UGC NET December 2026: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
UGC NET (the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) decides who is eligible for a Junior Research Fellowship, for appointment as Assistant Professor, and for Ph.D. admission in Indian universities and colleges. The National Testing Agency (NTA) holds it for the UGC. UGC NET December 2026 is on 14 to 18 December and 21 December 2026, and online applications close on 28 October 2026 (checked 20 October 2026 in the December 2026 information bulletin on ugcnet.nta.nic.in). That leaves about eight weeks.
UGC NET at a glance
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency, for the UGC |
| What it is for | JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission, or Ph.D. admission only |
| Mode | Computer-based test at a centre |
| Questions | Paper 1: 50; Paper 2: 100 (150 in all) |
| Time | 3 hours for both papers, no break |
| Marking | 2 marks per right answer, no negative marking |
| Languages | English and Hindi (language subjects in that language) |
| How often | Twice a year (June and December cycles) |
| Official website | ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
UGC NET December 2026 exam date
From the information bulletin (the version posted on 16 October 2026 with a corrigendum), as of 20 October 2026:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application | 8 October to 28 October 2026 (11:50 p.m.) |
| Last date to pay the fee | 28 October 2026 |
| Late application with ₹500 late fee | 29 to 31 October 2026 |
| Correction window | 2 to 4 November 2026 |
| Exam city intimation | 23 November 2026 |
| Admit card | 7 December 2026 |
| Exam | 14 to 18 December and 21 December 2026 |
| Result | To be announced |
Your date and shift are printed on the admit card. NTA says the dates are tentative and will inform candidates of any change.
How to apply for UGC NET December 2026
- Go to ugcnet.nta.nic.in and open the December 2026 application link. You can register through the Meri Pehchan single sign-on.
- Fill in your details, your master's degree and marks, the category you want (JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and Ph.D., or Ph.D. only) and your Paper 2 subject.
- Choose your exam cities.
- Upload your photograph, signature and, if you claim one, a category or PwD certificate.
- Pay the fee by card, net banking or UPI by 28 October 2026. The bulletin gives ₹1,150 (General), ₹600 (General-EWS and OBC-NCL) and ₹325 (SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender), plus bank charges.
- Download the confirmation page. Only one application per candidate is allowed.
Use Aadhaar verification if you can; NTA says it helps at the centre and with JRF processing.
Eligibility: a master's degree or equivalent with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and third gender), without rounding off. Final-year master's students may apply provisionally. For JRF the age limit is 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with relaxations; for Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission there is no upper age limit.
UGC NET exam pattern
| Paper | Questions | Marks | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 50 | 100 | Teaching and research aptitude (common to all) |
| Paper 2 | 100 | 200 | The subject you chose |
| Total | 150 | 300 | One 180-minute sitting |
The two papers share one 3-hour clock with no break, and you can move between them. Every question has one correct answer and carries 2 marks. A wrong answer costs nothing, so leave no question blank.
To be considered, a candidate must appear in both papers and reach at least 40% aggregate (General and General-EWS) or 35% (the reserved categories named in the bulletin). Eligibility for Assistant Professor is then given to the top 6% of those who appeared, by category and subject; JRF is a further allocation. There is no fixed pass mark beyond those floors. Marks are normalised where a subject runs in more than one shift.
UGC NET syllabus
Paper 1 has ten units, and five questions come from each: teaching aptitude, research aptitude, reading comprehension, communication, mathematical reasoning, logical reasoning (including Indian logic), data interpretation, ICT, people, development and environment, and the higher education system.
Paper 2 follows the syllabus of your subject, published by the UGC NET Bureau. The bulletin covers 87 subjects; Commerce, for example, has ten units from business environment and accounting to income tax.
Read the official syllabi for your subject and our UGC NET syllabus page, which covers Paper 1, Commerce, Education and Political Science.
An eight-week plan to mid-December
Week 1. Apply before 28 October. Take one full UGC NET mock test (Paper 1 with Commerce) to find your weak units.
Weeks 2–4. Paper 1 first: since every unit gets exactly five questions, cover all ten. Data interpretation, mathematical reasoning and reading comprehension respond fastest to practice. In parallel, go through your Paper 2 units one at a time.
Weeks 5–7. A full 3-hour mock every week, then one topic test a day on your weakest units. Aim to finish Paper 1 in about an hour so Paper 2 gets the rest.
Week 8. Download the admit card (7 December), revise your notes and do one last mock. Answer every question in the real exam: there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
For how to read your results, see how to analyse a mock test.
Useful links
- UGC NET December 2026 application and notices (NTA)
- UGC NET information bulletins and subject syllabi
- Free UGC NET mock tests
- UGC NET syllabus
- UGC NET exam dates
- CSIR NET December 2026: exam date, pattern and how to apply
- How to use mock tests
Frequently asked questions
When is UGC NET December 2026?
From 14 to 18 December and on 21 December 2026, according to the information bulletin on ugcnet.nta.nic.in (checked 20 October 2026). Your exact date and shift are on the admit card, due on 7 December.
What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
28 October 2026, up to 11:50 p.m. A late application with a ₹500 late fee is possible from 29 to 31 October.
Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No. A right answer gets 2 marks and a wrong answer gets 0, the same as a blank. Attempt every question.
What is the UGC NET pass mark?
You need at least 40% of the 300 marks (General and General-EWS) or 35% (reserved categories) to be considered. The final list for Assistant Professor is the top 6% of candidates by category and subject, so the real cut-off varies.
Is there an age limit for UGC NET?
Only for JRF: 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with relaxations for some categories. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or Ph.D. admission.
Can I apply in my final year of master's?
Yes, provisionally. You must then pass the master's with the required percentage within two years of the NET result (one year for Ph.D.-only qualification).