UGC NET, CSIR NET cross 2.18 lakh applications; UGC NET deadline Oct 28
By TUF News Desk · Published 22 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
The count is in, and it is big. According to the National Testing Agency, 2,18,961 candidates have so far registered for the UGC NET and Joint CSIR NET December 2026 examinations. NTA shared the update on X on October 22: 1,86,301 applications for UGC NET and 32,660 for CSIR NET.
The agency’s post read: “Around 2.19 Lakh Aspirants Have Registered! Are You In?” Alongside the numbers, NTA asked candidates to complete their applications early to avoid delays. Both portals are live: ugcnet.nta.nic.in for UGC NET and csirnet.nta.nic.in for CSIR NET.
The deadlines, in one place
UGC NET applications close on October 28, 2026, at 11:50 PM. The CSIR NET window stays open a week longer, till November 5. Candidates who miss the UGC NET deadline get a late-fee window from October 29 to 31, with an additional Rs 500 over the regular fee, and that window closes at 11:50 PM on October 31.
The form correction window runs from November 2 to 4, the last chance to fix errors before the data is locked.
Exam schedule and fees
The exam city intimation slip will be out on November 23, and admit cards follow on December 7. The UGC NET December 2026 exam will be held from December 14 to 18 and on December 21, in computer-based test mode.
The fee structure is unchanged: General and unreserved candidates pay Rs 1,150, General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates pay Rs 600, and SC, ST, third gender and PwD candidates pay Rs 325. Payment gateway charges and GST apply on top, and NTA counts an application as submitted only after the fee is paid. If the form throws you off, the helpdesk emails are ugcnet@nta.ac.in and csirnet@nta.ac.in, and the helplines are 011-40759000 and 011-69227700.
Why so many candidates apply
UGC NET is the qualifying test for Junior Research Fellowship, appointment as assistant professor, and admission to PhD programmes across Indian universities, while CSIR NET covers the same ground for science subjects. That is the audience behind the 2.18 lakh number.
With six days left in the UGC NET window, our admission documents checklist is worth a read before you sit down to apply: keep your photo, signature and ID scans ready, because portals tend to slow down on deadline nights and a failed payment leaves no time to recover. NTA has already fixed the exam schedule for mid-December, which our earlier report on the revised dates covers in full.
Frequently asked questions
When is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
October 28, 2026, till 11:50 PM, on the official UGC NET portal. A late-fee window with an additional Rs 500 runs from October 29 to 31.
When is the last date to apply for CSIR NET December 2026?
November 5, 2026, through the official CSIR NET portal.
How many candidates have registered so far?
2,18,961 in total as of October 22, 2026, per NTA: 1,86,301 for UGC NET and 32,660 for CSIR NET.
When will the UGC NET December 2026 exam be held?
From December 14 to 18 and on December 21, 2026, in computer-based test mode. Admit cards are expected on December 7.
Frequently asked questions
When is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
October 28, 2026, till 11:50 PM, on the official portal ugcnet.nta.nic.in. A late-fee window runs October 29 to 31 with an additional Rs 500.
When is the last date to apply for CSIR NET December 2026?
November 5, 2026, through csirnet.nta.nic.in.
How many candidates have registered so far?
2,18,961 in total as of October 22, 2026: 1,86,301 for UGC NET and 32,660 for CSIR NET, according to NTA.
When will the UGC NET December 2026 exam be held?
From December 14 to 18 and on December 21, 2026, in computer-based test mode. Admit cards are due December 7.
Sources: The Indian Express, Edex Live, Telegraph India