UGC NET Eligibility Criteria 2020

Taking the UGC NET examination is an important step if you aspire to become a Lecturer or carry out research work for an organization. The exam is conducted to identify suitable candidates who can do well in research work or assistant professorship. In order to choose the most talented and brilliant candidates, an eligibility criterion has been prescribed by the exam conducting authority that applicants must fulfill before they take the entrance exam. The UGC NET 2020 eligibility criteria may include requirements related to educational qualification, age limit, and other aspects.

Check out the UGC NET 2020 Preparation Strategy

For aspirants, it is a must to know that their eligibility will be defined as correct only after their confirmation of the Age Criteria and Educational Qualification. However, the factors for the applicants of JRF and Assistant Professor will categorically differ. Similarly, some relaxation has also been imposed for the reserved categories of the nation. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has defined each criterion in detail, candidates can check out these details given below and see whether they fulfil these criteria.

The candidates willing to apply for the exam should be well aware of the following UGC NET eligibility criteria:

• The candidate should have a Master’s degree with a minimum 55% marks (without rounding off) from a UGC recognized university in any of the 100 subjects mentioned on the official website of CBSE UGC NET.

• Students belonging to SC/ ST/ OBC/ PwD category are required to have at least 50% marks (without rounding off) in Master’s degree are eligible for the test.

• Those who are appearing in the qualifying exam or waiting for the results can also apply. However, they are required to complete their PG within two years from the date of UGC NET result. 

• The PhD degree holders who have completed their Master’s degree by September 19, 1991, will be eligible for a relaxation of 5% in the aggregate marks.

Junior Research Fellowship-

• Candidate should not be more than 30 years of age.

• There is a relaxation of 5 years for women applicants and the candidates belonging to SC/ST/ OBC and PwD category.

• Candidates with research experience have been granted time relaxation for their research work on the subject related to their post-graduation course. 

Assistant Professor-

• There is no upper age limit for the candidates applying for the post of assistant professor.

• Minimum eligibility criteria will not be applicable for the candidates who have completed or are about to complete Ph.D

• Candidates with a passing certificate of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Junior Research Fellowship (CSIR JRF) or UGC JRF dated before 1989, need not appear for UGC NET 2020, as they can directly apply to any college or university all over India for the post of Assistant Professor.  

• Candidates with the SET (States Eligibility Test) score are also exempted from appearing for UGC NET 2020. The only thing to keep in mind for such candidates is that the SET certificate dated before 1st June 2002 will allow them to apply for the Assistant Professor post in universities and colleges all over India but for the candidates with SET certificate dated after 1st June 2002 will be able to apply only to the institutions within the SET States only.

• Candidates must have secured at 55% marks in Masters degree without rounding off the score 

• Or, the candidates must have qualified any equivalent examination from a university or institution which is recognised by the UGC. 

• Candidates belonging to reserved categories such as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class and Persons with disabilities or transgender candidates must score 50% to be eligible to appear for this examination.

Also Read: Know the Syllabus of UGC NET  

Eligibility Criteria for Candidates pursuing a Master’s Degree

• Candidates who are pursuing a Master’s Degree or Equivalent Course and have appeared for their qualifying examination and are awaited for the result.

• Candidates who have appeared for the Master’s Degree examination and the results have been delayed are also eligible to apply for this test. 

• Such applicants will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for Assistant Professor only after they have passed the Master’s degree or equivalent examination with at least 55% 

• Candidates belonging to reserved categories such as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class and Persons with disabilities or transgender candidates must score 50% to be eligible to appear for this examination. 

• Candidates must complete the master’s degree within the two years of the release of NET result with the required percentage of marks. 

Eligibility Criteria for Transgender Category

• Candidates belonging to this category would get an equal relaxation in fee, age and qualifying criteria for NET examination as the other reserved categories such as Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste and Persons with Disabilities. 

• The subject-wise cut-off for this category is lowest among the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class and Persons with Disabilities.

Eligibility Criteria for Ph.D Degree Holder

• The candidate who holds a Ph.D. degree and has completed the Masters by 1991, September would be eligible for this examination. 

• The Ph.D degree holder candidates will get 5% relaxation for NET qualified candidates.

• Candidates are requested to appear for the subject of their post-graduation only. 

• Candidates do not have to prove their eligibility by sending any application form to the NTA or any such documents or certificates. Bust the candidates must ensure themselves that they are eligible for the examination. If any ineligibility is detected then the candidate’s candidature would be cancelled and the candidate will be liable to legal actions. 

• NTA does not do any verification when they do the online registration hence every applicant would be provisionally eligible to apply until document verification. 

• Applicants with post-graduate diploma/certificate awarded by Indian University or foreign degree/diploma/certificate awarded by the foreign university should in their own interest, satisfy the equivalence of their diploma/degree/ certificate with Master’s degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities. 

Also Read: Check the exam Pattern

Age Limit

• The age of the applicant of UGC NET must not be more than 30 years on the year they choose to appear fo rthe examination. 

• A relaxation of 5 years will be given to the candidates belonging to the Non-Creamy Layer of reserved category such as Other Backward Category, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other reserved categories as per the central list of OBC. 

• The 5 year age relaxation will also be given to transgender applicants and women candidates and also the applicants who have research experience. 

• 3 year age relaxation will be given of LLM degree 

• Candidates who have served the armed forces will be given a relaxation of 5 years

• SET/SLET and NET would be the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Asst. Professor in Universities, Institutes and Colleges. 

• The applicants who have passed the UGC/CSIR/ JRF examination prior to 1989 are also exempted from appearing in NET.

• The exemption from the NET/SET/SLET will be governed by UGC regulations and amendments notified in the Gazette of India from time to time. 

• Candidates who clear the State Eligibility Test from any UGC recognized University are exempted from NET to be eligible for Asst. Professor from anywhere in India.