NTA UGC NET December 2026: Last Date Extended to 31 October
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) December 2026 examination to determine eligibility for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as Assistant Professor, and admission to Ph.D. programmes in Indian universities and colleges. The online application process began on 8 October 2026. In a public notice dated 27 October 2026, NTA extended the last date for submission of the online application form, and for successful payment of the examination fee, to 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) without any late fee.
Candidates who have not yet completed their application should finish the process well before the revised deadline, as NTA has advised against waiting until the last minute because of possible technical difficulties. The correction window for particulars in the application form runs from 2 to 4 November 2026. The examination is scheduled for 14 to 19 December 2026, in computer-based test mode, and the admit card and exam-city details will be intimated later on the official website.
Key Highlights
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Examination | UGC-NET December 2026 |
| Purpose | Eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor, and Ph.D. admission |
| Application mode | Online only, through ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
| Application started | 8 October 2026 |
| Last date to apply (extended) | 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM), without late fee |
| Last date for fee payment | 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Correction window | 2 to 4 November 2026 |
| Exam dates | 14 to 19 December 2026 |
| Exam mode | Computer Based Test (CBT), 180 minutes, no break between Paper 1 and Paper 2 |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application begins | 8 October 2026 |
| Last date to submit online application (extended) | 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Last date for successful fee transaction | 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Correction in application particulars | 2 to 4 November 2026 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Examination dates | 14 to 19 December 2026 |
| Exam city intimation and admit card | To be intimated later |
| Result declaration | To be announced later |
Note on the earlier schedule: the original Information Bulletin listed 28 October 2026 as the last date, with late submission from 29 to 31 October 2026 on payment of a Rs. 500 late fee. The NTA public notice of 27 October 2026 supersedes that arrangement for this session by extending the deadline to 31 October 2026 without any late fee. Candidates should follow the revised schedule in the 27 October notice.
Application Fee
| Category | Examination fee |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | Rs. 1,150 |
| General-EWS / OBC-NCL | Rs. 600 |
| SC / ST / Third Gender / PwD / PwBD | Rs. 325 |
The fee is payable through the payment gateway integrated with the online application, using net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI. Applicable service or processing charges and GST over and above the examination fee are to be paid by the candidate to the bank or payment gateway integrator. The application is confirmed only after successful payment of the fee, and the confirmation page is generated only after successful payment.
Eligibility
General, Unreserved, and General-EWS candidates must have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in a Master’s degree or equivalent examination from a university or institution recognised by UGC. Candidates from OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD, and Third Gender categories require at least 50% marks. Candidates who are appearing in the final year of their qualifying Master’s degree examination, or whose result is awaited, may apply provisionally, and will be considered eligible for the award of JRF or eligibility for Assistant Professor only after passing the Master’s degree with the required marks. Ph.D. degree holders whose Master’s level examination was completed by 19 September 1991 are eligible for a 5% relaxation, from 55% to 50%.
Age Limit
For Junior Research Fellowship, the candidate must be not more than 30 years old as on the first day of the month in which the examination is conducted, that is, 1 December 2026. Age relaxation applies as per the rules in the Information Bulletin. There is no upper age limit for applying for UGC-NET for Assistant Professor or for admission to Ph.D.
Examination Scheme
UGC-NET December 2026 is a computer-based test of 180 minutes (3 hours) with no break between Paper 1 and Paper 2. The exact exam centre, date, and shift will be indicated on the admit card. Candidates should read the Information Bulletin for the subject-wise syllabus, medium of the question paper, and marking scheme before applying.
How to Apply
- Visit the official UGC-NET website at ugcnet.nta.nic.in and read the Information Bulletin and the public notice dated 27 October 2026.
- Register online using your own email ID and mobile number, and note the system-generated application number.
- Fill in the application form, upload a live photograph and scanned signature in the prescribed format and size, and upload any required disability certificate where applicable.
- Pay the examination fee through net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI, and keep proof of the payment.
- Download, save, and print the confirmation page, which is generated only after successful payment of the fee.
- Use the correction window from 2 to 4 November 2026 if any particulars in the form need correction.
Important Links
| Apply Online | UGC-NET Official Website – ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
| NTA Website | nta.ac.in |
| Date Extension Notice (27 October 2026) | NTA Public Notice – Extension of Last Date (PDF) |
| Information Bulletin December 2026 | UGC-NET December 2026 Information Bulletin (PDF) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last date to apply for UGC-NET December 2026?
The last date to submit the online application form, and to complete the fee payment, is 31 October 2026 (up to 11:50 PM), as extended by NTA’s public notice dated 27 October 2026, without any late fee.
When will the UGC-NET December 2026 examination be held?
The examination is scheduled for 14 to 19 December 2026 in computer-based test mode. The exam centre, date, and shift for each candidate will be shown on the admit card.
What is the application fee for UGC-NET December 2026?
The fee is Rs. 1,150 for General/Unreserved candidates, Rs. 600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, and Rs. 325 for SC, ST, Third Gender, and PwD/PwBD candidates, plus applicable service charges and GST.
Is there an age limit for UGC-NET?
For JRF, the upper age limit is 30 years as on 1 December 2026, subject to relaxation rules. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor eligibility or Ph.D. admission through UGC-NET.
Featured image: SarkariDetails.com poster for NTA UGC NET December 2026.
Disclaimer: SarkariDetails.com is an independent information publisher and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the National Testing Agency or the University Grants Commission. Candidates should verify all details in the official Information Bulletin and public notices on ugcnet.nta.nic.in and nta.ac.in before applying.