UGC NET December 2026: NTA revises dates to Dec 14-18 and 21, admit cards from Dec 7
By TUF News Desk · Published 19 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
If you have applied for UGC NET December 2026 or plan to, check your schedule again. The National Testing Agency put out a revised Information Bulletin on October 16 that changes the exam dates, fixes when the admit cards come out, and rewrites parts of the evaluation rules.
Earlier, the exam was scheduled for December 14 to 19, with December 20 and 21 kept as buffer days. The revised plan drops December 19 and 20 and adds December 21 as a regular exam day, so the test now runs from December 14 to 18 and on December 21. The subject-wise schedule, which decides the day and shift for each of the 87 subjects, has not been released yet. The NTA says it will come separately.
Admit card and city slip dates are fixed
Earlier the NTA had marked these dates as to be announced later. The revised bulletin fixes both. The advance intimation of the exam city will be available from November 23, and the admit cards can be downloaded from December 7. Both go up only on the official UGC NET website, so do not trust links forwarded on WhatsApp or Telegram.
The application deadline has not changed
The application window stays open till October 28, up to 11:50 pm. If you have not filed the form yet, that cutoff is still what matters, and the fee and document uploads have to be completed by then. Our admission documents checklist covers the kind of paperwork and scans application processes usually ask for, so keep your photo, signature, and certificates ready before you start.
We covered the original UGC NET December 2026 notification when applications opened earlier this month.
What changed in the rules
The corrigendum also revises the evaluation criteria. Earlier, the bulletin had said unattempted questions or questions marked for review would get no marks. The revised wording says questions that are answered or attempted will be evaluated whether or not they are marked for review, and unanswered questions will not be evaluated whether or not they are marked for review. In practice, this affects how responses marked for review are scored.
The barred-items list got tweaks too. Candidates will be given a ball-point pen at the exam centre and do not need to carry one. The bulletin also updates the rules on dress code, gate closing time, and city preferences, so read the revised bulletin itself before exam day rather than relying on summaries.
What this exam is for
UGC NET decides eligibility for three things: the Junior Research Fellowship, Assistant Professor appointments, and admission to PhD programmes across Indian universities. The test is conducted in computer-based mode, and the NTA runs it for the University Grants Commission.
Frequently asked questions
What are the revised UGC NET December 2026 exam dates?
December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026, in computer-based mode across 87 subjects.
When do the admit cards release?
From December 7, 2026. The exam city intimation slip is available from November 23 on the official website.
What is the last date to apply?
October 28, 2026, up to 11:50 pm on ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
What is UGC NET for?
It decides eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor posts, and PhD admission in Indian universities and colleges.
Frequently asked questions
What are the revised UGC NET December 2026 exam dates?
December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026, in computer-based mode across 87 subjects.
When do UGC NET December 2026 admit cards release?
From December 7, 2026. The exam city intimation slip is available from November 23.
What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
October 28, 2026, up to 11:50 pm, on ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
What is UGC NET for?
It decides eligibility for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor posts, and PhD admission in Indian universities.
Sources: The Indian Express, NDTV, Times Now