UGC NET Examination 2026 (JRF, Assistant Professor & PhD Admission)
NTA conducts UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor, and Ph.D. Admission.
NTA conducts UGC NET in CBT mode for JRF, Assistant Professor, and PhD Admission in English and Hindi.
01Important Dates
| Official Notification Release Date | 08 October 2026 · NTA public notice dated 08 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Online Application Start Date | 08 October 2026 to 28 October 2026 (11:50 PM) · Online application on the official NTA portal. |
| Examination Date Schedule | 14 December 2026 to 19 December 2026 · NTA December 2026 CBT examination; centre, date and shift on admit card. |
| Application and Examination Fee Last Date | 28 October 2026 (11:50 PM) · Application and fee payment deadline. |
| Late Application Window | 29 October 2026 to 31 October 2026 (11:50 PM) · Late fee ₹500; last successful transaction 31 October 2026. |
| Application Correction Window | 02 November 2026 to 04 November 2026 (11:50 PM) · Corrections online only. |
| Current application deadline | 31 Oct 2026 |
02Application Fee
| General / Unreserved Candidates | ₹1150 · Service/processing charges and GST may apply in addition to the examination fee. |
|---|---|
| OBC-NCL / EWS Candidates | ₹600 · Payable online via debit/credit card, net banking, or UPI. |
| SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender Candidates | ₹325 · Concessional fee structure applicable for reserved categories. |
03Age Limit
| Minimum age | NOT MENTIONED IN OFFICIAL SOURCE |
|---|---|
| Maximum age | JRF: 30 years. No upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD admission. |
| Age as on | 01 Dec 2026 |
Age relaxation
JRF: up to 5 years for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, third gender and women applicants. Other relaxations apply under the NTA Information Bulletin; total relaxation must not exceed 5 years. No upper age limit for Assistant Professor or PhD admission.
04Vacancy Details
JRF, Assistant Professor & Ph.D. Admission Eligibility
Total: Not mentionedMaster Degree or equivalent in Humanities, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Sciences, etc.
Category Breakup (5)
- UR
- Not mentioned
- OBC
- Not mentioned
- SC
- Not mentioned
- ST
- Not mentioned
- EWS
- Not mentioned
05Eligibility
- Academic Qualification: A Master’s degree or equivalent from a UGC-recognized institution with at least 55% marks for General/Unreserved/General-EWS, or 50% for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/PwBD/Third Gender. Final-year candidates may apply provisionally subject to the bulletin’s conditions.
- Examination Purpose: UGC NET determines eligibility for Award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Appointment as Assistant Professor, and Admission to Ph.D. programs.
- Test Medium & Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT). Question papers are in English and Hindi, except language papers, as specified in the NTA Information Bulletin.
06Selection Process
- 1
Computer Based Test (CBT): Objective type exam comprising Paper 1 (General Paper) and Paper 2 (Subject Specific) conducted online.
- 2
Merit List & E-Certificate Issue: Candidates securing cutoff marks are awarded JRF, Assistant Professor, or Ph.D. admission eligibility certificates.
07How to Apply
- 1
Visit official NTA UGC NET website and click on Online Application Registration link.
- 2
Register with personal details, valid email ID, and mobile number to generate application number and password.
- 3
Fill in academic credentials, choose exam subject, select preferred exam city choices, and upload required documents.
- 4
Pay prescribed application fee online using Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI and print confirmation page.
08Important Links
09Official Notification / Documents
NTA Public Notice — UGC NET December 2026 Online Application
NOTIFICATION
UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin
OTHER
Official Sources
| Official organization | National Testing Agency (NTA) / University Grants Commission (UGC) |
|---|---|
| Notification | Opening of online registration for UGC-NET December 2026 examination |
| Notification number | NOT MENTIONED IN OFFICIAL SOURCE |
| Notification date | 2026-10-08 |
Additional sources (3)
Frequently Asked Questions
UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) to determine eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor, and Ph.D. Admission in Indian universities and colleges.
UGC NET is conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. Question papers are in English and Hindi, except language papers, as specified in the NTA Information Bulletin.
The official website for UGC NET registration, notifications, updates, and results is ugcnet.nta.nic.in.