Latest Updates for UGC NET
- 21 April 2024 :
UGC NET Application Form 2024 is out. The last date to apply is May 10, 2024 (up to 11:50 PM).
UGC NET eligibility criteria 2024 must be checked by candidates before filling out the admission form. The eligibility criteria has been shared by the National Testing Agency on the website. The official notification for UGC NET 2024 has been released.
However, the as per the eligibility requirement for UGC NET 2024 exam a candidate belonging to general category is 55%, for PwD it is 50%, for SC/ ST it is 50%, OBC it is 50% in their PG through a recongnized institutions.
All aspirants are advised to go through the detailed UGC NET eligibility criteria 2024, laid out by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Table of Contents
- UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 Educational Qualification
- UGC NET 2024 Age Limit
- UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 Category Wise
- UGC NET 2024 Eligibility Criteria for Reserved Categories
- Subject-Wise Eligibility Criteria in UGC NET 2024
- UGC NET 2024 Additional Points to Remember
- Exemption from UGC NET 2024
UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 Educational Qualification
Candidates interested in the field of education providing are expected to abide by certain standards set by the National Testing Agency. The educational qualifications sought in the ideal candidates, who shall take over the vacant posts of Assistant Professors and look forward to competing for the Junior Research Fellowship are discussed below:
- The applicant must be a post-graduate to be eligible for UGC NET 2024. Those candidates pursuing a Master's in the relevant field are also eligible to apply for UGC NET 2024.
- The college or university from which the candidate has attained their PG Degree or is pursuing PG should be recognized by UGC.
| Category | Percentage Required |
| General or Unreserved | 55% |
| Transgender and PwD | 50% |
| SC and ST | 50% |
| Other Backward Classes | 50% |
- Candidates possessing a Post Graduation Diploma or Certificate awarded by any Indian university/institute, or a foreign Degree/Diploma/ Certificate awarded by a foreign university/institute should, in their interest, ascertain the equivalence of their Diploma/Degree/Certificate with the Master's degree of any recognized Indian university from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.
- The candidates in their final year of Master's degree who have appeared or will appear for the qualifying exam of the Master's degree or an equivalent program are eligible. This also includes candidates waiting for the results of their qualifying exams. However, such candidates will be considered eligible for admission only on a provisional basis after clearance of their qualifying exams with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PWD). Candidates holding a Ph.D. degree and having completed their Master's exam by September 19, 1991, are eligible to apply for UGC NET 2024 with a relaxation of 5% in the aggregate marks (i.e. from 55 % to 50%).
- Those candidates who possess a post-graduate certificate or diploma issued by a university based in India, or a degree, diploma, or certificate issued by a foreign university need to determine if it is equivalent to the Master's degree taken from a recognized Indian university. They must refer to the equivalence given by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.
Note
- A candidate should only choose a subject related to his/her Post Graduation or a related subject.
- At any stage, if a candidate is found ineligible, his/her candidature will be cancelled and will be subjected to legal action(s) as well.
- UGC NET 2024 Syllabus remains unchanged, considering past trends.
UGC NET Exam 2024 Age Limit
The age limits for UGC NET 2024 are below.
UGC NET JRF Age Limit: Candidates who are below 30 years of age as of Dec 1, 2024, can apply. A relaxation of 5 years is granted to candidates belonging to OBC/SC/ST/PWD categories and women candidates.
Note that the candidates who have prior experience in the domain of research are also eligible to avail of a relaxation equivalent to the time spent on research in their respective subjects during post-graduation, with a maximum limit of 5 years.
If they can provide a certificate in support of the same from respective authorities. In addition, there is an age relaxation of 3 years for candidates possessing an L.L.M. degree.
| Category/Condition | Age Relaxation |
| Female Candidates of All Categories | 5 Years |
| SC/ST/OBC/Transgender/PH | 5 Years |
| Candidates Holding LLM Degree | 3 Years |
| Candidates from Armed Forces | 5 Years |
UGC NET Assistant Professor/Lecturer Age Limit: There is no upper age limit as such for the role of assistant professor. Candidates who have served in the armed forces will be provided with the benefit of relaxation of up to 5 years, subject to the length of service in the armed forces up to Jun 1, 2024.
UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 Category Wise
Eligibility criteria for general category candidates applying for UGC NET 2024 exam are that they should have scored 55% aggregate in his/her Master’s Degree or Equivalent Degree. Certificates that will be considered proof of age are the 10th standard mark sheet or passing certificate and DOB certificate.
- Age relaxation is also provisioned for candidates with experience in research (provided they have to obtain a certificate to get the relaxation).
- Categorical relaxation in age will only be allowed to produce relevant certificates.
- Candidates will not get any age relaxation of more than 5 years either through one or multiple clauses.
UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 for Reserved Categories
Eligibility criteria for ST/SC/OBC/ PWD category are that a candidate should have a 50% aggregate in Master’s Degree. PhD degree holders whose Master’s level exam has been completed by September 19, 1991 (irrespective of the date of declaration of result) will be eligible for a relaxation of 5% in aggregate marks, i.e. from 55% to 50% for appearing in NET.
- A final year student with a Master’s Degree or passed out a student whose result is still awaited is also eligible to apply for UGC NET Exam.
- However, such students will only be considered for admission for the Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor Award when they have passed their Master’s Degree with the required percentage criteria (as mentioned above).
Reservation Policy in UGC NET 2024
As per the rules laid out by the Government of India, the reservation policy is discussed below.
| Category | Reservation of Seats |
| General-EWS | 10% |
| Scheduled Castes | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribes | 7.5% |
| Persons with Disability (40% or more) | 5% |
| Other Backward Classes-NCL | 27% |
Subject-Wise Eligibility Criteria in UGC NET 2024
The applicants must note that they will be expected to abide by certain subject-specific eligibility conditions set up by the NTA. All those conditions are discussed in this section.
| Subject | Eligibility Criteria |
| Computer Science |
Age Limit for JRF: 31 years (+5 years for reserved categories) |
| Environmental Science | |
| English | |
| Physical Education | |
| Life Science | |
| Public Administration | |
| Library Science | |
| Sociology | |
| Forensic Science | |
| Commerce | |
| Education | |
| Management | |
| Mathematics | |
| Yoga |
UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2024 Additional Points to Remember
The points to remember regarding UGC NET 2024 eligibility criteria are below.
Age Relaxation: Age relaxation is provided for candidates with research experience (provided they have to obtain a certificate of the same to get the relaxation). Relevant Category Certificates are also required for Age Relaxation. Candidates will not get any age relaxation of more than 5 years either through one or multiple clauses. Five years of Relaxation will be provided for women candidates and SC/ST//OBC/PwD Candidates.
Revised Criteria: UGC has revised the procedure and criteria for qualifying candidates. It has been decided that the top 6% of total candidates who appear in UGC-NET examination will be declared qualified as per UGC NET 2024 Exam Pattern.
Transgender People: Transgender candidates will be provided with the same relaxation in fee, age, and qualifying criteria for NET (i.e. JRF and Lectureship/Assistant Professor) available to SC/ST/PwD categories. The subject-wise cut-offs for the transgender category will be lowest among those for SC/ST/PwD/OBC-NCL categories in the respective subject.
Exemption from UGC NET 2024
Certain exemptions are allowed for each category of people applying for UGC NET 2024.
- Candidates who have a PhD degree, under UGC Regulations, 2009, shall be exempted from the minimum eligibility criteria of UGC NET/SLET/SET for the appointment of Assistant Professor or equivalent positions in Universities, Colleges, and Institutions.
- NET/SLET/SET will be considered a minimum eligibility condition for the recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professors in various Universities, Colleges, and Institutions.
- Candidates who have passed the States Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for eligibility of Assistant Professor, conducted before June 1, 2002, are exempted from taking this exam; they are eligible to apply for Assistant Professor anywhere in India.
- The candidates who cleared the SET exam after June 1, 2002, can only assume the role of an Assistant Professor at a college or university based in their respective state.
- Candidates who have cleared UGC/CSIR JRF Exam before 1989 are also exempted from appearing in UGC NET.
FAQs
What is the age limit for the post of Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)?
Candidates below the age of 30 are eligible for Junior Research Fellowship. There is no upper age limit for Assistant Professor.
What is the eligibility criteria required to apply for UGC NET ?
Candidates who want to apply for the UGC NET exam should have completed their Master's degree or an equivalent, with a minimum aggregate of 55%. Earlier, the upper age limit for applying for UGC NET JRF was 28 years. Now, it has been increased by two years, i.e. up to 30 years, for the candidates who belong to General Category. For the reserved category (SC, ST, OBC), the upper age limit to apply is 35 years, which means a relaxation of 5 years.
What is the percentage required to be eligible for UGC NET 2024 JRF?
Candidates should have scored 50% aggregate in Master's Degree or Equivalent degree.
What is the age relaxation for LLM candidates and those who served in armed forces?
Candidates possesing LLM Degree have 3 years of age relaxation, while candidates who have served in the armed forces have up to 5 years of age relaxation.
