The University Grants Commission (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET) is an admission exam held by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to select applicants for Assistant Professor positions in colleges and universities, as well as Junior Research Fellowships (JRF). JRF grantees will be able to undertake postgraduate research at IITs or other national organisations in their postgraduate topic. Such candidates are also qualified for Assistant Professor positions in Indian colleges and universities. The award of a ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor Eligibility Both’ or ‘Eligibility for Assistant Professor Only’ is based on the candidate’s overall performance in both UGC-NET papers.
Highlights:
| Particulars | Paper 1 |
| Full-Form | University Grants Commission (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET) |
| Subject | Economics,Political Science,Philosophy, Psychology,Sociology,History,Anthropology,and Commerce. |
| Mode of Conduction | Online |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year |
| Total Registrants for Previous session | approx. 8 lakhs |
| Official Website | ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
| Total Marks | 300 Marks |
| Total Questions Asked | 150 MCQs |
| Total Questions to be Answered | All |
| Marking Scheme | +2 for each correct ans. |
| Negative Marking | No |
| Medium of paper | English or hindi |
Eligibility Criteria:
- In order to demonstrate their eligibility, candidates do not need to provide any certificates or papers to the National Testing Agency.
- The NTA does not check the information supplied by applicants in the application form, thus their candidacy is only provisional until they meet the qualifying requirements.
- However, if the NTA or the UGC discovers any ineligibility at any point throughout the process, the candidate’s candidature would be cancelled, and legal action may be taken against them.
- Candidates with a Master’s Degree or equivalent from a recognised university in Humanities (including languages), Social Science, Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science, and other fields are qualified to take the NTA’s UGC NET test.
- The NTA’s UGC NET test is open to candidates with a Master’s Degree or equivalent from a recognised university in Humanities (including languages), Social Science, Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science, and other subjects.
2026-27 Exam Dates:
| Availability of Admit Card | 3rd Week of May 2026-27 |
| UGC NET 2026-27 Exam Date | 1st Week of June 2026-27 |
| Release of Answer Key | 2nd Week of June 2026-27 |
| Announcement of Results | 4th Week of June 2026-27 |
Exam Updates 2026-27:
| Name of Exam | UGC NET 2026-27 |
| UGC NET RESULT 2026-27 Exam Date | November Last Week or December first week 2026-27 |
| Category – | Exam Results |
| UGC NET Result Date 2026-27 – | January 2026-27 (Expected) |
Application Form 2026-27:
To apply for the UGC NET 2026-27 test online, candidates must follow the processes outlined below.
- Fill UGC NET Registration Form
- Fill UGC NET Application Form
- Upload Images and Signature
- Pay UGC NET Application Fee
- Download the Confirmation Page
Exam Application Fee 2026-27:
| General | 1,000 |
| General-EWS/OBC-NCL | 500 |
| SC/ST/PwD/Transgender | 250 |
Exam 2026-27: What’s New?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has published the UGC NET test dates 2026-27 for the combined December 2026-27 and June 2026-27 cycles. The rescheduled Phase I exams will take place on January 4, 2026-27, in a few towns throughout Odisha and Andhra Pradesh where the test was canceled owing to Cyclone Jawad.
Exam Pattern:
As previously stated, the UGC NET is an online exam that is administered as a computer-based test (CBT). The test consists of two papers, each of which must be completed in three hours. Objective-type questions appear in both Paper 1 and Paper 2, and candidates must attempt questions from both exams.
| Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Total |
| 50Q | 100Q | 150 |
| 100M | 200M | 300 |
Syllabus:
- For paper 1:
- 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
For paper 2:
Economics / Rural Economics /Co-operation / Demography / Development Planning/ Development Studies / Econometrics/ Applied Economics/Development Eco./Business Economics
Preparation Tips:
- Candidates who have applied for the UGC NET 2026-27 examination should begin their preparation as soon as possible. Candidates can utilise various methods to assist them perform better on the exam, even if it is one of the toughest in the country. Candidates can utilise the recommendations listed below to help them prepare for the exam.
- The UGC NET test will be held in two parts (Paper 1 & 2). Paper 1 will consist of broad aptitude questions, whereas paper 2 will focus on the subject at hand.
- The UGC NET Syllabus must be properly studied by candidates. Completely comprehend the curriculum and prepare each topic correctly.
- Prepare Notes
- Solve Previous Year Papers
- Time Management
- Prepare on Time
Exam Time Table:
| Sitting on the seat in the Examination Hall | 8:45 AM | 2:45 PM |
| Instructions by the Invigilators | 8:45 AM – 8:55 AM | 2:45 AM – 2:55 PM |
| Test Commences | 9:00 AM | 3.00 PM |
| Test Concludes | 12:00 PM | 6.00 PM |
Exam Reservation:
Candidates in the General (UR)/General-EWS and OBC categories received a score of 55 percent. Candidates from the SC/ST and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) groups will receive 50% of the vote.
| General-EWS (Economically Weaker Section) | 10% |
| OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) | 27% |
| SC/ST | 15% |
| PwD | 7% |
Answer Key:
The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test has received a large number of applications. This test had an online application process and was only held for a limited time. After the application deadline, you will not be able to apply for this test. This test was held on a nationwide basis, and students from all around the country applied.
You will be graded solely on the basis of your performance on this test. National Testing Agency administered this test in 2026-27. This test has been done in a perfectly fair manner in several states. This year, a total of 8,60,975 students applied for the exam.
Cut Off:
According to previous year’s trends, the cut-off marks for general category candidates for papers 1 and 2 will be 40%, while the cut-off marks for EWS/SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Transgender category students will be 35%.
Test Comparison:
The UGC NET Exam is held for practically all courses in every stream, but the CSIR NET Exam is exclusively held for science-related subjects. This is the most significant distinction between the two examinations.
The CSIR NET Exam contains just one three-hour paper, whereas the UGC NET Exam has two three-hour papers. Each UGC NET paper has a different time limit.
Candidates who have passed the CBSE UGC NET exam will be able to work with NET Coordinating Institutes, whilst those who have passed the CSIR NET exam will be assigned to CSIR Research Laboratories.
