The National Testing Agency has opened the online application process for the UGC-NET December 2026 examination. The test is used to determine eligibility for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor, admission to Ph.D., and admission to Ph.D. only, depending on the category in which a candidate qualifies.
The UGC NET December 2026 application form became available on 8 October 2026. Eligible candidates can submit the form until 28 October 2026, while the examination fee can also be paid up to 28 October. The examination is scheduled to be conducted from 14 December to 19 December 2026 in CBT mode.
Candidates should apply through the official UGC NET website and read the information bulletin carefully before submitting the form. The subject selected in the application should normally match the candidate’s postgraduate subject or an approved related subject.
Important: UGC NET is an eligibility examination, not a direct recruitment exam. Qualifying the test establishes eligibility under the applicable category, but appointment or Ph.D. admission depends on the rules of the recruiting university or institution.
UGC NET December 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
| Online registration begins | 8 October 2026 |
| Last date to submit application | 28 October 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Last date for regular fee payment | 28 October 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Late application window with ₹500 late fee | 29–31 October 2026 |
| Last date for late-fee payment | 31 October 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Application correction window | 2–4 November 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Exam city information | To be announced later |
| Admit card | To be announced later |
| UGC NET examination | 14–19 December 2026 |
| Answer key and recorded responses | To be announced later |
| Result | To be announced by NTA |
The dates may be revised by NTA if required. Candidates should monitor the official website and the email address and mobile number used during registration.
UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee
| Candidate category | Examination fee |
| General / Unreserved | ₹1,150 |
| General-EWS / OBC-NCL | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third Gender | ₹325 |
| Late fee | ₹500 in addition to the applicable examination fee |
The fee can be paid through credit card, debit card, net banking or UPI. Candidates should wait for successful payment confirmation and download the payment receipt.
UGC NET December 2026 Eligibility
Master’s degree qualification
General, Unreserved and General-EWS candidates should have secured at least 55% marks without rounding off in a Master’s degree or equivalent examination from a university or institution recognized by the UGC.
Candidates belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender categories should have at least 50% marks without rounding off in the Master’s degree or equivalent examination.
The relevant postgraduate subject should be recognized for UGC NET. Candidates are advised to appear in their postgraduate subject wherever possible. If the postgraduate subject is not included in the NET subject list, an approved related subject may be chosen.
Candidates appearing in the final year
Candidates who are pursuing a Master’s degree, have appeared in the final-year examination or whose qualifying examination result is awaited may apply provisionally.
Such candidates must complete the qualifying degree with the required percentage within the period specified in the information bulletin. The time limit differs according to whether the candidate qualifies for JRF/Assistant Professor or for admission to Ph.D. only.
Four-year bachelor’s degree route
Candidates who have completed or are pursuing a four-year or eight-semester bachelor’s degree may also apply under the applicable UGC rules. Such candidates generally require at least 75% marks in aggregate, with the prescribed relaxation for eligible categories.
Candidates qualifying through a four-year bachelor’s degree may be eligible for JRF and Ph.D. admission, but the bulletin states that this route does not make them eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor.
UGC NET Age Limit 2026
The age limit depends on the outcome being sought:
Junior Research Fellowship
• Maximum age: 30 years
• The age is calculated as on 1 December 2026.
• Relaxation of up to five years is available to eligible OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, Third Gender and women candidates.
• Additional relaxation may apply for research experience or armed-forces service under the conditions in the official bulletin.
• Candidates with an LL.M. degree may receive the specified three-year relaxation.
Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission
There is no upper age limit for applying for UGC NET for Assistant Professor eligibility or admission to Ph.D. Candidates must still satisfy the educational and category-specific eligibility requirements.
UGC NET December 2026 Exam Pattern
The examination will be conducted in Computer Based Test mode and consists of two compulsory papers. There is no break between Paper 1 and Paper 2.
| Paper | Purpose | Questions | Marks |
| Paper 1 | Teaching/research aptitude, reasoning, reading comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness | 50 | 100 |
| Paper 2 | Subject selected by the candidate and domain knowledge | 100 | 200 |
| Total | — | 150 | 300 |
Exam duration and marking scheme
• Total duration: 180 minutes / 3 hours
• All questions are compulsory.
• Each question carries 2 marks.
• There is no negative marking for an incorrect answer.
• No marks are awarded for unanswered or marked-for-review questions.
The question paper is available in English and Hindi, except for language papers. Candidates should choose the medium carefully because the selected medium cannot generally be changed after submission.
UGC NET Subjects
UGC NET December 2026 is being conducted for 87 subjects. Paper 2 is based on the subject chosen during registration and tests the candidate’s specialized knowledge.
Candidates should download the subject-wise syllabus from the official UGC/NTA or UGC NET website. The subject selected should be consistent with the candidate’s postgraduate qualification or an approved related subject.
UGC NET Result and Qualifying Criteria
NTA prepares the result using the final answer key and the prescribed qualifying methodology. To be considered for eligibility, a candidate must:
• Appear in both Paper 1 and Paper 2.
• Secure at least 40% aggregate marks in both papers together for General and General-EWS candidates.
• Secure at least 35% aggregate marks for candidates belonging to reserved categories, including OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender.
The number of candidates qualified for Assistant Professor eligibility is limited to approximately 6% of candidates who appear in both papers, subject to the category-wise reservation policy and subject-wise merit calculation.
Depending on performance and the applicable category, candidates may qualify for:
1. JRF and appointment as Assistant Professor
2. Appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.
3. Admission to Ph.D. only
The final category depends on NTA’s result rules, subject-wise performance and the candidate’s position in the merit process.
UGC NET Answer Key and Objection Process
After the examination, NTA will display the recorded responses, question paper attempted by the candidate and provisional answer key on the official website.
Candidates may challenge a provisional answer key during the prescribed window by paying ₹200 per challenged answer as a non-refundable processing fee. Challenges submitted after the deadline or through email, post or any other medium will not be considered.
Subject experts will examine valid challenges, after which NTA will publish the final answer key. The result will be prepared using the final answer key.
How to Apply for UGC NET December 2026
1. Visit the official UGC NET website.
2. Open the UGC-NET December 2026 application link.
3. Register using a valid mobile number and email address.
4. Enter personal details, academic qualification and category information.
5. Select the correct NET subject and examination medium.
6. Upload the photograph, signature and required documents.
7. Pay the applicable examination fee through the available payment method.
8. Review the application carefully before final submission.
9. Save the confirmation page, application number and payment receipt.
10. Use the correction window from 2 to 4 November 2026 if a permitted correction is required.
NTA advises candidates to use their own or their parent/guardian’s accessible email address and mobile number because important communications will be sent through the registered contact details.
Documents to Keep Ready
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Scanned signature
• Master’s degree marksheet or certificate, if available
• Final-year marksheets, where applicable
• Category, EWS or PwD/PwBD certificate, if applicable
• Identity proof
• Four-year bachelor’s degree documents, if applying through that route
• Payment receipt
• Disability or scribe-related documents, where applicable
Candidates should ensure that the name, date of birth, category and academic details in the form match their original documents.
Important Links
| Resource | Official link |
| Apply online | Open UGC NET December 2026 registration |
| UGC NET official website | Visit ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
| Information bulletin | Download the UGC NET December 2026 bulletin |
| Official registration notice | Read the NTA public notice |
| UGC NET syllabus | Check subject-wise syllabus information |
Planning your next big exam? Don’t miss our detailed guide on the AIBE 22 Online Form 2026 for dates, eligibility and preparation tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. When will the UGC NET December 2026 application form start?
The online application process started on 8 October 2026.
Q2. What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
The last date for regular online registration and fee payment is 28 October 2026. A late application window with a ₹500 late fee is available from 29 to 31 October 2026, subject to NTA’s instructions.
Q3. When will the UGC NET December 2026 examination be conducted?
The examination is scheduled from 14 December to 19 December 2026.
Q4. What is the UGC NET application fee?
The fee is ₹1,150 for General candidates, ₹600 for General-EWS/OBC-NCL candidates and ₹325 for SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender candidates.
Q5. Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. Each correct answer carries 2 marks.
Q6. What is the maximum age for UGC NET JRF?
The maximum age for JRF is 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with applicable category and other relaxations.
Q7. Is there an age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility?
There is no upper age limit for applying for UGC NET for Assistant Professor eligibility or admission to Ph.D.
Q8. How many papers are there in UGC NET?
There are two compulsory papers. Paper 1 has 50 questions for 100 marks, and Paper 2 has 100 questions for 200 marks. The total is 150 questions and 300 marks.
Q9. How many subjects are offered in UGC NET December 2026?
NTA is conducting UGC NET December 2026 for 87 subjects.
