UGC NET December 2026 Notification
UGC-National Eligibility Test (NET) December 2026
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UGC-NET December 2026 is the National Testing Agency's test for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor eligibility and Ph.D. admission in humanities, social sciences, languages, computer science and other UGC subjects. Apply online at ugcnet.nta.nic.in from 8 October to 28 October 2026 (11:50 pm); the computer-based exam is from 14 to 19 December 2026.
UGC NET December 2026 at a glance
- UGC NET December 2026 status
- Form closed
- UGC NET December 2026 last date
- 28 Oct 2026 (fee till 31 Oct 2026)
- Age limit
- JRF: up to 30 years on 1 Dec 2026; no upper limit for Assistant Professor / Ph.D., as on 1 Dec 2026
- Application fee
- General / Unreserved: ₹1,150; Gen-EWS / OBC-NCL: ₹600; SC / ST / Third gender: ₹325; PwD / PwBD: ₹325; Late fee (29–31 Oct 2026): ₹500
- Qualification
- Post graduate
Forms open now
UGC NET December 2026 Important Dates
- Online application starts
- Last date to apply and pay fee
- Late submission with ₹500 late fee (last date)
- Correction window (2–4 Nov 2026)
- Admit cardTo be intimated later
- Exam: 14–19 Dec 2026 (proposed)
- ResultTo be announced later
UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee
| General / Unreserved | ₹1,150 |
|---|---|
| Gen-EWS / OBC-NCL | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / Third gender | ₹325 |
| PwD / PwBD | ₹325 |
| Late fee (29–31 Oct 2026) | ₹500 |
UGC NET December 2026 Age Limit as on 1 Dec 2026
| Age limit | JRF: up to 30 years on 1 Dec 2026; no upper limit for Assistant Professor / Ph.D. |
|---|---|
| Relaxation: OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third gender / Women (JRF) | Up to 5 years |
| Relaxation: LL.M. degree holders (JRF) | 3 years |
| Relaxation: Research experience in the PG subject (JRF) | Period of research, up to 5 years |
| Relaxation: Armed forces service (JRF) | Up to 5 years (total relaxation never above 5 years) |
UGC NET December 2026 Eligibility
- Master's degree or equivalent from a UGC-recognised university with at least 55% marks (without rounding off) for General/Unreserved/General-EWS candidates, or at least 50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third gender candidates.
- Candidates pursuing the Master's degree, or whose final-year result is awaited, can apply provisionally. They must pass with the required percentage within two years of the NET result (within one year if they qualify for 'Admission to Ph.D. only').
- A 4-year/8-semester bachelor's degree with at least 75% marks (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/differently-abled/EWS and other categories as decided by UGC) makes you eligible for JRF and Ph.D. admission only, not for Assistant Professor.
- Age for JRF: not more than 30 years on 1 December 2026. Up to 5 years' relaxation for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, Third gender and women; 3 years for LL.M. degree holders; total relaxation cannot exceed 5 years.
- No upper age limit for Assistant Professor or for admission to Ph.D.
- Appear in your post-graduation subject; if it is not in the NET subject list, choose a related subject. Ph.D. holders who completed their Master's by 19 September 1991 get a 5% relaxation in marks (55% to 50%).
UGC NET December 2026 Selection Process
- One computer-based test of 3 hours (180 minutes) with two papers and no break: Paper I (50 questions, 100 marks) on teaching and research aptitude, and Paper II (100 questions, 200 marks) on your subject.
- Answer key challenge: the provisional key is displayed for two to three days and each challenge costs ₹200 per question.
- To be considered you must appear in both papers and score at least 40% aggregate (General/General-EWS) or 35% (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, PwD/PwBD, Third gender); marks are normalised by the equi-percentile method where a subject runs in more than one shift.
- Subject-wise and category-wise cut-offs then decide who qualifies for JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission, or Ph.D. admission only.
UGC NET December 2026 Exam Pattern
| Stage | Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Teaching / research aptitude, reasoning, reading comprehension, general awareness | 50 | 100 | 3 hours for both papers, no break |
| Paper II | Subject chosen by the candidate | 100 | 200 | – |
UGC NET December 2026 Vacancy Details
| Post | Qualification | Posts |
|---|
How to Apply for UGC NET December 2026
- Go to https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in and register with your own e-mail ID and mobile number (registration also works through the Meri Pehchaan single sign-on). Note the Application Number generated.
- Fill in the online form: personal details, subject, exam cities, medium of the paper and educational qualifications. Choose the medium carefully, as it cannot be changed later.
- Capture your live photograph by webcam and upload a recent photo (10–200 kb), your signature (10–50 kb) and, if applicable, the disability/UDID certificate as a PDF (50–300 kb).
- Pay the fee online by net banking, debit/credit card or UPI: ₹1,150 General/Unreserved, ₹600 Gen-EWS/OBC-NCL, ₹325 SC/ST/Third gender and PwD/PwBD. Form and fee must be complete by 28 October 2026, 11:50 pm.
- Missed the date? Late submission with a late fee of ₹500 is allowed from 29 to 31 October 2026 (11:50 pm).
- Download the Confirmation Page. Corrections to the submitted form can be made online from 2 to 4 November 2026.
UGC NET December 2026 Important Links
Update timeline
UGC NET December 2026: Complete Details
What is UGC-NET December 2026?
UGC-NET is the test the National Testing Agency conducts for the University Grants Commission to decide whether Indian nationals are eligible for the award of Junior Research Fellowship with appointment as Assistant Professor, for appointment as Assistant Professor with Ph.D. admission, or for Ph.D. admission only, in Indian universities and colleges. It covers subjects in humanities and social sciences, languages, computer science and applications, electronic science and others listed in the bulletin. NET marks under the second and third categories can replace a university's own Ph.D. entrance test.
UGC NET December 2026 important dates
Online registration runs from 8 October 2026 to 28 October 2026, up to 11:50 pm, and the fee must be paid by the same time. Late submission with a ₹500 late fee is open from 29 to 31 October 2026, and the correction window is 2 to 4 November 2026. The exam is proposed from 14 to 19 December 2026, with 20 and 21 December as buffer days. The exam city slip, the admit card, the exam timings, the answer keys and the result will be announced later on the NTA website.
Exam pattern and marking scheme
The test is computer-based and lasts three hours with no break between the two papers. Paper I has 50 questions worth 100 marks and checks teaching and research aptitude, reasoning, reading comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness. Paper II has 100 questions worth 200 marks on the subject you choose. Every question carries two marks, all questions are compulsory and there is no negative marking. The paper is in English and Hindi except for language subjects, and the English version is final if a translation is unclear.
How the UGC NET result is prepared
Candidates qualifying for Assistant Professor are fixed at 6% of those who appeared in both papers on the basis of a Master's degree, and these slots are divided among categories according to the Government of India reservation policy. To be considered you need at least 40% aggregate in both papers for General and General-EWS, or 35% for the reserved categories. Subject-wise cut-offs come from these slots. Where a subject is held in more than one shift, marks are normalised by the equi-percentile method and the result is declared in percentile with normalised marks.
JRF, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission
JRF-qualified candidates can receive the UGC fellowship once they find placement in a university or institution, and the offer is valid for three years from the date of the JRF award letter. They are also eligible for Assistant Professor. For Ph.D. admission under the second and third categories, NET marks carry 70% weightage and the university interview 30%, and these marks stay valid for one year from the result. Candidates qualifying for Assistant Professor are then governed by the recruitment rules of the university, college or state concerned.
Documents and exam-day items
Keep a recent photo with 80% of the face visible against a white background, your signature, a working webcam for the live photo, your own e-mail ID and mobile number, and if applicable a disability or UDID certificate. Bring the admit card, an original valid photo ID and the other items the admit card lists on exam day. NTA does not ask candidates to post any certificate or the Confirmation Page.
UGC NET December 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
The last date is 28 October 2026 (up to 11:50 pm), for both the form and the fee. With a late fee of ₹500 you can still submit from 29 to 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 pm).
When is the UGC NET December 2026 exam?
The exam is proposed from 14 to 19 December 2026, with 20 and 21 December kept as buffer days. Timings, your date and shift will be given on the admit card.
What is the UGC NET December 2026 application fee?
₹1,150 for General/Unreserved, ₹600 for Gen-EWS and OBC-NCL, and ₹325 for SC, ST, Third gender and PwD/PwBD candidates. Bank or gateway charges and GST are extra. The late fee is ₹500.
What is the age limit for UGC NET JRF?
For JRF you must not be more than 30 years old on 1 December 2026. OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, Third gender and women candidates get up to 5 years' relaxation, LL.M. holders 3 years, and research experience or armed forces service can also count; total relaxation cannot exceed 5 years.
Is there an age limit for Assistant Professor in UGC NET?
No. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or for admission to Ph.D.
What is the UGC NET exam pattern?
Two papers in one 3-hour sitting with no break. Paper I has 50 questions for 100 marks on teaching and research aptitude, reasoning, reading comprehension and general awareness. Paper II has 100 questions for 200 marks on your subject. All questions are compulsory.
Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No. Each question carries 2 marks and there is no negative marking for a wrong answer.
What are the minimum qualifying marks?
You must appear in both papers and get at least 40% aggregate marks (General/General-EWS) or 35% (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, PwD/PwBD, Third gender) to be considered. Final cut-offs are subject-wise and category-wise.
In which language is the paper?
The paper is in English and Hindi, except the language papers. The medium chosen in the form cannot be changed later.
Where can I find the UGC NET syllabus?
The bulletin says the syllabus for all NET subjects can be downloaded from the UGC website, https://www.ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php. NTA does not provide a copy.
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Drafted automatically from the official NTA notice. The posts, dates, fees and age limit were cross-checked by two independent automated readers of that notice; pages where they disagree are reviewed by the editor before publishing.
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