The National Testing Agency has revised the rulebook for the UGC NET December 2026 session, and lakhs of aspirants who are planning to appear should sit up and take notice. On October 16, the NTA issued a revised Information Bulletin for the exam, amending several key provisions and fixing the final schedule that candidates had been waiting for.
UGC NET decides eligibility for three big things in Indian higher education: the Junior Research Fellowship, Assistant Professor posts, and admission to Ph.D. programmes. With the application window currently open and the deadline approaching fast, here is everything the revised bulletin changes.
Revised exam dates and the full schedule
The NTA has confirmed that the UGC NET December 2026 computer-based test will be held on December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21. A subject-wise detailed schedule will be released separately.
The agency has also fixed dates that were earlier marked as to be intimated later. The exam city intimation slip will be available from November 23, 2026, and the admit card can be downloaded from December 7, 2026. Applications are open at ugcnet.nta.nic.in till October 28, 2026 (11:50 PM). A late-fee window runs from October 29 to 31, and corrections can be made between November 2 and 4.
What has changed in the revised bulletin
The corrigendum introduces amendments and clarifications across several provisions. The major ones are:
- Evaluation of marked questions: If you attempt a question and mark it for review, it will still be evaluated. Only unanswered or unattempted questions are left out of evaluation.
- Barred items: Ball-point pens, earlier listed as barred, will now be provided by the NTA at the exam centres themselves. Candidates do not need to carry their own.
- City preferences: Candidates must now pick exam cities from within their permanent or present state or Union Territory. Where fewer than four cities are available, the NTA system will display additional options to choose from. Preferences can be adjusted during the correction window.
- Gate closing time: Centre gates will close 30 minutes before the exam starts. Late entry is not permitted.
- Dress code: Low-heeled shoes, slippers and sandals are now permitted. Long boots remain prohibited.
- Scribe documentation: The scribe undertaking format has been updated and moved to Annexure VII of the bulletin.
- Meri Pehchaan login: Registration now runs through Meri Pehchaan, the national single sign-on platform. A live photograph must be captured during the form, with 80 percent face visibility including ears, against a white background.
Application fee and who can apply
The application fee is Rs 1,150 for General and Unreserved candidates, Rs 600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, and Rs 325 for SC, ST, PwD and Third Gender candidates, as per the official notice.
Eligibility rules remain as before. Candidates need a Master’s degree or equivalent with at least 55 percent marks for the General category and 50 percent for reserved categories. Final-year students can also apply provisionally, but must complete their degree within two years of the result with the required marks. For JRF, the age limit is 30 years as on December 1, 2026, with relaxations for reserved categories. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor or Ph.D. admission.
Exam pattern at a glance
The UGC NET is a single three-hour computer-based test with two papers: Paper 1 carries 50 questions for 100 marks and tests teaching and research aptitude, while Paper 2 is subject-specific with 100 questions for 200 marks. Each correct answer fetches 2 marks and there is no negative marking.
The NTA has advised candidates to read the comparative statement of amendments, Annexure-A, along with the updated information bulletin, Annexure-B, before filling in the application form and appearing in the examination.
FAQs
When is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
The last date without a late fee is October 28, 2026. Applications with a late fee can be submitted from October 29 to 31.
On which dates will the UGC NET December 2026 exam be held?
The exam will be conducted on December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21, 2026. The subject-wise schedule will be released separately.
When will the city slip and admit card be released?
The exam city intimation slip will be out on November 23, 2026, and the admit card from December 7, 2026.
Is there any negative marking in UGC NET?
No. Each correct answer gets 2 marks and there is no deduction for wrong answers.
Can I mark questions for review in the exam?
Yes, and the revised bulletin clarifies that attempted questions marked for review will still be evaluated.
The December session is often the larger of the two annual NET cycles, so competition will be stiff.
