The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official notification and Information Bulletin for the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) December 2026 examination.

The examination will be conducted from 14 December to 19 December 2026 in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. Eligible candidates can apply online from 8 October to 28 October 2026. Candidates who miss the regular deadline can submit their application during the late-fee window from 29 October to 31 October 2026.

UGC NET determines eligibility for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor, and admission to Ph.D. programmes, depending on the qualification category.

Candidates should carefully review the official application dates, category-wise examination fees, eligibility conditions, age limits, and examination pattern before applying.

1. What Is UGC NET?

The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test is a national-level examination conducted by the National Testing Agency on behalf of the University Grants Commission.

UGC NET provides three qualification categories:

1. JRF and Assistant Professor: Candidates qualifying in this category become eligible for JRF and Assistant Professor positions, subject to the applicable rules.

2. Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Admission: Candidates become eligible for Assistant Professor positions and Ph.D. admission, but not for JRF.

3. Ph.D. Admission Only: Candidates become eligible for Ph.D. admission through the prescribed process, but not for JRF or Assistant Professor appointments.

For candidates qualifying under the second and third categories, NET marks carry 70% weightage in Ph.D. admission, while the university or institution's interview or viva voce carries 30% weightage. The NET result for these Ph.D. admission categories remains valid for one year from the result declaration date.

2. UGC NET December 2026 Important Dates

The following schedule is taken from the official December 2026 Information Bulletin.

Important: The buffer dates are reserved dates in the official schedule. They should not be treated as confirmed examination dates for every candidate. The actual subject-wise examination date, shift and centre will be provided by NTA.

3. UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee

The application fee differs according to the candidate's category. The official bulletin specifies the following examination fees.

Total fee with the late fee

Candidates applying during the late application window must pay an additional ₹500.

Additional charges: Applicable service or payment-processing charges and GST are payable over and above the examination fee. The totals in the second table exclude these additional charges.

Candidates should note that OBC-NCL benefits are based on the Central List of Other Backward Classes. Candidates belonging to a state OBC list but not included in the Central OBC-NCL list must select the General/Unreserved category, as instructed in the bulletin.

The examination fee, once remitted, is generally non-refundable under NTA's rules.

4. UGC NET December 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must satisfy the educational qualifications and other conditions prescribed in the official Information Bulletin.

A. Educational qualification through a master's degree

Candidates with a master's degree or equivalent qualification from a UGC-recognised university or institution can apply if they meet the minimum marks requirement.

The required percentage is calculated without rounding off.

B. Final-year postgraduate students

Candidates who are pursuing their master's degree, have appeared in their final examination, or are awaiting results may apply provisionally.

For JRF and Assistant Professor eligibility, they must complete the qualifying degree within two years from the date of the NET result and achieve the prescribed minimum marks.

Candidates qualifying under the Ph.D.-admission-only category must complete their master's degree within one year from the date of the NET result, subject to the required marks and applicable rules.

C. Candidates with a four-year bachelor's degree

The December 2026 bulletin also permits candidates with a four-year/eight-semester bachelor's degree to appear for UGC NET, subject to the specified requirements.

• The minimum required aggregate is 75% marks or the equivalent grade.

• A relaxation of 5% may be available to eligible categories, including SC, ST, OBC-NCL, differently abled candidates and EWS candidates, in accordance with the applicable rules.

• Such candidates can qualify for JRF and Ph.D. admission.

• Candidates qualifying on the basis of a four-year bachelor's degree are not eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor on that basis alone.

Candidates with this qualification may select the NET subject in which they intend to pursue a Ph.D., irrespective of the discipline of their four-year bachelor's degree.

D. Subject selection

Candidates are advised to appear in the NET subject corresponding to their postgraduate qualification.

If their postgraduate subject is not included in the list of NET subjects, they may select a related subject in accordance with the official guidelines.

5. UGC NET December 2026 Age Limit

Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)

The maximum age limit is 30 years as of 1 December 2026.

The official bulletin provides age relaxations under specified conditions:

• Up to five years for eligible OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, PwBD and Third Gender candidates, and women applicants.

• Up to five years for eligible candidates with qualifying research experience.

• Three years for candidates with an LL.M. degree.

• Up to five years for eligible candidates who have served in the armed forces, subject to the prescribed conditions.

The total age relaxation under the applicable grounds cannot exceed five years where the bulletin specifies this overall limit.

Candidates should read the age-relaxation provisions carefully to determine their individual eligibility.

Assistant Professor

There is no upper age limit for applying for UGC NET for Assistant Professor eligibility.

Ph.D. Admission

There is no upper age limit for applying through UGC NET for Ph.D. admission.

6. How to Apply for UGC NET December 2026

Candidates must submit the application form online through the official NTA website.

Step 1: Visit the official website.

Open https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/ and select the UGC NET December 2026 registration or application link.

Step 2: Register using your details.

The application registration process is enabled through the Meri Pehchaan National Single Sign-On service.

Register using your own mobile number and email address. Complete the required authentication steps and retain your login credentials.

Step 3: Complete the application form.

Enter your personal details, educational qualifications, category, selected NET subject, and examination-city preferences.

Candidates must select four preferred examination cities, as instructed in the bulletin. NTA will make efforts to allot a city according to the preferences, but the final allotment is subject to availability and NTA's decision.

Step 4: Upload the photograph and other documents.

The official bulletin requires candidates to upload a live photograph while filling out the application form, along with the prescribed scanned images.

The specified requirements include:

• Recent photograph: File size of 10 KB to 200 KB. The photograph must show approximately 80% of the face, including the ears, without a mask, against a white background.

• Signature: File size of 10 KB to 50 KB.

• Disability/UDID certificate: For applicable candidates, a clearly legible PDF of 50 KB to 300 KB.

Candidates should follow the application portal's instructions for capturing the live photograph and uploading documents. Additional supporting documents must be provided wherever required under the applicable category rules.

Step 5: Pay the application fee.

Pay the category-specific fee using an available payment method, including credit card, debit card, net banking, or UPI.

Candidates applying during the late window must also pay the additional ₹500 late fee.

Step 6: Download the confirmation page.

After successful payment, download and save the confirmation page.

Keep the confirmation page and payment receipt for future reference. An application is not considered complete unless the required application steps and fee transaction have been successfully completed.

Important: NTA does not require candidates to send the application form, confirmation page or supporting documents by post, fax, WhatsApp, email or by hand.

7. UGC NET December 2026 Examination Pattern

The official bulletin confirms that UGC NET December 2026 will be conducted in Computer-Based Test mode.

The test consists of two compulsory sections, both containing objective-type multiple-choice questions.

Total examination details

• Total questions: 150

• Maximum marks: 300

• Total duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)

• Break between papers: None

• Negative marking: No

• Unattempted questions: No marks

Part I: General Teaching and Research Aptitude

Part I assesses teaching and research aptitude, reasoning ability, reading comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness.

Part II: Subject-specific paper

Part II tests candidates' knowledge of the subject selected during registration.

Candidates should prepare according to the prescribed syllabus for both parts.

Marking scheme

Each correct answer carries two marks. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.

If a question has more than one correct option or is found to be incorrect or dropped, NTA will apply the special marking provisions specified in the Information Bulletin.

The question paper is generally available in English and Hindi, except for language papers. Candidates must select their preferred medium carefully because the selected medium cannot subsequently be changed.

8. UGC NET December 2026 Subjects

The examination covers subjects listed in Annexure II of the official Information Bulletin.

These include disciplines across humanities, social sciences, languages, commerce, education, management, computer science and other academic fields.

Candidates should consult the official subject list and subject codes before completing the application form.

Official syllabus: https://www.ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php

The syllabus and subject code should be checked before selecting a subject. Candidates should not assume that a subject is available merely because it is related to their postgraduate qualification.

9. UGC NET December 2026 Qualifying Criteria

Qualifying UGC NET is based on performance in both papers, subject-wise and category-wise criteria, and the applicable rules.

The official bulletin specifies the following minimum aggregate marks for consideration:

These percentages are the minimum aggregate requirements for consideration, not a guarantee of final qualification.

NTA uses the prescribed process to determine the number of candidates qualifying for Assistant Professor eligibility and allocates slots according to the reservation policy. The actual qualifying cutoff depends on the subject, category, performance and applicable criteria.

JRF qualification is determined separately according to the relevant rules and available fellowship slots.

10. Benefits of Qualifying UGC NET

Assistant Professor eligibility

Qualifying under the applicable category can make candidates eligible to apply for Assistant Professor positions in Indian universities and colleges, subject to recruitment rules.

Junior Research Fellowship

Candidates qualifying for JRF may become eligible for fellowship support to undertake research or pursue a Ph.D., subject to the applicable fellowship conditions.

Ph.D. admission

UGC NET can be used for Ph.D. admission under the applicable qualification category. For Categories 2 and 3, the institution combines NET performance and interview/viva voce performance as prescribed.

Academic and research opportunities

UGC NET qualification can support careers in higher education, research, academic institutions and other roles that recognise NET eligibility.

11. Important Instructions for Candidates

Candidates should keep the following points in mind:

• Apply before 28 October 2026 to avoid the late fee.

• Use your own email address and mobile number during registration.

• Check all personal, academic and category details before submitting the form.

• Upload your live photograph and scanned documents according to the official specifications.

• Select the subject and four preferred examination cities carefully.

• Pay the correct category-wise fee and verify that the transaction is successful.

• Download the confirmation page after payment.

• Check the official website regularly for examination-city information, admit cards, subject-wise schedules and result updates.

• Carry the prescribed admit card, photograph and valid photo identification to the examination centre.

For examination-related queries, candidates can contact NTA through the details published in the official Information Bulletin.

Conclusion

The UGC NET December 2026 examination is an important opportunity for candidates seeking eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor positions and Ph.D. admission.

According to the official Information Bulletin, the application deadline without a late fee is 28 October 2026, while the late application window closes on 31 October 2026. The examination is scheduled from 14 December to 19 December 2026.

Candidates should use the official NTA website and Information Bulletin as the primary sources of information. Carefully checking the application fee, eligibility requirements, age limit, subject selection and document specifications can help prevent avoidable application errors.