Let me start with expanding the term CSIR before going to the actual article, The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), a R&D organization in India was form in 1942 in the aims to offer industrial development, to make a strong foundation for strategic sectors and improvement of primary knowledge. Above all it motivates talented young men and women to take up science as career.
CSIR through Human Resource Development Group (HRDG) gives research fellowship to the bright Indian young minds to carry out their research in various CSIR listed Labs, University, institutes in the field of Science and technology. To identify the bright minds CSIR conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) for candidates holding M.Sc or equivalent degree, every two time in a year (in June and December). Once selected you get CSIR Junior Research fellowship (JRF), presently Rs 12000 per month for first two years and Rs 14000 per month from the third year, the total term as JRF plus SRF will not go beyond five years.
CSIR conducts test for five streams Chemical science, Life science, Earth science, Mathematical science and Physical Science and consisting of two papers. Paper I is objective type to evaluate knowledge of science, skill of scientific and quantitative reasoning, creativity, analytical ability and research aptitude of a candidate. Paper II is to judge your knowledge through short descriptive answer in your subject.
Need of Study materials
Strictly speaking when you are preparing for CSIR life science section there is no need to cross check the syllabus, it includes every possible topics in life sciences, from biochemistry to microbiology, from botany to zoology, from atom to molecule. So before starting your preparation for CSIR make sure you have all the study materials. If you are not a Botany or Zoology student then you have to go through these subjects but it is not possible to read all the topics in this subject so you have to collect materials which cover the entire subject in simpler version.
As you know apart from your main subject you have to also know the basics of chemistry, physics, math, earth science because without covering these, clearing the first paper is a difficult task and your second paper would not be evaluated unless you have cleared your first paper. Hence you should check the source where to get such materials. Just reading the topics alone would not give you the confidence to face the exam, you need to practice N numbers of model question papers and also work out previous years question papers. This helps you to control the time and also give you the coolness to answer correct question under the time pressure. So you have to collect model question papers and old question papers before giving the exam.
Even you are smart and intelligent in your subject without proper study material, revision you will scratch your head in the exam hall. And one should not think much about spending money to collect such instant materials instead of writing 10 times.