UGC NET June 2026 Notification OUT: Application Form Date, Eligibility, Exam Schedule

The UGC has released the official notification for the June session of UGC NET examination on its official website, ugcnet.nta.in on 29 April 2026.

Download the UGC NET June Notification 2026 HERE

The Test paper will consist of two sections, both the section will consist of objective type, multiple-choice questions. There will be no break between the papers.

• NET/SET/SLET remains the mandatory minimum eligibility for recruitment as Assistant Professor, as per UGC regulations (updated from time to time).
• Candidates who qualified UGC/CSIR JRF before 1989 are exempted from NET.
• SET Candidates:
  • Qualified before 1 June 2002: Eligible for Assistant Professor anywhere in India.
  • Qualified on/after 1 June 2002: Eligible only in the state where they cleared SET.

Candidate can apply for UGC - NET June 2026 through “Online” mode only. The Application Form in any other mode will not be accepted.

UGC NET includes 85 subjects and the list of subjects along with thier codes have been given below in the table below:

National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the UGC NET December 2025 e-Certificate on its official website, ugcnet.nta.nic.in.

Download the UGC NET December 2025 e-Certificate Here

• To answer a question, the candidate needs to choose one option as the correct option.
• Each question carries 02 marks.
• For each correct response, the candidate will get 02 marks.
• There is no negative marking for incorrect response.
• No marks will be given for questions un-answered/un-attempted/marked for Review.
• If a question is found to be incorrect/ambiguous or has multiple correct answers, only those candidates who have attempted the question and chosen one of the correct answers would be given the credit.
• If a question is found to be incorrect and the Question is dropped, then two marks (+2) will be awarded to only to those candidates who have attempted the question. The reason could be due to human error or technical error. Since, there is no negative marking, candidate needs to choose one most appropriate option as correct answer.

(i) The medium of Question Paper shall be in English & Hindi only, except language papers.

(ii) Option for medium of Question Paper should be carefully chosen by the Candidate, while filling the Application Form online. The option once exercised cannot be changed.

(iii) Candidates are required to answer in the medium as per option exercised in the Application Form.

(iv) In case of any ambiguity in translation/construction of a question in the exam, its English version shall be treated as final and the decision of NTA shall be final in this regard

UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for ‘award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor’, ‘appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ and ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ in Indian universities and colleges.

• The candidates qualifying under the ‘appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D.’ category will be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D. but not for the award of JRF.
• The candidates qualifying under the ‘admission to Ph.D. only’ category will be eligible for admission to Ph.D. only but not for the award of JRF and/or appointment as Assistant Professor.

The exam is conducted in multiple cities nationwide, ensuring accessibility. Candidates can choose preferred cities during application.

Candidates need scanned photographs, signatures, academic certificates, and category proof (if applicable). Ensuring correct file size and format is crucial during submission.

The UGC NET Paper 1 and Paper 2 together includes 150 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Paper 1 includes 50 MCQs of Teaching Research and Aptitude, whereas Paper 2 includes 100 MCQs related to Subject-specific. Each question carries +2 marks, which makes the total maximum marks to 300.

Each correct response in the UGC NET exam fetches 2 marks, and there is no provision for negative marking for incorrect responses. This means that the candidates can attempt as many questions as they want without any fear of penalty.

UGC NET is conducted in a single session of 3 hours consisting of two papers: Paper 1 (General) and Paper 2 (Subject-specific). Both are compulsory papers and contain objective-type questions. The merged session format introduced by NTA ensures uniform evaluation and reduces exam-day fatigue compared to earlier separate sessions.

Since 2018, the exam has been conducted in CBT (Computer-Based Test) mode across India. This ensures faster result processing and increased transparency. Candidates must practice online mock tests to get familiar with the online examination mode.

First-time applicants often find the UGC NET registration process complex, but understanding the steps can simplify it significantly.

• Candidates need to visit the official NTA portal
• Complete registration using a valid email ID and mobile number, and generate login credentials.
• After that, they must fill out the application form, upload scanned documents (photo and signature).
• Pay the application fee online.
• It is crucial to double-check details like subject selection, category, and exam center preferences before final submission. 

Errors in these fields can lead to complications later. Saving a copy of the confirmation page is also essential for future reference.

Qualified candidates can apply for Assistant Professor roles, pursue PhD programs, or avail JRF funding for research in universities and institutions.

The exam is conducted in both English and Hindi. Candidates must choose their preferred language carefully during application, as it cannot be changed later.

The UGC NET exam is conducted twice annually, in June and December. Candidates who miss one cycle can reappear in the next, making it a flexible opportunity for aspirants.

Candidates who clear the exam qualify for Assistant Professor eligibility, while top performers receive JRF for research funding. The cutoff varies each year based on difficulty and candidate performance.

For Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the upper age limit is typically 30 years, with relaxation for reserved categories. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility, making the exam accessible to a wider candidate base.

NOTE: 5-year relaxation for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, Third Gender, and Women candidates.

Candidates must have a postgraduate degree from a recognized university with minimum qualifying marks. Final-year PG students are also eligible to apply, subject to fulfilling eligibility within a stipulated time after results.

Minimum Marks:

• General/EWS: 55% aggregate (no rounding off).
• OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender: 50% aggregate.

As per the previous year analysis of the UGC NET schedule, the notification is expected in April 2026, application process in April-May, admit card release in June, and exam in June 2026. The result is likely to be declared in July 2026. This structured timeline allows candidates to plan revision cycles and mock tests strategically in the final month.

The June 2025 session was conducted between June 25 and June 29 across multiple shifts. For 2026, a similar window in the last week of June is expected. This pattern shows that NTA prefers conducting exams over 4-6 days depending on subject volume and number of applicants, helping candidates estimate preparation timelines effectively.

Based on previous year trends, the UGC NET June session notification is typically released in April. In 2025, the notification was issued on April 19, 2025, with the application window closing in early May. Similarly, it is expected that this year UGC NET June notification can be released in April 2026, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) likely to maintain consistency. Candidates should keep documents ready in advance, including postgraduate mark sheets and scanned photographs, to avoid last-minute issues during registration.