UGC NET December 2026 Last Date Extended

Candidates preparing for the UGC NET December 2026 examination have received some extra time to complete their application process. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the last date for submitting the online application form to October 31, 2026. The decision was announced through an official public notice dated October 27, 2026. Candidates who have not yet submitted their forms can now complete the process by 11:50 PM on the revised deadline without paying any late fee. The deadline for payment of the examination fee has also been extended to the same date and time. This is an important update for postgraduate students and other eligible candidates who want to qualify for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor eligibility or Ph.D. admission through UGC NET.

If you were planning to apply but could not complete the registration earlier, this is the time to finish the process. Candidates should not wait until the final hours because website traffic, payment failures and technical problems can sometimes delay an application. Before applying, it is also important to check the eligibility conditions, examination fee, required documents and other instructions mentioned in the official Information Bulletin.

UGC NET December 2026: Important Details

The UGC NET examination is conducted by the National Testing Agency on behalf of the University Grants Commission. It is one of the important national-level examinations for candidates who want to build a career in teaching and research. The December 2026 examination is intended to determine eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor and admission to Ph.D. programmes in Indian universities and colleges.

Key details at a glance:

• Examination Name: UGC NET December 2026
• Conducting Authority: National Testing Agency (NTA)
• Application Mode: Online
• Official Notice Date: October 27, 2026
• Last Date to Apply: October 31, 2026
• Last Date for Fee Payment: October 31, 2026
• Closing Time: 11:50 PM
• Late Fee During the Extended Period: No late fee
• Examination Mode: Computer-Based Test
• Official Website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/

UGC NET December 2026 Last Date Extended

The latest update is particularly useful for candidates who were unable to complete their applications before the earlier deadline. According to the public notice issued by NTA on October 27, the last date for submitting the UGC NET December 2026 application form has been extended to October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 PM.

The agency has also extended the deadline for successful payment of the examination fee. Both the application submission and fee payment must be completed within the revised schedule. The notice clearly states that candidates can complete the process without any late fee during this extension period.

Candidates should remember that filling in the application form alone may not be enough. They must complete all required steps, including document uploads and fee payment, and make sure that the application has been successfully submitted. After completing the process, download the confirmation page and keep it safe for future reference.

The extension gives candidates a little more time, but it should not be treated as a reason to delay the application further. It is always better to submit the form well before the closing time.

UGC NET December 2026 Application Fee

The examination fee is different for different categories. Candidates should select the correct category while filling in the online form and check the applicable fee before making payment.

The prescribed fee structure is as follows:

Category	Application Fee
General / Unreserved	₹1,150
General-EWS	₹600
OBC-NCL	₹600
SC	₹325
ST	₹325
PwD / PwBD	₹325
Third Gender	₹325

Bank charges, payment gateway charges and applicable taxes may be additional. Candidates should check the amount displayed on the official payment page before completing the transaction.

The latest extension notice dated October 27, 2026, allows candidates to complete the application and fee payment by October 31 without any late fee. Applicants should follow the revised notice and any further instructions published by NTA.

UGC NET December 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before submitting the application, candidates should make sure that they meet the educational qualification requirements for the examination. UGC NET is mainly intended for postgraduate candidates and eligible students pursuing their final year of a Master’s degree.

Candidates belonging to the General or Unreserved and General-EWS categories generally need at least 55% marks in their Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification from a recognised university or institution.

For candidates belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD/PwBD and Third Gender categories, the minimum required marks are generally 50%, subject to the conditions mentioned in the official Information Bulletin.

Candidates who are appearing in the final year of their Master’s degree or whose results are awaited may also apply provisionally, provided they fulfil the conditions specified by NTA. Such candidates must complete their qualification within the prescribed period to remain eligible.

Candidates should also choose their NET subject carefully. In general, the subject of the postgraduate qualification should guide the selection. If the exact subject is not available, candidates should refer to the official instructions before selecting a related subject.

Applicants with a four-year or eight-semester bachelor’s degree may also qualify under the special provisions mentioned in the Information Bulletin. The applicable marks requirement and eligibility for JRF or Ph.D. admission should be checked carefully. Qualification through a four-year bachelor’s degree does not, by itself, establish eligibility for appointment as an Assistant Professor.

UGC NET December 2026 Age Limit

The age limit depends on the purpose for which a candidate is appearing in the examination.

For Junior Research Fellowship, the general upper age limit is 30 years, subject to the relevant cutoff date, category-wise relaxations and other conditions mentioned in the official Information Bulletin. Eligible candidates may receive relaxation according to the applicable rules.

For Assistant Professor eligibility, there is no upper age limit for appearing in UGC NET. Similarly, candidates appearing for Ph.D. admission through the examination do not have an upper age limit for appearing in the test.

Candidates applying for JRF should not rely only on their current age. They should check the prescribed age calculation date and all applicable relaxation rules before submitting their forms.

UGC NET December 2026 Exam Pattern

The UGC NET examination is conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. It consists of two papers, and both papers contain objective-type multiple-choice questions. Candidates must attempt both papers within the total examination duration.

Paper	Questions	Maximum Marks
Paper I	50	100
Paper II	100	200
Total	150	300

The total duration is three hours, or 180 minutes, without a break between the two papers. Each correct answer carries two marks, and there is no negative marking for incorrect answers under the prescribed examination pattern.

Paper I tests general teaching and research aptitude, reasoning ability, reading comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness. Paper II focuses on the subject selected by the candidate.

Candidates should give sufficient time to both papers during preparation. Paper I requires regular practice in reasoning, comprehension and teaching aptitude, while Paper II demands a clear understanding of the chosen subject. Solving previous-year question papers and taking mock tests can help candidates become familiar with the examination format and manage their time more effectively.

How to Apply Online for UGC NET December 2026

Candidates can submit their application forms through the official UGC NET website. The process is online, and applicants should keep their personal and educational details ready before starting registration.

First, visit https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/ and look for the UGC NET December 2026 application link. Complete the registration using a valid mobile number and email address. Keep your application number and login details safe.

Next, log in to the portal and enter the required personal information, educational qualifications, category details, subject selection and examination city preferences. Make sure that all the details are correct before moving to the next stage.

Upload the photograph, signature and other documents required by the application form. Follow the official instructions regarding file format, size and image specifications. Candidates claiming any category-related benefit should also ensure that they meet the relevant conditions.

After completing the form, pay the examination fee through one of the available payment methods. Wait for confirmation that the transaction has been successful. Finally, download the confirmation page and keep a copy for your records.

Candidates who have already registered should check whether their fee payment and final submission have been completed successfully. If the application is still incomplete, they should finish the remaining steps before October 31, 2026, at 11:50 PM.

UGC NET December 2026 Important Links

Candidates should use the official websites for the latest information and avoid relying on unverified links shared on social media.

• Apply Online: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
• UGC NET Official Website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
• NTA Official Website: https://nta.ac.in/
• UGC NET Syllabus: https://www.ugcnetonline.in/syllabus-new.php

The application deadline extension is confirmed by the public notice dated October 27, 2026. For the examination schedule, correction window, city intimation slip, admit card and result updates, candidates should refer to the latest official announcements. Any dates not confirmed by a current official notice should be treated as tentative rather than final.

What Candidates Should Do Next

The most important thing for applicants right now is to complete the application process within the revised deadline. Candidates should check their details carefully, pay the prescribed fee, and save the confirmation page. They should also keep their registered mobile number and email address active so they do not miss important updates from NTA.

Once the application process is complete, candidates can focus on their examination preparation. A practical study plan should include revision of the selected subject, regular practice of Paper I, mock tests and analysis of previous-year questions. Understanding the examination pattern and identifying weak areas early can make preparation more effective.

Candidates should also remember that the examination application, admit card, city intimation slip and result are separate stages. Completing the application does not mean that the admit card has been issued. Applicants must check the official website for each announcement and follow the instructions provided by NTA.

Final Words

The extension of the UGC NET December 2026 application deadline gives eligible candidates another opportunity to complete their registration. As stated in the official notice issued on October 27, 2026, both the application form submission and examination fee payment can be completed until October 31, 2026, at 11:50 PM without any late fee.

Candidates planning to appear for UGC NET should use this additional time wisely. Check your eligibility, select the correct subject, complete the payment and download the confirmation page. Most importantly, do not wait until the final moment to submit the form.

For the latest updates on UGC NET December 2026, application dates, examination notices and other important information, keep checking the official NTA website at https://nta.ac.in/ and the UGC NET portal at https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/.