The Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India (GOI) has established the National Testing Agency (NTA) as an independent, autonomous, and self-sustained premier testing organization under the Societies Registration Act (1860) for conducting efficient, transparent and international standards tests in order to assess the competency of candidates for admissions to premier higher education institutions.
University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET)
(a) UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for ‘award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor’, ‘appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ and ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ in Indian universities and colleges.
• The candidates qualifying under the ‘appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ category will be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D. but not for the award of JRF.
• The candidates qualifying under the ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ category will be eligible for admission to Ph.D. only but not for the award of JRF and/or appointment as Assistant Professor.
The eligibility will be determined in the following manner :
Category-1: Award of JRF and appointment as Assistant Professor — JRF: Yes, Assistant Professor: Yes, Ph.D. Admission: Yes.
Category-2: Appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D. — JRF: No, Assistant Professor: Yes, Ph.D. Admission: Yes.
Category-3: Admission to Ph.D. only — JRF: No, Assistant Professor: No, Ph.D. Admission: Yes.
• The JRF-qualified candidates are admitted into the Ph.D. programme based on an interview as per the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022.
• UGC-NET under category-2 & category-3 can be used as an entrance test for Ph.D. admission in place of entrance tests conducted by the different universities/HEIs for admission to Ph.D. • For candidates qualified under the category-2 and category-3, the marks obtained in the NET will have 70% weightage and 30% weightage will be based on the performance in the interview/viva voce conducted by the University/HEI concerned. The Ph.D. admission will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and the marks obtained in the interview/viva voce.
• For admission to Ph.D., the marks obtained in the NET by the candidates in category-2 and category-3 will be valid for a period of one year from the date of declaration of the result of UGC-NET.
• The number of candidates who will be qualified for ‘admission to the Ph.D. only’ will be decided by the results committee.
• The result of NET will be declared in marks, along with the Percentile Score, so that the marks can be used for admission to Ph.D. Each subject is planned to be conducted in a single shift, and the Percentile Score will be computed as per Annexure X on the aggregate marks of Paper I and Paper II. In case the test for a subject is conducted in two or more shifts, the marks of that subject will be normalised using the Equi-percentile method as per Annexure XI, and the result for that subject will be declared in normalised marks along with the Percentile Score.
(b) The selection of candidates for the following Fellowships will be made through the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
• National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC)
• National Fellowship for Other Backward Classes (NFOBC)
• National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities (NFPwD)
(c) The data of UGC-NET candidates can be shared by the UGC/NTA with Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) for admission to Ph.D. programmes and with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) & other organizations for their recruitment processes.
Eligibility Criteria for UGC-NET December 2026
1. Qualifying Examination :
(a) 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 (available on the website: ugc.ac.in in Humanities and Social Science (including languages), Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science etc. are eligible for this Test. List of subjects at Post Graduation level is attached as Annexure – IV. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to Non-Creamy Layer/Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD) / Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD)/Third gender category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this Test.
(b) 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/PwBD / Third gender category candidates). Such candidates must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within two years from the date of NET result with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified. However, those candidates who qualify for ‘Admission to Ph.D. Only’ must complete their Master’s degree or equivalent examination within one year from the date of NET result with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.
(c) Candidates belonging to the Third gender category are eligible to draw the same relaxation in fee, age and Eligibility Criteria for NET (i.e. JRF and Assistant Professor) as are available to SC/ST/PwD/PwBD categories. The subject-wise qualifying cut-offs for this category would be the lowest among those for SC / ST / PwD/PwBD / OBC–NCL / General-EWS categories in the corresponding subject.
(d) The Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination have been completed by 19 September 1991 (irrespective of 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. The list of Post- Graduation courses and their codes is given at Annexure – V.
(e) Candidates are advised to appear in the subject of their Post-Graduation only. The candidates whose Post Graduation subject is not covered in the list of NET subjects attached as Annexure – II, may appear in a related subject.
(f) The candidates having passed a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the Commission from time to time (refer to University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022 https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/0909572_Minimum-Standards-and-Procedure-for-Award-of- PhD-Degree.pdf) The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree, will be eligible for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for admission to the Ph.D. The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree, will not be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor. The candidates who are pursuing Four Year/8 Semester Bachelor’s Degree Programme and are in their last semester/year may also apply for the test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for the award of JRF/admission to Ph.D. only after fulfilling the requirements contained in the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022 within two years (if qualified for award of JRF)/within one year (if qualified for admission to Ph.D. only) from the date of declaration of the NET result, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified. (g) The candidates with a Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programme are allowed to appear in a subject (the List of Subjects and their Codes for UGC-NET December 2026 are given at Annexure-II) in which they want to pursue a Ph.D. irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor’s degree.
(h) Candidates are neither required to send any certificates/documents in support of their eligibility nor printout of their Application Form or Confirmation Page to NTA. However, the candidates, in their own interest, must ensure themselves about their eligibility for the test. In the event of any ineligibility being detected by the UGC/NTA at any stage, their candidature will be cancelled, and they shall be liable for legal action. NTA does not verify the information provided by the candidates during online registration and hence candidature will be purely provisional subject to the fulfillment of eligibility criteria. Candidates holding a foreign qualification are advised, in their own interest, to obtain equivalence of their qualification from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Attention is invited to the University Grants Commission (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025 published in the Gazette of India on 04th April, 2025. For more clarification candidates are requested to contact NET Bureau. The Candidates with Post-Graduate diploma awarded by an Indian Institute should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their diploma with Master’s degree of recognized Indian Universities from Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Instructions
(i) The eligibility in NET will depend on the performance of the candidate in both the sections of UGC-NET in aggregate. However, the candidates qualifying exclusively for ‘Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ or for ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ will not be considered for the award of JRF. Candidates appearing in UGC-NET should Application form registration has been enabled thoughtfully select the various options available in the Application Form. Candidates who qualify the Test for eligibility for Assistant Professor will be governed by the rules and regulations for recruitment of Assistant Professor of the concerned
Universities / Colleges/ State governments, as the case may be.
(ii) The candidates who qualify for the award of JRF are eligible to pursue research in the subject of their post-graduation or in a related subject and are also eligible for Assistant Professor. The universities, institutions, IITs and other national organizations may select the JRF awardees for full time research work in accordance with the procedure prescribed by them.
(iii) Junior Research Fellowship: Candidates qualifying for the award of JRF will be eligible to receive fellowship of UGC under various schemes, subject to their finding placement in universities/IITs/Institutions. The validity period of the offer will be three years w.e.f. the date of issue of JRF Award Letter. However, for those candidates who have already joined Ph.D., the date of commencement of Fellowship shall be from the date of declaration of NET result or date of their joining, whichever is later.
(iv) The National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC) and National Fellowship for Other Backward Classes (NFOBC) shall be governed by the guidelines available on the official websites of the concerned Ministries.
Exemption (Eligibility for Assistant Professor)
(i) NET/SET/SLET shall remain the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professors i n Universities/Colleges/ Institutions. In this regard, exemption from NET/SET/SLET will be governed by UGC regulations and amendments notified in the Gazette of India from time to time.
(ii) The candidates who have passed the UGC/CSIR/ JRF examination prior to 1989 are also exempted from appearing in NET.
(iii) For SET Candidates: The candidates who have cleared the States Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for Assistant Professor held prior to 01st December 2002, are exempted from appearing in NET, and are eligible to apply for Assistant Professor anywhere in India. For SET held from 1st December 2002 onwards, the qualified candidates are eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in the universities/colleges situated in the State from where they have cleared their SET.
Age Limit and Relaxation
(i) JRF: Not more than 30 years as on 01st day of the month in which the examination is concluded i.e. 01.12.2026.
a) A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to the candidates belonging to OBC-NCL (as per the Central list of OBC available on website: ncbc.nic.in) /SC/ST/PwD/PwBD/Third gender categories and to women applicants.
b) Relaxation will also be provided to the candidates with research experience, limited to the period spent on research in the relevant / related subject of post-graduation degree, subject to a maximum of 5 years, on production of a certificate from appropriate authority, which should be a recognized Indian university / Institute of National Importance / foreign university which is duly approved / recognized / accredited in its own Country / Public Sector Undertaking of Government of India / State Government in India. The research should not have been carried out towards completion of graduation or post-graduation degree(s).
c) Three years’ relaxation in age will be permissible to the candidates with L.L.M. degree.
A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to the candidates who have served in the armed forces subject to the length of service in the armed forces up to the first day of the month in which the concerned UGC-NET is, conducted, i.e., 01.12.2026. Total age relaxation on the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years under any circumstances.
(ii) Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit in applying for UGC-NET for Assistant Professor.
(iii) Admission to PhD: There is no upper age limit in applying for UGC-NET for Admission to PhD.
UGC-NET December 2026
The UGC-NET December 2026 will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode as per the time schedule specified in the Information at a glance, in the Subjects given at (refer to Annexure – II) in selected Cities spread across the Country (refer to Annexure – III).
3.1 Mode of Examination The Examination shall be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode only.
3.2 Pattern of Examination
The Test paper will consist of two sections, both the sections will consist of objective type, multiple-choice questions. There will be no break between the papers.
3.3 Subject and Syllabus of Test The List of Subjects and their Codes for UGC-NET December 2026 are given at Annexure – II. Syllabus for all NET Subjects can be downloaded from the UGC website: ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php. The National Testing Agency will not provide the copy of syllabus to any candidate.
3.4 Medium of Question Paper
(i) The medium of Question Paper shall be in English & Hindi only, except language papers.
(ii) Option for medium of Question Paper should be carefully chosen by the Candidate, while filling the Application Form online. UGC net papers are Bilingual and are available in both English and Hindi except for the language papers where the questions are in the concerned language.
(iii) Candidates are required to answer in the medium as per option exercised in the Application Form.
(iv) 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
1. To answer a question, the candidate needs to choose one option as the correct option.
2. Each question carries 02 (two) marks.
3. For each correct response, the candidate will get 02 (two) marks.
4. There is no negative marking for incorrect response.
5. Questions answered/attempted shall be evaluated irrespective of whether they are marked for review. Questions unanswered/unattempted shall not be evaluated, irrespective of whether they are marked for review.
6. While every effort will be made to ensure that each question has one unique answer, in case, it is found that a question has more than one option, it will be dealt with in following manner:
a) If more than one option is found to be correct, then Two marks (+2) will be awarded to only those who have marked any of the correct options.
b) If all options are found to be correct, then Two marks (+2) will be awarded to all those who have attempted the question.
c) If none of the options is found correct or a Question is found to be wrong or a Question is dropped, then two marks (+2) will be awarded to only those candidates who have attempted the question. The reason could be due to human error or technical error. Since there is no negative marking, candidate needs to choose one most appropriate option as correct answer.
Fee Payable for UGC-NET December 2026
(Pay fee using the Payment Gateway(s) integrated to the Online Application through Net Banking Debit Card / Credit Card / UPI)
General INR : 1150
General-EWS/OBC(NCL)* : INR 600
SC/ST/Third gender : INR 325
Person with Disability (PwD) / Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) Rs. 325/-
Applicable service/processing charges & GST over and above the Examination Fee, are to be Paid by the candidate to the concerned Bank/ Payment Gateway Integrator.
Instructions for filling Online Application Form
• Download Information Bulletin and Replica of Application Form. Read these carefully to ensure your eligibility.
• Meri Pehchaan-National Single Sign-On (NSSO) Platform
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, has developed a National Single Sign-On (NSSO) platform titled "Meri Pehchaan" in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and National e-Governance Division (NeGD). The platform was launched on 4th July 2022 to facilitate seamless access to multiple Government services through a single set of login credentials.
Meri Pehchaan enables users to authenticate themselves once and securely access various integrated applications without the need for repeated sign-ins. The platform integrates multiple identity providers such as Jan Parichay, Digi Locker, and e-Pramaan, thereby ensuring interoperability and a unified user experience.
Users can register on the platform using basic details such as name, date of birth, and mobile number, and may complete verification through eKYC using Aadhaar, PAN, Driving Licence or APAAR. The platform supports advanced features such as multi-factor authentication, password-less login, and the ability to manage multiple accounts linked to a single mobile number.
The NSSO framework significantly reduces the burden of maintaining multiple credentials, enhances data security, and provides a standardized authentication mechanism for Government services. It also benefits service providers by reducing the cost and complexity of developing independent authentication systems.
Meri Pehchaan thus serves as a secure, scalable, and citizen-centric digital identity solution, contributing to the vision of Digital India by improving ease of access to Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services.
Application form registration has been enabled through the Single Sign-On (SSO) service-Meri Pehchan of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, for the convenience of the applicants.
• Follow the steps given below to Apply Online:
Step-1: Apply for Online Registration using own Email Id and Mobile No.
Step-2: Fill in the Online Application Form and note down the system generated Application Number. The candidate will have to upload his/her live photograph at the time of filling of the application form and will also have to upload scanned images of: (i) a recent photograph (file size 10kb-200kb) either in colour or black & white with 80% face (without mask) visible including ears against white background; (ii) candidate's signature (file size: 10kb-50kb); (iii) Scanned copy of Disability/UDID certificate should be a pdf between (50 kb to 300 kb) (clearly legible).
Note: -
NTA reserves the right for verification of the candidate's details and photographs. Candidates are advised to update their details on Aadhaar Card with their recent Photograph, Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Address etc. (for updation in Aadhaar, please follow UIDAI Guidelines).
For capturing Live Photograph, candidates should switch on their camera or connect their webcam to the device used for filling the Application Form. If your device does not support a webcam, QR code on the right can be scanned by the candidate using a mobile device/tablet etc. Candidates should ensure there is a light-colored background with proper lighting, and 80% face visibility (including ears, without a mask).
For PwD/PwBD candidates, the details of the UDID Card as uploaded will be verified from UDID portal of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DePwD). Those who do not have UDID Card should upload Disability Certificate in the proper format and the same may be verified by NTA from the issuing authority. Any mismatch or validation issue occurred during verification through UDID portal will only be corrected through correction window as and when notified by NTA during Application Procedure. After the correction window closes, no claims of PwD/PwBD shall be entertained.
The Candidate has to upload his/ her own photograph, signature, and certificate(s) as mentioned above (and not of anybody else) in a correct/proper manner. In case, it is found at any time in the future that the Candidate has used/uploaded the photograph, signature, and certificate(s) of someone else in his/her Application Form/admit card, or he/she has tampered his/her Admit Card/Result/Scorecard, these acts of the candidate shall be treated as Unfair Means (UFM) Practices and treated with the suitable actions as contemplated under the provisions of the Information Bulletin relating to Unfair Means Practices.
Step-3: Pay fee using SB1/CANARA/UBI/ Debit Card/Credit Card/UPI and keep proof of fee paid.
• Download, save and print a copy of Confirmation Page of the Application Form (which would be downloadable only after successful remittance of fee) for future reference.
• All the three Steps can be done together or at separate timings. The submission of Application of a candidate could be considered as successful, and his/her candidature would be confirmed only on the successful transaction/receipt of the prescribed application fee from him/her.
d. The Confirmation Page of the online Application Form will be generated only after successful payment by the Candidate.
> In case the Confirmation Page is not generated after payment of fee, then the candidate should approach the concerned Bank/Payment Gateway (in the helpline no. and email given in Annexure - I of the Information Bulletin) for ensuring the successful payment or for obtaining the refund of duplicate / multiple payments.
> However, if in spite of above action payment has not been successfully made it means that the transaction has not been completed, and the amount not reflected in the NTA account. Such amount will be refunded to concerned Credit/Debit Card/UPI on reconciliation after the declaration of result by the concerned bank. Therefore, such candidates have to pay the fee once again and ensure the fee status as successful.
e. Candidates shall ensure that the information entered by them in their respective online Application Form is correct.
f. Information such as his/her name, contact details/address, category, PwD/PwBD status, educational qualification details, date of birth, choice of exam cities, provided by the candidate in the online application form will be treated as final. Any request for change in such particulars after the closure of correction period will not be considered by NTA.
g. Following the completion of examination process, corrections in the details specified in the certificate may be considered only under special circumstances. This is contingent upon the submission of the necessary documentation and approval by the competent authority.
h. NTA does not edit /modify/alter any information entered by the candidates under any circumstances. Any request for change in information after submission of Application Form will not be entertained after the closure of correction window subject to NTA's permitted fields. Therefore, candidates are advised to exercise utmost caution for filling up correct details in the Application Form.
i. NTA disclaims any liability that may arise to a candidate(s) due to incorrect information provided by him/her in his/her online Application Form.
j. Candidates must ensure that their email address and mobile number to be registered in their online Application Form are their own, as relevant/important information/ communication will be sent by NTA through e-mail on the registered e-mail address and / or through SMS on registered mobile number only. NTA shall not be responsible for any non-communication / miscommunication with a candidate in the email address or mobile number given by him/her other than his/her own. Candidates are advised to visit the NTA Website and check their e-mails regularly for latest updates.
k. Candidates shall appear at their own cost at the Examination Centre on the Date, Shift and time indicated on their Admit Cards issued by the NTA in due course through its Website.
Notes
i. The final submission of Online Application Form will remain incomplete if Step-2 and step-3 are not completed. Such forms will stand rejected and no correspondence on this account will be entertained.
ii. No request for refund of fee once remitted by the candidate will be entertained by NTA under any circumstances. This condition applies to a successfully completed single application-fee payment. Failed or duplicate transactions shall be dealt with under the verified refund procedure.
iii. NTA intends to provide an additional facility through the UMANG and DigiLocker platforms to enable candidates to download examination-related documents such as the Score Card and other relevant records. Detailed instructions regarding this facility will be issued in subsequent phases. Candidates are advised to visit the NTA website and check their registered e-mails regularly for updates.
iv. The entire application process for UGC-NET December 2026 is online, including uploading of live photographs and scanned images, payment of fees, and printing of confirmation page, admit card, etc. Therefore, candidates are not required to send/submit any document(s) including confirmation page to NTA through Post/ Fax/WhatsApp/Email/by Hand.
v. Usage of Data and Information: NTA/Government of India can use the data provided by the End Users (test taker in this case) for internal purpose(s), including training, research and development, analysis, and other permissible purpose(s). This data can be shared by the UGC/NTA with Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) for admission to Ph.D. programmes and with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) & other organizations for their recruitment processes.
Notes
1. In case it is found at any time in future that the Candidate has used / uploaded the photograph and signature of someone else in his/ her Application Form / Admit Card or he/she has tampered his/her Admit Card / result, these acts of the candidate shall be treated as Unfair Means (UFM) Practices on his/her part and he/she shall be proceeded with the actions as contemplated under the provisions of the Unfair Means Practices given in Information Bulletin.
2. For capturing Live Photograph, candidates should switch on their camera or connect their webcam to the device used for filling the Application Form. If your device does not support a webcam, QR code on the right can be scanned by the candidate using a mobile device/tablet etc. Candidates should ensure there is a light-colored background with proper lighting, and 80% face visibility (including ears, without a mask).
Dates, Fee Details and Application Procedure
Online registration and submission of Application Form (complete in all respects) through NTA Website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/ : 08 October 2026 to 28 October 2026 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Last date for successful transaction of Examination fee (through Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking/UPI Payment Modes) : 28 October 2026 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Late Submission of online application Form with Late Fee Rs. 500/-* :
Late Submission of online application Form : 29 October 2026 to 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Last Date of Successful Transaction with Late Fee through Credit/Debit Cards/Net-Banking/UPI : 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Correction in the Particulars of Application Form online only : 02 November 2026 to 04 November 2026 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Intimation of Cities of exam centres : 23 November 2026
Downloading of Admit Card by the Candidate from NTA Website : 07 December 2026
Dates of Examination : 14 December 2026 to 18 December 2026 and 21 December 2026
Duration of Examination : 180 minutes (03 hours). No break between Paper 1 & Paper 2
Timing of Examination : To be intimated later
Exam Centre, Date and Shift : As indicated on the Admit Card
Display of Recorded Responses and Provisional Answer Keys on the Website for inviting challenge(s) from interested candidates : To be announced later
Declaration of Result on NTA website : To be announced later
Website(s) : nta.ac.in/ and ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
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