UGC NET – University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test

University Grants Commission (UGC)

On behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted for determining the eligibility of Indian nationals for the Eligibility for Assistant Professor only or Junior Research Fellowship & Assistant Professor Both, in Indian Universities and Colleges.

Till June 2018, the CBSE conducted the NET in 84 subjects at 91 selected Cities of spread across the country. From Dec 2018 onwards, the UGC- NET is being conducted by the NTA.

The award of JRF and or Eligibility for Assistant Professor depends on the aggregate performance of the candidate in Paper-I and paper-II of UGC-NET. The candidates qualifying only for Assistant Professor are not to be considered for the award of JRF. Candidates who qualify the test for eligibility for Assistant Professor are governed by the rules and regulations for recruitment of Assistant Professor of the concerned universities/colleges/state governments, as the case may be. UGC-NET is conducted twice a year.

National Testing Agency (NTA)

National Testing Agency (NTA) has been established as a premier, specialist, autonomous, and self-sustained testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions.

To assess the competence of candidates for admissions and recruitment has always been a challenge in terms of matching with research-based international standards, efficiency, transparency, and error free delivery.

UGC NET 2020 Eligibility

• Master’s Degree holders with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for reserved candidates) can register for the exam.  Online Courses
• Students in the final year of the master’s program or waiting for its result can also apply for the exam.
• Ph.D. degree holders who completed their master’s degree before September 19, 1991 will be given a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks.
• Applicants must not be more than 30 years of age as on June 1, 2020 to apply for Junior Research Fellowship.
• SC, ST, OBC, PWD, Transgender and Women candidates are given an age relaxation of up to 5 years.

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UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for UGC NET, candidates must ensure that they fulfill the eligibility for the test.

• Candidates do not have to send any certificates/ documents to the National Testing Agency in support of their eligibility.
• NTA does not verify the details provided by the candidates in the application form and hence their candidature will be purely provisional subject to the fulfillment of eligibility criteria.
• In case, NTA or UGC detects any ineligibility at any stage, the candidature will be canceled and legal action may be taken against the candidates.

UGC NET 2020 eligibility criteria in terms of academic requirement, age limit, and reservation are explained below:

UGC NET Educational Qualification Requirements

Candidates securing at least 55% marks in their Master’s Degree or equivalent from recognized universities in Humanities (including languages), Social Science, Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science, etc. are eligible for this test.

• However, candidates belonging to the non-creamy layer of other backward classes (OBC-NC), scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), persons with disability (PwD) and transgender category have to score at least 50% marks.
• Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or are waiting for their result or whose qualifying examinations have been delayed can apply for the test.
• However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and will be considered for award of JRF or recruitment as Assistant Professor only when they will pass their Master’s Degree with at least 55% marks (50% marks for reserved category).
• Such candidates will also have to complete their Master degree within two years from the date of UGC NET 2020 Result with the required percentage of marks, failing which they will be treated as disqualified.
• Candidates with Ph.D. degree whose Master’s level examination was completed before September 19, 1991 (irrespective of date of declaration of result) will be eligible for a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks (i.e. from 55% to 50%) for appearing in UGC NET 2020.
• Transgender candidates will be provided the same relaxation in fee, age and qualifying criteria for NET (i.e. JRF and Assistant Professor) as are available to SC/ ST/ PwD categories. The subject wise cutoffs for the transgender category will be the lowest among those for SC/ ST/ PwD/ OBC–NCL categories in the respective subject.
• Candidates are suggested to choose the same NET subject for Paper 2 as their specialization in Post Graduation. However, if your post-graduation subject is not covered in the list of 81 NET subjects, you can appear in a related subject.
• Candidates possessing Post Graduation Diploma/ Certificate awarded by Indian University/ Institute or foreign degree/ diploma/ certificate awarded by a foreign University/ institute should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their diploma/ degree/ certificate with Master’s degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.

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UGC NET Age Criteria

UGC NET 2020 Age Limit and Relaxation

UGC NET 2020 Age Limit and Relaxation for Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professorship are given below:

• Junior Research Fellow: Candidates should not be more than 30 years as on June 1, 2020.
• Candidates belonging to OBC-NC, SC, ST, PwD categories, Transgenders and women applicants are provided a relaxation of up to 5 years.
• Candidates with research experience will also be provided age relaxation equivalent to the years/ period spent on research in the respective subject or Post Graduation Degree.
• Relaxation to researchers can be of up to 5 years and will only be provided on production of a certificate from the appropriate authority.
• Candidates with L.L.M. Degree will be permitted an upper age relaxation of 3 years.
• Candidates who have served in the armed forces will be provided the benefit of relaxation of up to 5 years subject to the length of service in the armed forces up to June 1, 2020.
• Total age relaxation on the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years under any circumstances.
• Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit to apply for Assistant Professor.

UGC NET Exemptions for Assistant Professor

NET/ SET/ SLET is the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professorship in Indian Universities and Colleges. However, certain exemptions from NET/ SET/ SLET will be governed by UGC regulations and amendments notified in the Gazette of India from time to time.

• Candidates who have passed UGC/ CSIR/ JRF examination before 1989 are exempted from appearing in NET.
• Candidates who have cleared States Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for Assistant Professor held before June 1, 2002, are exempted from appearing in NET, and are eligible to apply for Assistant Professor anywhere in India.
• However, candidates qualified in SET held after June 1, 2002, are eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in the universities and colleges situated in the respective states.

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