UGC NET: Exam Info, Eligibility, syllabus, paper pattern

The University Grants Commission conducts the National Eligibility test twice a year. This exam is conducted on a national level and witnesses lakhs of aspirants each year. The motive to conduct this exam is to grant admission to aspirants in the field of Junior research Fellowship, Assistant Professor or both. After clearing this exam, candidates can then take admissions into various government institutes and colleges. Earlier i.e. till June 2018, this exam was conducted by the Central Board of secondary education (CBSE) and after that, it is been conducted by the National testing agency (NTA) on account of UGC. The UGC net exam date 2020 has been released already. Let’s see more detailed info about the exam below. 

UGC net exam date 2020: 

Candidates who want to make any corrections in their application form have to log in to the UGC’s official website and make the necessary changes. Note that details regarding personal information, academic information, exam centers, scanned photos and signature are allowed to be modified in the application form. 

UGC NET eligibility: 

The eligibility of the exam is decided based on three factors i.e. educational requirements, age and reservation of seats. 

1. Candidates should have completed their post-graduation from a recognized institute or university. 

1. Candidates belonging to SC/SC and other reserved categories must score 50% aggregate marks in their post-graduation. Whereas candidates belonging to the general category must score 55% aggregate marks. 

1. Candidates who are pursuing their last semester of Master’s degree are also eligible to apply for the exam. 

1. Candidates who hold a Ph.D. degree are eligible for 5% relaxation in the aggregate marks. However, they should complete their Master’s degree dated 19th September 1991. 

1. Age relaxation of 5 years is provided to candidates belonging to reserved categories. 

1. The upper age limit for candidates who want to pursue a junior research fellowship is 30 years. 

1. There is no age limit for candidates applying for an assistant professor.

1. Candidates belonging to special categories like OBC-NCL, SC, ST, etc have some percentage of seats reserved for them. 

1. It is advised that candidates should check the official portal of the UGC for more detailed info. 

UGC NET Paper Pattern:

1. UGC conducts CBT i.e computer-based test. 

1. There are two papers i.e. Paper 1 and Paper 2 respectively. 

1. Paper 1 consists of 50 questions for 100 marks whereas paper 2 consists of 100 questions for 200 marks. 

1. Candidates will get 2 marks for each question that is answered correctly both in paper 1 and paper 2. 

1. There is no negative marking in both the papers. 

1. The duration of the examination will be for 180 minutes. 

1. Note that both the papers are conducted continuously and there is no break in between the papers. 

UGC NET Syllabus: 

Paper 1 consists of questions related to general awareness and to check the thinking ability of the candidates. Paper 2 will consist of questions related to the subject which the candidate has opted for. The entire UGC NET Syllabus is up on the official website of the UGC. Candidates have to prepare the entire syllabus before the exam thoroughly. 

UGC NET Application form & Fees: 

The last date to fill the application form for the UGC NET exam was on 30 June 2020. The officials extended this date 2-3 times due to the current pandemic situation. Earlier, the date was scheduled in April which was further postponed to May. Candidates need to fill the form online at their official website.

The application fees for the exam is Rs 1,000 for the general category. Candidates who belong to Ews or OBC-NCL is Rs 500 and Rs 250 for candidates of PwD/ST/SC caste categories. 

UGC NET Admit card:

The UGC NET admit card is already been released on the online portal as the exam is been scheduled for 16th Sep 2020. Generally, the admit card is released 15 days before the exam. Candidates should strictly carry the admit card on the day of the examination. 

UGC NET Result: 

The UGC NET Result is yet to be announced as the exam is still to be held. Candidates should log in to the online website of the UGC and check their results. 

UGC NET Cut off: 

UGC releases a list of cutoffs on their official website according to the subjects for which the candidate has opted for. The minimum cut off for candidates belonging to the general category is 40% for both paper 1 and paper 2. For Candidates belonging to reserved categories, the minimum cut off is 35% for both the papers. 

This was the complete exam overview of UGC NET 2020. Candidates should prepare with total dedication as the UGC NET exam date is approaching and there is a lot of competition for this exam. Lastly, do not forget to check the official website for more detailed updates regarding the exam.

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