UGC NET December 2025 Notification: Detailed Guide on Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Application Process, and Exam Pattern
Updated: October 20, 2025 | UGC NET NTA Ph.D. Admission
The University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to determine eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D. programmes in Indian universities and colleges. This post compiles every key point from the official UGC NET December 2025 notification in one place.
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Important Dates
- Application Fees
- Exam Pattern
- Syllabus & Medium
- Eligibility Criteria
- Reservation Policy
- PwD/PwBD Provisions
- How to Apply
- Admit Card & Exam Day
- Answer Key, Challenge & Result
- Unfair Means & Rules
- Preparation Tips
- FAQs
- Official Links
Overview
- Exam Name: UGC NET (University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test)
- Conducting Authority: National Testing Agency (NTA)
- Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
- Frequency: Twice a year (June & December)
- Purpose: Eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor, and Ph.D. admission
- Score Usage: Shared with HEIs for Ph.D. admissions and PSUs/other organizations for recruitment
Outcome Categories:
- Category 1: JRF + Assistant Professor + Ph.D. admission
- Category 2: Assistant Professor + Ph.D. admission (no JRF)
- Category 3: Ph.D. admission only
Important Dates (December 2025 Session)
| Event | Date/Window |
|---|---|
| Online application | 7 October 2025 – 7 November 2025 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Last date for fee payment | 7 November 2025 |
| Application correction window | 10 – 12 November 2025 |
| City intimation / Admit card | To be announced |
| Exam dates | To be announced |
| Duration | 180 minutes (single sitting) |
| Result | To be announced |
Application Fees
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | ₹1150 |
| General-EWS / OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | ₹600 |
| SC / ST / PwD / Third Gender | ₹325 |
Applicable payment gateway charges and taxes are extra.
Exam Pattern & Scheme
UGC NET consists of two papers held back-to-back in a single three-hour session. All questions are objective-type MCQs.
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Teaching & Research Aptitude | 50 | 100 | Reasoning ability, reading comprehension, divergent thinking, general awareness |
| Paper II | Subject chosen at PG level | 100 | 200 | Domain knowledge in the selected subject |
- Each question carries 2 marks. No negative marking.
- Medium: English and Hindi (except language subjects).
Syllabus & Medium
The official syllabus for all subjects is available on the UGC website. Candidates should select the test subject matching their post-graduation. In case of translation ambiguity, the English version of a question prevails.
Tip: Download the latest syllabus PDF for your subject and map it to your weekly plan.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
- General/EWS: Master’s degree or equivalent with at least 55% marks.
- OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender: Master’s degree or equivalent with at least 50% marks.
- Final-year PG students may apply provisionally (must meet mark requirements within stipulated time after result).
- Ph.D. holders whose Master’s exam was completed by 19 September 1991 get a 5% relaxation (from 55% to 50%).
- Foreign qualifications: Obtain equivalence from UGC/AIU as applicable.
Four-Year Undergraduate Degree Route
- 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s degree with 75% aggregate (or equivalent grade) qualifies for JRF and Ph.D. admission.
- Not eligible for Assistant Professorship via this route.
Age Limit
- JRF: Not more than 30 years as on 1 December 2025.
- Relaxations: Up to 5 years for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender/Women; 3 years for L.L.M.; up to 5 years for armed forces service (as per rules).
- Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission: No upper age limit.
Reservation Policy
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | 27% |
| General – EWS | 10% |
| PwD / PwBD | 5% seats within each category |
Reservation benefits require valid, verifiable certificates as per Government of India norms.
Provisions for PwD / PwBD Candidates
- Benchmark disability (≥40%): eligible for scribe/reader/lab assistant and compensatory time (minimum 20 minutes per hour).
- Less than 40% disability but with certified writing difficulty may also avail scribe/extra time with proper medical certification.
- Option to bring own scribe (qualification one level below the candidate) or request NTA to provide one.
- Accessible centres and seating arrangements are to be ensured.
How to Apply Online
Step 1: Registration
- Visit the official portal and select “Apply for UGC NET December 2025”.
- Register with a valid mobile number and email ID to generate your Application Number.
Step 2: Application Form
- Fill personal details, academic info, subject code, and choose four preferred exam cities.
- Upload:
- Recent photograph (10–200 KB; plain background; 80% face visible).
- Signature (4–50 KB; running handwriting).
- PWD/PwBD certificate/UDID if applicable (PDF, as specified).
Step 3: Fee Payment
- Pay via Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI through the integrated gateways.
- Download the confirmation page for your records.
Important: Apply only once. The application is considered submitted only after successful fee payment. Keep multiple printouts of the confirmation page and fee receipt.
Admit Card & Exam Day Guidelines
- Admit cards will be available on the official website before the exam.
- Carry: printed admit card, an original valid photo ID, and one passport-size photo.
- Report at least two hours before the exam for frisking and registration. Late entry is not permitted.
- Verify that the subject on your computer screen matches the one on your admit card.
Answer Key, Challenges, Normalization & Result
Provisional Answer Key
- Provisional key and response sheets will be displayed on the official website.
- Candidates can challenge answers within the given window by paying ₹200 per question (non-refundable).
Final Answer Key & Result
- Subject experts review challenges; final key is published thereafter.
- For multi-shift subjects, percentile-based normalization is used; results show percentiles (and normalized marks where applicable).
- Qualifying minimum aggregate: 40% (General/EWS) and 35% (reserved categories) in both papers together.
- About 6% of appearing candidates (overall) qualify for Assistant Professor eligibility, distributed by category as per reservation policy.
Unfair Means & Examination Rules
Strictly prohibited: impersonation, possession of banned items (phones, notes, calculators, wearables), tampering with documents, communication with others during the test, and any action that disrupts fair conduct. Violations may lead to disqualification, result cancellation, and legal action.
Preparation Tips
- Create a week-by-week plan mapped to the official syllabus; prioritize high-yield topics.
- Practice Paper I daily: reasoning, comprehension, DI, teaching & research aptitude.
- Work through previous years’ papers to spot patterns and benchmark speed/accuracy.
- Attempt CBT-style mock tests; analyze mistakes and update notes.
- Track official updates closely and freeze logistics (exam city, documents) early.
FAQs
Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No. Each question carries two marks, and there is no negative marking.
Can final-year PG students apply?
Yes. They can apply provisionally and must meet the required percentage within the specified time after the result.
What is the age limit for JRF?
Not more than 30 years as on 1 December 2025, with applicable relaxations.
Are four-year bachelor’s degree holders eligible?
Yes, with 75% aggregate (or equivalent). They are eligible for JRF and Ph.D. admission but not for Assistant Professorship through this route.
How are results calculated for multi-shift papers?
By percentile-based normalization; the final merit uses normalized marks/percentiles as applicable.
Official Links
- NTA UGC NET Portal: ugcnet.nta.ac.in
- NTA Homepage: nta.ac.in
- UGC NET Syllabus: ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php