UGC-NET
Qualifies candidates for Assistant Professor posts in Indian universities and colleges, for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), and for PhD admission, in 87 humanities, social science, commerce and allied subjects.
Eligibility
A master's degree with at least 55% (50% for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/third gender), or final-year master's students. Candidates with a 4-year undergraduate degree and at least 75% (or 70%) may also appear. JRF is open to those up to 30 years of age, with a 5-year relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/third-gender candidates and women. There is no age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD-only qualification, and no limit on attempts.
Age limit: JRF: 30 years (relaxations apply); Assistant Professor/PhD: none
Exam pattern
Computer-based test lasting 3 hours, with no break between the papers. Paper I (teaching and research aptitude) has 50 MCQs worth 100 marks. Paper II (the chosen subject) has 100 MCQs worth 200 marks. Each correct answer earns 2 marks and there is no negative marking. Results are declared in three categories: JRF + Assistant Professor + PhD, Assistant Professor + PhD, and PhD admission only.
Syllabus at a glance
Paper I has 10 units: teaching aptitude, research aptitude, comprehension, communication, mathematical reasoning, logical reasoning, data interpretation, ICT, people and environment, and the higher-education system. Paper II follows the UGC subject syllabus at postgraduate level, typically in 10 units per subject.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| December 2026 online registration (open now) | 8 – 28 Oct 2026 (fee by 28 Oct, 11:50 pm) | confirmed |
| Late-fee window (₹500 extra) | 29–31 Oct 2026 | confirmed |
| Application correction window | 2–4 Nov 2026 | confirmed |
| Exam city intimation | 23 Nov 2026 | confirmed |
| Admit card | 7 Dec 2026 | confirmed |
| Exam (CBT; revised by corrigendum) | 14–18 Dec and 21 Dec 2026 | confirmed |
| Result | Jan – Feb 2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Trueman's UGC NET/SET General Paper I – M. Gagan & Sajit Kumar (Danika)
- UGC NET/SET/JRF Teaching & Research Aptitude (Paper I) – K.V.S. Madaan (Pearson)
- UGC NET Paper I Solved Previous Papers – Arihant Experts (Arihant)
- Trueman's UGC NET/SET subject guides for Paper II (e.g. Commerce, Education, Political Science) – Danika Publishing
- Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques – C.R. Kothari
How toppers play it
- Paper I is the main lever, because 100 marks of mostly scoring units (data interpretation, ICT, the higher-education system, people and environment) can lift your aggregate above the cutoff. Aim for 70+.
- There is no negative marking, so attempt all 150 questions. Do Paper I first (about 50 minutes) and keep 2+ hours for Paper II.
- Cutoffs are applied to the aggregate of both papers, per subject and category, so check the previous cycle's subject-wise JRF and Assistant Professor cutoffs to set a realistic target.
- Paper II now leans on statement-based, match-the-following and assertion-reason questions. Practise these formats from the last 3–4 NTA papers instead of only reading theory.
- Revise the higher-education unit (NEP 2020, regulatory bodies, value education) and the environment unit (climate summits, pollution norms) from current sources, because questions here change every cycle.