UGC NET December 2026: Apply in October for December 14-19 exam

The National Testing Agency (NTA), on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC), has scheduled the UGC NET December 2026 examination from December 14 to 19, 2026. Buffer dates for the examination have been set for December 20 and 21, 2026. This national-level test is crucial for Indian nationals aspiring for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions, and admission to PhD programmes across Indian Universities and Colleges.

The examination will be conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode at various centres nationwide. The official notification for the December 2026 session, including the detailed application form, is anticipated to be released in the first week of October 2026 on the official website, ugcnet.nta.ac.in. This scheduling places the December 2026 exam earlier than the previous two December sessions.

UGC NET December 2026 Application and Examination Schedule

The NTA calendar confirms the examination window for the UGC NET December 2026 session. While the exact dates for the notification release and application window are yet to be announced, based on past trends, the online application portal is expected to open in October 2026. For the December 2025 session, applications commenced on October 7, 2025, and closed on November 7, 2025, with the exam held from December 31, 2025, to January 7, 2026.

Comparatively, the December 2024 applications started on November 19, 2024, for an exam scheduled in January 2025. In December 2023, the registration window opened on September 30, 2023, and the examination took place from December 6 to 22, 2023. These past timelines suggest an application period typically lasting about a month following the notification release.

Eligibility Criteria and Age Limits

Candidates applying for the UGC NET December 2026 must hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification from a UGC-recognized university. A minimum of 55% marks is required for General category candidates, while those belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, and Third Gender categories need a minimum of 50% marks. Final-year postgraduate students are also eligible to apply provisionally.

Regarding age limits, there is no upper age restriction for candidates applying for Assistant Professor and PhD admission. However, for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the maximum age limit is 30 years as of June 1, 2026. Age relaxations apply for specific categories, including OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, Third Gender, women, LLM degree holders, and ex-servicemen.

Examination Pattern and Application Fees

The UGC NET December 2026 examination will be a three-hour (180 minutes) Computer Based Test (CBT). It comprises two papers: Paper I and Paper II. Paper I consists of 50 questions for 100 marks, while Paper II has 100 questions for 200 marks, bringing the total to 150 questions for 300 marks. Each correct answer fetches 2 marks, and there is no negative marking for incorrect responses. The medium of examination will be English and Hindi.

The application fee varies by category. General category candidates are required to pay Rs 1150. For General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, the fee is Rs 600. Candidates belonging to SC, ST, PwD, and Third Gender categories have an application fee of Rs 325.

In related news, the UGC NET June 2026 re-exam results were declared on September 18, 2026, following the release of the answer key on September 10, 2026, for English, Commerce, and Sociology. The re-exam itself was conducted on September 9 and 10, 2026. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official UGC NET website, ugcnet.nta.ac.in, for the latest updates regarding the December 2026 session notification and application process.

Further reading

• UGC-NET 2026 Results for 84 Subjects Expected This Week on NTA Website
• UGC NET 2026 English Re-Exam Analysis OUT: Moderate to Easy Difficulty on Sep 9
• CTET 2026 Application Correction Window Closes September 10; Admit Card Expected Soon at ctet.nic.in
• AP EdCET registration: dates and steps to apply
• UGC NET: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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