UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2022 - Age, Education

UGC NET Examination takes place twice a year conducted by the National Testing Agency and the mode of examination is online. The UGC NET notification and application forms are released by the commission along with the eligibility criteria. A thorough reading of the detailed UGC NET Eligibility criteria is a must for candidates before applying. The exam will take place in various subjects at selected exam centers spread across the country.

An application form has to be filled up specifying whether a candidate wants to apply only for Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor for the UGC NET exam. Sincere preparation and hard work are significant for the appearing candidates. A proper study of the previous year's question papers will be a help for candidates to give it a shot in the UGC NET exam 2022.

UGC NET Eligibility 

Educational Qualification 

A Master's degree holder or equivalent from recognized universities in Electronic Science, Computer Science and Applications, Social Science and Humanities (including languages), etc. with at least 55 % marks are eligible for the exam. 

• In the following category, candidates must secure 50 % marks – Persons with Disability, Transgender, Non-Creamy Layer of Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe.
• Candidates waiting for their result or pursuing their Master's degree or whose qualifying examinations have been delayed can apply for the test.
• 55 % marks in Master's degree is a must for candidates to be considered for Junior Research Fellowship and 50 % marks for reserved category and they will be admitted provisionally.
• Completion of master's degree within two years from the date of the UGC NET 2021 results with the necessary percentage of marks has to be fulfilled, and the candidate will be disqualified if failed.
• A relaxation of 5 % in aggregate marks from 55 % to 50 % who completed Master's level examination before September 19, 1991, irrespective of the date of declaration of result is applicable for Ph.D. degree candidates.
• A transgender candidate has the same provision of relaxation in fee, age, and qualifying criteria for NET as available for SC/ST/PwD candidates. The transgender category with subject-wise cutoffs is lowest among those for ST/SC/PwD/OBC-NCL categories in the respective subject.
• It is advisable for candidates to opt similar NET subject for Paper 2 as their specialization is in post-graduation. The candidate can appear in a related subject if the post-graduation subject is not a part of 81 NET subjects.
• A post-graduate diploma/certificate holder who completed under an Indian university/Institute or foreign degree/diploma/certificate holder who completed under a foreign university/institute should in their own interest, hold a degree similar with Master's degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi.

UGC NET Relaxation And Age Limit 2022     

The following is the age limit and relaxation for Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professorship in UGC NET 2022 – 

• Eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship – A candidate cannot be more than 31 years as of October 1, 2021 (this is as per 2021 notification).
• A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to candidates under the OBC-NC, SC, ST, PwD categories, transgenders and women applicants.
• Age relaxation is also given out to candidates with a research experience similar to the years/period spent on research in the respective subject or post-graduation degree.
• 5 years is the limit to researchers and the relaxation will be provided if the candidate has a certificate from the appropriate authority.
• Upper age relaxation can be availed by LLM degree candidates of 3 years.
• Benefits for a candidate who served in Armed Forces is in the form of relaxation of up to 5 years subject to the length of service in the armed forces up to June 1, 2021 (as per 2021 notification).
• Age relaxation cannot exceed 5 years on the above grounds under any circumstances.
• Assistant Professor – A candidate can apply for Assistant Professor and comprises no upper age limit.

UGC NET Exemptions For Assistant Professor    

The minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professorship is NET/SET/SLET in Indian universities and colleges. UGC regulations and amendments notified in the Gazette of India govern some exemptions from NET/State Eligibility Test/SLET from time to time. 

• Candidates who passed the examination of UGC/CSIR/Junior Research Fellowship conducted in 1989 will be exempted from appearing in NET.
• Candidates who were successful in SET accredited by UGC for Assistant Professor held before June 1, 2002, are exempted to appear in NET and can apply for the same anywhere in India.
• SET held after June 1, 2003, and candidates successful in it can apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in colleges and universities in respective states.

Reservations 2022   

• The reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes candidates is 15 %.
• The reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes candidates is 7.5 %.
• The reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes Non-Creamy Layer candidates is 27 %.
• The reservation of seats for General – Economically Weaker Sections candidates is 10%.
• The reservation of seats for Persons with Disability with 40 % or more disability is 4 % in the above categories.

FAQs 

What benefits can candidates achieve after qualifying in UGC NET?

 A candidate can become an assistant professor/lecturer in any of the UGC-approved universities. A career can be made as a research fellow, project assistant, or research analyst in prestigious organizations, universities, or laboratories. Candidates can apply for highly reputed public-sector organizations in India, become an entrepreneur, publish research, become an author or a NET faculty, teach undergraduate or postgraduate students or educational professionals, guest faculty in universities and institutes, lab assistant, a consultant or a counselor, etc. 

Is Aadhaar necessary for UGC NET Eligibility?

To fill the form of UGC NET 2022, the Aadhaar number is not mandatory. It is one of the options for identification. A candidate can also use the ration card number, passport number, bank account number, or any other valid Government identity number. 

What are papers in the UGC NET Test?

NTA conducts UGC NET Exam in two papers, i.e., General Paper-1 (common for all subjects) and Paper-2 (subject-specific). All paper 2 subjects have a different syllabus.

Will there be negative markings in the UGC NET exam?

No, there is no negative marking in the UGC NET Exam.  

Can UGC NET admit card 2022 be downloaded? How?

Candidates have to follow the mentioned steps –
1) Go to the official website and click on the ‘Download Admit Card' link.
2) Enter your application number and password correctly.
3) Click on the submit button and download your admit card. 

How can qualified candidates come to know who releases an e-Certificate?

NTA releases the UGC NET e-Certificates on its official website.

What is the mode of the UGC NET Exam?

The UGC NET Exam will be conducted in computer-based mode (online) only.