Health Impacts

Solid Waste Collection and Transportation

Layout Of Collection Routes, Container Systems - Hauled, Stationary, Transportation and Transfer Stations

Solid Waste Processing and Recovery

Electrical Energy Generation from Solid Waste (Refuse Derived Fuels, Fuel Pellets), Recovery Of Materials For Recycling and Direct Manufacturer Of Solid Waste Products, Disposal Of Solid Wastes - Sanitary Land Filling & Its Management, Incineration Of Solid Waste, Recycling, Composting, Vermicomposting, and Biomethanation Of Solid Waste

Fly Ash

Sources, Composition, And Utilisation

Plastic Waste

Sources, Consequences, And Management

E-Waste

Classification, Methods Of Handling, And Disposal

Above are the topics of Unit 7 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 8: Environmental Assessment, Management, and Legislation

Overview of Environmental Laws in India

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 Amendments 1991, 1974 Amended 1988 And Rules 1975, Constitutional Provisions In India (Article 48a And 51a), Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Indian Forest Act, Revised 1982, Batteries (Management & Handling) Rules, Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, 1981 Amended 1987 And Rules 1982, Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Water (Prevention And Control Of Pollution) Act, Air (Prevention And Control Of Pollution) Act, Storage and Import Of Hazardous Chemical (Amendment) Rules, 2000, 2010 with Amendments, Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 And Rules 1986, Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, Construction & Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016, Manufacture, Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and Rules 1991, Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, The Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, The E-waste (Management) Rules 2016, The Hazardous And Other Waste (Management And Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, Noise Pollution (Regulation And Control) Rules, 2000, Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) 1991 Amended From Time To Time

Risk Assessment

Hazard Accounting, Scenarios Of Exposure, Hazard Identification, Risk Characterization and Risk Management

Aims and Objectives of Environmental Impact Assessment

Impact Assessment Methodologies, Procedure For Reviewing Eia Of Developmental Projects, Life-cycle Analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Guidelines For Environmental Audit, Environmental Impact Statement And Environmental Management Plan, Eia Guidelines, Environmental Planning As A Part Of EIA And Environmental Audit, Environmental Management System Standards (ISO14000 Series), Eia Notification, 2006 and Amendments From Time to Time, Eco-labeling Schemes

Policies of the Environment

National Water Policy 2002, National Forest Policy 1988, National Environmental Policy 2006

Environmental Conventions and Agreements

Basel Convention (1989, 1992), Ramsar Convention On Wetlands (1971), Earth Summit At Rio De Janeiro, 1992, Agenda-21, Global Environmental Facility (Gef), Stockholm Conference On Human Environment 1972, Earth Summit At Johannesburg, 2002, Rio+20, Un Summit On Millennium Development Goals, 2000, Montreal Protocol, 1987, Conference Of Parties (Cops), Convention On Biodiversity (1992), UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, 1997, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Copenhagen Summit, 2009, IPCC, UNEP, IGBP

Above are the topics in Unit 8 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 9: Statistical Approaches and Modelling in Environmental Sciences

Attributes and Variables - I

Linear, Simple And Multiple Regression Models, Validation And Forecasting, Models Of Population Growth and Interactions: Lotka-Volterra Model, Leslie’s Matrix Model

Attributes and Variables - II

Types Of Variables, Measurement Of Central Tendency And Dispersion, Standard Error, Measure Of Skewness and Kurtosis, Probability and Sampling Theories, Scales Of Measurement, Distributions - Normal, Log-normal, Binomial, Poisson, T, X2 and F-Distribution, Correlation, Regression, Tests Of Hypothesis

Above are the topics covered in Unit 9 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Unit 10: Contemporary Environmental Issues

Climate Change

Energy Security, Food Security, Adaptability, and Sustainability

Water Conservation

Rain Water Harvesting, Development Of Watersheds, and Groundwater Recharge

Environmental Disasters

Love Canal Disaster, Bhopal Gas Disaster, 1984, Chernobyl Disaster, 1986, Minamata Disaster, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster, 2011

Global Environmental Issues

climate Change, Ozone Layer Depletion, Sea Level Rise, Biodiversity Loss, CInternational Efforts For Environmental Protection

Eutrophication and Restoration of Lakes

Conservation Of Wetlands, Ramsar Sites In India

National Action Plan on Climate Change

Eight National Missions - National Solar Mission, National Mission On Sustainable Habitat, National Water Mission, National Mission For A ‘green India’, National Mission For Sustainable Agriculture, National Mission For Enhanced Energy Efficiency, National Mission For Sustaining The Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission On Strategic Knowledge For Climate Change

Soil Erosion

Desertification And Its Control, Reclamation Of Degraded Land

Forest Conservation

Silent Valley Movement and Gandhamardan Movement, Chipko Movement, Appiko Movement, People Biodiversity Register

Wildlife Conservation Projects

Project Tiger, Crocodile Conservation, Goi-UNDP Sea Turtle Project, Project Elephant, Indo-rhino Vision

Current Environmental Issues in India

Hydro-power Projects In Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal and North-eastern States, Environmental Issues Related To Water Resource Projects like Almatti Dam, Tehri Dam, Narmada Dam, Kaveri and Mahanadi

National River Conservation Plan

Namami Gange and Yamuna Action Plan

Carbon Sequestration and Carbon Credits

Vehicular Emission Norms in India

Epidemiological Issues

Arsenicosis, Goitre, Fluorosis, Dengue

Waste Management

Swacch Bharat Abhiyan

Sustainable Habitat

Green Building, Griha Rating Norms

Above are the topics in Unit 10 for UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus 2025

Also Read: UGC NET Paper 2 Syllabus

UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus - Important Topics 

Environmental Science is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on understanding the interactions between humans and the environment. If you're preparing for the UGC NET Environmental Science exam, it's essential to be familiar with the key topics that are covered in the UGC NET Environmental Science syllabus. Here are some of the important topics you should focus on:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• Environmental Pollution and Control
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Climate Change and Global Warming
• Natural Resource Management
• Environmental Laws and Policies
• Sustainable Development
• Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
• Waste Management
• Air and Water Pollution
• Ecology and Ecosystems
• Environmental Ethics
• Renewable and Non-renewable Energy Sources
• Environmental Education and Awareness
• Environmental Chemistry

Also Read: UGC NET Important Topics

UGC NET Environmental Science Exam Pattern 2025

You must check the UGC NET exam pattern for the respective UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus before starting your exam preparation. This will make it simpler to comprehend the marking scheme, sectional weightage, exam duration, etc. that will help you strategize your preparation. The details of the same are given below.

The UGC NET Environmental Science Paper is made up of two papers:

• Paper-I (General paper, common for all subjects)
• Paper- 2 (Subject-specific)

The following table will show you the mark distribution and number of questions for both papers. Please note that the syllabus for Paper 1 is tentative.

Note:

• For each question that is correctly answered, you will receive two marks under the exam's uniform grading policy.
• Deductions for incorrect answers are not permitted under the new format for the UGC NET exam.

Best Books to Prepare UGC NET Environmental Science Syllabus

The books are an essential part of the preparation, as they enhance the performance of the candidates in all ways. The best UGC NET Environmental Sciences books will give the candidates the insights about all the necessary concepts related to the subject and thus reinforce their self-confidence. Some of the UGC NET Environmental Sciences books’ will also help the candidates for practicing the model questions that are designed as per the latest UGC NET Environmental Sciences syllabus.