The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) December 2026 is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to determine candidates' eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor appointments and PhD admission under the applicable categories.

According to the official NTA Information Bulletin dated October 8, 2026, the online application process began on October 8, 2026, and the examination is scheduled from December 14 to December 19, 2026. Candidates should track the registration deadline, fee-payment deadline, correction window and upcoming examination announcements to complete the process on time.

UGC NET December 2026 Important Dates: Overview

The following schedule is based on the official NTA Information Bulletin for the December 2026 examination cycle.

Important: The examination city announcement, admit card release, answer-key challenge period and result date have not been specified in the current Information Bulletin. Candidates should check the official NTA website for subsequent notices.

UGC NET December 2026 Registration Deadline

The regular application window closes on October 28, 2026, at 11:50 PM. Candidates must complete the online application and examination fee payment before the deadline.

Applicants who miss the regular deadline can use the late application window from October 29 to October 31, 2026, subject to the prescribed additional late fee of ₹500. The last date for successful late-fee payment is October 31, 2026, at 11:50 PM.

Candidates should not wait until the final hours to register because incomplete forms or unsuccessful fee transactions may prevent successful submission.

UGC NET December 2026 Application Correction Window

NTA has scheduled the application correction window from November 2 to November 4, 2026, until 11:50 PM.

During this period, candidates can make corrections to eligible fields as permitted by the official correction facility. Not every field is necessarily editable, and candidates must follow the instructions displayed on the portal.

Review your application carefully before submission and use the correction window promptly if an eligible correction is required. Changes requested after the correction period closes may not be accepted.

UGC NET December 2026 Exam Dates

The UGC NET December 2026 examination will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from December 14 to December 19, 2026.

The exact subject-wise examination date, shift, timing and examination centre will be communicated separately by NTA. Candidates should not assume that every subject will be held on the same day.

Once the subject-wise schedule is released, candidates should verify their allocated examination date and shift using the official notice and admit card.

UGC NET December 2026 Exam City Intimation

The examination city intimation slip is intended to inform candidates about the city allotted for their examination. According to the current Information Bulletin, its release date is yet to be announced.

Candidates should monitor the official website and download the city intimation slip when NTA makes it available. The city slip and admit card serve different purposes; the city intimation slip should not be treated as a substitute for the admit card.

UGC NET December 2026 Admit Card Date

The admit card release date has not yet been announced in the current official schedule. NTA will issue a separate notice when the admit card becomes available.

Candidates should download their admit card from the official website and verify the examination date, shift, reporting time and centre address. The instructions printed on the admit card must be followed on the examination day.

UGC NET December 2026 Answer Key and Result Dates

NTA has not announced the dates for the display of recorded responses, provisional answer keys, the answer-key challenge window or the result declaration.

Following the examination, candidates should check the official website for the provisional answer key and recorded-response notice. If a challenge facility is announced, candidates must follow the prescribed procedure and submit any challenge within the notified deadline.

The result will be published separately by NTA. Candidates should use the official result and score information for checking their qualification status for JRF, Assistant Professor eligibility or PhD admission under the relevant category.

What Should UGC NET December 2026 Aspirants Do Now?

Candidates should complete their registration before October 28, 2026, or use the late application window before October 31 if necessary. Keep the application number and fee-payment confirmation safe.

After registration, check the application correction window from November 2 to November 4, 2026, and regularly monitor the official website for the examination city slip, subject-wise schedule and admit card. Candidates should also continue preparing for Paper I and their selected Paper II subject rather than waiting for the final examination schedule.

Official Website for UGC NET December 2026 Dates

For the latest official announcements, consult:

• UGC NET official website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/

• Information Bulletin: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/information-bulletin/

• Official documents and notices: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/documents/

Candidates should rely on NTA notices for any revised dates, additional instructions or changes to the December 2026 examination schedule.

Need Guidance for UGC NET and Higher Education?

Eduspray India can help students understand eligibility requirements, explore academic pathways and organise their education-related applications.