UGC NET 2026 Exam Date, Schedule, Admit Card & Eligibility Details

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC NET exam biannually (June and December sessions) to certify eligibility for Assistant Professorships and Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) in Indian universities and colleges. The UGC NET June 2026 exam is officially scheduled from June 22nd to June 30th, 2026. The test will be administered in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format across 87 subjects, with a total duration of 180 minutes. Refer below for full exam details. 

UGC NET 2026 Exam- Highlights

Candidates possessing a Master's degree and meeting all prescribed eligibility criteria were required to submit their UGC NET 2026 application form through the official National Testing Agency (NTA) website portal.

UGC NET Exam Date 2026 Out

Alongside the release of the official notification, the NTA confirmed the exam dates for the UGC NET June 2026 cycle. The examination will take place from June 22nd to June 30th, 2026, for all successfully registered candidates. Specific exam center details are expected by June 10th, 2026, with admit cards scheduled for release by June 15th, 2026. 

Important Dates

We have compiled all critical dates for the UGC NET June 2026 examination below. The UGC NET 2026 June cycle is set to be held from June 22nd to June 30th, 2026. Refer to the following table for important schedule updates. 

Notification PDF

The National Testing Agency (NTA) published the official information brochure and registration schedule for the UGC NET 2026 exam on April 29th, 2026, via their official website, www.ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The notification PDF contains comprehensive details regarding eligibility requirements, the application process, and the exam pattern. 

UGC NET June 2026 Notification Released - Download PDF

• Is UGC NET Exam Tough?
  Usually UGC NET exam (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) is considered moderately to highly tough, due to its high level of competition and the need for strong subject-specific and general aptitude knowledge.
• What is NFOBC in UGC NET?
  National Fellowship for Other Backward Classes (OBC) is also known as NFOBC, is a scheme that provides financial support to OBC students for higher studies (M.Phil. and Ph.D.) in various streams.
• What is NFSC in UGC NET?
  The National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students NFSC in UGC NET is a scheme that provides financial assistance for higher education (M.Phil./Ph.D.) to students from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category

What is the UGC NET Exam?

UGC NET is a prestigious national-level examination determining the eligibility of Indian candidates for Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) and Assistant Professor positions. It serves as a gateway for recruitment and Ph.D. admissions in higher education institutions across India, qualifying candidates for:

• Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) to pursue research with financial aid
• Assistant Professor roles to teach in universities/colleges
• PhD Admission Eligibility – 70% weightage given to NET score, 30% to university interview

Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for the UGC NET 2026 exam, ensure you thoroughly review the UGC NET Eligibility Criteria. Here are the key highlights:

Educational Qualification

- Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent from a UGC-recognized university.
- For those with a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 75% aggregate marks is required. A 5% relaxation applies to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), PwD, and EWS categories.
- Candidates currently in their final semester of post-graduation are eligible to apply.
- Eligibility applies to subjects across Humanities, Social Science, Computer Science & Applications, and Electronic Science.
- General candidates require at least 55% aggregate marks, while reserved category candidates require 50%.
- A 5% relaxation in aggregate marks is granted to Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s examination was completed by 19th September 1991.

• Who can give the UGC NET Exam?
  The Indian candidates holding a Master's degree with at least 55% aggregate marks (or 50% for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Third Gender) and candidates who are appearing for their final Master's degree can apply and appear for the UGC NET exam.
• How Many Attempts for UGC NET?
  There is no specific age limit on the number of attempts for the UGC NET exam, but there is an upper age limit of 30 years to apply for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).

Age Limit 

Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) Age Limit: Candidates must not exceed 30 years of age. 

- A 5-year age relaxation is available for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD categories.
- Candidates with an L.L.M. degree receive a 3-year relaxation. Ex-servicemen may receive up to 5 years of relaxation depending on the duration of their service.
- Total age relaxation under any circumstances shall not exceed five years.

Application Fee 

The UGC NET 2026 application fee varies by category and is non-refundable and non-transferable. Payments can be processed via credit card, debit card, or e-Challan (cash payment at banks). Category-wise fee structures are detailed below.

1. General/ Unreserved- Rs. 1150/-
2. General-EWS/OBC-NCL- Rs. 600/-
3. SC/ST/PwD & Third Gender- Rs. 325/-

Applicable processing charges and Goods and Services Tax (GST) are to be borne by the candidate.

Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit for candidates applying specifically for the Assistant Professor position.

UGC NET Reservation Policy 

The UGC NET examination adheres to the national reservation policy. Please refer to the table below for category-wise reservation guidelines.

Important Documents for UGC NET 2026 Exam

Candidates are required to upload original documents in the specified dimensions. The mandatory documents for the UGC NET June 2026 application are listed below.

Exam Pattern

The UGC NET 2026 will be conducted exclusively as a Computer-Based Test (CBT). The exam comprises two papers, both consisting of objective-type, multiple-choice questions. No break is provided between the two papers.

Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No, there is no negative marking policy for the UGC NET exam.

UGC NET Paper Details

Exam Mode: Conducted via Online Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Number of Papers: The examination consists of two papers: Paper-I and Paper-II.

Number of Questions: A total of 150 questions (50 in Paper-I and 100 in Paper-II).

Type of Questions: All questions are objective-type, multiple-choice.

Language Medium: The question paper is provided in both English and Hindi.

Time Duration: Paper-I: 1 hour; Paper-II: 2 hours.

Total Marks: Paper-I: 100 marks; Paper-II: 200 marks.

Marking Scheme: Each correct answer earns 2 marks. There is no negative marking for incorrect responses.

View Detailed UGC NET Exam Pattern (Paper I + II)

Exam Syllabus

The NTA has released the official UGC NET Syllabus 2026. Candidates should thoroughly study the curriculum to prepare effectively. The exam remains a single-session Computer-Based Test.

Access UGC NET Paper 1 Syllabus 2026

Download UGC NET Previous Year Question Papers PDF

UGC NET Posts

The UGC NET serves as a vital qualification for two key roles: Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor. High-performing candidates secure opportunities for Ph.D. research fellowships or teaching positions within higher education institutions.

1. Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)

• Purpose - For full-time Ph.D. and research
• Benefits: ₹37,000/month (1st 2 years), ₹42,000/month (from 3rd year), HRA, UGC funding

1. Assistant Professor

• Purpose - For teaching roles in colleges/universities
• Benefits - Eligible for permanent/contractual teaching job, academic promotions, and Ph.D. optional

List of Subjects and their Codes

A detailed list of subjects and their corresponding subject codes for the UGC NET 2026 cycle is provided in the official documentation.

Selection Procedure

Qualifying candidates are selected based on subject-wise and category-wise merit lists. The top 6% of students appearing for both papers are considered for JRF and Assistant Professor eligibility. Additionally, the top 15% of candidates within each category and subject qualify exclusively for the Assistant Professor position.

Exam Centres

The NTA conducts the UGC NET 2026 examination across 224 cities nationwide. Candidates must select their preferred test cities during the application process.

Admit Card & Exam City

NTA releases the exam city intimation slip followed by the official admit card. Candidates should download their admit cards 2-3 days prior to the exam date to ensure entry into the examination hall.

Answer Key & Responses

Following the conclusion of the exam, NTA will release the provisional Answer Key. Candidates can download the key to verify their answers. Should there be any discrepancies, candidates are permitted to challenge the answers during the designated window before the final key is published.

Result, Cut-Off & Scorecard

Exam results are announced online once the evaluation process is complete. Students can access their results by logging in with their roll number and date of birth. Qualifying candidates meeting the cut-off criteria will then proceed to the counseling stages.

The scorecard, released alongside the results, provides a detailed breakdown of candidate performance, including the candidate’s name, course, roll number, section-wise marks, final rank, and percentile.

UGC NET Cut Off Marks

UGC NET 2026 cut-off marks are published online post-examination. Category-wise and subject-wise merit lists are generated based on these thresholds. Review the historical cut-off trends in the table below to estimate your targets.

Check Previous Year UGC NET Cut-Offs