The National Eligibility Test, also known as UGC NET or NTA-UGC-NET, is the test for determining the eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship award in Indian universities and colleges. UGC NET is considered as one of the toughest exams in India, with success ratio of merely 6%. Previously, the passing ratio was around 3% - 4%. Assistant Professors in private colleges may or may not be NET qualified but NET qualification is mandatory for universities & government colleges. The Assistant Professor in universities & government colleges is governed under 7th pay Commission with entry pay of ₹ 57,700 excluding HRA, DA and other allowances making it one of the highest paying government job with 3% of annual increment. According to recent report of National Testing Agency, total 10,34,872 candidates have applied for December 2019 examination, covering 81 subjects, across 700 centres in 219 cities. Until July 2018, the Central Board of Secondary Education conducted the UGC NET exam but from December 2018 onwards, NTA is conducting the UGC National Eligibility Test. As per the press-release by Indian Government, the exam would be conducted twice a year June month and December month, and it will be conducted in an online mode instead of offline mode.
Jobs for NET qualified candidates
University Grants Commission announced in 2013 that the candidates who clear the NET successfully would be eligible for lucrative jobs in public sector undertakings. PSUs can use UGC-NET scores for the recruitment process of the posts of executives in their organizations in disciplines like science, management, corporate communications, human resources, and finance. This step taken by the UGC would also increase the number of students taking the UGC-NET examination which has witnessed a gradual decline in recent years.
UGC Net Qualifying Criteria And Cut Off Percentages
UGC NET Procedure and Criteria for the declaration of result steps:
Obtain minimum qualifying marks with aggregate 55% marks to General and 50% to others in master's degree.
The paper will be divided into two papers: Papers 1 and 2. The candidates would have to attempt a total of 150 questions in three hours.
UGC NET qualifying cut off marks for General category is 40% in Paper I and II while the qualifying marks for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/Transgender categories is 35% in Papers I and II.
Amongst those candidates who have obtained Minimum marks a merit list will be prepared subject wise and category-wise using the aggregate marks of two papers secured by such candidates.
For lectureship, the aggregate cut off marks for General category is between 54 and 60, for OBC NCL it is 49–56, for SC/ST it is 45–54 and for EWS it is 48–58.
On the other hand, Top 6% of candidates will be selected for eligibility of NET Lectureship. Simultaneously, a separate list for JRF would be prepared.
A separate merit list for the award of JRF will be prepared from amongst the NET qualified candidates figuring in the above merit list prepared.
Until 2018 UGC released the certificates but from December 2018 onward, NTA releases the UGC NET e-certificate and JRF award letter on its official website for the qualified candidates. Successful candidates would be able to download their e-certificates and award letters online at ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
Reservations quota in Junior Research Fellowships
Candidates clearing JRF exams are also eligible for the National Eligibility Test. UGC follows the Government of India's reservation policy, as per which a minimum of 27%, 10%, 15%, 7.5% and 3% of fellowships are reserved for the OBC, EWS, SC, ST and persons with disabilities.
