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UGC NET (National Eligibility Test): syllabus and eligibility

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UGC NET key facts
Conducting bodyNational Testing Agency (NTA). Official website ↗
PostsJunior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and PhD admission, PhD admission only
QualificationA master's degree or equivalent with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender candidates), without rounding off, from a UGC-recognised university or institution. Final-year students can apply but must pass with the required marks within two years of the result (one year for PhD-only). A four-year undergraduate degree with 75% (5% relaxation for reserved categories) also lets you apply, but only for JRF and PhD admission, not for Assistant Professor.
DomicileNot required
Selection stagesOne computer-based test: Paper 1 (50 questions, 100 marks) and Paper 2 (100 questions, 200 marks) in 3 hours with no break → Result on the aggregate of both papers, in one of three categories: JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and PhD, or PhD only → JRF holders are taken for research by universities and institutions under their own procedures
Latest notificationUGC-NET June 2026 Information Bulletin

Last checked . Sources

About UGC NET

UGC NET decides who is eligible for the Junior Research Fellowship, for Assistant Professor posts and for PhD admission in Indian universities and colleges. NTA conducts it as a computer-based test. The June 2026 cycle took applications from 29 April to 20 May 2026. The papers were held on 22 to 25, 29 and 30 June and 5 July 2026, and NTA re-conducted the English, Commerce and Sociology papers on 9 and 10 September 2026. You qualify in one of three categories, and only the first carries the JRF. Actual Assistant Professor hiring follows the rules of each university, college or state government.

Eligibility

Age relaxation

  • JRF only: not more than 30 years on 1 June 2026.
  • JRF: up to 5 years for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, third gender candidates and women.
  • JRF: time spent on research in your PG subject, up to 5 years; 3 years for LLM holders; armed forces service up to 5 years. Relaxation on these grounds cannot exceed 5 years in total.
  • No upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD admission.

Qualification

A master's degree or equivalent with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender candidates), without rounding off, from a UGC-recognised university or institution. Final-year students can apply but must pass with the required marks within two years of the result (one year for PhD-only). A four-year undergraduate degree with 75% (5% relaxation for reserved categories) also lets you apply, but only for JRF and PhD admission, not for Assistant Professor.

Other conditions

  • Fee for June 2026: Rs 1,150 (General), Rs 600 (General-EWS and OBC-NCL), Rs 325 (SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender), plus bank charges.
  • Appear in the subject of your postgraduation. If it is not on the NTA list, choose a related subject.
  • Ph.D. holders whose master's was completed by 19 September 1991 get 5% relaxation in the aggregate marks.

Selection process

  1. One computer-based test: Paper 1 (50 questions, 100 marks) and Paper 2 (100 questions, 200 marks) in 3 hours with no break
  2. Result on the aggregate of both papers, in one of three categories: JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and PhD, or PhD only
  3. JRF holders are taken for research by universities and institutions under their own procedures

Exam pattern

UGC NET (both papers in one sitting)

Mode: Computer-based test; questions in English and Hindi except language papers · Duration: 3 hours · Negative marking: None

SUBJECTQUESTIONSMARKS
Paper 1: teaching and research aptitude50100
Paper 2: your chosen subject100200

UGC NET syllabus

Paper 1 (common to all subjects)

  • Teaching aptitude
  • Research aptitude
  • Comprehension
  • Communication
  • Mathematical reasoning and aptitude
  • Logical reasoning
  • Data interpretation
  • Information and communication technology (ICT)
  • People, development and environment
  • Higher education system

Paper 2 (subject chosen in the form)

  • Subject syllabus published by the UGC NET Bureau on ugcnetonline.in
  • Domain knowledge at postgraduate level

What they ask

Both papers run together in one three-hour computer-based session without a break. Every question is worth 2 marks and nothing is cut for a wrong answer. Paper 1 is the same for all subjects and checks teaching and research aptitude, reading comprehension, reasoning and general awareness. Paper 2 has 100 questions on the subject you choose, and your result is decided on the total of both papers.

How to prepare

  • Attempt all 150 questions. There is no negative marking, so an unanswered question only loses you 2 marks you could have won.
  • Work through all ten Paper 1 units in the UGC syllabus, including the higher education system and people, development and environment, which do not come from any degree course.
  • Download your Paper 2 syllabus and past papers from ugcnetonline.in and map each unit to the questions set in earlier cycles.
  • Choose your category in the form carefully. Candidates who qualify only for Assistant Professor or PhD are not considered for JRF.
  • Practise Paper 1 units such as data interpretation and reasoning with daily topic-wise quizzes on the free Improvam app.

UGC NET is one of the exams in the Improvam app. Open it to start a practice quiz.

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Previous papers and answer keys

UGC NET FAQs

Only for JRF: not more than 30 years on 1 June 2026 in the June 2026 cycle, with up to 5 years' relaxation for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, third gender candidates and women. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD admission.

Sources

Checked against official sources on . Rules change with each notification, so read the latest one before you apply.

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