UGC NET Eligibility 2025, Age Limit, Educational Qualification

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 for candidates preparing for the December session exam. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the UGC NET December 2025 Notification on 7th October 2025. The online application process started on October 7, 2025, and ran until 11:50 p.m. on November 7, 2025.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC NET Exam 2025 to determine the eligibility of candidates for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) posts. Candidates must have a Master’s Degree with at least 55% marks for General and EWS categories, while reserved categories like SC, ST, OBC-NCL, PwD, and Third Gender need 50% marks. Indian nationality is mandatory for all candidates. UGC NET is a national-level exam held across India. Check here for the UGC NET Eligibility Critera 2025.

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 Overview

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025 was released along UGC NET December 2025 notification on 7th October 2025. UGC NET Eligibility Criteria includes the required age limit, nationality, exam dates, and the posts available through the exam. Check the quick overview of UGC NET Eligibility 2025 below:

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025

Candidates preparing for UGC NET December 2025 must check the eligibility criteria before applying. The required qualifications and marks are different for general and reserved category candidates. Below are the important points about UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2025:

• General/Unreserved/General-EWS Candidates: Must have secured at least 55% marks (without rounding off) in their Master’s Degree or equivalent examination from universities/institutions recognized by UGC in Humanities, Social Science, Computer Science & Applications, Electronic Science, etc.

• Reserved Categories (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, Third Gender): Need at least 50% marks in their Master’s degree or equivalent examination.

• Candidates with Pending Results: Those pursuing Master’s or whose results are still awaited may apply provisionally. They need to complete their Master’s degree within two years (if qualifying for JRF/Assistant Professor) or one year (if qualifying for Ph.D. Admission) from the NET result date, with required marks, failing which they will be disqualified.

• Ph.D. Holders: Those who completed their Master’s level by September 19, 1991, are eligible for a 5% relaxation (from 55% to 50% marks) for NET.

• Third Gender Candidates: Eligible for the same fee, age, and eligibility criteria as SC/ST/PwD categories for NET, with the lowest subject-wise cut-offs among SC, ST, PwD, OBC-NCL, and General-EWS categories.

UGC NET Eligibility 2025 For Assistant Professor

Candidates who are preparing for the UGC NET December 2025 exam need to understand the specific requirements for Assistant Professor eligibility. Check the given points of exemptions and rules for NET, SET, and JRF holders:

• NET/SET/SLET Requirement: Clearing NET, SET, or SLET is the basic eligibility for Assistant Professor recruitment in universities and colleges. However, exemptions are granted as per UGC regulations and updates published in the Gazette of India.

• Exemption for JRF Holders Before 1989: Candidates who cleared the UGC/CSIR JRF examination before 1989 do not need to appear for NET.

• SET Candidates: If a candidate passed the State Eligibility Test (SET) before June 1, 2002, they are exempt from NET and can apply for Assistant Professor positions across India. For SET passed on or after December 1, 2002, candidates can only apply for Assistant Professor roles in universities or colleges within the state where they cleared SET.

UGC NET Age Limit 2025

UGC NET Age Limit 2025 is different for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor posts. Candidates applying for JRF must be within a specific age limit, but age relaxations are available for reserved categories and certain qualifications. There is no upper age limit for the Assistant Professor or PhD admissions. Check the detailed age criteria below:

UGC NET Educational Qualifications 2025

Candidates who want to appear for the UGC NET 2025 December exam must check the required educational qualifications. UGC has set UGC NET Educational Qualification 2025 for candidates based on their categories. Candidates must have a Master’s Degree with the minimum marks mentioned below:

UGC NET Nationality

UGC NET Nationality requirement states that only Indian citizens are eligible to apply for the UGC NET 2025 exam. This means candidates must hold Indian citizenship to appear for the test. The exam is exclusively conducted for Indian nationals to ensure fairness and to follow the rules set by Indian authorities.

UGC NET Number of Attempts

UGC NET does not have any specific limit on the number of attempts. Candidates can appear for the UGC NET exam as many times as they want, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. This gives candidates the opportunity to try for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or Assistant Professor post multiple times until they reach the required age limit for JRF.

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