UGC National Eligibility Test - UGC NET 2017

National Eligibility Test aka UGC NET is conducted by CBSE on behalf of UGC to determine the eligibility of candidates for assistant professors or Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) awards for Indian nationals. Candidates who qualified in the NET are eligible for Assistant professors in the Indian universities or eligible to pursue research in the desired field (relevant subjects studied in the PG) or eligible for both depends on the number of papers appeared / qualified. Board will conduct this test India wide at 90+ test cities across India.

Apart from SLET/SET conducted by the states boards, NET exam is the most popular eligibility test as prestigious institutions like IITs and other national level organizations select JRF awardees for their full time research programs . Exam is conducted for 100 different subjects and candidates have to opt the subject which he/she studied as specialization at post graduation level. UGC NET will be conducted twice in an academic year and schedule for UGC NET 2017 January session is announced. Exam will be held in 3 sessions in a single day on 22nd January 2017.

Eligibility

  • Candidates shall pass any post graduation with an aggregate of 55% without rounding off (50% for SC/ST) from universities/institutions recognized by UGC.
  • Candidates who are appearing /appeared final year of qualifying exam and whose results are awaited are also eligible to apply.
  • Candidates who completed their Ph.D. before 19th September 1991 have to appear NET for assistant professors eligibility.
  • No upper age limit for Assistant professor eligibility, and candidates shall not cross 28 years as on 1-1-2017 for Junior Research Fellowship awards (5 years relaxation for SC/ST/PWD).
  • Candidates who cleared SET before 1st June 2002 are exempted from appearing NET for Asst. Professor.

NET Exam Pattern

NET will be objective type test that consists of 3 papers conducted in different sessions in a single day. Exam is pen and paper based where candidates have to bubble the OMR sheets with blue/black ball point pens only.

Paper 1 is of general in nature and questions in this paper will test the candidate’s aptitude towards research and teaching. Questions in this section are so designed to test reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness of the candidates.  Paper 1 consists of 60 objective questions and each question will have 4 options with single correct answer, from which candidates have to attempt 50 questions. Each correct answer will fetch 2 marks and no negative marking is adopted. Paper 1 will be conducted for duration of 75 minutes.

Paper 2 will be covering the subject selected during application process and all the 50 objective type questions have to be attempted. Each correct answer will fetch 2 marks and no negative marking is adopted. Paper 2 will be conducted for duration of 75 minutes.

Paper 3 will also have the questions related to the subject selected and will consists of 75 objective type questions. Each correct answer will fetch 2 marks and no negative marking is there. Paper 3 will be conducted for duration of 2 and half hours.

Syllabus and Test papers for UGC NET

Candidates have to appear the subject appropriate to his/her studies in Post graduation level and exam paper 2&3 will cover the subjects taught at post graduation level including all electives. No specific syllabus is there for Paper 1 as all the questions in paper 1 are general in nature. List of subjects available for appearing NET will be in the NET information brochure

Selection Process and Merit Lists

Candidate’s performance in all papers will be used to merit list subject wise, and candidates have to secure minimum prescribed marks to clear each paper. Candidates have to obtain 40% in paper 1, 40% in paper 2 and 75% in paper 3 to get eligible for JRF and Assistant professor. Out of qualified candidates top 15% of the candidates will be declared as eligible for Assistant professor. During the application process candidates have to select the choice (appearing for Assistant professor or JRE or for both) to get placed in the merit lists.

Separate merit list will be announced for JRF and number of candidates eligible for JRF will be based on formula derived by UGC.

UGC NET 2017 January Session Application Process

Candidates willing to appear for UGC NET 2017 January session have to fill application online only on CBSE NET website. Candidates have to fill the application online with required information, and upon submitting the application candidates will obtain an application number which shall be noted down for future references. Candidates then have to upload the photograph and scanned signature to proceed for payment of examination fee. Candidates have to remit a sum of Rs 600/- (Rs 300/- for OBC and Rs 150/- for SC/ST/PwD) against application fee through online or by printed challan paid at any branch of designated banks. Applications are accepted from 17th October and last date of online application is 16th November 2016. Candidates who wish to pay application fee through challan have to pay on or before 17th October 2016. Board will allow the candidates to correct the information particulars in the application form from 22nd to 29th of November 2016.

NET 2017 Admit Cards and Exam Schedule

UGC will make available of admit cards from 21st December, 2016 and all candidates who applied for NET January 2017 session can download from the CBSE website. No admit card will be send to the candidates by post. Candidates have to carry the printout of admit card along with valid photo id to the test center failing which no candidate is allowed to take the exam. Candidates are advised to report the test venue two and have hours prior to the commencement of exam. Exam schedule is as listed below.

Examination Schedule

National Eligibility Test (NET)

22nd January, 2017 (SUNDAY)

Session

Paper

Marks

Number of Question

Duration

First

I

100

60 out of which 50  question to be attempted

1¼ Hours (09:30 A.M. to 10:45 A.M.) IST

Second

II

100

50 questions all are  compulsory

1¼ Hours (11:15 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.) IST

Third

III

150

75 questions all are  compulsory

2½ Hours (02:00 P.M. to 04:30 P.M.) IST

 

Important Dates of UGC NET 2017 January Session

Online Application Form Submission

17th Oct 2016

Last date for Applying Online

16th Nov 2016

Last date of submission of Fee through online generated Bank Challan, at any branch of (SYNDICATE/CANARA/ICICI/HDFC BANK)

17th Nov 2016

Correction in Particulars of application form on the website

22nd to 29th Nov, 2016

Uploading of Admit Card

21st Dec 2016     

Date of Examination

22nd Jan 2017