New Delhi, October 9, 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially opened the registration process for the UGC NET December 2026 examination. Eligible candidates can submit their applications online from October 8 to October 28, 2026, through the official UGC NET website.
The December 2026 UGC NET examination will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode from December 14 to December 19, 2026. The examination will determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions and PhD admissions, depending on the category in which a candidate qualifies.
The official UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin has also been released by NTA, providing details on eligibility, examination pattern, application fees, important dates and the application procedure.
UGC NET December 2026 Registration: Important Dates
According to the NTA Information Bulletin, candidates should keep the following dates in mind:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration begins | October 8, 2026 |
| Last date to apply | October 28, 2026 |
| Last date for fee payment | October 28, 2026 |
| Application with late fee | October 29–31, 2026 |
| Last date for late-fee payment | October 31, 2026 |
| Application correction window | November 2–4, 2026 |
| Exam city information | To be announced |
| Admit card | To be announced |
| UGC NET examination | December 14–19, 2026 |
| Examination duration | 3 hours |
The application and fee-payment deadline on October 28 is 11:50 PM. Candidates who miss the regular deadline can submit applications during the late-fee window from October 29 to October 31.
UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee
The examination fee varies according to the candidate’s category.
- General/Unreserved: ₹1,150
- General-EWS/OBC-NCL: ₹600
- SC/ST/Third Gender: ₹325
- PwD/PwBD: ₹325
Applicable processing charges and GST may be payable in addition to the examination fee.
Who Can Apply for UGC NET December 2026?
Candidates belonging to the General, Unreserved and General-EWS categories must generally have secured at least 55% marks in a Master’s degree or equivalent examination from a UGC-recognised university or institution.
For candidates belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender categories, the minimum requirement is 50% marks in the Master’s degree or equivalent qualification.
Candidates who are currently pursuing their Master’s degree or have appeared in their final-year examination and are awaiting results may also apply provisionally, subject to fulfilling the prescribed qualification requirements within the specified period.
Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Candidates
The December 2026 bulletin also contains provisions for candidates with a four-year/eight-semester bachelor’s degree.
Such candidates should generally have at least 75% aggregate marks, with a relaxation of 5% for specified categories. Candidates qualifying for NET on the basis of a four-year bachelor’s degree can be eligible for JRF and PhD admission, but are not eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor on that basis.
UGC NET December 2026 Age Limit
For candidates seeking Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the upper age limit is 30 years as on December 1, 2026, subject to the applicable relaxations.
Relaxation of up to five years is available to specified categories, including OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, Third Gender and women candidates, subject to NTA’s rules.
There is no upper age limit for candidates applying for Assistant Professor eligibility or PhD admission through UGC NET.
UGC NET December 2026 Exam Pattern
The UGC NET December 2026 examination will be conducted entirely in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode.
The examination consists of two compulsory sections:
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 50 | 100 |
| Paper 2 | 100 | 200 |
| Total | 150 | 300 |
Paper 1 tests teaching and research aptitude, reasoning ability, reading comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness.
Paper 2 assesses the candidate’s subject-specific knowledge.
The total examination duration is 180 minutes (three hours), with no break between Paper 1 and Paper 2.
What Does UGC NET Qualification Offer?
UGC NET qualification can provide different academic opportunities depending on the category in which a candidate qualifies.
Candidates qualifying in Category 1 are eligible for:
- Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
- Assistant Professor eligibility
- PhD admission
Candidates qualifying in Category 2 are eligible for:
- Assistant Professor
- PhD admission
Candidates qualifying in Category 3 are eligible for:
- PhD admission only
For PhD admissions under the applicable NET categories, NET marks carry 70% weightage, while the university or higher education institution interview/viva voce carries 30% weightage.
How to Apply for UGC NET December 2026
Candidates can complete the UGC NET December 2026 application process online.
The broad application process includes:
- Visit the official UGC NET website.
- Complete online registration using a personal email ID and mobile number.
- Fill in the application form and select the relevant subject and examination cities.
- Upload the required photograph and signature and other applicable documents.
- Pay the examination fee online.
- Submit the application form.
- Download and preserve the confirmation page for future reference.
NTA has also enabled registration through the Meri Pehchaan National Single Sign-On (NSSO) platform. Candidates should ensure that the information entered in the application form is accurate because changes after the correction window may not be accepted.
Candidates Advised Not to Wait Until the Last Date
With the UGC NET December 2026 application window now open, candidates are advised to complete the registration process well before the October 28 deadline.
Applicants should carefully check their name, date of birth, category, educational qualifications, subject selection, examination city choices, photograph and signature before submitting the form.
NTA has scheduled an application correction window from November 2 to November 4, 2026, but candidates should not rely on the correction period and should submit accurate information at the time of registration.
UGC NET December 2026 Exam: What Candidates Should Do Now
Candidates preparing for the December examination should use the registration period to finalise their study strategy. Since the examination comprises both a common Paper 1 and a subject-specific Paper 2, preparation should cover teaching and research aptitude as well as the candidate’s chosen subject.
Aspirants should also regularly check the official UGC NET website for updates regarding the examination city, admit card, subject-wise examination schedule, answer key and result.
The UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin is available on the official UGC NET website.
UGC NET December 2026: Key Takeaways
- Registration started: October 8, 2026
- Last date to apply: October 28, 2026
- Correction window: November 2–4, 2026
- Exam dates: December 14–19, 2026
- Mode: Computer Based Test
- Duration: 3 hours
- Total questions: 150
- Total marks: 300
- General application fee: ₹1,150
- OBC-NCL/General-EWS fee: ₹600
- SC/ST/Third Gender/PwD/PwBD fee: ₹325
- Official website: ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Candidates are advised to rely on the official NTA/UGC NET website for the latest updates and examination-related announcements.
UGC NET December 2026 Registration Begins: Apply Online by October 28, Check Exam Dates and Eligibility added by admin on
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