Last updated on: February 5, 2026
Yuvika Rathi
College Student
The UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is India's premier gateway for academic careers and research funding. With over 10 lakh candidates appearing annually, understanding the June 2026 exam pattern and preparation strategy is essential for securing Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or Assistant Professor eligibility.
UGC NET qualifies candidates for two purposes: JRF with NET (for PhD research with monthly fellowship) and NET only (for Assistant Professor posts in colleges and universities). The exam is conducted twice yearly by the National Testing Agency across 83 subjects including Humanities, Sciences, Commerce, and Management.
Basic Eligibility:
| Component | Description | Number of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | General Paper on Teaching & Research Aptitude | 50 MCQs | 100 Marks | 3 Hours (Combined) |
| Paper 2 | Subject-Specific (Selected by Candidate) | 100 MCQs | 200 Marks | No break between papers |
| Total | Comprehensive Evaluation | 150 MCQs | 300 Marks | 180 Minutes |
Total: 150 questions, 300 marks, Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode
Marking Scheme:
Key Change in 2026: NTA has introduced subject-wise difficulty indexing to ensure fair evaluation across shifts—easier papers get slightly higher cutoffs.
| Criteria | JRF with NET | NET Only (Lectureship) |
| Primary Purpose | PhD admission + Research funding (Fellowship) | Eligibility for Assistant Professor recruitment |
| Financial Benefit | ₹37,000/month + HRA (Stipend for 5 years) | No stipend; Regular salary upon job appointment |
| Age Limit (General) | Up to 30 years (as of the exam date) | No upper age limit |
| Age Relaxations | 5 years for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, and Women | Not applicable (no limit exists) |
| Qualifying Cutoff | Higher (Typically top 6% of qualifiers) | Lower (Typically top 15% of qualifiers) |
| Certificate Validity | 3 Years (to enroll in a PhD program) | Lifetime (for teaching eligibility) |
| Career Path | Research Scholar, Scientist, or Professor | Assistant Professor, Lecturer, or Academician |
Important: Even if you miss JRF cutoff, crossing NET cutoff makes you eligible for Assistant Professor posts nationwide.
Paper 1 Strategy (Teaching Aptitude & Research Methodology): Focus on high-weightage topics: teaching methods, research design, communication, logical reasoning, and data interpretation. Practice previous year questions—60% questions repeat with variations.
Paper 2 Strategy (Subject-Specific): Prioritize topics based on weightage analysis. For example:
Dedicate 70% time to Paper 2 since it carries double weightage (200 marks vs 100 marks).
Weekly Plan:
Based on 2024-25 data, here are approximate qualifying percentages:
For JRF:
For NET (Assistant Professor):
Note: Cutoffs vary significantly by subject. Competitive subjects like Commerce, Management, and English have higher cutoffs compared to languages or specialized sciences.
For Paper 1:
For Paper 2:
Free Government Resources:
The fellowship amount of ₹37,000/month for JRF makes NET financially rewarding during PhD years—a significant advantage for students from middle-class backgrounds. With structured preparation and focus on high-yield topics, clearing NET opens doors to prestigious academic careers across India's central and state universities.