NTA UGC NET December 2026 Online Form, Apply Online

NTA UGC NET December 2026 Online Form : Apply Online, Notification, Eligibility, Fee & Exam Date

NTA UGC NET December 2026 Online Form : The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin. Eligible candidates can apply online for the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) through the official website. The examination is conducted to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions, and Ph.D. admission in Indian universities and colleges.

Candidates can check the complete details of NTA UGC NET December 2026, including important dates, application fee, educational qualification, age limit, examination pattern, selection criteria, and online application process below.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Overview

ParticularsDetails
Examination NameUGC National Eligibility Test (NET)
Conducting AuthorityNational Testing Agency (NTA)
Information BulletinReleased
Application ModeOnline
Exam ModeComputer-Based Test (CBT)
Eligibility PurposeJRF, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Admission
Exam Duration3 Hours
Exam Date14 December to 19 December 2026
Official Websiteugcnet.nta.nic.in

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Important Dates

EventDate
Online Application Start Date08 October 2026
Last Date to Apply Online28 October 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment28 October 2026
Application (With 500/- Late Fees)29 October to 31 October 2026
Application Correction Window02 November to 04 November 2026
Examination City IntimationTo Be Announced
Admit Card Release DateTo Be Announced
UGC NET Exam Date14 December to 19 December 2026
Answer KeyTo Be Announced
Result DateTo Be Announced

Candidates should complete the application process before the deadline. The correction window and other examination-related dates should be checked on the official NTA website.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee

Candidates must pay the prescribed examination fee to complete their application.

CategoryApplication Fee
General / Unreserved1150/-
General-EWS / OBC-NCL600/-
SC / ST325/-
Third Gender325/-
PwD / PwBD325/-
Payment Mode : Online (Debit card/Credit Card/Net Banking

Note: Applicable payment gateway or processing charges and GST may be payable separately. The examination fee is non-refundable as per the Information Bulletin.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Educational Qualification

Candidates must satisfy the educational qualification requirements specified in the official Information Bulletin.

  • General / Unreserved / General-EWS: A Master’s degree or equivalent qualification from a UGC-recognised university or institution with at least 55% marks.
  • OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD / PwBD / Third Gender: A Master’s degree or equivalent qualification with at least 50% marks.
  • Final-Year Candidates: Candidates pursuing a Master’s degree, appearing in the final-year examination, or awaiting their results may also apply provisionally, subject to the prescribed conditions.
  • Subject Selection: Candidates should select an appropriate NET subject according to their postgraduate qualification and the subject-selection rules specified by NTA.

Candidates with pending postgraduate results must fulfil the required qualification and marks conditions within the time limit specified in the official bulletin.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Age Limit

The age criteria depend on the eligibility category selected by the candidate.

Eligibility CategoryAge Limit
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)Maximum Age Limit : 30 years
Assistant ProfessorNo age limit
Ph.D. Admission OnlyNo age limit

For JRF, the age is calculated as specified in the official bulletin, with the relevant reference date being 1 December 2026.

Age Relaxation

Eligible candidates may receive age relaxation under the prescribed rules:

  • OBC-NCL candidates from the Central List: Up to 5 years.
  • SC / ST candidates: Up to 5 years.
  • PwD / PwBD candidates: Up to 5 years.
  • Third Gender candidates: Up to 5 years.
  • Women applicants: Up to 5 years.

Additional relaxation may be available for eligible candidates with relevant research experience or other qualifying circumstances, subject to the official rules. Candidates should check the detailed notification before applying.

Age Calculator : Check Here

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Examination Pattern

The UGC NET examination consists of two compulsory papers conducted in a single sitting without a break.

Total Questions: 150
Total Marks: 300
Total Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)
ParticularsPaper 1Paper 2
SubjectTeaching and Research AptitudeSelected Subject
Number of Questions50100
Total Marks100200
Marks per Correct Answer0202
Question TypeMultiple-Choice QuestionsMultiple-Choice Questions
DurationCombined examination duration of 3 hoursCombined examination duration of 3 hours
Negative MarkingNoNo

There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. Unanswered questions do not receive marks. The question paper is generally available in Hindi and English, except for language papers and other specified exceptions.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Syllabus

The examination syllabus is divided into two papers.

Paper 1: General Paper on Teaching and Research Aptitude

Paper 1 assesses teaching aptitude, research aptitude, reasoning ability, comprehension, communication and other general skills. Major areas include:

  • Teaching Aptitude
  • Research Aptitude
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Communication
  • Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
  • Logical Reasoning
  • Data Interpretation
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
  • People, Development and Environment
  • Higher Education System

Paper 2: Subject-Specific Syllabus

Paper 2 tests the candidate’s knowledge of the subject selected during the application process. Candidates should download the official syllabus for their chosen subject and prepare according to the prescribed units and topics.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – How to Apply Online?

Eligible candidates can follow these steps to submit the application form:

  1. Visit the official website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
  2. Open the UGC NET December 2026 registration or application link.
  3. Complete the registration process using the required personal details.
  4. Log in with the generated application credentials.
  5. Fill in the application form, including educational qualifications, category and subject details.
  6. Select the examination cities in the order of preference permitted by NTA.
  7. Upload the required photograph, signature and certificates in the prescribed format.
  8. Pay the examination fee through the available online payment options.
  9. Review the application form carefully before final submission.
  10. Download and print the confirmation page after successful fee payment.

Candidates should use their own active mobile number and email address and keep their application number and payment details safe.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Selection Process

UGC NET is an eligibility examination rather than a direct recruitment examination. The outcome depends on the category of eligibility for which the candidate qualifies.

The examination may determine eligibility for:

  • Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor
  • Assistant Professor
  • Ph.D. Admission Only

The result and qualifying status depend on the applicable eligibility requirements, examination performance and NTA’s prescribed result criteria. Qualifying UGC NET does not by itself guarantee appointment as an Assistant Professor, admission to a Ph.D. programme or the award of a fellowship.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Admit Card

NTA will issue the UGC NET December 2026 admit card through the official website. Candidates should download it when released and verify their name, examination date, shift, examination centre and other details.

The admit card will contain important examination-day instructions. Candidates must carry the required admit card and valid photo identification to the examination centre.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Answer Key and Result

After the examination, NTA is expected to publish the provisional answer key and recorded responses according to its examination schedule. Candidates will be able to review the available information and challenge answers within the notified period, subject to the prescribed procedure and fee.

The UGC NET December 2026 result will be announced on the official website when declared. Candidates should check their score, qualifying status and relevant result documents through the official portal.

NTA UGC NET December 2026 – Important Links

DescriptionLink
Apply OnlineUGC NET Official Website
Information Bulletin PDFDownload UGC NET December 2026 PDF
Official NTA Websitenta.ac.in
Syllabus and Subject DetailsUGC NET Official Website
Admit CardNotify Soon

NTA UGC NET December 2026 (FAQs)

1. When did the NTA UGC NET December 2026 application form start?

The online application process started on 8 October 2026.

2. What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?

The last date to submit the application form and pay the examination fee is 28 October 2026, up to 11:50 PM.

3. What are the UGC NET December 2026 examination dates?

The examination is scheduled from 14 December to 19 December 2026.

4. What is the educational qualification for UGC NET December 2026?

Candidates generally need a Master’s degree or equivalent qualification with at least 55% marks for General / Unreserved / General-EWS candidates and 50% marks for the specified reserved categories.

5. What is the maximum age limit for UGC NET JRF?

The maximum age limit for JRF is 30 years, calculated according to the reference date and rules in the official Information Bulletin. Applicable age relaxations are available for eligible categories.

6. Is there an upper age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility?

No. There is no upper age limit for applying for UGC NET for Assistant Professor eligibility.

7. What is the application fee for UGC NET December 2026?

The fee is ₹1,150 for General / Unreserved candidates, ₹600 for General-EWS / OBC-NCL candidates, and ₹325 for SC / ST / Third Gender / PwD / PwBD candidates, subject to applicable additional charges.

8. Is there negative marking in UGC NET December 2026?

No. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.

9. How many questions are there in the UGC NET examination?

There are 150 questions in total: 50 questions in Paper 1 and 100 questions in Paper 2.

10. Where can candidates apply for UGC NET December 2026?

Candidates can access the application link through the official website, https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/.