JRF: Not more than 30 years as on 01st day of the month in which the examination is concluded i.e. 01.12.2025. A relaxation of upto 5 years is provided to the candidates belonging to OBC-NCL (as per the Central list of OBC available on website: www.ncbc.nic.in) /SC/ST/PwD/Third gender categories and to women applicants.

Assistant Professor: There is no upper age limit in applying for UGC-NET for Assistant Professor.

Admission to PhD: There is no upper age limit in applying for UGC-NET for Admission to PhD.

(a) General/Unreserved/General-EWS candidates who have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from universities/institutions recognized by UGC (available on the website: www.ugc.ac.in in Humanities and Social Science (including languages), Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science etc. are eligible for this Test. List of subjects at Post Graduation level is attached as Appendix -III. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to Non-Creamy Layer/Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST)/Persons with Disability (PwD)/Third gender category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree or equivalent examination are eligible for this Test.

(b) Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course or candidates who have appeared for their qualifying Master’s degree (final year) examination and whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying examinations have been delayed may also apply for this test.

(c) The candidates having passed a 4-year/ 8-semester bachelor’s degree programme should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed.

# The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree, will be eligible for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and for admission to the Ph.D. The candidates qualifying in the NET, based on a four-year undergraduate degree, will not be eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor.

(d) The candidates who are pursuing Four Year/8 Semester Bachelor’s Degree Programme and are in their last semester/year may also apply for the test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for the award of JRF/admission to Ph.D. only after fulfilling the requirements contained in the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022 within two years (if qualified for award of JRF)/within one year (if qualified for admission to Ph.D. only) from the date of declaration of the NET result, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.

(e) The candidates with a Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programme are allowed to appear in a subject (the List of Subjects and their Codes for UGC - NET December 2025 are given at official notification) in which they want to pursue a Ph.D. irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor’s degree.