The full form of UGC NET is University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test. It is a national-level entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) biannually, on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to provide admission to an eligible candidate for the posts of Lecturer (LS) and/or Junior Research Fellow (JRF) in various colleges or universities across the nation.
Candidates who have got Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) are eligible to pursue research in the subject of their post-graduation or a related subject. The number of seats available varies every year based on the requirements of the universities. UGC validates and inspects the universities in India before finalizing vacant positions.
The performance of the candidates in both the papers of UGC NET 2024 will be accounted for by awarding a JRF and eligibility for Lectureship (LS). Candidates qualifying exclusively for Lectureship (LS) will not be considered for JRF.
Fellowship is offered only to the candidates who qualify for the JRF mark. This will be provided by UGC or other institutions under various schemes. A monthly stipend of INR 25,000/- is provided during the period of research. The validity period of this offer is 2 years from the date of the issue of the JRF Letter.
UGC NET 2024 Highlights
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Exam Name: UGC NET
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Full-Form: University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test
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Exam Level: National-level
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Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
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Courses Offered: Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) & Lectureship (LS)
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Exam Mode: Online, i.e. Computer-based Test (CBT)
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Languages: English or Hindi
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UGC NET Exam Duration: Paper 1 - 90 minutes and Paper 2 - 90 minutes
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UGC NET Official Website: Click here
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UGC NET Helpline Number 8076535482 / 7703859909
All the important UGC NET 2024 Dates are tabulated below.
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Important Events to UGC NET 2025
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Dates
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Application Form Start Date
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September 25, 2025 |
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Application Form Last Date
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October 24, 2025 |
Last date for submission of Examination fee (through
Credit Card/ Debit Card/Net Banking /UPI |
October 25, 2025 |
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Correction in the Particulars in Online Application
Form
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October 27 – October 29, 2025 |
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Application Fee
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General/ Unreserved : Rs. 1150/-
General-EWS/OBC-NCL: Rs. 600/-
SC/ST/PwD :Rs. 325/-
Third Gender : Rs. 325/-
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Exam Date
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December 18, 2025 |
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UGC NET Eligibility Criteria
The basic UGC NET 2023 eligibility criteria for the candidates who want to apply for the UGC NET exam is to have completed their Master's degree or an equivalent, with a minimum aggregate of 55%. Earlier, the upper age limit for applying for UGC NET JRF was 28 years. It has been increased by three years, i.e., up to 31 years, for the candidates who belong to General Category. For the reserved category (SC, ST, OBC), the upper age limit to apply is 36 years, which means a relaxation of 5 years. For more details on UGC NET eligibility criteria, candidates can refer below:
UGC NET Educational Qualification
The educational qualification for UGC NET is as follows:
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Candidates must obtain at least 55% marks in their post-graduation or equivalent from a recognized university.
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Students who are in their final year are eligible to appear in the exam.
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Candidates that hold Ph.D. Degree whose post-graduation was completed before September 19, 1991, is provided relaxation of 5% in minimum marks.
UGE NET Category-Wise Educational Criteria
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Category
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UGC NET Educational Qualification
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General Category
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Secured at least 55% marks in Master’s Degree or equivalent in subjects like Electronic Science, Social Science, Computer Science and Application
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SC/ST/OBC
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Equivalent in education domains mentioned for general category
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Ph.D. Degree holders
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5% marks relaxation is provided for candidates who have completed the PG program before September 19, 1991.
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UGC NET Age Limit
The age limit criteria for UGC NET are given below:
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Junior Research Fellowship: For candidates belonging to the General category, the upper age limit is 31 years as of June 1, 2023.
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Assistant Professorship: No age limit
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Posts
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Unreserved Category
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SC/ST/OBC/PWD
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Candidates with L.L.M. Degree
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Junior Research Fellowship
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31 years
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36 years
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34 years
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Assistant Professor
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No age limit
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UGC NET 2024 Cut Off
UGC NET 2024 cut-off marks are decided by the conducting authority, the NTA. A cutoff is the minimum qualifying marks a candidate must score to be eligible for Lectureship (LS) and Fellowship (JRF). A separate cutoff list will be prepared for category-wise eligibility and subject-wise eligibility. Candidates must note that the cut-off marks depend on various factors like the number of vacancies available, the difficulty level of the examination, the total number of candidates appearing for the exam, etc. Candidates can view the previous year's cutoffs to get a brief idea about the required score to be secured to get into the respective post. Cut-off scores vary from one year to another, and previous year cut offs can be used as a reference.
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Category
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The minimum score required (Paper 1 + Paper 2)
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General/EWS
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40% (120 marks)
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OBC/SC/ST/PwD
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35% (105 marks)
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UGC NET Exam Pattern
UGC NET exam pattern consists of two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2. Candidates can go through the below details regarding the UGC NET exam pattern:
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Paper 1: Paper 1 consists of 50 questions, and candidates should answer all 50 questions. A maximum of 100 marks will be awarded for paper 1 if all the answers are right. The duration of Paper 1 is 60 minutes.
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Paper 2: Paper 2 has 100 questions, and all of them are mandatory to be attempted. The marks will be awarded to the applicant out of 100 marks. The maximum time allotted for Paper 2 is 120 minutes, and each question carries 2 marks.
For more information, click here.
