The University Grants Commission- National Eligibility Test is a standardized test in India conducted by the National Testing Agency on behalf of the UGC. This exam will be held from 31st December 2025 to 07th January 2026 to determine the eligibility of Indian students to apply for Junior Research Fellowship, Assistant Professor, and PhD. UGC-NET 2025 will provide the registration, exam dates, and exam patterns.
UGC NET December 2025 Schedule Out! Check NTA official Notice... Click Here
The exam mode is a computer-based test (CBT). The applicants will get their results in a few months. After the results, students can plan for their higher education accordingly.
UGC NET Key Highlights
Here are some basic key highlights for students' better understanding:
|
Highlights |
Details |
|
Exam Name |
UGC-NET |
|
Conducted By |
NTA (National Testing Agency) |
|
Official Website |
https://ugcnet.nta.ac.in |
|
Given For |
JRF, Assistant Professor, PhD |
|
Accepted in |
Pan-India |
|
Mode of Examination |
Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
|
Duration of Exam |
180 minutes (3 hours) |
|
Registration |
07 October 2025 to 07th November 2025 (up to 11:50 pm) |
|
Exam Date |
31st December 2025 to 07th January 2026 |
|
Admit Card (Release) |
To be notified later |
|
Result |
To be notified later |
|
No. of Questions |
150 |
|
Exam fee |
General/ Unreserved- INR 1150 OBC-NCL/ General EWS- INR 600 SC/ST/PWD/Third gender- INR 325 |
|
Sections of Exams |
Paper 1 and Paper 2 |
|
Scoring scale |
200 to 300 score |
|
Marking Scheme |
|
|
Total exam takers |
6,49,640 |
What is UGC- NET?
UGC NET refers to the University Grants Commission- National Eligibility Test, which is conducted by NTA on behalf of ugc. This exam is widely taken by those who are interested in doing a PhD, an Assistant Professor, and a Junior Research Fellowship. This entrance exam is intended to determine applicants' knowledge of their subject matter, reasoning, and general awareness. On qualifying for UGC-NET, applicants can apply for any university in India.
Students who want a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) need to get a score of 200-300, depending on their subjects. JRF is an esteemed scholarship program that provides financial assistance to young researchers. This scheme is launched by the University Grants Commission. On clearing the JRF, students can get into prestigious universities for their PhD after interviews.
Students who clear an assistant professor and PhD can also get into universities for their studies, but they are not eligible for financial assistance or JRF.
Individuals who don’t want to do UGC-NET can also earn a doctoral degree through the Doctor in Business Administration (DBA), which doesn’t require appearing for any entrance examinations:
|
Qualified for |
Eligible for |
||
|
JRF |
Assistant Professor |
PhD |
|
|
JRF |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Assistant Professor |
no |
yes |
yes |
|
PhD |
no |
no |
yes |
UGC- NET 2025 Eligibility Criteria
Applicants need to check their eligibility for the UGC-NET examination or not.
Age:
- For JRF, the age limit is 30 years, with age relaxations to the candidates belonging to the reserved categories.
- As for assistant professors and PhD only, there is no upper age limit for applying.
Educational Qualification:
- Applicants need to complete their Master's degree from any UGC approved university with 55% or above marks.
- Candidates having 4 years/ 8 semesters of a bachelor’s degree should have a minimum of 75% in aggregate to apply for UGC-NET.
- Candidates having a 4-year bachelor's degree can only apply for a junior research fellowship, but not for an assistant professor position.
Work Experience:
- Candidates don’t need any prior work experience for the exam, but students can mention it while filling out the form.
Number of Attempts of UGC-NET 2025 Exam
There is no upper age limit if the candidate is applying for the position of assistant professor or PhD. But, students belonging to the general category have an upper age limit of 30 years. Whereas, students having any caste certificates have a relaxation of 2-3 more years.
UGC-NET 2025 Marking Scheme
- Students need to choose one of the options to answer the question.
- Each questions carry 2 marks.
- For each correct answer, students will get 2 marks.
- No marks will be deducted if the answer is wrong.
- No marks will be given if the question is unanswered, marked up for review, or unattempted.
UGC-NET 2025 Syllabus
There is a prompt list of the UGC-NET Syllabus 2025 which the data should be driven from the UGC-NET official page.
|
Subjects |
English |
Hindi |
|
General Paper on Teaching & Research Aptitude (Paper -I) |
Download |
Download |
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Economics / Rural Economics /Co-operation / Demography / Development Planning/ Development Studies / Econometrics/ Applied Economics/Development Eco./Business Economics |
Download |
Download |
|
Political Science |
Download |
Download |
|
Philosophy |
Download |
Download |
|
Psychology |
Download |
Download |
|
Sociology |
Download |
Download |
|
History |
Download |
Download |
|
Anthropology |
Download |
Download |
|
Commerce |
Download |
Download |
|
Education |
Download |
Download |
|
Social Work |
Download |
Download |
|
Defence and Strategic Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Home Science |
Download |
Download |
|
Public Administration |
Download |
Download |
|
Population Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Music |
Download |
Download |
|
Management (including Business Admn. Mgt./Marketing/ Marketing Mgt./Industrial Relations and Personnel Mgt./ Personnel Mgt./Financial Mgt./Co-operative Management) |
Download |
Download |
|
Maithili |
Download |
Download |
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Bengali |
Download |
Download |
|
Hindi |
|
Download |
|
Kannada |
Download |
Download |
|
Malayalam |
Download |
Download |
|
Oriya |
Download |
Download |
|
Punjabi |
Download |
Download |
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Sanskrit |
Download |
Download |
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Tamil |
Download |
Download |
|
Telugu |
Download |
Download |
|
Urdu |
Download |
Download |
|
Arabic |
Download |
Download |
|
English |
Download |
Download |
|
Linguistics |
Download |
Download |
|
Chinese |
Download |
Download |
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Dogri |
Download |
Download |
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Nepali |
Download |
Download |
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Manipuri |
Download |
Download |
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Assamese |
Download |
Download |
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Gujarati |
Download |
Download |
|
Marathi |
Download |
Download |
|
French (French Version) |
Download |
Download |
|
Spanish |
Download |
Download |
|
Russian |
Download |
Download |
|
Persian |
Download |
Download |
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Rajasthani |
Download |
Download |
|
German |
Download |
Download |
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Japanese |
Download |
Download |
|
Adult Education/ Continuing Education/ Andragogy/Non-Formal Education. |
Download |
Download |
|
Physical Education |
Download |
Download |
|
Arab Culture and Islamic Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Indian Culture |
Download |
Download |
|
Labour Welfare/Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/ Labour and Social Welfare/Human Resource Management |
Download |
Download |
|
Law |
Download |
Download |
|
Library and Information Science |
Download |
Download |
|
Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian, and Peace Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Comparative Study of Religions |
Download |
Download |
|
Mass Communication and Journalism |
Download |
Download |
|
Performing Arts - Dance/Drama/Theatre |
Download |
Download |
|
Museology & Conservation |
Download |
Download |
|
Archaeology |
Download |
Download |
|
Criminology |
Download |
Download |
|
Tribal and Regional Language/Literature |
Download |
Download |
|
Folk Literature |
Download |
Download |
|
Comparative Literature |
Download |
Download |
|
Sanskrit traditional subjects (including) Jyotisha/Sidhanta Jyotish/ Navya Vyakarna/ Vyakarna/ Mimansa/ Navya Nyaya/ Sankhya Yoga/ Tulanatmaka Darsan/ Shukla Yajurveda/ Madhav Vedant/ Dharmasasta/ Sahitya/ Puranotihasa /Agama). |
|
Download |
|
Women Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Visual Art (including Drawing & Painting/Sculpture, Graphics/Applied Art/History of Art) |
Download |
Download |
|
Geography |
Download |
Download |
|
Social Medicine & Community Health |
Download |
Download |
|
Forensic Science |
Download |
Download |
|
Pali |
Download |
Download |
|
Kashmiri |
Download |
Download |
|
Konkani |
Download |
Download |
|
Computer Science and Applications |
Download |
Download |
|
Electronic Science |
Download |
|
|
Environmental Sciences |
Download |
|
|
Politics, including International Relations/International Studies, Defence/Strategic Studies, West Asian Studies, South East Asian Studies, African Studies, South Asian Studies, Soviet Studies, and American Studies. |
Download |
Download |
|
Prakrit |
Download |
Download |
|
Human Rights and Duties |
Download |
Download |
|
Tourism Administration and Management. |
Download |
Download |
|
Bodo |
|
Download |
|
Santali |
|
Download |
|
Yoga |
Download |
Download |
|
Sindhi |
Download |
Download |
|
Hindu Studies |
Download |
Download |
|
Indian Knowledge System |
Download |
Download |
|
Disaster Management |
Download |
Download |
|
Ayurveda Biology |
Download |
Download |
UGC-NET Exam Fees 2025
Candidates should always check the UGC-NET website for updated exam fees and policies. Applicants need to pay registration fees only through the online mode. Category-wise exam fees are mentioned for students’ reference.
|
Category |
UGC-NET Exam 2025 Fees |
|
General |
INR 1150 |
|
OBC-NCL/General EWS |
INR 600 |
|
SC/ST/PWD/Third Gender |
INR 355 |
UGC NET Registration 2025
Candidates should check the start date and end date for the registration, so they do not miss out on the last date. Students can register as soon as possible if they don’t want their exam centers to be too far away.
- Create an account on ugcnet.nta.ac.in
- Fill out the details, including date of birth, nationality, contact details, educational and personal details, exactly as on your identification cards.
- Select your preferred exam city that works best for your availability.
- Choose your subject
- Pay the exam fee
- Download the confirmation page
Previous Year UGC-NET 2024 Applicant’s Details
|
Applicant’s Type |
Qualified Students for |
|||
|
Registered |
Appeared |
JRF & Assistant Professor |
Assistant Professor & PhD program |
PhD |
|
8,49,166 |
6,49,490 |
5,158 |
48,161 |
1,14,445 |
UGC-NET Exam Pattern
The UGC-NET exam has a 2-paper structure. Paper 1 is common for all, and Paper 2 is subject-specific. The exam is a (CBT) computer-based test; all the questions are objective and multiple-choice. The duration of this exam is 180 minutes (3 hours), and there are no negative markings for incorrect answers.
|
Features |
UGC-NET 2025 Exam Pattern |
|
|
PAPER 1 |
PAPER 2 |
|
|
Total Marks |
100 |
200 |
|
NO. OF QUESTIONS |
50 |
100 |
UGC-NET Score 2025
The total marks from paper 1 and paper 2 are 300, from which a candidate needs to get 200-300 marks to qualify for JRF. The qualifying marks depend on the subject the candidate is choosing and whether they belong to any reserved category.
Students need to get good marks in both papers in order to qualify for the exam. The validity for UGC- NET JRF is for three years from the date of clearing, for an assistant professor, it is for a lifetime, and 1 year for PhD.
UGC-NET Exam Preparation
- Going through the syllabus and understanding the papers.
- Start by making a study plan for your studies.
- Make use of the previous year's question papers, sample papers, and other materials.
- Use mock tests to train yourself in completing your exam on time.
- Identify your weak points and focus on improving your mistakes.
- If you require expert guidance, consider signing up for coaching sessions or study groups.
UGC-NET Test Centers
UGC NET test centers are pan-India. Applicants need to check their admit card to verify their exam city and centers. Applications need to follow all the instructions given on their admit card on the day of the examination.
Here is a table of States and cities of UGC-NET test centers.
|
States |
Number of Cities |
City list |
|
Andaman and Nicobar |
1 |
Port blair |
|
Andhra Pradesh |
23 |
Anantpura, Bhimavaram, Chittoor, Eluru, Guntur, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Machilipatnam, Nandyal, Narasaraopet, Nellore, Ongole, Proddatur, Rajahmundry, Srikakulam, Surampalem, Tadepalligudem, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram |
|
Assam |
5 |
Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Jorhat, Silchar, Tezpur |
|
Arunachal Pradesh |
1 |
Naharlagun |
|
Bihar |
11 |
Arrah, Aurangabad, Bhagalpur, Bihar Sharif, Darbhanga, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Patna, Purnea, Rohtas, Samastipur |
|
Chandigarh |
1 |
Chandigarh/Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar |
|
Chattisgarh |
6 |
Ambikapur, Bhilai Nagar, Bilaspur (Ch), Durg, Jagdalpur, Raipur |
|
Dadra and Nagar Havelli |
1 |
Silvassa |
|
Delhi |
1 |
New Delhi |
|
Diu |
1 |
Diu |
|
Goa |
1 |
Panaji/Mapusa |
|
Gujarat |
12 |
Ahmedabad, Anand, Bhuj, Gandhinagar, Himmatnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Mehsana, Rajkot, Surat, Vadodara, Vapi |
|
Haryana |
4 |
Ambala, Hisar, Faridabad, Gurugram |
|
Himachal Pradesh |
7 |
Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Una |
|
Jammu and Kashmir |
4 |
Jammu, Pulwama, Samba, Srinagar (J&K) |
|
Jharkhand |
6 |
Bokara, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Ramgarh, Ranchi |
|
Karnataka |
14 |
Ballari (Bellary), Belagavi (Belgaum), Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere, Dharwad, Hassan, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Udupi |
|
Kerala |
17 |
Alappuzha, Chengannur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Moovattupuzha, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Piyyannur, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Wayanad |
|
Ladkah |
1 |
Kargil |
|
Lakshadweep |
1 |
Kavaratti |
|
Leh |
1 |
Leh |
|
Madhya Pradesh |
9 |
Indore, Bhopal, Balaghat, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Khandwa, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain |
|
Maharastra |
27 |
Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Beed, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Chhatrapati Shamaji Nagar, Gadchiroli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Pune, Parbhani, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Thane, Wardha, Yavatmal |
|
Manipur |
1 |
Imphal |
|
Meghalaya |
2 |
Shillong, Tura |
|
Mizoram |
1 |
Aizawl |
|
Nagaland |
2 |
Dimapur, Kohima |
|
Odisha |
18 |
Angur, Balangir, Baragarh, Balasore, Baripada, Berhampur, Bhadrak, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jeypore, Kendrapara, Kendujhar, Puri, Rayagada, Rourkela, Sambhalpur |
|
Puducherry |
1 |
Puducherry |
|
Punjab |
6 |
Amritsar, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Patiala. Ludhiana |
|
Rajasthan |
13 |
Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dausa, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sriganganagar, Sikar, Udaipur |
|
Sikkim |
1 |
Gangtok |
|
Tamil Nadu |
26 |
Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kanchipuram, Kanyakumari, Karur, Krishnagiri, Madurai, Nagercoil, Namakkal, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Tirupur, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Viluppuram, Virudhunagar. |
|
Telangana |
11 |
Hyderabad, Jagtial, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kothagudem, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Siddipet, Suryapet, Warangal |
|
Tripura |
1 |
Agartala |
|
Uttar Pradesh |
31 |
Agra, Akbarpur, Aligarh, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Ballia, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Chandauli, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mathura, Mau, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Greater Noida, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Rai Bareilly, Saharanpur, Varanasi |
|
Uttarakhand |
5 |
Almora, Dehradun, Haldwani, Pauri Garhwal, Roorkee |
|
West Bengal |
13 |
Asansol, Bankura, Burdwan (Bardhaman), Durgapur, Hooghly, Howrah, Kalyani, Kolkata, Murshidabad/Baharampur, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur, Siliguri, Suri |
Exam Day Tips
- The students must reach their respective test centers at least an hour before the commencement of the exam to avoid any hassle.
- Candidates shouldn’t forget their admit card on the day of the examination.
- The candidates must also bring their government-issued ID cards and passport-sized photographs on the day of the examination.
- Candidates must read the guidelines given on the admit card for details.
Top 10 Universities accepting the score
Students can go to any of the institutions for their PhDs; here are some top universities where students can consider for their higher studies.
|
Universities |
Type |
Research Area |
|
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) |
Institution of National Importance |
Engineering, Technology, Science |
|
Jawaharlal Nehru University |
Central University |
Social Sciences, International Studies |
|
Jamia Millia Islamia |
Central University |
Humanities, Social Sciences, Science |
|
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore |
Institution of National Importance |
Science, R&D |
|
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh |
Central University |
Multidisciplinary |
|
University of Delhi (DU), Delhi |
Central University |
Multidisciplinary |
|
University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad |
Central University |
Humanities, social sciences |
|
Calcutta University, Kolkata |
State University |
Multidisciplinary |
Can I get a Dr. Degree without the UGC-NET Exam?
Applicants who got lower marks than the cut-off marks or couldn’t get into any of the PhD programs can continue their higher studies online. Many reputable universities offer online DBA programs.
Students who don’t want to give the UGC-NET exam or have received lower than the cut-off marks can still earn their doctoral degree through the DBA program. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a doctoral degree program for experienced business professionals. For individuals with a higher workload or those who have an issue with studying regularly, it’s now possible to do it online.
Some features of DBA:
- The online DBA program is of a three-year duration.
- The program offers flexible class schedules for the individuals enrolled.
- The individuals will meet their subject matter experts online, where they will be learning more about their subject.
- Individuals will submit their research at the end of the program.
- To enroll in the DBA program, individuals must have a certain work experience to get admission.
- The DBA program focuses on practical application and management.
- DBA uses the existing theories to solve business problems.
- DBA is for those who want to pursue a career in advanced management roles.
- On completing the program, the individuals will get wider exposure to the job market and may even get senior roles in top organizations.
- Eligibility Criteria-
- Individuals having a bachelors degree with a 5 years of experience.
- Candidates having a masters degree or equivalent degree.
Online DBA course:
Here is a list of top universities that offer online DBA programs.
|
Universities Offering DBA |
Specialization |
|
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|
|
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|
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