About UGC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory organisation set up by the Union government in 1956. Its main aim and objective is coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities and colleges. Prof. Ved Prakash, a noted academician and education administrator, is the incumbent Chairman of UGC, India. Its headquarters are in New Delhi, and six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.

About NTA

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India (GOI), has established National Testing Agency (NTA) as an independent, autonomous  and self sustained premier organisation under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, registered as a self-reliant and self-sustained premier testing organisation. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has entrusted the responsibility of conducting UGC-NET to the NTA. So, from December 2018 the UGC NET Examination will be conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA).

About UGC NET / SET / SLET Examination

UGC-NET is a test being conducted to determine the eligibility ‘only for Assistant Professor’ and ‘for Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor both’ in Indian universities and colleges. Previously, the National Educational Testing Bureau of University Grants Commission (UGC) used to conduct National Eligibility Test (NET) Examination every year in the month of June and December for Indian nationals in order to ensure minimum standards for the entrants in the teaching profession and research. From, 2015, the responsibility of conducing UGC NET is entrusted to the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The NET examination is conducted to award Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and determine the Eligibility for Assistant Professor / Lecturer for recruitment in the Universities and Colleges across India. The Test is conducted in Humanities (including languages), Social Sciences, Forensic Science, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science and Applications and Electronic Science. The UGC NET exam consists of two papers (instead of previous three papers-Paper-1 on General and Paper-2 & Paper-3 on subjects) i.e. Paper1 on general and Paper-2 on subject. The Paper-1 is general or compulsory for all. The questions of Paper-1 will be generic in nature, intending to assess the teaching/research aptitude of the candidate. It will primarily be designed to test reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness of the candidate. Paper-1 can have the Test Booklet Code (Set or Series) W, X, Y or Z. The Subject Code in the UGC NET for this paper is: 00.

The State Eligibility Test (SET) or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) Examination is also conducted in some states under the auspicious guideline of UGC.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET) examination is conducted for determining the eligibility of Indian nationals for the Assistant Professor only or Junior Research Fellowship & Eligibility for Assistant Professor Both in Indian universities and colleges. The award of JRF and Eligibility for Assistant Professor both OR Eligibility for Assistant Professor only will depend on the performance of the candidate in all three papers of NET. However, the candidates qualifying exclusively for Assistant Professor will not be considered for award of JRF.

The candidates who qualify for the award of Junior Research Fellowship are eligible to pursue research in the subject of their post-graduation or in a related subject and are also eligible for Assistant Professor. The universities, institutions, IITs and other national organizations may select the JRF awardees for whole time research work in accordance with the procedure prescribed by them. The award of JRF and Eligibility for Assistant Professor both OR Eligibility for Assistant Professor only will depend on the performance of the candidate in all two papers of NET. However, the candidates qualifying exclusively for Assistant Professor will not be considered for award of JRF.

Candidates qualifying for the award of Junior Research fellowship will be eligible to receive fellowship of UGC under various schemes, subject to their finding placement in universities/IITs/institutions. The validity period of the offer is two years w.e.f. the date of issue of JRF Award Letter. However, in case the candidates who have already joined M. Phil./ Ph.D., the date of commencement of fellowship shall be from the date of declaration of NET result or date of their joining, whichever is later.

About UGC NET December 2019

On behalf of UGC, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announces holding of the National Eligibility Test (NET) in between 02 and 06 December 2019 for determining the eligibility of Indian nationals for the Eligibility for Assistant Professor only or Junior Research Fellowship & Eligibility for Assistant Professor Both in Indian universities and colleges. NTA will conduct NET in 81 subjects at 89 selected NET Examination Cities spread across the country. The candidates who desire to appear in the test may see the detailed notification available on the website https://ntanet.nic.in.

Important Dates of UGC NET December 2019

Important dates of NTA NET December 2019 examination are as follows

On-line submission of Application Form for NTA UGC NET-: 09 September 2019 to 09 October, 2019

Last Date of Application for UGC NET December 2019: 9th October, 2019

Date for successful final transaction of fee: 10 October, 2019.

Correction in particulars of Application Form on website only: 18 October to 25 October 2019

Printing of Admit Cards from NTA’s website From: 

Dates of NTA UGC NET Examination:  02 and 06 December 2019

Timing of Examination: First Shift : 9.30 am to 12.30 pm

Timing of Examination: Second Shift : 2.30 pm to 05.30 pm

Declaration of Result of NTA UGC NET Examination December, 2019: Will be declared on NTA’s website.

Scheme and Date of UGC NET December 2019

i) The Test will consist of two papers. All the two papers will consist of only objective type questions and will be held on in two separate sessions as under:

Paper-1 shall be of general nature, intended to assess the teaching/research aptitude of the candidate. It will primarily be designed to test reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness of the candidate. 50 (fifty) multiple choice questions of 2 marks each will be given, out of which the candidate would be required to answer all the 50 (fifty) questions.

Paper-2 shall consist of 100 objective type compulsory questions based on the subject selected by the candidate. Each question will carry 2 marks.

All the questions of Paper – 1 and Paper – 2 will be compulsory, covering entire syllabus (including all electives, without options).

The candidate will have to mark the responses for questions of Paper – 1 and Paper - 2 through computer system Computer Based Test (CBT). 

The detailed instructions for filling up are given in this website. It may be noted that these instructions to candidates will not be sent to any of the candidate by post.

Examination Schedule / Time Table for NTA UGC NET December, 2018

Conditions of Eligibility of UGC NET Examination December 2019

The Eligibility Criteria / Conditions of Eligibility of NTA NET December 2018 examination are as follows-

i) Candidates who have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s Degree OR equivalent examination from universities/institutions recognised by UGC (list attached page No. 21 to 47) in Humanities (including languages) and Social Science, Computer Science &Applications, Electronic Science etc. (list of subjects of post graduation attached at page No. 18 to 19) are eligible for this Test. The Other Backward Classes(OBC) belonging to non-creamy layer/Scheduled Caste(SC)/Scheduled Tribe(ST)/ persons with disability (PWD) category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this Test.

ii) Candidates who have appeared OR will be appearing at the qualifying Master’s degree (final year) examination and whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying examinations have been delayed may also apply for this test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for award of Junior Research Fellowship/eligibility for Assistant professor only after they have passed their Master’s Degree examination OR equivalent with at least 55% marks(50% marks in case of OBC(Non- creamy layer)/SC/ST/PWD(persons with disability) category candidates. Such candidates must complete their P.G degree examination within two years from the date of NET result with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.

iii) The Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination had been completed by 19th September 1991(irrespective of date of declaration of result) shall be eligible for a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks (i.e. from 55% to 50%) for appearing in NET.

iv) Candidates are advised to appear in the subject of their post graduation only. The candidates, whose post graduation subject is not covered in the list of subjects in item No.14 (on page 11), may appear in a related subject.

v)  Candidates are neither required to send any certificates/documents in support of their eligibility nor printout of their Application Form (Confirmation Page) to CBSE. However the candidates, in their own interest, must satisfy themselves about their eligibility for the Test. In the event of any ineligibility being detected by the UGC/CBSE at any stage, their candidature will be cancelled and they shall be liable for legal action.

vi)  Candidates having post-graduate diploma/certificate awarded by Indian University/ Institute or foreign degree/diploma/certificate awarded by the foreign University/institute should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their diploma/degree/certificate with Master’s degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi. (www.aiuweb.org)

Age Limit and Relaxation for UGC NET December 2019

i) Junior Research Fellowship: Not more than 28 years as on 01.12.2018. A relaxation up to 5 years is provided to the candidates belonging to OBC (Non- creamy layer, as per the Central list of OBC available on website: www.ncbc.nic.in) SC/ST/PWD categories and to women applicants. Relaxation will also be provided to the candidates having research experience, limited to the period spent on research in the relevant/related subject of post-graduation degree, subject to a maximum of 5 years, on production of a certificate from appropriate authority. Three years relaxation in age will be permissible to the candidates possessing L.L.M. Degree. Total age relaxation on the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years under any circumstances.

ii) Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit for applying for eligibility for Assistant Professor.

Exemption from UGC NET December, 2019

UGC NET is exempted on the following grounds for the eligibility for Assistant Professor-

i)  NET/SLET/SET shall remain the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professors in Universities/Colleges/ Institutions. Provided however, that candidates, who are or have been awarded a Ph. D. Degree in accordance with the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of the Ph. D. Degree) Regulations, 2009, shall be exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SELT/SET for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professor or equivalent positions in Universities/ Colleges/ Institutions.

ii)  The candidates who have passed the UGC/CSIR JRF examination prior to 1989 are also exempted from appearing in NET.

iii)  For SET Candidates: The candidates who have cleared the States Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for eligibility for Assistant Professor held prior to 1st Dec 2002, are exempted from appearing in NET, being eligible to apply for Assistant Professor anywhere in India. For SET held from 1st Dec 2002 onwards, the qualified candidates are eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in the universities/ colleges situated in the state from where they have cleared their SET.