UGC National Eligibility Test (UGC NET)
Quick facts
| Conducted by | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
|---|---|
| Exam level | National |
| How often | Twice a year (June and December) |
| Mode | Online |
| Qualification | Master's degree with 55% (50% for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwBD) |
| Age relaxation | none |
| Official website | ugcnet.nta.ac.in |
No age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility. Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) has an upper age limit (around 30 years, with relaxation for reserved categories and women).
Overview
UGC NET decides eligibility for Assistant Professor posts in Indian colleges and universities, Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), and admission to PhD programmes.
Eligibility
- Education: a master's degree with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwBD and third gender). Final-year PG students can apply. Four-year UG degree holders with required marks may also be eligible.
- Age: no upper limit for Assistant Professor and PhD; JRF has an upper age limit.
Exam pattern & syllabus
| Paper | Content | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Teaching & research aptitude, reasoning, comprehension, ICT, environment, higher education | 100 |
| Paper 2 | Your subject (83 subjects available) | 200 |
150 questions in 3 hours, no negative marking.
How to prepare
- Paper 1 is common to everyone and very scoring – practise it thoroughly.
- For Paper 2, cover the full official syllabus of your subject.
- Solve previous papers – many concepts repeat.
Latest UGC NET updates
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Please note: eligibility, age limits and exam pattern change from year to year. This page gives general guidance only; the official notification for each year is final.