UGC NET 2025: Registration, Exam Dates, Pattern & Result

University Grants Commission- the National Testing Agency conducts the National Eligibility Test on behalf of the UGC to determine the eligibility of Indian students to apply for JRF, Assistant Professor, and PhD.

This examination is conducted twice a year, in June and December. For UGC-NET 2025 December, the registration dates are 07 October 2025 to 07th November 2025 (up to 11:50 pm). The UGC NET December will be conducted from 31st December 2025 to 07th January 2026. The mode of examination is a computer-based test, where students need to visit the exam center and take their exams on allotted computers.

Students who could not get the cut-off marks can choose an alternate plan, such as an online DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration), to get a doctoral degree. Students might get a chance to earn global recognition by completing their doctorate from a WES-recognized university.

UGC NET 2025 Highlights

UGC-NET 2025 Highlights	Details
Conducted By	NTA (National Testing Agency)
Official Website	https://ugcnet.nta.ac.in
Given For	JRF, Assistant Professor, PhD
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)
Correction in the particulars in the online application form	10th November 2025 to 12th 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
Marking Scheme	2 marks each No Negative Markings
Total exam takers	6,49,640

UGC NET 2025 Exam Highlights

The UGC NET 2025 December session will be conducted in 2025; the dates will be announced later. Students can refer to this table for better understanding.

UGC NET exam events	Dates
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

How to register for UGC-NET 2025?

To apply to the UGC NET 2025, students need to create their account on the official website of UGC NET. Students need to fill in their details on the application form, including a digital photo and digital signature. The whole process would take approximately 30 minutes.

UGC NET exam is held twice a year in June and December. Students can apply for any of these months based on their preference. Applicants need to check the official website to check for any updates on the registration dates. Students should also apply for their examination as soon as possible, as the registration is open to get their test centers nearby.

The registration process is done online. Students can review the steps below for better understanding:

Step-By-Step Registration Process

Students can apply for UGC-NET 2025 by following the steps:

• Go to the official website of UGC NET
• Click on ‘sign up’ and create an account
• Complete your profile by putting in basic information
• Select your exam subject
• Choose your preferred exam city
• Pay the examination fees
• Download the receipt

Documents required for registration

• A passport-size photograph (file size 10kb- 200kb)
• Candidate’s signature (4 kb- 30 kb)
• Government ID proof- Aadhar card, election ID
• Undergraduate and post-graduate degrees

Eligibility for UGC-NET 2025

Applicants need to check their eligibility on the official website before applying for the examination.

Age

There is no upper age limit for students applying for Assistant Professor and PhD. Students belonging to reserved categories get a 5-year relaxation. The applicants can check their age eligibility on the official website before applying for UGC NET.

Category	Upper age limit (For JRF)
General/Unreserved	30 years
OBC-NCL/ General	35 years
SC/ST/PWD/Third gender	35 years

Educational Qualification

• Applicants should have a master’s degree from a recognised university with a 55% or above passing percentage.
• Candidates who completed their undergraduate degree in a 4-year or 8-semester program should have a minimum of 75% in aggregate to apply for this exam.

Work experience

There is no prior experience needed for applying to the UGC NET for 2025. But students can mention it in their application.

Subject Alignment

Students should apply to the subjects that align with their subjects in a master’s degree or are related to their specialization according to UGC guidelines.

Registration Fees

Applicants can view the updated fee structure on the official website of UGC-NET. The exam fee structure based on category is mentioned below for students’ reference. 

Category	UGC-NET Exam 2025 Fees
General	INR 1150
OBC-NCL/General EWS	INR 600
SC/ST/PWD/Third Gender	INR 325

Exam Day Tips

Applicants need to check their admit cards for any instructions. Here are a few exam day tips for students' reference.

• Print out your admit card before the exam day
• Reach the exam center 30 minutes before
• Bring your ID proof along with passport-size photographs
• Do not bring any personal items to the exam center
• Practice time management- do not spend too much time on one question.

If not UGC-Net, what is the other option?

Students have an alternative to a PhD if they are not able to crack the UGC NET examination.  Students can still get a chance to earn a doctoral degree and earn the ‘Dr.’ title by doing a DBA program. The Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) is a three-year program that is considered equivalent to the regular PhD program.

Key highlights of DBA:

• The online DBA is a three-year program.
• The individuals are not required to appear for any entrance examination to enroll in the online DBA program.
• The individuals will be required to submit their research at the end of the program.
• The candidates can earn the degree from a WES-recognized university without even relocating.
• To take admission in DBA, students must have a minimum of 3 years of experience.
• The online DBA program focuses on practical knowledge and management.
• The online DBA program enhances business knowledge with a research-oriented curriculum.
• On completing the program, the individuals will get wider exposure to the job market or may even get senior job roles in top companies or organizations.
• Eligibility criteria-
  • Candidates having a bachelors degree in any discipline with a minimum of 5 years of work experience. 
  • Or those having a masters degree or equivalent. 

Online DBA Program

The top 10 universities that provide online DBA programs.

Universities Offering DBA	Specialization
Birchwood Online University DBA Online	Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Generative AI Human Resource Emerging Technology Data Science Business Data & Analytics Finance Management Supply Chain Management Marketing Management Healthcare Management Leadership and strategy International Business Sustainablity Accounting  Cyber Security Information Technology Computer Science Project Management Social Impact Management Digital Leadership Big Data Tourism and hospitality Strategic Marketing General Management Cloud Computing Blockchain Management and Technology Big Data and Robots FinTech Performing Arts Management Digital Transformation Public Policy Digital Marketing Electric and Hybrid Vehicles AR and VR Circular Economy Internet of Things Product Life Cycle Talent Management Quantum Computing E-commerce Customer Behaviour Management Corporate Governance Green Energy Robotics and Automation Real Estate Management Public Relations Risk management
Golden Gate University DBA Online	Generative AI Finance Marketing Emerging Technology Business Data & Analytics Leadership & Strategy Digital Leadership
Rushford Business School DBA Online	International Business Finance Healthcare Management HR Management Marketing Supply Chain Management Big Data Data Science Sustainabilty Business Analytics General Management
ESGCI International School of Management Paris DBA Online	Online DBA course
EIMT Online DBA	HR Finance Logistics & Supply Chain Toursim & Hospitality Generative AI Strategic Marketing  Machine Learning AI Data Science Emerging Technology Green Energy
Swiss School of Business Management DBA Online	Business Analytics Finance management HR Management Marketing Management Healthcare Management Machine Learning Supply Chain Management Data Science Accounting Cyber Security Technology Entrepreneurship Project Management Social Impact Management Operations Management Strategic Management IT Management Crisis Management International Business Leadership AI Big Data Public Policy Product Life Management Digital Marketing
Edgewood College DBA Online	Leadership Finance Healthcare