UGC NET Exam

Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) is a national-level exam. It is conducted annually to recruit candidates for only Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor across Indian universities and colleges. If you are planning to appear for UGC NET, here is all the information you need to know about the exam.

Exam name	UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test)
Conducting body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam level	National
Mode	Online
Duration	180 minutes
Purpose	To recruit candidates for only Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor
Helpdesk	0120-6895200
Website	https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in

Important Dates

The UGC NET exam was originally set for June 16. UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar declared that it will now take place on June 18, 2024, stating that the decision was taken to prevent a conflict with the UPSC Prelims 2024. Kumar went on to say that the exam was rescheduled in response to candidate feedback.

Important Dates	Exam Dates
20 Apr ’24 – 10 May ’24	UGC NET Application 2024
11 May ’24 – 12 May ’24	UGC NET Application Fee Last Date
13 May ’24 – 15 May ’24	UGC NET Application Correction
18 Jun ’24	UGC NET Exam 2024

UGC NET Eligibility

The basic eligibility criteria that the candidates must fulfil in order to be eligible for UGC NET include:

• Candidates are required to secure at least 55% marks in their post-graduation.
• Candidates must not be more than 31 years of age while applying for the UGC NET exam. However, there is no age restriction for applying for the post of assistant professor.
• Students belonging to the reserved category have a relaxation of 5% in their educational qualification and 5 years in age criteria.

UGC NET Paper Pattern

UGC NET comprises two papers (Paper I, II) that has to be completed in a 3-hour duration. 

Particulars	Paper 1	Paper 2
Type of paper	Common for all	Subject-specific
Total questions	50	100
Type of questions	MCQ	MCQ
Total Marks	100	200
Marking Scheme	+2 for a correct answer 0 for incorrect answer	+2 for a correct answer 0 for an incorrect answer

UGC NET Exam Syllabus 

Here is the syllabus for the UGC NET Exam:

Paper 1 

Unit 1 – Teaching Aptitude 

• Teaching: Concept, objectives, levels of teaching (memory, understanding, and reflective), characteristics, and basic requirements.
• Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (academic, social, emotional, and cognitive), individual differences.
• Factors affecting teaching related to Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment, and Institution.
• Methods of teaching in institutions of higher learning: Teacher-centred vs. learner-centered methods; offline vs. online methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs, etc.).
• Teaching support system: Traditional, modern, and ICT-based.
• Evaluation systems: Elements and types of evaluation, evaluation in Choice Credit System in higher education, computer-based testing, innovations in evaluation systems.

Unit 2 -Research Aptitude

• Research: Meaning, types, and characteristics, positivism and post-positivist approach to research
• Methods of research: Experimental, descriptive, historical, qualitative, and quantitative methods
• Steps of research
• Thesis and article writing: Format and styles of referencing
• Application of ICT in research
• Research ethics

Unit 3 – Comprehension

A passage will be given and the candidates have to answer questions related to the passage.

Unit 4 – Communication

• Communication: Meaning, types, and characteristics of communication
• Effective communication: Verbal and non-verbal, inter-cultural and group communications, classroom communication
• Barriers to effective communication
•  Mass-media and society

Unit 5 – Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude

• Types of reasoning
• Number series, letter series, codes, and relationships
• Mathematical aptitude (fraction, time & distance, ratio, proportion and percentage, profit and loss, interest and discounting, averages, etc.)

Unit 6 – Logical Reasoning

• structure of arguments, structure of categorical propositions, mood, and figure, formal and informal fallacies, uses of language, connotations, and denotations of terms, a classical square of opposition
• Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning
• Analogies
• Venn diagram
• Indian Logic: Means of knowledge
• Pramanas: Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension)
• Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation), Hetvabhasa (fallacies of inference)

Unit 7 – Data Interpretation

• Sources, acquisition and classification of data
• Quantitative and qualitative data
• Graphical representation (bar-chart, histograms, pie-chart, table-chart and line-chart) and mapping of data
• Data interpretation
• Data and governance

Unit 8 – ICT

• ICT: General abbreviations and terminology
• Basics of the Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio, and Video-conferencing
• Digital initiatives in higher education
• ICT and Governance

Unit 9 – People, Development and Environment

• Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals
• Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on the environment
• Environmental issues: Local, regional and global; air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution, waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic), climate change and its socio-economic and political dimensions
• Impacts of pollutants on human health
• Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests
• Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies
• Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate Change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance

Unit 10 – Higher Education System

• Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India
• Evolution of higher learning and research in post-independence India
• Oriental, conventional and non-conventional learning programs in India
• Professional, technical and skill-based education.
• Value education and environmental education
• Policies, governance, and administration

Paper 2

Candidates are required to choose a subject of their choice from a list of 81 subjects given on the official website. For indicative purposes, here is a small list of popular subjects-

• Political Science
• Law
• Performing Art – Dance/Drama/Theatre
• Criminology
• French
• Chinese
• Commerce
• History
• Social Work
• Home Science
• Public Administration

UGC NET Admit Card Download

The UGC NET admit card is usually released a week before the exam. Applicants who have registered will be able to download their admit cards by visiting the official website. Following are the 

Steps to download the admit card:

• Visit the official website NTA UGC NET.
• Click on – view admit card.
• You can log in by entering the Application Number, Date of Birth, and Captcha Code.
• You can download the admit card
• Take a printout

UGC NET Selection Process

The selection process of UGC NET involves the following

• Filling up the UGC NET registration form from the official website.
• After registering, candidates are required to download their application form from the official website.
• Candidates have to appear for their exam. The test consists of two papers – I and II, both objective-type questions that must be completed in a span of 3 hours.
• The result will be declared by NTA on its official website as per its official schedule and will display the roll number and status of the candidate.

UGC NET Exam Day Rules

Strict advisory guidelines are issued by NTA for the students appearing for UGC NET some of which are:

• Candidates must read the instructions mentioned in the admit card carefully.
• UGC NET is an online exam, the applicants will be given pen/pencil and paper. However, students are required to carry the same to avoid the hassle.
• Students are not allowed to carry the instrument, metallic item, or electronic gadgets/devices to the exam hall, Handbag/purse, Geometry/pencil box, Any kind of paper/stationery/textual material (printed or written material), Handbag/purse, Calculator, Tape recorder, camera, etc.

Documents Required on Exam Day

• Admit card
• Passport size photo
• ID proof
• PwD certificate

List of Things Prohibited in Exam Hall

• Calculator
• Slide rules
• Camera
• Log tables
• Handbag/purse
• DocuPen
• Tape recorder
• Any kind of paper/stationery/textual material (printed or written material)
• Geometry/pencil box
• Eatables and water (loose or packed)
• Watch
• Mobile phone/earphone/microphone/pager

Also Read:

• CSIR NET
• NET JRF
• CSIR NET Syllabus
• NET Exam Pattern

Books for UGC NET

Here is a list of the best books available for UGC-NET preparation:

• Trueman’s UGC NET/SET General Paper I by M Gagan and Sajit Kumar
• NTA UGC NET/SET/JRF Paper I: Teaching and Research Aptitude by Pearson by KVS Madaan
• General Paper – 1 UGC NET/JRF/SLET – Teaching and Research Aptitude by Arihant Experts
• Upkar’s UGC – NET/JRF/SET Teaching and Research Aptitude (General Paper – I) by Dr. Lal Jain and Dr. KC Vashistha

UGC NET Preparation Strategy

FAQs

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