How to Fill UGC NET December 2026 Application Form: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially published the information bulletin and opened the registration portal for the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) December 2026 examination. Candidates seeking qualification for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Appointment as Assistant Professor, or Admission to PhD programs in Indian universities and higher education institutions can now complete their submission online.
Knowing how to fill the UGC NET December 2026 application form and the window link properly helps avoid errors in subject selection, category claims, or exam center choices. The registration facility is live on the official portal (ugcnet.nta.nic.in) from October 08 to October 28, 2026 (up to 11:50 PM).
The National Testing Agency released the official notification and activated the online application link on October 08, 2026. The entrance test will cover 87 subjects in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode across designated exam cities nationwide.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | UGC-NET December 2026 |
| Conducting Authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Application Form Release Date | October 8, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | October 28, 2026 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment | October 28, 2026 |
| Late Application Window | October 29 to October 31, 2026 |
| Late Fee | ₹500 |
| Application Correction Window | November 2 to November 4, 2026 |
| Exam Dates | December 14 to December 19, 2026 |
| Exam Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Number of Subjects | 87 |
| Official Website | ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
NTA has released the complete schedule for the UGC NET December 2026 application process. Candidates should complete the registration and fee payment within the prescribed dates to avoid the late fee.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| UGC NET December 2026 Application Starts | October 8, 2026 |
| Last Date to Submit Application Form | October 28, 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Last Date for Successful Fee Transaction | October 28, 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Application with Late Fee | October 29 to October 31, 2026 |
| Last Date for Fee Payment with Late Fee | October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Application Form Correction | November 2 to November 4, 2026, up to 11:50 PM |
| Exam City Intimation | To be announced |
| Admit Card | To be announced |
| UGC NET December 2026 Exam Dates | December 14 to December 19, 2026 |
The UGC NET December 2026 application portal is active on the official NTA website. Candidates can register and submit their application form through the official UGC NET portal.
Candidates should apply only through the official website. NTA has specified that the application form will be accepted through online mode only, and applications submitted through any other mode will not be accepted.
Filling out the application requires an active email address, valid mobile number, government-issued photo ID, digital scans of photographs and signatures, and academic certificates. Follow these sequential steps to register:
1. Visit the Official NTA UGC NET Portal:
Open your web browser and navigate to ugcnet.nta.nic.in or nta.ac.in. Click on the link titled "UGC NET December 2026 - Click Here to Register/Login".
2. New Candidate Registration:
Click on "New Candidate Register Here". Read the Information Bulletin thoroughly. Select your preferred authentication mode (Aadhaar, Passport, PAN Card, or Academic Bank of Credits ID). Fill in your full name, father's name, mother's name, date of birth, mobile number, and email address. Create a strong password and security question to generate your system-generated Application Number.
3. Fill Personal & Academic Details:
Log in using your Application Number and Password. Enter your nationality, category (General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS, or PwBD), marital status, address, Post-Graduation subject, passing year/appearing status, and percentage/CGPA. Select the paper subject from the 87 listed subjects and choose your preferred 4 exam city choices.
4. Upload Scanned Images:
Upload a recent passport-size photograph (colour or black/white with 80% face visible against a white background; file size 10 KB to 200 KB in JPG/JPEG) and your signature (file size 4 KB to 30 KB in JPG/JPEG) as per NTA specifications.
5. Pay Application Fee & Print Confirmation Page:
Pay the required fee through integrated payment gateways (Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI). Upon successful transaction, download and print at least 3 copies of the Confirmation Page for your records.
Candidates are required to pay the applicable examination fee while submitting the UGC NET December 2026 Application Form. The fee varies according to the candidate's category.
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | ₹1,150 |
| General-EWS/OBC-NCL | ₹600 |
| SC/ST | ₹325 |
| Third Gender | ₹325 |
| PwD/PwBD | ₹325 |
Applicable service and processing charges, along with GST, will be payable separately by the candidate to the concerned bank or payment gateway. Candidates can pay the examination fee through Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card or UPI.
Candidates who do not submit their application within the regular application period can apply from October 29 to October 31, 2026, by paying a late fee of ₹500 in addition to the applicable examination fee.
Candidates should not wait for the late application window because both the application and successful fee transaction must be completed within the specified deadline.
Before applying, candidates should verify their educational background and age eligibility as per UGC guidelines:
Master's Degree Holders: General/Unreserved/EWS candidates must have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from UGC recognized universities.
Reserved Categories: SC, ST, OBC-NCL, PwBD, and Third Gender candidates require a minimum of 50% marks.
Final Year / Appearing Students: Candidates pursuing their Master’s degree or awaiting final results are also eligible to apply provisionally.
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF): Upper age limit is 30 years as on the first day of the month in which the exam is concluded (relaxable by 5 years for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwBD, women applicants, and candidates with LL.M. degree or research experience).
Assistant Professor & PhD. Admission: There is no upper age limit.
Keep these digital and physical copies ready prior to initiating your CBSE private candidate form application or UGC NET online application:
Identity Proof: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, PAN Card, or Ration Card.
Educational Documents: Class 10 certificate (for Date of Birth proof), Degree marksheet, or Master’s provisional certificate.
Category Certificate: Valid SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwBD certificate (if applicable) issued by competent government authorities.
Scanned Photographs: Clear passport photo (10–200 KB) and signature (4–30 KB).
Active Contact Details: Valid personal email address and mobile number for receiving OTPs and application status alerts.
One important change candidates should note while filling the application form is the requirement for a live photograph.
Candidates must use the camera or webcam on the device being used to complete the application. If the device does not have a webcam, NTA provides an option to scan the QR code and use a mobile device or tablet for capturing the live photograph.
Candidates should ensure:
Proper lighting
Light-coloured background
80% face visibility
Ears should be visible
No mask
The photograph should belong to the candidate
The recent scanned photograph uploaded separately should also meet the file-size and image requirements prescribed by NTA.
Candidates should keep the following points in mind while completing the application:
Submit the application form through online mode only.
Only one application form should be submitted by a candidate.
Use your own email ID and mobile number for registration.
Read the Information Bulletin carefully before applying.
Check the eligibility criteria before submitting the form.
Enter all personal and academic details carefully.
Upload your own photograph and signature.
Complete the live photograph capture as required.
Pay the examination fee successfully.
Download the confirmation page after successful payment.
Keep the application number and login details safe.
Check the registered email ID and mobile number regularly for NTA updates.
Do not send the confirmation page or other application documents to NTA by post, fax, WhatsApp, email or by hand.
NTA will provide an online correction facility after the completion of the application process. The UGC NET December 2026 Application Form Correction Window will be open from November 2 to November 4, 2026, up to 11:50 PM. Candidates can make corrections only in the fields permitted by NTA during the correction period.
It is important to note that NTA will not consider requests for changes in application details after the correction period closes. Therefore, candidates should carefully verify all information before submitting the application form.