UGC NET 2024 Exam Details: The Complete Guide to Exam Success

What is the UGC-NET Exam?

The National Testing Agency administers the NTA UGC NET Exam primarily to select candidates for assistant professor positions and to grant junior research fellowships. After passing the exam, there are numerous other options to take advantage of, in addition to research fellowships and lectureships that can be acquired through the UGC NET.

Purpose of UGC-NET

The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test is known as UGC NET. Held biannually, it is one of the largest exams in the nation. The purpose of the exam is to determine if applicants are qualified for junior research fellowships and lectureships. It provides scholarships, and placement eligibility as a lecturer for top universities in India.

Source: About UGC

Highlights of UGC-NET 2024

The University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) twice a year, in June and December. The UGC NET test is administered by the NTA in two papers, known as paper 1 and paper 2. Its goal is to evaluate applicants’ suitability for teaching and research at the college and university levels.

Section	No. of Questions	Marks Allotted
Paper 1: Teaching & Research Aptitude	50	100
Research Methodology	10	20
Communication	10	20
Comprehension	10	20
Critical Thinking & Reasoning	10	20
General Awareness	10	20
Paper 2: Subject Specific	No. of Questions	Marks Allotted
Specific to your chosen subject	100	200

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must have a Master’s degree in any subject from a recognised university. Candidates appearing in the final year of their Master’s degree exam are also eligible to apply.
• General category candidates must have secured at least 55% marks (aggregate) in their Master’s degree. SC/ST/OBC/PwD category candidates must have secured at least 50% marks (aggregate) in their Master’s degree.
• There is an age limit of 30 years old for the General Category and 35 years old for OBC/SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Transgender/Women.
• Indian Citizens or Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)/Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) are eligible to apply.
• While not mandatory, having research experience can be beneficial for securing a good rank in the UGC-NET exam.

UGC-NET Exam Date 2024

UGC-NET 2024 Events	UGC-NET Date 2024 (Expected)
UGC-NET 2024 June  Registrations	April 2024
Admit Card June 2024 Download Starts	May 2024
UGC-NET 2024 June Exam	Between June 10 to 21, 2024
UGC-NET 2024 June Result Declaration	July End 2024

Registration Process & Fee

Here are the steps to register for the latest UGC-NET 2024 exam:

• Visit the official UGC-NET website.
• Click on the “New Registration” button to fill in your information.
• Fill in personal details such as name, date of birth, contact details, and educational qualifications. Set a password for your profile.
• You will receive a text message to verify your phone number and your email ID.
• After verification, you will be required to upload the necessary documents for the exam, such as your scanned photograph and signature, as well as any other relevant documents specified in the instructions.
• Once you have submitted the documents, pay the registration fee online using a secure payment gateway. The fee varies depending on your category.
• Upon successful fee payment, you will be able to log in using your credentials and access the complete UGC-NET application form. Fill out the form carefully and submit it before the deadline.

Application Fee

Here is the latest application fee for UGC-NET 2024:

Category	Fee (In INR)
General category	1150
OBC (NCL)	600
SC/ST/PwD	325

UGC-NET Admit Card

The official admit card for UGC-NET will be released once there is a final exam date. Mostly, the admit cards are released 3 days prior to the exam so that the students can look out their exam location. It is compulsory to carry your admit card. You will not be allowed to enter the exam premises without an admit card. Candidates are advised to colour-print their admit cards. The expected date for the admit card release of 2024 UGC-NET is May end or June first week of 2024. You can download the admit card from the official website of NTA. Your admit card will consist of all the information including, roll number, exam centre, NET subject, date and time.

UGC-NET 2024 Exam Centres

The National Testing Agency posts the exam locations on its official website. When completing the application form, you must specify your top four choices for UGC NET exam centres where you want to take the test. Here is the list of all the allotted states for UGC-NET:

Agartala	Chamarajnagar	Hubli	Mangalagiri	Saharanpur
Agra	Chamba	Hyderabad / Secunderabad	Mangaluru (Mangalore)	Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar
Ahmedabad / Gandhinagar	Chandauli	Idukki	Mathura	Salem
Ahmednagar	Chandigarh / Mohali / Panchkula	Imphal	Mau	Samastipur
Aizawl	Chandrapur	Indore	Medak	Sambalpur
Ajmer	Chengalpet	Itanagar / Naharlagun	Medchal	Sangareddy
Akola	Chennai	Jabalpur	Meerut	Sangli
Alappuzha / Chengannur	Chhatarpur	Jagatsinghpur	Moradabad	Sasaram
Aligarh	Chhindwara	Jagdalpur	Morena	Satara
Allahabad / Prayagraj	Chikkaballapur	Jagtial	Motihari	Satna
Almora	Chikmagalur	Jaipur	Mumbai / Navi Mumbai	Shillong
Alwar	Chirala	Jajpur	Munger	Shimla
Amaravathi	Chitradurga	Jalandhar	Murshidabad	Shivamoga
Ambala	Chittoor	Jalgaon	Muzaffarnagar	Siddipet
Ambedkar Nagar	Chittorgarh	Jalpaiguri	Muzaffarpur	Sikar
Ambikapur	Coimbatore	Jammu	Mysuru	Silchar(Assam)
Amravati	Cuddalore	Jamnagar	Nagapattinam	Siliguri
Amreli	Cuttack	Jamshedpur	Nagpur	Silvassa
Amritsar	Daman	Jamui	Nainital	Sindhudurg
Anand	Damoh	Jangaon	Nalanda	Sirmaur
Anantapur	Darbhanga	Jaunpur	Nalgonda	Sirohi
Anantnag	Darjeeling	Jeypore(Odisha)	Namakkal	Sitamarhi
Angamaly	Datia	Jhansi	Nanded	Sitapur
Angul	Dausa	Jharsuguda	Nandurbar	Sivaganga
Araria	Davangere	Jhunjhunu	Nandyal	Siwan
Ariyalur	Dehradun	Jodhpur	Narasaraopet	Solapur
Arrah	Delhi / New Delhi	Jorhat	Nashik	Sonbhadra
Arwal	Deoghar (Jharkhand)	Junagadh	Naugarh	South 24 Parganas
Asansol	Dewas	Kadapa	Navsari	Sri Muktsar Sahib
Ashok Nagar	Dhanbad	Kakinada	Neemuch	Sriganganagar
Aurangabad	Dharmapuri	Kalyani	Nellore	Srikakulam
Aurangabad(Bihar)	Dharwad	Kanchipuram	New Tehri	Srinagar (J & K)
Azamgarh	Dhenkanal	Kannur	Nizamabad	Sultanpur
Bagalkot	Dhule	Kanpur	Noida / Greater Noida	Supaul
Bahraich	Dimapur	Kanyakumari / Nagercoil	North 24 Parganas	Surampalem
Balaghat	Dindigul	Karaikal	Ongole	Surat
Balangir	Diu	Karimnagar	Osmanabad	Surendranagar
Balasore (Baleswar)	Dumka	Karur	Palakkad	Suri
Ballari	Durgapur	Karwar	Palghar	Suryapet
Ballia	Eluru	Kasaragod	Pantnagar	Tadepalligudem
Banaskantha	Ernakulam / Moovattupuzha	Katihar	Paralakhemundi (Gajapati)	Tanuku
Banda	Erode	Kaushambi	Parbhani	Tezpur
Banka	Faizabad	Kavaratti	Paschim Medinipur	Thane
Bankura	Faridabad	Kendrapara	Pathanamthitta	Thanjavur
Barabanki	Fatehpur	Kendujhar (Keonjhar)	Pathankot	Thiruvallur
Baragarh	Fazilka	Khagaria	Patiala / Fatehgarh Sahib	Thiruvananthapuram
Baramulla	Firozabad	Khammam	Patna	Thoothukudi
Bareilly	Firozpur	Khandwa	Pauri Garhwal	Thrissur
Baripada / Mayurbanj	Gadag	Khargone (West Nimar)	Payyannur	Tiruchirappalli
Barmer	Gandhidham	Kodagu	Phulbani (Kandhamal)	Tirunelveli
Beed	Gangtok	Koderma	Ponda	Tirupathi
Begusarai	Gaya	Kohima	Porbandar	Tiruppur
Belagavi (Belgaum)	Ghaziabad	Kolar	Port Blair	Tiruvannamalai
Bengaluru	Ghazipur	Kolhapur	Pratapgarh	Tumakuru
Bengaluru- Urban	Godhra	Kolkata	Proddatur	Udaipur
Berhampur / Ganjam	Gondia	Kollam	Puducherry	Udhagamandalam
Bettiah	Gopalganj	Korba	Pudukkottai	Udham Singh Nagar
Betul	Gorakhpur	Kota	Pulwama	Udhampur
Bhabua	Gudur	Kothagudem	Pune	Udupi / Manipal
Bhadrak	Gulbarga / Kalaburgi	Kottayam	Purba Medinipur	Ujjain
Bhagalpur	Guntur	Kozhikode / Calicut	Puri	Una
Bhandara	Gurugram	Krishnagiri	Purnea	Unnao
Bharatpur	Guwahati	Kullu	Raebareli	Vadodara
Bhatinda	Gwalior	Kurnool	Raichur	Vaishali
Bhavnagar	Hajipur	Kurukshetra	Raigad	Valsad / Vapi
Bhilai Nagar / Durg	Haldwani	Latur	Raipur	Varanasi
Bhilwara	Hamirpur (HP)	Leh	Rajahmundry	Vellore
Bhimavaram	Hanumangarh	Lucknow	Rajkot	Vidisha
Bhind	Hapur (Panchsheel Nagar)	Ludhiana	Ramanagara	Vijayawada
Bhopal	Haridwar	Machilipatnam	Ramanathapuram	Viluppuram
Bhubaneswar	Hassan	Madhepura	Rampur	Virudhunagar
Bidar	Hathras	Madhubani	Ranchi	Visakhapatnam
Bijnor	Haveri	Madurai	Ratlam	Vizianagaram
Bikaner	Hayathnagar	Mahabubabad	Ratnagiri	Warangal
Bilaspur(Chhattisgarh)	Hazaribagh	Mahbubnagar	Rayagada	Wardha
Bokaro	Himatnagar	Malappuram	Rewa	Wayanad
Bulandshahr	Hooghly	Malda	Roorkee	Yadgir
Buldhana	Hoshangabad	Malkangiri	Rourkela	Yavatmal
Burdwan	Hoshiarpur	Mandi	Rupnagar
Chaibasa	Howrah	Mandya	Sagar

UGC-NET 2024 Exam Syllabus

The UGC-NET syllabus is available on the official website. The syllabus does not change often, but you should always check out the latest updates. The UGC-Net Paper is divided into two parts, Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Here is the previous year’s syllabus for Paper 1:

Subject	Topics
Teaching Aptitude	– Teaching: Concept, objectives, levels of teaching (memory, understanding, and reflection), characteristics, and basic requirements – Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (academic, social, emotional and cognitive), individual differences, Factors affecting teaching related to Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment, and Institution – Methods of teaching in higher learning institutions: Teacher-centred vs learner-centred methods; offline vs online methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs, etc.), Teaching support system: Traditional, modern, and ICT-based – Evaluation systems: Elements and types of evaluation, evaluation in Choice Based Credit Systems in higher education, computer-based testing, innovations in evaluation systems
Research Aptitude	– Research: Meaning, typology, and characteristics, Positivism and post-positivist research. – Research Methods: Experimental, descriptive, historical, qualitative, and quantitative, Research steps, Thesis and article writing: Format and referencing, Application of ICT in research, Research ethics.
Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude	– Types of Reasoning, Number series, letter series, codes, and relationships. – Mathematical aptitude: Fractions, time and distance, ratios, proportions, percentages, profit and loss, interest, discounts, averages, etc.
Comprehension	– Responding to questions based on a given passage of text.
Logical Reasoning	– Understanding the structure of arguments, categorical propositions, mood and figure, and formal and informal fallacies. – Evaluating deductive and inductive reasoning, Exploring analogies and Venn diagrams for argument validation. – Indian Logic: Means of knowledge (Pramanas), inference structure, invariable relations, and fallacies of inference.
Communication	– Communication: Meaning, types, and characteristics. – Effective communication: Verbal, nonverbal, intercultural, group, classroom, Barriers to effective communication, Mass media and society.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)	– Introduction to ICT: General abbreviations and terminology, Basics of Internet, Intranet, Email, Audio and Video Conferencing. Digital initiatives in higher education, ICT in governance.
Logical Reasoning	– Understanding the structure of arguments, categorical propositions, mood and figure, and formal and informal fallacies. – Evaluating deductive and inductive reasoning, Exploring analogies and Venn diagrams for argument validation. – Indian Logic: Means of knowledge (Pramanas), inference structure, invariable relations, and fallacies of inference.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)	– Introduction to ICT: General abbreviations and terminology, Basics of Internet, Intranet, Email, Audio and Video Conferencing. Digital initiatives in higher education, ICT in governance.
People, Development and Environment	– Development and its connection to environmental concerns, Millennium development, and Sustainable development goals, Human interactions with the environment, the impact of anthropogenic activities, local, regional, and global environmental issues (air, water, soil, noise pollution, waste, climate change). – Effects of pollutants on human health, Assessment of natural and energy resources, Natural hazards and disaster mitigation strategies, Environmental legislation and international efforts.
Data Interpretation	– Sources, data acquisition, and classification, Quantitative and qualitative data. – Graphical representation: Bar charts, histograms, pie charts, table charts, line charts, Data interpretation and its relevance in governance.
Higher Education System	– Historical exploration of higher education institutions in ancient India, Evolution of higher learning and research in post independence India. – Diverse learning programs in India: Oriental, conventional, nonconventional, professional, technical, skill-based education, Value education and environmental education, Policies, governance, and administration in the higher education system.

Here is the latest paper 02 syllabus:

For Paper 2, UGC NET provides applicants with 102 subjects to choose from, in addition to 84 electives. The chart that follows lists the important subjects from the top 11 UGC NET subjects that most committed applicants usually choose.
Paper 01 is mandatory and common for everyone. However, paper 2 consists of 82 subjects. You are required to take a look at the list and go for the subject in which you passed your master’s or the one you want to appear for.

Here is the list of subjects for Paper 2:

Subjects
Development Studies / Econometrics / Applied Economics / Development Eco. / Business Economics / Economics / Rural Economics /Co-operation / Demography / Development Planning	Linguistics	Tribal and Regional Language/Literature
Political Science	Chinese	Folk Literature
Philosophy	Dogri	Comparative Literature
Psychology	Nepali	Sanskrit traditional subjects (including) Jyotisha / Sidhanta Jyotish / Navya Vyakarna / Vyakarna / Mimansa / Navya Nyaya / Sankhya Yoga / Tulanatmaka Darsan / Shukla Yajurveda / Madhav Vedant / Dharmasasta / Sahitya / Puranotihasa / Agama).
Sociology	Manipuri	Women Studies
History	Assamese	Visual Art (includes Sculpture Graphics / History of Art / Drawing & Painting / Applied Art)
Anthropology	Gujarati	Geography
Commerce	Marathi	Social Medicine & Community Health
Education	French (French Version)	Forensic Science
Social Work	Spanish	Pali
Defence and Strategic Studies	Russian	Kashmiri
Home Science	Persian	Konkani
Public Administration	Rajasthani	Computer Science and Applications
Population Studies	German	Electronic Science
Music	Japanese	Environmental Sciences
Management (includes Business Administration Management, Marketing, Marketing Management, Industrial Relations, and Personnel Management, Personnel Management, Financial Management, and Cooperative Management)	Continuing Education / Andragogy / Adult Education / Non-Formal Education	Politics includes international relations and international studies, such as defence and strategic studies, as well as studies of the Soviet Union, Africa, South Asia, West Asia, and South East Asia.
Maithili	Physical Education	Prakrit
Bengali	Arab Culture and Islamic Studies	Human Rights and Duties
Hindi	Indian Culture	Tourism Administration and Management.
Kannada	Industrial Relations / Labour Welfare / Labour and Social Welfare / Personnel Management / Human Resource Management	Tribal and Regional Language/Literature
Malayalam	Law	Folk Literature
Oriya	Library and Information Science	Comparative Literature
Punjabi	Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies	Sanskrit traditional subjects (including) Jyotisha / Sidhanta Jyotish / Navya Vyakarna / Vyakarna / Mimansa / Navya Nyaya / Sankhya Yoga / Tulanatmaka Darsan / Shukla Yajurveda / Madhav Vedant / Dharmasasta / Sahitya / Puranotihasa / Agama).
Sanskrit	Comparative Study of Religions	Women Studies
Tamil	Mass Communication and Journalism	Visual Art (includes Sculpture Graphics / History of Art / Drawing & Painting / Applied Art)
Telugu	Performing Art – Dance/Drama/Theatre	Geography
Urdu	Museology & Conservation	Social Medicine & Community Health
Arabic	Archaeology	Forensic Science
English	Criminology	Pali
Kashmiri	Tourism Administration and Management.	Electronic Science
Konkani	Bodo	Environmental Sciences
Computer Science and Applications	Santali	Politics includes international relations and international studies, such as defence and strategic studies, as well as studies of the Soviet Union, Africa, South Asia, West Asia, and South East Asia.
Human Rights and Duties	Sindhi	Prakrit

UGC-NET 2024: Section-Wise Distribution of Question Paper

Paper 1 Distribution:

Exam Syllabus & Sections	Number of Questions	Total Marks
Teaching Aptitude	5	10
Research Aptitude	5	10
Reading Comprehension	5	10
Communication	5	10
Reasoning (including Maths)	5	10
Logical Reasoning	5	10
Data Interpretation	5	10
Information & Communication Technology (ICT)	5	10
People & Environment	5	10
Higher Education System: Governance, Polity & Administration	5	10
Total	50	100

Paper 2 Distribution:

When completing the application form, you must select the UGC NET Paper 2 subject from the list of 83 alternatives. You are only allowed to sit for the subject in which you completed your post-graduation.

More Details on UGC-NET Exam 2024

Exam Duration	180 Minutes (3 Hours)
Medium of Exam	English & Hindi
Mode of Exam	Online
Marking of Exam	+2 for Correct Answer No Negative Marking
Total Marks	300 Marks (Paper 1 + Paper 2)

Colleges that Accept the UGC-NET Exam  Score

Sl#	College Name	Percentile Cut-off (UGC NET)	NAAC Grade
1	University of Calcutta	55% (Aggregate)	A
2	University of Allahabad	55% (Aggregate)	A
3	Jiwaji University, Gwalior	Valid UGC NET Rank	A
4	Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya	Equivalent Grade ‘B’ (7-point scale)	N/A
5	Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi	65%	A++
6	Assam University, Silchar	Valid UGC NET Score	B
7	University of Madras, Chennai	Equivalent Grade ‘B’ (7-point scale)	A
8	GITAM University, Visakhapatnam	Valid UGC NET Rank (M.Phil)	A+
9	University of Delhi	Grade ‘B’ (10-point scale)	N/A
10	ICFAI University, Dehradun	Valid UGC NET Cut-off (7-point scale)	A
11	National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy	Valid UGC NET Score	N/A
12	HKBK College of Engineering, Bangalore	Valid UGC NET Score	N/A
13	Shiv Nadar University, NCR	Valid UGC NET Score	N/A
14	SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur	Valid UGC NET Cut-off	A+
15	SRM University, Amravati	Valid UGC NET Score	N/A
16	Amity Institute of Anthropology, Noida	Valid UGC NET Score	N/A
17	Berhampur University, Odisha	Valid UGC NET Score	A
18	Goa University	Valid UGC NET Score	A

UGC-NET 2024: Expected Exam Cut-off

The NTA takes into account the following elements before announcing the UGC NET Cut-Off. Look at the following:

• Total number of students that took the test
• Seat availability
• Level of difficulty of the test
• Total number of seats that are being tested for

You are required to score the minimum cut-off for UGC-NET. The required minimum score for each category is as follows:

Category	Minimum Cut-off  ( paper 1 + paper 2)
General	40%
SC/ST/OBC	35%

UGC NET Cut Off 2023 for Assistant Professor:

Category	Subjects	UGC NET AP Cut Off 2023
General Category	Economics	170.000
	Political Science	97.659
	History	98.523
	English	97.595
	Commerce	98.122
	Anthropology	190.000

UGC NET Cut-Off 2023 for JRF:

Category	Subjects	UGC NET JRF Cut Off 2023
General Category	Economics	188.000
	Political Science	99.679
	History	99.787
	English	99.769
	Commerce	99.786
	Anthropology	214.000

UGC-NET Important Exam Guidelines

1. Keep Your Admit Card Handy

The admit card 2024 is one of the most crucial documents that all applicants must have with them on test day. Please take note that no candidate will be permitted entry into the exam centre if they do not have a physical copy of their admit card. A few days before the exam day, officials will release the UGC-NET 2024 admit cards.

2. Photo ID for Confirmation

Officials request appropriate photo identification from applicants who plan to take the exam these days. Authorities may also require candidates to have valid photo ID evidence on the day of  UGC-NET 2024 to guarantee candidate safety about identification.

Any of the following can be used as evidence of a photo ID:

• Voter ID cards, PAN cards, passports, and driver’s licences
• A Gazetted Officer’s photo ID proof
• Valid Identity Card for University/College
• Employee ID, Bar Council Identity Card, and Aadhar card

3. Maintain the Social Distance

You would need to take caution and adhere to the government’s social distance regulations for your safety and the safety of others.

4. Respect Exam Time

One of the main exam day requirements for the UGC-NET 2024 is being on time. Your admit cards for the UGC-NET 2024  exam will include the reporting time. It is recommended that you keep to the specified reporting time or arrive early to ensure seamless execution of the subsequent procedures.

5. Bring Your Mask and Sanitiser

You are recommended to attend UGC-NET 2024  with your mask and sanitiser for your safety. You are expected to bring a transparent bottle of sanitiser.

6. Verify the Seating Schedule in Advance

The first thing you should do when you arrive at the UGC-NET 202 2024 exam location is go over the seating arrangements. There will be notices on the seating arrangements inside the exam centre or on the notice board.

UGC-NET Preparation Tips

Hi there, aspiring researchers! To guarantee enough time for studying the curriculum and practising an important number of sample questions, motivated future researchers and professors such as yourself should start preparing for the UGC-NET exams about eight to nine months ahead of time. In the UGC-NET, subject papers carry more weight and have a moderate difficulty level. Consequently, candidates must plan their UGC-NET study time wisely. They can choose to study independently or under supervision, based on their interests and level of knowledge with the UGC-NET syllabus.

Mock Tests

The NTA provides UGC-NET mock tests for free on their official website. You can check out their website. Register on the student mock test website and test your learnings: UGC-NET Mock Test

FAQs

Q1. What is the age limit for UGC-NET?

The age limit for UGC is 30 years old for general and 35 for OBC/SC/ST. There is 5 years relaxation for the reserved categories.

Q2. How many questions are there in the UGC-NET exam?

There are 150 total questions. The questions are sectioned in 2, paper 1 and paper 2. Paper 1 has 10 sections designed to assess your aptitude for teaching and research, comprehension skills, communication abilities, logical and mathematical reasoning, data interpretation, understanding of ICT, awareness of current affairs and social issues, and knowledge of the Indian higher education system.

Q3. Who can apply for UGC-NET?

The minimum percentage required for UGC NET qualifying is a master’s degree completion or being in the last year of a master’s programme. You would need a 55% minimum to apply. For the reserved categories, it is 50%.

Q4. Where can we find the question papers?

You can find the question papers on the official website. The NTA UGC website provides previous year papers starting from 2011 till last year.