UGC NET 2023: Exam Date (Out), Dec Notification, Application Form & Latest Syllabus

The UGC NET December exam dates have been announced by the UGC chairman through his social media handle. The UGC NET December exam will be carried out between December 6 to 22, 2023. However, the official notification is yet to be released by the NTA on the official website. The candidates can check the Tweet by the UGC NET chairman M Jagadesh Mamidala below:

UGC NET Exam Date Announced

UGC NET June 2024 Exam Date

The NTA released the exam calendar for the upcoming exams in 2024. In the exam calendar, the tentative date to conduct the UGC NET 2024 June session exam is between June 10 to 21, 2024. However, the NTA has not released any information related to the UGC NET 2023 December exam dates.

The highlights of the UGC NET 2023 exam are given below.

University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) or NTA UGC NET is a national-level exam conducted in order to determine the eligibility of candidates for only Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor posts in Indian universities and colleges. The UGC NET 2023 exam will be held for a total of 83 subjects. Until 2021, the NTA UGC NET exam was conducted for 83 subjects. The UGC NET syllabus 2023 differs for all 83 subjects and is prescribed by the University Grants Commission itself. Until June 2018, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the NET exam on behalf of UGC. However, from December 2018 onwards National Testing Agency (NTA) started conducting the UGC NET exam.

UGC NET Posts

The candidates who will qualify for the NET JRF and  Assistant Professorship through the UGC NET exam will be offered an assistant professor's position or the position of a research scholar. The candidates can get the difference between these two positions below:

• Junior Research Fellowship (JRF): The candidates who will qualify for the JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) can apply for the position of assistant professor and research scholar. The research scholars will be paid a stipend of 35,000 (for the initial 2 years) and 42,000 (from the 3rd year) to complete their research in a specific field. The candidates qualifying for the JRF can also apply for the position of assistant professor in different universities along with a career as a research scholar. 
• Assistant Professors: The candidates qualifying for the eligibility exam for the position of Assistant professor can apply for the position to teach in different universities/colleges. The candidates can also apply for the PhD. However, the candidates qualifying for the PhD will not be eligible to get any stipend from the Government to complete their PhD. 

The UGC NET notification 2023 for the December cycle will be released soon on the official website. The notification will tentatively be released in the month of September 2023 as per the previous trends of the UGC NET exam. The candidates can download the UGC NET notification PDF by following the steps given below:

• Go to the official website 
• Click on the UGC NET December 2023 Notification link 
• The UGC NET 2023 notification will appear on the screen 
• Download the notification pdf and save it for later use

Direct Link to Download the UGC NET Notification PDF: Yet to be released

UGC NET Notification Details 2023

The UGC NET notification 2023 was released by the NTA on the official website as an 'Information Bulletin'. The notification PDF contains the following details:

• Application process
• Exam dates and schedule
• UGC NET eligibility criteria
• UGC NET exam pattern and syllabus
• UGC NET qualifying marks and cut-off criteria
• Validity of UGC NET
• Exam centers list
• Admit card
• Verification of eligibility

UGC NET application form 2023 for the December session will be released in September/October 2023 along with the release of the UGC NET 2023 December notification. The steps to apply online for UGC NET registration are given below:

• Visit the website- ugcnet.nta.nic.in

• Click on the ‘Application form’ link mentioned at the bottom of the home page

• Click on the ‘New Registration’

• Enter the required details and complete the registration

• Fill out the complete application form

• Upload scanned pictures of passport size photo (10-200 kb) and signature (4-30 kb). Both images should be in JPEG format

• Pay the UGC NET application fee (Gen - INR 1,100; OBC/EWS - INR 550; SC/ST/PwD/ Transgender - INR 275)

• Save and submit the form

• Download the confirmation page

How to Apply for the UGC NET Exam? (Step-by-Step Video)

The candidates who wish to apply for the UGC NET December cycle exam must note that the photograph and signature must be uploaded within the given limits or it will not be uploaded in the UGC NET online registration form. The size of the photo and signature have been given below for the candidates. 

Pre Requisites for UGC NET Registration Process 2023

Candidates who wish to apply for the UGC NET exam must know the pre-requisite information for making an application for the NTA NET December exam. The list of the pre-requisite information has been given below for the candidates that they should keep ready before filling out the application form:

• Copy of Board/ University Certificate for Name, Mother's Name, Father's Name, etc. 
• Identification Card
• Degree Certificate or last semester result
• Active Email ID and Mobile Number
• Four cities and choice of centres 
• Code of subject 
• Category certificate, PwD certificate (if applicable)
• Scanned photograph and signature 

UGC NET Photo & Signature 2023 

The dimensions and the size for the UGC NET photo and signature have been given below for the candidate's ease:

• UGC NET photo size and dimensions: The photograph must be in the dimension of 3.5cm x 4.5 cm and between 10kb to 200kb in JPG/JPEG format
• UGC NET signature size: The signature must be in JPG/JPEG 4 kb to 30 kb size

UGC NET selection process begins with the release of official notification. The UGC NET notification is the first official document that gives information regarding the exam such as exam dates, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, syllabus, and others. The UGC NET selection process comprises various steps. Have a look at the steps below: 

Step 1: Fill UGC NET application form 

The UGC NET process begins with the release of the application form. Candidates need to register and fill out the UGC NET application form online by visiting the official website of the exam. To fill out the form, candidates have to pay an application fee. 

Step 2: Download the UGC NET admit card 

After successful registrations, the NTA releases the UGC NET admit card around a week before the exam. Candidates can download the admit card by logging in to their registered accounts. Candidates need to carry the admit card to the exam centres on the day of the examination. 

Step 3: Appear for the UGC NET exam 

Candidates who have registered for the UGC NET need to appear for the exam. The UGC NET is a computer-based test that consists of Papers 1 and 2. Both papers contain objective-type questions that candidates need to complete in a duration of three hours. 

Step 4: Check UGC NET result 

NTA declares UGC NET results on its official website as per the prescribed schedule. The result contains the roll number and status of candidates, that is, whether a candidate has qualified for the exam for Assistant Professor/JRF or failed to qualify for the exam. 

The basic criteria that candidates must fulfill to meet UGC NET eligibility 2023 are mentioned below in terms of the age limit and qualification:

UGC NET Age Limit 2023:

• Candidates should not be more than 30 years of age in order to be eligible for NTA NET JRF
• There is no age restriction to applying for the post of Assistant Professor

• A relaxation of five years in age criteria is given to reserved category candidates

UGC NET Educational Qualification 2023:

• Candidates should have completed their post-graduation from a UGC-recognised college/university

• A relaxation of five per cent in educational qualification is given to reserved category candidates

• Candidates who have cleared State Eligibility Test (SET) before June 1, 2002, are exempted from taking the UGC NET exam

UGC NET 2023 EWS Certificate 

The candidates who have applied for the UGC NET exam under economically weaker sections and if they qualify for the exam will get the UGC NET EWS certificate. The candidates falling under the EWS will get a 10 per cent reservation in the recruitment exam. However, the candidates don't have to upload the UGC NET EWS certificate while filling out the application form for the recruitment exam but the certificate has to be presented in front of the recruitment committee.

UGC NET syllabus 2023 is prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The NTA UGC NET Syllabus is different for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The UGC NET Paper 1 syllabus 2023 is common for all candidates. On the other hand, the UGC NET Paper 2 syllabus varies for all 83 subjects. Candidates need to choose the subject for Paper 2 while submitting the UGC NET application form.

UGC NET Paper 1 Syllabus 2023 

The UGC NET Paper 1 syllabus has been given below for the candidates who are willing to appear for the UGC NET exam. Paper 1 comprises 50 questions from 10 units that hold a total weightage of 100 marks:

• Teaching Aptitude
• Research Aptitude
• Comprehension
• Communication
• Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
• Logical Reasoning
• Data Interpretation
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• People, Development, and Environment
• Higher Education System

UGC NET Paper 2 Syllabus 2023

UGC NET Paper 2 Syllabus is subject-specific and the candidates have to choose paper 2 in accordance with their specialisation. The subject of post-graduation is the paper of specialisation. Paper 2 holds a weightage of 200 marks for 100 questions. The candidates can check and download the subject-wise paper 2 syllabus through the link given below. 

UGC NET Paper 2 PDF Syllabus: Download Here 

UGC NET exam pattern comprises two papers- Paper 1 and 2. As per the prescribed UGC NET 2023 exam pattern, both papers contain multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Candidates need to complete both papers in a single duration of three hours. Have a look at the detailed UGC NET exam pattern 2023 below.

UGC NET 2023 Reservation Policy 

The UGC NET reservation policy is applicable for the candidates according to the norms of the reservation policy of India. The candidates appearing for the UGC NET exam can check the reservation policy according to the category in the table below:

The NTA UGC NET admit card 2023 for the December cycle exam will be released after the application process ends for the UGC NET exam. Candidates can download the UGC NET admit card 2023 by following the steps mentioned below. 

• Visit the official website 

• Click on the ‘Download Admit Card for UGC-NET December 2023' link

• Log in using the 'Application Number', 'Date of Birth', and 'Security Pin'

• Download the UGC NET admit card 2023

• Take the printout for future use

UGC NET City Intimation Slip 2023

The NTA will release the UGC NET city intimation slip for the December cycle two weeks prior to the release of the UGC NET admit card. The candidates will be able to download the UGC NET city intimation slip by following the steps given below:

• Go to the official website 
• Click on the UGC NET 2023 City Intimation link 
• Fill out the credentials asked for login- application number, date of birth, security pin, etc. 
• Click on the submit button
• The city intimation slip 2023 will appear on the screen
• Check the exam city for the UGC NET exam 2023

Also Read:

• UGC NET Exam City Intimation Slip 2023 
• UGC NET 2023 Commerce Question Paper 

The UGC NET cut-off 2023 was released category-wise, paper-wise, and subject-wise for all 83 subjects. The NTA released the cut-off marks along with the declaration of the result. Candidates can download the NTA UGC NET cut-off list by following the given steps:

• Visit the official website
• Click on the cut-off link
• Go through the cut-off marks
• Download the PDF

Direct Link for UGC NET Cut OFF:

For JRF: https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s301eee509ee2f68dc6014898c309e86bf/uploads/2023/07/2023072550-1.pdf 

For Assitant Professorship: https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s301eee509ee2f68dc6014898c309e86bf/uploads/2023/07/2023072599.pdf 

The NTA released the UGC NET final answer key on the official website for the UGC NET June session 2023 on July 25, 2023. The candidates can download the UGC NET  answer key from the official website. The steps to download the UGC NET answer key have been given below for the candidates:

• Visit the official website
• Click on the ‘ Final Answer Key’ link
• Login into the registered account using the Application Number and Date of Birth 
• Download the PDF

UGC NET Answer Key Direct Link:https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s301eee509ee2f68dc6014898c309e86bf/uploads/2023/07/2023072557.pdf 

How to Challenge UGC NET Answer Key 2023?

The steps to challenge the UGC NET provisional answer key are given below:

•  Visit the official website of UGC NET
•  Click on the link available for the answer key
• Click on any one of the links: Through the application number and password or Through the application number and date of birth
• Enter the application number, password/date of birth, and security PIN (as shown on the screen)
• Click on Sign In
• Click on the Challenge Answer Key link
• Select the correct answer option ID for the question ID for which the challenge needs to be made
• Click on the 'Save Your Claims' button
• Upload the supporting documents in a single PDF file to support your claim
• Click on the ‘Save Your Claims & Pay Fee’ button
• Pay INR 200 per question in the online mode

The UGC NET exam analysis for the UGC NET exam will be released within a few hours after the exam concludes. The candidates will be able to check the difficulty level, question pattern, types of questions asked, and more through the analysis. The candidates can check the UGC NET exam analysis of the previous cycle below. 

UGC NET Phase 2 Exam Analysis (June)

The UGC NET Mass Communication was conducted by the National Testing Agency on June 21, 2023. The difficulty level of the UGC NET Paper 2 exam was moderately difficult in nature. The history and dates-based questions were dominant in the paper. Films and Television, Public Relations, and Communication were on the easy side. Paper 1 was easy to moderate in terms of difficulty level. The maths and research aptitude were tougher side as compared to the previous cycle exam. Check the good attempts for the UGC NET Mass Communication below in the table:

UGC NET Phase 1 Exam Analysis

The UGC NET exam analysis 2023 has been shared below for the candidates. The candidates can check out the exam difficulty level based on the reaction of the candidates who have taken the UGC NET Phase 1 June Cycle Exam:

UGC NET Phase 1 Exam Analysis: Political Science

UGC NET Political Science exam was conducted on June 15, 2023, in two shifts. The difficulty level of the UGC NET Political Science exam was moderate. The questions were asked from the Keshwanand Bharti case, Political Theories of  International Relations and IFP, pardoning power of governor, DPSP Chronology, Maslow Need Hierarchy Theory, Book and Writers 4-5 questions, John Rawls concept name, Passage on Buddha, Passage on Globalization, etc. The good attempts for the paper have been given below for the candidates:

UGC NET Phase 1 Exam Analysis: English (Shift 1) 

The UGC NET exam for shift 1 got over at 12:00 pm for English. Shiksha visited one of the exam centres in Delhi and took the review of students who have taken the exam. According to their reviews, the difficulty level of Paper 1 was easy to moderate. On the other hand, paper 2 was a bit difficult in comparison to the previous cycle. The Criticism section was dominant in Paper 2 whereas the  6 to 7 timeline questions were asked related to authors, books, birth year, etc. The difficulty level of cultural studies was above average as compared to the previous year.

UGC NET Student's Reaction: English 

The candidates who took the exam for UGC NET English gave their reactions to Shiksha. Read their comments below:

Sagar said, "Paper 2 was a bit difficult for this year as compared to the previous cycle whereas Paper 1 was easy. The expected cut-off might get low as the difficulty level of Paper 2 has been raised."

Pragya Said, " Paper 2 was more difficult than the previous cycle. In Paper 1, maths and reasoning were on the tougher side whereas the other topics were easy to moderate. The questions were asked from Post Post Modernism

Anuj Said, " The overall difficulty level for the exam was moderate in nature. Teaching aptitude and Research aptitude were analytical. The match following questions was based on authors and books. 6 to 7 questions were asked from American Literature related to books and authors. The expected cut-off for the June cycle will be around 61 per cent."

Nitika Said," Paper 1 was easy. 4 to 5 questions were asked about books and authors. The direct questions comprising theories were asked from Cultural Studies. The cut-off for the will be around 98 percentile for the June cycle." 

Snigdha Said," The difficulty level of Paper 1 was moderate in nature whereas Paper 2 was a bit difficult. Research aptitude was on the difficult side. Indian Post Postmodernism questions were asked in Paper 2. The criticism questions were dominant in Paper 2. The cut-off for the will be higher than the previous cycle."

UGC NET Phase 1 Student's Review: English

UGC NET Phase 1 Exam Analysis: Commerce (Shift 1)

The difficulty level of the UGC NET Commerce paper was moderate to difficult for the UGC NET Commerce exam. 60 to 65 questions were asked in Paper 2  which falls under the moderate to hard difficulty level. The questions were asked from the topics: Marketing – Profounder of Marketing theories, Logistic mgt, Elasticity of demand, Financial mgt, Return on Captial, Employee, Substitution & income effect, Monoplay. On the other hand, 35 questions were of easy to moderate level.

UGC NET Phase 1 Exam Analysis: Commerce (Shift 2)

The difficulty level for the UGC NET Commerce exam in the second shift was moderate to difficult as compared to the December 2022 session. The questions were asked from MRP, Economics, Transaction Exposure, etc. According to the difficulty level of the UGC NET commerce paper, the good attempts are between 82 to 87 questions. Paper 1 was easy to moderate in nature.

UGC NET Phase 1 Analysis: Paper 1

The UGC NET exam analysis for Paper 1 has been discussed below for the candidates. 

UGC NET Students' Reaction (December 2022)

The candidates preparing for the UGC NET exam can get a review of the previous cycle on the page below. The student's review for the UGC NET exam will help the candidates in understanding the difficulty level types of questions and more. 

UGC NET December 2022 Exam: English 

 UGC NET December 2022 Exam Analysis: Mass Communication

 UGC NET December 2022 Exam Analysis: Linguistics

The candidates who are willing to appear for the UGC NET June Cycle exam must take the UGC NET Mock Tests to strengthen their preparation. With the Shikhsa'a curated mock tests, the aspirants can get the perfect idea of the exam and plan their strategy based on it. The benefits of solving the mock tests have been given below:

• The aspirants will get an idea of exam patterns, sections, repeated questions, etc. 
• The preparation strategy can be made on the basis of mock tests 
• Taking the mock test in exam conditions can benefit building self-reliance 

The candidates preparing for the UGC NET June Cycle exam that is going to be held between June 13 to 22, 2023, must go through the last-minute preparation tips to score good marks and uplift their chances of getting qualified. The UGC NET last-minute prep tips for the candidates have been given below :

• The candidates must focus on accuracy rather than guessing for the right answer. However, the UGC NET exam does not have a negative marking scheme but candidates must go for the question that they know perfectly and then solve the rest paper by guessing:
• Focus on time management
• Read the questions carefully 

The UGC NET previous year's question paper is an essential medium for exam preparation. It makes candidates familiar with the exam pattern, questions' structure, and marking scheme. By undertaking the practice of NTA NET previous years' question papers candidates get to know the important topics from which questions are asked in the exam and their difficulty level. Candidates can also analyse the already attempted question papers and work for improvement. The candidates can get the UGC NET 2023 Question Paper for the June  session in the table below:

UGC NET Certificate Download

Go through topper interviews for the UGC NET preparation.  

• UGC NET Last Minute Preparation Tips 2023
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• UGC NET & CSIR NET: Scribe Rules for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, PwBD

The candidates preparing for the UGC NET can also prepare for different competitive exams as it will help them to accomplish two things at once. Some of the exams are mentioned below for the candidates who want to prepare for the UGC NET exam along with the competitive exam. 

• UPSC (IAS/IES/IFS etc.): The candidates who are preparing for the UPSC with a master's degree can apply for the UGC NET exam with their subject as the thorough study of the subject will help the candidates to cover the syllabus of the UGC NET along with the UPSC. For instance, If a candidate has a degree in Economics and preparing for the UGC NET or UPSC then the thorough study of the subject can help him/her to prepare for both the exams at once. 
• Teaching Exams: The syllabus of the exam like CTET, and state TET exams can be covered with the syllabus of the UGC NET exam as the syllabus for both exams are quite similar to each other and can be covered at once. 

Read More:

• UGC NET 2023 Certificate

• UGC NET 2022 Books for Paper 1 & Paper 2

• UGC NET Vs CSIR NET: Know Differences & Similarities
• Teaching Exams for Government Jobs in India- NET, SET & TET