UGC NET Exam Date:31 Dec' 25 - 07 Jan' 26
National Testing Agency mentioned the UGC NET qualifying marks 2026 in the official notification. The UGC NET notification can be checked at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates have to meet the UGC NET 2026 qualifying marks in order to clear the exam. In addition to the qualifying marks, candidates also have to meet the UGC NET cut off 2026.
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Those who clear the UGC NET exam can get their career started as an Assistant professor or secure Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) in Indian universities and colleges. NTA determines the UCG NET qualifying marks for both papers. The UGC NET qualifying marks for Assistant Professor and JRF are the same. Go through the below article to know more about the UGC NET qualifying marks 2026.
All the UGC NET 2026 exam dates have been announced through the official notification or the website. To know the updated UGC NET exam dates, check the table below -
Event | UGC NET Dates 2025-26 |
UGC NET exam date | December 31, 2025 to January 7, 2026 |
UGC NET answer key dates | To be announced |
UGC NET final answer | To be announced |
UGC NET result 2026 | To be announced |
UGC NET 2026 scorecard | To be announced |
The UGC NET 2026 qualifying marks vary based on category. The UGC NET qualifying marks are set for both the papers combined. Those who fail to meet the minimum percentage will fail to qualify in the UGC NET exam 2026. There will be a certain percentage of reservations in universities and colleges where candidates who qualify the exam can apply.
The UGC NET qualifying marks 2026 for SC is 35 % i.e., 35 marks. The UGC NET 2026 qualifying marks must be met in both the papers. 15 % of seats are allocated for SC as per the Reservation policy of the government of India. However, candidates also have to meet the UGC NET cut off for SC which varies every year. Candidates are therefore recommended to aim higher than the UGC NET qualifying marks 2026 in order to qualify.
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Those belonging to the OBC category must score at least 35 % in the UGC NET exam. The UGC NET 2026 qualifying marks for OBC must be met in order to clear the exam. Candidates have to score 35% in both papers together ie., out of 300 marks, candidates have to score around 105 marks. In addition to the UGC NET qualifying marks, the cut off marks also need to be met.
The UGC NET qualifying marks 2026 for the General category is higher than that of the marks of other categories. The UGC NET 2026 qualifying marks for General category are 40 % i.e., 120 marks. Candidates also have to meet the UGC NET cut off marks to qualifyfor the exam. They need to try aiming higher than 120 marks to meet the cut off marks.
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The UGC NET cut off marks 2026 is released along with the result on the official website. The UGC NET 2026 cut off can be download in the form of a PDF. Candidates can access the UGC NET cut off of all the subjects. The UGC NET cut off also varies by category.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The qualifying marks for General category is 40 % and that of all other categories is 35%.
The UGC NET result date has not yet been announced
No, the UGC NET qualifying marks 2026 is the minimum percentage to be met. Whereas, the cut off marks are the minimum marks which needs to be scored.
Candidates can check the qualifying marks in the official notification.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
If you have entered the wrong annual income but belong to the OBC NCL category and have a valid certificate, it should not cause a problem during verification, as long as your certificate supports your category and income criteria.
Make sure:
Your OBC NCL certificate is valid and matches the name on your application.
You carry the correct income details during document verification. You may have to explain or correct the income information at that stage.
The important thing is to be honest and provide supporting documents during verification. Mistakes in the application can usually be corrected at the time of document check if you have proof.
Hope it helps !
Hello,
Not clearing UGC NET is not a big problem unless you want to become an Assistant Professor or apply for a PhD with fellowship.
You can still apply for PhD without NET in many universities, but you may need to clear their entrance test. For teaching jobs in colleges and universities, NET is usually compulsory.
So, it depends on your career goals. If you plan for research or teaching, you should try to clear it.
Hope it helps !
Visit the
official UGC NET Syllabus page
on the NTA portal. Look for the "Updated Syllabi of UGC-NET" section.
(https://www.ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php)
Download the Paper 1 PDF , which covers topics like teaching and research aptitude, communication, reasoning, ICT, higher education system, and more.
Also download the Paper 2 PDF for your chosen subject—choose from 85+ disciplines listed.
If your MBA (Finance) is from an accredited university and you have at least 55% of the possible points (or 50% for reserved categories), you can take the UGC NET in Commerce.
Your MBA in finance is relevant because UGC NET Commerce covers business, accounting, finance, economics, and management topics.
If you are well-versed in the fundamentals of commerce, pick commerce.
As an alternative, you can choose UGC NET Management, which is closely related to MBA courses.
Your subject-matter expertise and career objectives should guide your decision.
Hello,
Here are some links where you can access UGC NET study materials :
Hope it helps !
Apply for Online M.Com from Manipal University