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UGC NET Law

University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) twice every year (June & December) to determine eligibility for: Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor & Ph.D. Admission

The examination is conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, and eligibility is decided on the aggregate score of Paper-1 and Paper-2.

Eligibility Categories

Category 1: JRF + Assistant Professor + Ph.D. Admission

Eligible candidates qualify for JRF, Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission.

Category 2: Assistant Professor + Ph.D. Admission

Eligible for Assistant Professor appointment and Ph.D. admission.

For Ph.D. Admission:

  • 70% weightage: UGC-NET score
  • 30% weightage: Interview by the concerned University/Institute
  • UGC-NET score validity: 1 year from the date of declaration of result.

Category 3: Ph.D. Admission Only

Eligible only for Ph.D. admission.

For Ph.D. Admission:

  • 70% weightage: UGC-NET score
  • 30% weightage: Interview by the concerned University/Institute
  • UGC-NET score validity: 1 year from the date of declaration of result.

Exam Pattern

Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours) – No break between Paper-1 & Paper-2
Mode: Objective type (MCQs)
Negative Marking: No negative marking
Medium: English / Hindi (choice to be selected during application)

Paper Questions Marks Nature

Paper-1 50 100 Teaching & Research Aptitude, Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Divergent Thinking & General Awareness

Paper-2 100 200 Subject-specific knowledge

Each question carries 2 marks.

Syllabus

The syllabus can be accessed here. Subject Code- 58

Educational Eligibility

Candidates must have:

Final year / appearing / result-awaited candidates may also apply, subject to completion of Master’s degree with the required percentage.

Additional conditions:

  • Master’s degree must be in the same subject in which the candidate appears for UGC-NET.
  • Candidates awaiting results qualifying under Category-1 (JRF + Assistant Professor + Ph.D. Admission) & Category-2 (Assistant Professor + Ph.D. Admission) must complete Master’s within 2 years from declaration of UGC-NET result.
  • Candidates qualifying under Category-3 (Ph.D. only) must complete Master’s within 1 year from declaration of UGC-NET result.

Qualifying Criteria

To be considered, a candidate must appear in both papers and secure minimum aggregate marks (together in both papers):

  • For General (Unreserved) Category: 40%
  • For Reserved Categories: 35%

Assistant Professor certificate has no expiry date.

The number of candidates qualifying for Assistant Professor eligibility is limited to 6% of candidates appearing in both papers, based on Master’s degree/equivalent examination criteria.

There is no limit on number of attempts allowed.

No re-evaluation or re-checking of results is permitted.

JRF Benefits & Validity

  • JRF validity: 3 years from issue of JRF Award Letter (candidate must enrol in Ph.D. within this period).
  • For candidates already pursuing Ph.D., JRF starts from UGC-NET result date or date of joining, whichever is later.

Fellowship Amount

JRF (First 2 Years):

  • ₹37,000 per month
  • ₹20,000 per annum Contingent Grant

SRF (After 2 Years, if eligible):

  • ₹42,000 per month for the 3rd year and subsequent years.
  • ₹20,000 per annum Contingent Grant

Age Limit

Age criteria apply only for JRF (no age limit for Assistant Professor or Ph.D. Admission):

  • Maximum 33 years – LL.M. candidates
  • Maximum 35 years – Armed Forces Service Personnel

Application & Important Information

  • Application process: Completely online
  • Fees payable: ₹1150/- (for General category), ₹600/- (for Reserved categories), ₹325/- (for Third Gender).
  • Mock Test Available: NTA Mock Test Portal

Before declaration of results, NTA displays the question paper and recorded responses on its website for 2–3 days.

Important: Candidates should download and save these documents, as copies are not provided later under the RTI Act.