UGC NET December 2026: NTA extends deadline to October 31, drops Rs 500 late fee
By TUF News Desk · Published 28 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Candidates who missed the October 28 cutoff for UGC NET December 2026 still have three more days, and they will not have to pay extra for them. The National Testing Agency has pushed the application submission and fee payment deadline to October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 pm, and dropped the Rs 500 late fee that was set to apply from October 29.
The change came in a public notice issued on October 27. Until then, the plan was a regular window closing on October 28 at 11:50 pm, followed by a late window from October 29 to 31 with an extra Rs 500 on top of the regular fee. That late fee no longer applies. Anyone who files by October 31 at 11:50 pm pays only the regular examination fee.
What changed, and what did not
The extension covers both steps that matter: submitting the online form and completing the fee transaction. Both now close at the same time, October 31 at 11:50 pm. The testing agency has said all other terms in the information bulletin and earlier notices stay the same, so the rest of the schedule is untouched.
That includes the correction window from November 2 to 4, when candidates can fix errors in a submitted form. It also includes the examination itself, scheduled for December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026, in computer-based test mode across 87 subjects. The test decides eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship, for appointment as Assistant Professor, and for admission to PhD programmes, depending on the category a candidate applies under.
Who gains the most from the extra days
The candidates with the most to gain are the ones whose forms are still half done. Agency figures from October 25 showed 5,50,048 registrations for the December session, but only 3,73,419 completed applications with the fee paid. That left 1,76,629 forms incomplete: 1,36,993 candidates had yet to upload a photograph and signature and had not paid the fee, while 31,580 had uploaded the documents but not paid.
For those candidates, the extension removes the penalty for finishing late, but it does not change what counts as finished. A form is complete only when the photograph and signature are uploaded, the fee payment has gone through, and the confirmation page has been downloaded. Registration alone is not a submitted application.
How to finish the form
Log in to the official NTA portal and work through the pending steps in order: complete the form, upload the photograph and signature, pay the fee, and download the confirmation page. Our admission documents checklist covers the scans to keep ready before starting, since the photograph and signature are the two uploads holding up most incomplete forms.
The regular fees are Rs 1,150 for General candidates, Rs 600 for EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, and Rs 325 for SC, ST, PwD and third-gender candidates. The agency has advised candidates to finish well before the October 31 cutoff rather than wait for the last evening, when server load and payment glitches are most likely to get in the way. If you clear the test with a fellowship, our scholarships for Indian university students guide explains how that funding fits into a PhD plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 pm, for both the application form and the fee payment, with no late fee.
Do I still have to pay the Rs 500 late fee for UGC NET December 2026?
No. The National Testing Agency has said no late fee applies up to the revised October 31 deadline.
What counts as a completed UGC NET application?
The photograph and signature must be uploaded, the fee must be paid, and the confirmation page must be downloaded. Registration alone does not count.
When is the UGC NET December 2026 exam?
The exam is scheduled for December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026, in computer-based test mode across 87 subjects.
Frequently asked questions
What is the new last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 pm, for both the application form and the fee payment, with no late fee.
Do I still have to pay the Rs 500 late fee for UGC NET December 2026?
No. The National Testing Agency has said no late fee applies up to the revised October 31 deadline.
What counts as a completed UGC NET application?
The photograph and signature must be uploaded, the fee must be paid, and the confirmation page must be downloaded. Registration alone does not count.
When is the UGC NET December 2026 exam?
The exam is scheduled for December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026, in computer-based test mode across 87 subjects.
Sources: Times Now, Edex Live