UGC NET Books 2023: Best Books for Paper 1 & 2

University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test 2025 ( UGC NET )

DeskCalelnderRegistration - 7 Oct '25 - 7 Nov '25

Updated on Mar 1, 2023 12:58 IST

UGC NET books 2023: Looking for the best books to prepare for the UGC NET exam? Check below the list of the best UGC NET books that will help boost your preparation level.

UGC_NET_Books

UGC NET Books for Paper 1 and Paper 2

UGC NET exam is held every year for determining the eligibility of candidates for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and/or Assistant Professor. The National Testing Agency (NTA) holds the UGC NET exam twice every year. The exam is conducted in two combined sessions for Paper 1 and Paper 2. Lakhs of candidates appear for the exam every year to obtain UGC NET E-certificates. As per the University Grants Commission (UGC) policy, only 6 per cent of candidates appearing in both Paper 1 and 2 and obtaining the minimum qualifying marks in aggregate are declared qualified in the exam. With such high competition, only those candidates can qualify the exam who have prepared well in advance.

Good study materials and resources such as books play very crucial roles in UGC NET preparation. Candidates must choose the right UGC NET books for Paper 1 and for their respective subject for Paper 2. It may be noted here that the UGC NET Paper 1 is common for all candidates and Paper 2 is held for 81 different subjects. Plenty of UGC NET books are available for all the subjects and papers in the market. For the ease of candidates, we have listed below the best UGC NET books for Paper 1 and Paper 2 which will help candidates in their preparations.

Table of content
  • UGC NET Best Books
  • UGC NET Preparation Tips 2022
  • UGC NET Best Books FAQs

UGC NET Best Books

We have listed below some of the best UGC NET books for Paper 1 and 2 from leading publication houses. These are the books suggested by the UGC NET-qualified candidates. We have also highlighted the interactive features of the UGC NET Paper 1 books so that candidates can select the book as per their requirements. Also, when it comes to UGC NET preparation, studying one book is not enough, selecting two or more books for each paper will certainly give a boost to one's preparation. Have a look at the list of books below:

Best UGC NET Books for Paper 1

Here's the list of best books recommended by exam toppers for preparation for UGC NET Paper 1.

UGC NET Paper 1 Book

Author

Trueman's UGC NET/SET General Paper I

M Gagan and Sajit Kumar

NTA UGC NET/SET/JRF Paper I: Teaching and Research Aptitude by Pearson

KVS Madaan

General Paper-1 UGC NET/JRF/SLET – Teaching & Research Aptitude

Arihant Experts

NTA UGC Paper 1 for NET/SET/JRF

Oxford

Let's have a look at the interactive features of the UGC NET Paper 1 books below.

NTA UGC - NET/SET/JRF Paper 1 - Teaching and Research Aptitude By Pearson

  • As per reviews from the students, this book has very little error or is almost error-free. Also, the book has covered all topics as per the latest UGC NET syllabus, divided into ten units
  • Another feature that will help many candidates is this book has published previous year’s papers  with proper solutions
  • If you talk about the content of this book, the quality is undoubtedly good. Along with good content, it has good illustrations and practical examples, which make this book one of the favourites among the aspirants.

UGC University Grants Commission NET/SET for Lectureship Exam: Paper 1  By Trueman's

  • This is another book for UGC NET Paper 1 which is very popular among the aspirants
  • Trueman’s books are known for its high-quality content presented in detail with ample amount of examples and illustrations
  • This book has explained Teaching and Research Aptitude in a very interactive way which candidates find easy to understand. This book is very helpful to build a strong foundation.   

UGC NET/SET Paper 1: Teaching & Research Aptitude General (Compulsory) - Guide  (English, Paperback, GKP)

  • The book has recently been updated as per the latest changes brought in UGC NET
  • It covers the UGC NET syllabus in detail
  • Also, they have added previous years' solved paper of UGC NET Paper 1. Hence, candidates can carry on with their practice as well
  • The main highlight of this book is the ‘communication section’, it is believed to be better than other books available in the market
  • The only cons of this book are its price, which is towards the higher side.

UGC NET/JRF/SLET General Paper-1 Teaching & Research Aptitude 2019 By Arihant Publications

  • Arihant Publications is one of the most renowned publishing houses which offers great resources for different competitive exams. This Book for UGC NET Paper 1 is also good in quality, each topic has a detailed explanation with an ample number of examples
  • They have also added to mock test apart from the previous year’s papers
  • However, this book alone is not a complete source of material for UGC NET preparation, one must follow few other reference books 

Oxford NTA UGC Paper 1 for NET/SET/JRF

  • This is another good book for UGC NET Paper 1, candidates who are looking for a good reference book can opt for this one
  • In this book, many difficult topics have been explained in a very lucid manner
  • The most interesting feature of this book is, candidates, can avail themselves of free lecture videos along with this book
  • Also, this book offers many new questions for practice based on the latest UGC NET pattern.

We will advise the candidates to choose books based on their needs. Rather than buying all books, start with one or two books mentioned above and gradually move to the other books based on your preparation levels.

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UGC NET Best Books for Paper 2

Here's the list of best books recommended by exam toppers for preparation for the UGC NET Paper 2.

Subjects Books

Economics / Co-operation / Demography / Rural Economics /Development Planning/Development Studies/Econometrics/ Applied Economics/Development Eco./Business Economics

Trueman's UGC NET Economics by Sriniwas Shirur

UGC NET/JRF/SET Economics (Paper 2) -Upkar Prakashan

Commerce

Trueman’s UGC NET Commerce by Praveen Kataria, Anshu Kataria & M. Shivani

Management

Trueman’s UGC-NET Management by M. Shivani

UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) Management by Mohit Aggarwal (Arihant experts)

Mass Communication and Journalism

Trueman’s UGC NET Mass Communication & Journalism by Sameer K. Mishra

UGC NET Mass Communication and Journalism by Atul Udaipuria and Nitesh Kumar Singh (Arihant)

English

UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) English Literature by Arihant Experts

Hindi

Trueman’s UGC NET Hindi Sahitya (Hindi Literature) by Board of Authors

Kannada

Samagra Kannada Sahitya Kaipidi - Useful For IAS, KAS, KES, PUC Lecturer, NET (UGC), K-SET by Lokesha Masavanaghatta

Malayalam

UGC NET /SET/ TET Malayalam Pareeksha Sahayi by Sasidharan A.P.

Odia

UGC NET/SSB/SLET/JRF Odia

Punjabi

U.G.C. NET/SET/JRF Punjabi by Universal

Sanskrit

UGC NET/JRF/SLET Sanskrit Prashan Patra (Hindi) by Priyanka Tiwari, Arihant Experts

Telugu

UGC NET & SET (Telugu Literature) by GanjiShashidar, Pothula Venkateshwar Reddy

Urdu

UGC-NET JRF & Assistant Professor Khazeen-E-Adab Urdu by M.Arshad Ansari and M. S. Ansari

Political Science

Trueman's UGC NET Political Science by K.A. Babu, Sajit Kumar

UGC NET Political Science by Rukmini Bhattacharjee (Arihant)

Psychology

Trueman's UGC NET Psychology by Dr Swati Maharshi

Sociology

Trueman's UGC NET Sociology by S.Hussain

Public Administration

Trueman's UGC NET Public Administration by Sajit Kumar

Bengali

Bengali NET/SET by Balaram Bapari

Assamese

UGC NET SET Guide By Assam Publishing Company (Assamese)

Linguistics

UGC NET/SET Linguistics Guide by Ringu Ann Baby

History

Trueman's UGC NET History by Promod Singh

Anthropology

Trueman’s UGC NET Anthropology by AM Tripathi

Education

Trueman’s UGC NET Education by Gagan Manocha

Social Work

Trueman’s UGC NET Education by Yogendra Pal

Defence and Strategic Studies

UGC-NET-JRF Defense And Strategic Studies

Home Science

Trueman’s UGC-NET Home Science by Anju Khosla & Ruchi

UGC NET /SET (JRF &LS) Home Science by Suchi Rastogi

Population Studies

Principles of Population Studies by Bhende, Himalayan Publishing House

Music

UGC NET Music Exam Guide (Hindi) by Gunjan Saxena and Nisha Rawa

Labour Welfare/Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/ Labour and Social Welfare/Human Resource Management

Trueman’s UGC NET HRM/ Human Resource Management & Labour Welfare by Reetu Dogra

Law

Trueman’s UGC NET Law by Suman Chauhan

UGC-NET: Law (Paper II) Exam Guide by Aproov Bhardwaj

Library and Information Science

Trueman’s UGC NET Library and Information Science by S. Thakur

Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies

UGC NET Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies by Deepak Kumar

Adult Education/Continuing Education/ Andragogy/Non-Formal Education

Book on Extension Education by Shruti Madan Singh, New Vishal Publications

Physical Education

Trueman’s UGC NET Physical Education by Akhilesh Tripathi

Comparative Study of Religions

Comparative Study of Religions by C.R. Jain

Comparative Study of Religions by Y. Masih

Sanskrit traditional subjects

UGC NET/JRF/SLET - Sanskrit Prashan by Priyanka Tiwari

Women Studies

Advanced Manual For Women Studies UGC/CBSE -NET/JRF by Anmol Murlidhar Nimsadkar

Visual Art (including Drawing & Painting/Sculpture Graphics/Applied Art/History of Art)

Upkar’s UGC-NET/JRF/SET Visual Art (Paper-II) by M Vasim

Museology & Conservation

Archaeology, Museology, and Conservation: A review Edited by Vibha Upadhaya

Archaeology

UGC NET/JRF Archaeology and Philosophy Paper (Hindi) by Mohan Lal

Criminology

(UGC-NET/JRF) Criminology Solved Question Paper by Mr Nitish Kumar Soni, Dr Mridul Srivastava and Dr Anup Yadava

Tribal and Regional Language

Folklore and Its Motifs in Tribal Literature by Dr Kishore Jadav

Folk Literature

Folk Literature: A Concise Guide for NET/JRF by Marya Naim

Geography

Trueman’s UGC NET Geography by A Magon, BP Panigrahi

Forensic Science

Forensic Science UGC NET/JRF-MCQ by Dr Anu Singla

Computer Science and Applications

Trueman’s UGC NET/SET Computer Science and Applications by Sanjay Singhal, Sameer Mishra

Electronic Science

CBSE UGC NET/SET ELECTRONIC SCIENCE by Sunil Kushwaha

Environmental Sciences

Trueman's UGC NET Environmental Science by Anil Tyagi and Virendra Singh

Human Rights and Duties

UGC NET/SET (JFR&LS) Human Rights & Duties by Fazil Atul Udaipuria

Tourism Administration and Management.

Trueman's UGC NET Tourism by Akhilesh

Yoga

R.Gupta’s UGC-NET Yoga Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board

UGC NET Preparation Tips 2022

Have a look at the general tips and tricks to crack the UGC NET 2022 exam below:

  • To crack the exam, candidates must have a concrete UGC NET study plan
  • Candidates must solve the UGC NET previous years’ question papers and UGC NET mock tests to improve speed and accuracy
  • Candidates should develop a habit of practising the Teaching and Research Aptitude section to ace Paper 1
  • Make your own notes
  • Practice important topics and strengthen your weak areas

Read More:

UGC NET Best Books FAQs

Q. Why UGC NET 2023 books are important for preparation?

A. The books play vital role in the preparation for the UGC NET exam as it helps the candidates to cover all the topics prescribed in the syllabus, if the candidate follow their time table seriously. The candidates can clear the fundamentals of the UGC NET exam through the books. The enhancement of the knowledge through the books can help the candidates to get more marks in the UGC NET exam. The candidates can learn more about the UGC NET topics easily through books without wasting time on videos that are available on the internet.

Q. What are the best Paper 1 books that are available for the UGC NET exam preparation?

A. The UGC NET preparation books for the paper 1 has been given below for the candidates:
  • CBSE UGC-NET - Teaching and Research Aptitude 
  • NTA UGC NET / SET / JRF of (Paper 1) 
  • 2019 Latest Syllabus of NTA UGC NET / SET / JRF – (Paper 1) 
  • NTA UGC NET/SET/JRF (Paper 1) 
  • Trueman’s UGC NET or SET General Paper I 

Q. What is the exam pattern of UGC NET exam?

A. The exam pattern for UGC NET has been given below for the candidates:
  • The UGC NET exam comprises two papers - paper 1 and paper 2 
  • Both the papers are compulsary in nature and the candidates have to qualify in both the papers
  • Exam duration of the exam is three hours 
  • Total number of question is 150
  • For correct answers are awarded 2  marks and no marks is deducted for the incorrect answers 
  • Total marks in UGC NET exam 300 marks 
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Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 5 days ago

No. The authority has not released the UGC NET certificate for the December session 2025. The exam is scheduled to be conducted from December 31 to January 7, 2026. 

I

Ishita Kaur

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 5 days ago

The authority will release the UGC NET certificate on the official website at ugcnet.nta.nic.in and also on the e-certificate portal at ecertificate.nta.ac.in. Candidates can download it by using their login credentials including the application number and password or date of birth.

S

Shikha Goyal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

  • Visit at ugcnet.nta.nic.in
  •  Click on the link available for the answer key
  • Use application number and password or the application number and date of birth to open the link
  • Enter the application number, password/date of birth, and security pin (as shown on the screen)
  • Click on Sign In and submit the Chal

...Read more

V

Virajita Shukla

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 5 days ago

The UGC NET answer key challenge fee per question is INR 200. It is non refundable whether the challenge is accepted or rejected. It can be paid online via debit card, credit card, net banking or UPI. Challenges made by the candidates will be verified by the panel of subject experts.

G

Gunjan Majumder

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 5 days ago

It is released by the National Testing Agency NTA a few days after the exam is conducted. The answer key helps candidates in calculating their probable scores and checking the accuracy of their responsesThe details provided on the UGC NET answer key are mentioned below:

  • Exam date
  • Exam shift
  • Exam subjec

...Read more

N

Nitesh Pruthi

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 2 weeks ago

Candiates can check below the steps to download the UGC NET question papers:

  • Visit at ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
  • Click on the answer key & question paper link.
  • Login using the required details.
  • Download the question paper PDF

V

Virajita Shukla

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 2 weeks ago

To give mock test is important. It helps them to find out strengths and weaknesses. regular practice also improves speed, gain confidence, reduce the exam pressure, helps to understand the exam pattern, improves speed, etc.

G

Gunjan Majumder

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 2 weeks ago

Analysis is crucial for a candidate in the NTA NET exam. It helps to strategize the preparation, understand the paper structure, difficulty level, topics asked or high weightage areas, expected cutoff, etc. 

K

Kritika Sharma

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 2 weeks ago

No. Candidate must possess a Master's degree with  a minimum of 55% grade score average from a UGC recognised university to apply for the NTA UGC NET exam. Also, if she or he is in the final year of their Master's programme or hold a four year bachelor's degree in specific subjects. 

N

Nitesh Pruthi

Contributor-Level 6

Answered 2 weeks ago

There is no upper age limit to apply for the Assistant Professor positions. But for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the maximum age limit is 30 years as of June 1 of the exam year. There is also an ahe relaxation provided to the candidates from reserved categories including OBC, SC and ST

S

Shikha Shukla

Contributor-Level 6