National Eligibility Test

University Grants Commission (UGC) announced in 2013 that the candidates who clear the NET successfully would be eligible for lucrative jobs in public sector undertakings (PSUs). PSUs can use UGC-NET scores for the recruitment process of the posts of executives in their organizations in disciplines like science (R&D), management, corporate communications, human resources, and finance. This step taken by the UGC would also increase the number of students taking the UGC-NET examination which has witnessed a gradual decline in recent years.[3]

UGC NET Procedure and Criteria for the declaration of result steps:

• Obtain minimum qualifying marks with aggregate 55% marks to General and 50% to others in master's degree.
• The paper will be divided into two papers: Papers 1 and 2. The candidates would have to attempt a total of (both papers 1 and 2) 150 questions in three hours.
• UGC NET qualifying cut off marks for General category is 40% in Paper I and II while the qualifying marks for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/Transgender categories is 35% in Papers I and II.
• Amongst those candidates who have obtained Minimum marks a merit list will be prepared subject wise and category-wise using the aggregate marks of two papers secured by such candidates.
• For lectureship, the aggregate cut off marks for General category is between 54 and 60, for OBC NCL it is 49–56, for SC/ST it is 45–54 and for EWS it is 48–58 (for all subjects).[4]
• On the other hand, Top 6% of candidates will be selected for eligibility of NET Lectureship. Simultaneously, a separate list for JRF would be prepared.
• A separate merit list for the award of JRF will be prepared from amongst the NET qualified candidates figuring in the above merit list prepared.
• Until 2018 UGC released the certificates but from December 2018 onward, NTA releases the UGC NET e-certificate and JRF award letter on its official website for the qualified candidates. Successful candidates would be able to download their e-certificates and award letters online at ugcnet.nta.nic.in.

Candidates clearing JRF exams are also eligible for the National Eligibility Test. UGC follows the Government of India's reservation policy, as per which a minimum of 27%, 10%, 15%, 7.5% and 3% of fellowships are reserved for the OBC (non-creamy layer), EWS, SC, ST and persons with disabilities (PWD).

JRF: Candidate should not be more than 30 years as on 01.06.2020. There are a few relaxations as well.

• Candidates (including women applicants) belonging to OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Transgender categories are provided a relaxation of up to 5 years.
• Candidates who have research experience get a relaxation limited to the period they have spent on the research, but this relaxation is subject to a maximum of 5 years, only if you provide a certificate from the appropriate authority.
• Candidates with L.L.M. degree are provided with 3 years of relaxation in age.
• Candidates who have served in the armed forces are provided with a relaxation of up to 5 years which is subject to the length of service in the armed forces up to the first day of the month in which the UGC NET examination is to be held.
• Under any circumstances, the total relaxation of the above ground(s) shall not exceed five years.

Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit for candidates to apply for UGC NET (Assistant Professor).

• Junior Science Talent Search Examination

• Official website