UGC NET Paper I & Paper II
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LATEST UPDATE 2026
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official notification for the UGC NET December 2025 cycle. Interested candidates were allowed to submit their online application forms from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date to pay the application fee was 7 November 2025, while the correction window was available from 10 November to 12 November 2025. The UGC NET examination is scheduled to be conducted between 31 December 2025 and 7 January 2026 in multiple shifts.
OVERVIEW
The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is a national-level examination conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for Assistant Professor, Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), or PhD admission in universities and colleges across India. The exam is conducted for more than 80 subjects, and the syllabus for each subject is prescribed by the University Grants Commission. Earlier, the examination was conducted by CBSE, but currently it is organized by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year (June & December) |
| Mode of Exam | Online (Computer Based Test) |
| Duration | 3 Hours (Single Session) |
| Papers | Paper 1 – 100 Marks, Paper 2 – 200 Marks |
| Total Questions | 150 MCQs |
| Marking Scheme | +2 for each correct answer, No negative marking |
| Medium | Hindi & English |
| Official Website | ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
IMPORTANT DATES
The UGC NET examination is conducted twice every year. Key dates for the December 2025 cycle are provided below:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Start | October 2025 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | 7 November 2025 |
| City Intimation Slip | 20–21 December 2025 |
| Admit Card Release | Last week of December 2025 |
| Exam Dates | 31 December 2025 – 7 January 2026 |
| Answer Key | To be announced |
| Result | February 2026 |
VACANCY DETAILS
UGC NET is a qualifying examination and does not offer direct recruitment. Qualifying candidates become eligible for:
Assistant Professor positions in universities and colleges
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for research and PhD
PhD admission in many institutions
JRF awards are limited and based on merit and category-wise cut-offs. Assistant Professor vacancies are announced separately by individual institutions.
SALARY STRUCTURE
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
First two years: ₹37,000 per month
From third year (SRF): ₹42,000 per month
Additional benefits: HRA, contingency grant, medical facilities
Assistant Professor
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay | ₹57,700 (Level 10) |
| DA | Around 50–55% of basic pay |
| HRA | 8–24% depending on city |
| Approx. In-hand Salary | ₹80,000 – ₹1,10,000 |
Career growth includes promotion to Associate Professor and Professor as per UGC norms.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Nationality
Candidates must be Indian citizens.
Age Limit
| Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| JRF | Maximum 30 years (with relaxation up to 5 years for reserved categories) |
| Assistant Professor | No upper age limit |
| PhD Admission | No upper age limit |
Educational Qualification
Master’s degree with minimum 55% marks (50% for reserved categories)
Final-year postgraduate students can apply provisionally
PhD holders (Master’s completed before Sept 1991) get 5% relaxation
Reservation Policy
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| OBC-NCL | 27% |
| EWS | 10% |
| PwD | 5% (horizontal) |
SELECTION PROCESS
UGC NET has a single-stage selection process.
Steps involved:
Computer-Based Examination (Paper 1 + Paper 2)
Evaluation of total marks out of 300
Subject-wise merit list
Issue of e-certificate for qualified candidates
Minimum Qualifying Marks
| Category | Minimum Aggregate |
|---|---|
| General/EWS | 40% |
| OBC/SC/ST/PwD | 35% |
HOW TO APPLY
Applications must be submitted online only through the official website.
Steps:
Visit ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Click on New Registration
Fill personal and educational details
Upload photograph and signature
Pay the application fee online
Download and print the confirmation page
Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General | ₹1150 |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD | ₹325 |
EXAM CENTERS
The UGC NET exam is conducted in Computer Based Test mode across nearly 280+ cities in India.
Important points:
Candidates must select four preferred cities
Final center is allotted based on availability
City intimation slip is released before admit card
Exact address is mentioned only on the admit card
No changes allowed after submission
Major exam cities include Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Patna, Bhopal, and many more.
EXAM PATTERN
The exam consists of two papers conducted in a single session.
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Teaching & Research Aptitude) | 50 | 100 |
| Paper 2 (Subject Specific) | 100 | 200 |
| Total | 150 | 300 |
Mode: Online (CBT)
Duration: 3 hours
No break between papers
No negative marking
EXAM SYLLABUS
The syllabus is prescribed by UGC and remains largely unchanged.
Paper 1 (Common for all) includes:
Teaching Aptitude
Research Aptitude
Comprehension
Communication
Logical & Mathematical Reasoning
Data Interpretation
ICT
Environment & Sustainable Development
Higher Education System
Paper 2 is based on the candidate’s postgraduate subject and covers detailed domain-specific topics from one of the 80+ subjects.
ADMIT CARD
Candidates can download the admit card from the official website.
Steps:
Visit ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Click on Download Admit Card
Enter Application Number and Date of Birth
Download and print the admit card
EXAM RESULT
Steps to check result:
Visit ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Click on View Result
Enter login details
Download the scorecard for future reference
IMPORTANT LINKS
Official Website: ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Official Notification: Available on the website
Latest Update 2026
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the notification for the UGC NET December 2025 examination. Candidates were able to submit their application forms from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date to pay the application fee was 7 November 2025, and the correction window remained open from 10 November to 12 November 2025. The examination will be conducted in multiple shifts from 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026 in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode.
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility conditions for UGC NET remain largely the same for recent cycles. The exam determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor, and PhD admission.
Educational Qualification
Candidates must have a Master’s degree or equivalent from a UGC-recognized university.
Minimum marks required:
| Category | Minimum Marks |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 55% aggregate |
| OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender | 50% aggregate |
Additional eligibility points:
Final-year postgraduate students can apply provisionally but must complete their degree within the prescribed time.
Candidates with a 4-year Bachelor’s degree are eligible if they have 75% marks (70% for reserved categories).
The subject selected for Paper II should match or be related to the postgraduate discipline.
PhD holders whose Master’s was completed before 19 September 1991 receive a 5% relaxation.
Candidates with foreign degrees must obtain an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Age Limit
| Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) | Maximum 30 years |
| Assistant Professor | No upper age limit |
| PhD Admission | No upper age limit |
Age Relaxation for JRF
Maximum relaxation allowed: Up to 5 years
OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender / Women: Up to 5 years
Research experience: Relaxation equal to duration (within overall 5-year limit)
Armed Forces personnel: As per Government rules
Other Important Points
Number of attempts: Unlimited (subject to JRF age limit)
Nationality: Indian candidates (foreign nationals may apply under specific conditions)
Reservation: As per Government of India norms
Qualification categories based on performance:
JRF + Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor only
PhD admission only
Exam Pattern
The UGC NET exam is conducted online in CBT mode and consists of two papers held in a single session.
Key Features
Mode: Online (Computer Based Test)
Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes)
Total Questions: 150
Total Marks: 300
Question Type: Objective MCQs
Marking Scheme: +2 for each correct answer
Negative Marking: No
Medium: Hindi and English (except language subjects)
| Paper | Description | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Teaching & Research Aptitude (common for all) | 50 | 100 |
| Paper II | Subject-specific (chosen subject) | 100 | 200 |
| Total | 150 | 300 |
Paper I evaluates teaching aptitude, reasoning, comprehension, ICT knowledge, environment, and higher education awareness. Paper II tests in-depth knowledge of the candidate’s postgraduate subject.
Exam Syllabus
The syllabus prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has remained unchanged for recent cycles.
The exam consists of:
Paper I – Common for all candidates
Paper II – Subject-specific (85+ subjects)
Paper I Syllabus (Common)
Paper I contains 10 units:
Teaching Aptitude
Research Aptitude
Reading Comprehension
Communication
Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
Logical Reasoning
Data Interpretation
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
People, Development and Environment
Higher Education System (including NEP 2020)
Paper II Syllabus
Paper II consists of 100 questions (200 marks) and covers detailed topics from the candidate’s postgraduate subject. The exam is conducted across more than 85 subjects, including newly added interdisciplinary areas. Candidates should refer to the official subject-wise syllabus for detailed topics.
Selection Process
The UGC NET selection process is based on a single-stage examination.
Process Overview
Candidates appear for Paper I and Paper II in CBT mode
Marks are calculated out of 300
Subject-wise and category-wise merit lists are prepared
Qualified candidates receive an e-certificate
There is no interview or additional stage.
Minimum Qualifying Marks
These are the minimum aggregate marks required to be considered for qualification (final cut-off may be higher):
| Category | Minimum Aggregate |
|---|---|
| General / EWS | 40% |
| OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender | 35% |
Latest Update 2026
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official notification for the UGC NET December 2025 cycle. Candidates were allowed to apply from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date to pay the application fee was 7 November 2025, and the correction window was open from 10 November to 12 November 2025.
The UGC NET exam will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode from 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026.
UGC NET Exam Syllabus 2026
The UGC NET syllabus is prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and has remained unchanged in recent years. The same syllabus applicable since June 2019 will be followed for the December 2025 and upcoming June 2026 cycles.
The exam consists of two papers:
Paper I – Common for all candidates (Teaching & Research Aptitude)
Paper II – Subject-specific (chosen from 85+ subjects)
Paper I – Unit-wise Weightage
Paper I contains 50 questions (100 marks), with approximately equal weightage for each unit.
Unit I – Teaching Aptitude – 5 Questions
Unit II – Research Aptitude – 5 Questions
Unit III – Comprehension – 5 Questions
Unit IV – Communication – 5 Questions
Unit V – Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude – 5 Questions
Unit VI – Logical Reasoning – 5 Questions
Unit VII – Data Interpretation – 5 Questions
Unit VIII – Information & Communication Technology (ICT) – 5 Questions
Unit IX – People, Development & Environment – 5 Questions
Unit X – Higher Education System – 5 Questions
Paper I Detailed Syllabus
Teaching Aptitude:
Concept, objectives, and levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding, Reflective), learner characteristics (academic, social, emotional, cognitive), individual differences, factors affecting teaching, teaching methods (teacher-centered vs learner-centered), online learning platforms (SWAYAM, MOOCs), and evaluation systems including CBCS.
Research Aptitude:
Meaning, types, and characteristics of research, research design and research process, qualitative and quantitative methods, thesis writing and referencing styles, application of ICT in research, research ethics, and plagiarism.
Comprehension:
Reading passage-based questions focusing on understanding, analysis, and interpretation.
Communication:
Types and characteristics of communication, verbal and non-verbal communication, classroom communication, barriers to effective communication, and mass media and society.
Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude:
Number series, letter series, coding-decoding, relationships, ratio, percentage, averages, profit and loss, interest, and time, distance, and work.
Logical Reasoning:
Arguments and conclusions, deductive and inductive reasoning, analogies, Venn diagrams, logical fallacies, and Indian logic and Pramanas.
Data Interpretation:
Types of data (quantitative and qualitative), tables, charts, graphs, pie charts, data analysis and interpretation, and basics of data governance.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT):
Internet, email, networking basics, digital initiatives in higher education, e-learning tools, open-source software, and ICT in governance.
People, Development & Environment:
Environmental issues and pollution, climate change and sustainability, natural resources and renewable energy, environmental laws and international agreements, and human-environment interaction.
Higher Education System:
Evolution of higher education in India, policies and governance, NEP-related concepts, value and skill-based education, and RUSA and institutional development.
Note: Example questions provided in the notification are for illustration purposes only.
Paper II – Subject-wise Syllabus
Paper II consists of 100 questions (200 marks) and tests in-depth knowledge of the candidate’s postgraduate subject.
Total subjects: 85+
Candidates must select a subject relevant to their Master’s degree.
The detailed syllabus is available separately for each subject.
Major Subject Groups
Social Sciences: Economics, Political Science, Sociology, History, Psychology, Geography, Social Work, Public Administration
Commerce & Management: Commerce, Management, Human Resource Management, Labour Welfare
Education & Teaching: Education, Adult Education, Physical Education
Languages: Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, etc.
Science & Technical: Computer Science, Electronic Science, Environmental Science, Forensic Science
Other Specialized Subjects: Law, Library Science, Mass Communication, Women Studies, Tourism, Yoga, Indian Knowledge System, Hindu Studies, Cultural and Performing Arts
For detailed unit-wise topics, candidates should download the official subject PDF from the NTA website.
Important Note: Paper II carries maximum weightage of 200 marks and plays a major role in determining the final merit. Candidates should focus primarily on their subject-specific syllabus along with Paper I preparation to improve their chances of qualifying.
LATEST UPDATE 2026
NTA has released the official notification for the UGC NET December 2025 exam. Candidates willing to appear for the UGC NET exam can fill the application form from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date for payment of application fee is 7 November 2025 and the last date for application correction window is 10 November 2025 to 12 November 2025. UGC NET exam will be conducted from 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026.
EXAM PATTERN
The examination for UGC NET is divided into two parts namely:-
1. Paper I
2. Paper II
Paper I & II will have Objective type, multiple-choice questions. Paper, I will contain a total of 50 Questions and 100 Marks. Paper-II will have 100 Questions and 200 Marks. The examination will be for 180 Minutes.
The section-wise distribution of Questions and Marks is given below:-
Test Mode | Name of Test | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration | Duration |
Objective Type Online Computer Based Test | Paper I | 50 Q | 50 x 2 = 100 Marks | 180 Minutes | 240 Minutes |
Paper II | 100 Q | 100 x 2 = 200 Marks | |||
Total | 150 Q | 300 Marks |
Note:- No break will be provided to the candidates in between Paper I & Paper II.
MODE OF EXAMINATION
The Examination shall be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode only. The examination will consist of Objective Type, Multiple Choice Questions.
MEDIUM OF EXAMINATION
1. The medium of the Question Paper shall be in English & Hindi only.
2. Option of medium of Question Paper should be carefully chosen by the Candidate while filling the Application Form online. The option once exercised cannot be changed.
3. Candidates opting for Hindi medium in the Application Form will be given bilingual paper, but candidates opting for English medium will be given English version only.
4. Candidates are required to answer in the medium as per the option exercised in the Application Form.
5. In case of any ambiguity in translation/construction of a question in the exam, its English version shall be treated as final and the decision of NTA shall be final in this regard.
MARKING SCHEME
Questions from Paper I shall contain 50 Questions of total 100 Marks (2 Marks each) and Paper-II shall contain 100 Questions of total of 200 Marks (2 Marks each), thus summing up to 300 Marks.
Marking Scheme Highlights:-
1. Each question carries 02 (two) marks.
2. For each correct response, the candidate will get 02 (two) marks.
3. There is no negative marking for incorrect response.
4. No marks will be given for questions unanswered/ unattempted/marked for review.
5. To answer a question, the candidate needs to choose one option as the correct option.
6. If a question is found to be incorrect/ambiguous during the Key Challenge, only those candidates who have attempted the question and chosen one of the correct answers would be given the credit. Only for dropped question(s), if any, marks will be given to all the candidates.
7. In case a Question is dropped due to some technical error, full marks shall be given to the candidates who have attempted it.
NORMALISATION OF MARKS
1. For multi-shift papers, raw marks obtained by the candidates in different shifts/sessions will be converted to NTA Score (percentile).
2. In case a subject test is conducted in multi-shifts, NTA Score will be calculated corresponding to the raw marks obtained by a candidate. The calculated NTA Score for the Raw Marks for all the shifts/sessions will be merged for further processing for deciding the allocation.
Formula for Normalisation :-
(100 X No. of Candidates Appeared in the ‘Session’ with Raw Score Equal to or Less than the Candidate) / Total Number of Candidates Appeared in the Session
In the events of the percentiles for the multi-shifts being dissimilar / unequal, the lowest will be the eligibility cut-off for that category for all candidates (i.e. all shifts)
There shall be no re-evaluation/re-checking of result. No correspondence in this regard shall be entertained.
Note:- The Percentile of the Total shall NOT be an aggregate or average of the Percentile of an individual subject. The percentile score is not the same as the percentage of marks obtained.
LATEST UPDATE 2026
NTA has released the official notification for the UGC NET December 2025 exam. Candidates willing to appear for the UGC NET exam can fill the application form from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date for payment of application fee is 7 November 2025 and the last date for application correction window is 10 November 2025 to 12 November 2025. UGC NET exam will be conducted from 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Candidates willing to apply for UGC NET Examination are required to fulfill certain conditions to be eligible for it. The candidate who does not satisfy the Eligibility criteria like Age, Minimum educational qualification, etc., their candidature shall be rejected by the authorities. The criteria for eligibility UGC NET are decided by the conduction body itself.
The candidate’s eligibility for UGC NET Examination is based on the fulfillment of the following conditions:-
1. Nationality
2. UGC NET : Age Limit & Relaxations
3. UGC NET : Educational Qualifications
4. UGC NET : Reservation of Seats
NATIONALITY
A candidate should be an Indian national to be eligible for UGC NET Recruitment.
UGC NET AGE LIMIT & RELAXATIONS
For Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
Not more than 31 years as on 1st day of the month in which the examination is concluded.
Relaxation in Age Limit (For Junior Research Fellowship)
Category | Relaxation |
OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third gender | Upto 5 years |
Candidates with research experience, limited to the period spent on research in the relevant / related subject of post-graduation degree | Upto 5 years |
Candidates with L.L.M. degree | 3 years |
Candidates who have served in the armed forces subject to the length of service | Upto 5 years |
Note :- Total age relaxation on the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years under any circumstances.
For Assistant Professor
There is no upper age limit in applying for UGC-NET for Assistant Professor.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
1. General/Unreserved/General-EWS candidates who have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from universities/institutions recognized by UGC in Humanities and Social Science (including languages), Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science etc. are eligible for this Test.
2. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to Non-Creamy Layer/Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD)/Transgender category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this Test.
3. Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course or candidates who have appeared for their qualifying Master’s degree (final year) examination and whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying examinations have been delayed may also apply for this test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for award of JRF/eligibility for Assistant Professor only after they have passed their Master’s Degree or equivalent examination with at least 55% marks (50% marks in case of OBC-NCL /SC/ST/PwD/Transgender category candidates). Such candidates must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within two years from the date of NET result with the required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.
4. The Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination have been completed by 19 September 1991 (irrespective of the date of declaration of result) shall be eligible for a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks (i.e. from 55% to 50%) for appearing in NET.
RESERVATION OF SEATS
Reservation Policy of the Government of India is applicable to UGC-NET. According to this, in the Central Universities and Institutions which are deemed to be Universities, the reservation of seats shall be as follows:-
Category | Reservation |
Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates | 7.5 % |
Other Backward Classes (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) candidates as per the Central List | 27 % |
General – Economically Weaker Sections (General – EWS) candidates | 10 % |
Persons with Disability (PwD) with 40% or more disability. | 4 % |
Reservation for Kashmiri Migrant | Subject to notification from Ministry of |
LATEST UPDATE 2026
NTA has released the official notification for the UGC NET December 2025 exam. Candidates willing to appear for the UGC NET exam can fill the application form from 7 October 2025 to 7 November 2025. The last date for payment of application fee is 7 November 2025 and the last date for application correction window is 10 November 2025 to 12 November 2025. UGC NET exam will be conducted from 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026.
IMPORTANT DATES
The UGC NET is conducted twice a year by the National Testing Agency (NTA): typically in June and December.
Events | Date |
Online registration and submission of Application Form (complete in all respect) through NTA Website | October 2025 |
Last date for successful transaction of Examination fee (through Credit Card/ Debit Card/Net Banking/UPI Payment Modes | 7 November 2025 |
Fee Payable for UGC – NET June | November 2025 |
Correction in the Particulars of Application Form online only | NA |
Intimation of Cities of exam centres | 20-21 December |
Downloading of Admit Card by the Candidate from NTA Website | Last December |
Dates of Examination | 31 December 2025 to 7 January 2026 |
Display of Recorded Responses and Provisional AnswerKeys on the Website for inviting challenge(s) from Interested candidates | To be announced later on website |
Declaration of Result on NTA website | February 2026 |