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UGC NET Reservation Criteria: Seats under the UGC NET examination are reserved according to the guidelines set up by the Government of India. Candidates appearing for the UGC NET examination will have to provide a valid certificate as proof of their eligibility for reserved seats. Seats under the UGC NET reservation criteria are fixed for different categories, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Economically Weaker Sections, etc.
The UGC NET, an abbreviation for the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test, is a national-level examination that is organized biannually by the National Testing Agency. The UGC NET 2023 was conducted in two different phases for the June session from 18th June onwards. In this article, we will discuss everything related to the UGC NET reservation criteria.
| Exam Name | UGC NET 2023 |
| Exam Conducting Body | National Testing Agency |
| UGC NET Full Form | University Grants Commission Common Entrance Test |
| Reservations Available For | SC, ST, PwD, OBC-NCL, EWS |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Positions Available | Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) |
| Official Website | https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
Table of Contents
UGC NET Reservation Criteria 2024
Seats offered through the UGC NET exam are reserved for different categories. UGC NET reservation criteria are fixed for the following categories.
- Scheduled Castes (SC)
- Scheduled Tribes (ST)
- Other Backward Class – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL)
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
- Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
*Note – Candidates belonging to the PwD category must have at least 40% disability.
The table below highlights the UGC NET reservation criteria for all reserved categories fixed by the Government of India.
| Name of Category | Percent of Seats Reserved |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% |
| Persons with Disability (PwD) with 40% and more disability | 4% |
| Other Backward Classes Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
Also Read – UGC NET Results 2023
UGC NET Special Cases (Exceptions)
According to the eligibility criteria for the UGC NET 2023, the minimum requirement for the candidates is to secure qualifying marks in NET, SET, or SLET. However, the University Grants Commission regulations and amendments will offer exemptions from SET, NET, or SLET exams to:
- Candidates who cracked the UGC / CSIR Junior Research Fellowship exam before 1898.
- Candidates who possess PhD degrees in any field will be exempted from these exams.
- Candidates who cracked any State Eligibility Test (SET) before 1st June 2002 will be accepted from appearing for the NET. These candidates are eligible to submit their application for the post of Assistant Profession in any government university or college in India, based on their SET scores.
UGC NET Cut-Off List
The UGC NET cut-off list is released by NTA after the commencement of the exam. This cut-off list allows candidates to understand their chances of clearing the written exam and the position in which they stand. Each year, the UGC NET cut-off list varies depending on different factors such as the number of seats available, total candidates appearing for the exam, previous year’s trends, etc. Candidates can check the table given below to understand the UGC NET cut-off for the previous year.
| Category | Assistant Professor | Junior Research Assistant |
| General | 192 | 212 |
| SC | 152 | 176 |
| ST | 150 | 172 |
| EWS | 172 | 198 |
| OBC – NCL | 170 | 196 |
Also Read – UGC NET Selection Process
FAQs
For the Scheduled Castes category, there are a total of 15% of seats reserved under the UGC NET exam. Candidates need to show valid documents issued by the Government of India to claim the seats reserved under the SC category.
For the Other Backward Class non-creamy layer, a total of 27% of seats are reserved under the UGC NET exam.
The Government of India has issued separate documents for people belonging to the reserved categories. These documents are essential while applying for the UGC NET exam as they are considered proof of the candidate’s eligibility for the particular reserved category.
Seats under the UGC NET examination process are reserved for different categories; such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), Other Backward Class – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC – NCL), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).
UGC NET has age limit criteria for both male and female candidates applying for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Both male and female candidates should not be more than 31 years old.
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