UGC NET is a national level exam conducted by NTA on behalf of the University Grants Commission to certify the eligibility of candidates for the post of ‘Assistant Professor’ or ‘Junior Research Fellowship’. The UGC NET Exam Pattern 2021 will be published along with the release of notifications. UGC NET comprises two papers – Paper 1 and Paper 2 which will be held consecutively without any break. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours. Candidates are free to devote any amount of time to any paper. Paper 1 and Paper 2 will have 50 and 100 multiple choice questions respectively.
Each correct answer will award you 2 marks. There will be no negative marking in the exam. The syllabus for Paper 1 and all 81 NET subjects of Paper 2 have been revised in 2019 and for this year no changes are expected to be made in the syllabus. Candidates can read the article below to know more about the exam pattern.
Particulars |
UGC NET Paper-I Highlights |
UGC NET Paper-II Highlights |
---|---|---|
Exam mode |
Online |
Online |
Exam duration |
3 hours (180 minutes) |
|
Type of paper |
Common for all candidates |
Subject-specific questions |
Total questions |
50 |
100 |
Type of questions |
MCQs; 4 options with only 1 correct option |
MCQs; 4 options with only 1 correct option |
Total marks |
100 |
200 |
Marking scheme |
+2 for correct answer 0 for incorrect answer |
+2 for correct answer 0 for incorrect answer |
Language of paper |
English and Hindi |
English and Hindi |
Also read UGC NET 2021 Preparation Tips.
Since June 2018, UGC NET has been conducted by the National Testing Agency in the following pattern:
UGC NET Paper-I Sections |
Questions in UGC NET Paper-I |
UGC NET Paper-I Marks |
---|---|---|
Teaching Aptitude |
5 |
10 |
Research Aptitude |
5 |
10 |
Reading Comprehension |
5 |
10 |
Communication |
5 |
10 |
Reasoning (including Maths) |
5 |
10 |
Logical Reasoning |
5 |
10 |
Data Interpretation |
5 |
10 |
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) |
5 |
10 |
People & Environment |
5 |
10 |
Higher Education System: Governance, Polity & Administration |
5 |
10 |
Total |
50 |
100 |
The exam pattern of paper II is based upon the subject, chosen by the aspirants.
The table below shows the exam pattern of Paper 1 and Paper 2:
UGC NET Paper | No. of Questions | Maximum Marks | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
Paper 1 | 50 | 100 | Cumulative time duration of 3 hours. Shift 1: 9.30 AM – 12.30 PM Shift 2: 2.30 PM – 5.30 PM |
Paper 2 | 100 | 200 | |
Total | 150 MCQs | 300 Marks | 180 minutes |
The updated marking scheme of UGC NET is given below:
Type of Answer | Marks Allotted |
---|---|
Correct Answer | 2 marks |
Incorrect Answer | 0 mark |
No Answer | 0 mark |
Read About UGC NET Score Calculation
The syllabus for UGC NET 2021 Paper 1 and Paper 2 varies and are designed to test the different skills of the candidates. A brief about both the papers are:
To know more about the UGC NET 2021 syllabus, click here.
There are some of the important books that will help you to prepare better for UGC NET 2021. Candidates must be well versed in their respective subjects for Paper 2. They should rigorously go through books of their bachelor's and masters' curriculum. For Paper 1 they can follow the given books:
Name of the Book | Author | Publisher |
---|---|---|
Trueman’s UGC NET/ SLET General Paper I | M. Gagan (Author), Sajit Kumar | Danika Publishing Company |
UGC NET/ JRF/ SLET General Paper-1 Teaching & Research Aptitude | Arihant Express | Arihant Publication |
CBSE UGC NET/SET/JRF – Paper 1: Teaching and Research Aptitude | KVS Madaan | Pearson Education |
UGC NET/ SET Paper 1 | -- | McGraw Hill Education |
CBSE UGC-NET: Teaching and Research Aptitude | Dr. M S Ansari & RPH Editorial Board | Ramesh Publishing House |
Ques: Is there any negative marking in the exam and what is the total time duration of the exam?
Ans: No. There is no negative in the exam. UGC NET 2021 will have a total of 150 multiple-choice questions and candidates will be given 3 hours to complete the exam. Paper 1 will have 50 questions and Paper 2 will have 100 questions. There is no Restriction to move to and fro among the Papers. All the questions are compulsory to attempt.
Ques: What is the exam pattern of UGN NET Paper 1 and 2?
Ans: The updated marking scheme of UGC NET is given below:
Type of Answer | Marks Allotted |
---|---|
Correct Answer | 2 marks |
Incorrect Answer | 0 mark |
No Answer | 0 mark |
Ques: Is there any sectional time limit in UGC NET 2021?
Ans: No. There is no sectional time limit. Candidates can move to and fro among any sections of both papers. Paper 1 is going to be the same for every candidate and paper 2 is subject-specific which is specially designed to test the in-depth knowledge of candidates. Paper will have a total of 150 multiple choice questions and candidates will be given 2 marks for every correct answer, no negative marking will be there.
Ques: What are the major topics for paper 1 of UGC NET?
Ans: Paper 1 is the same and compulsory for every candidate. It will have a total of 50 multiple choice questions, 5 each from the following 10 topics:
Ques: How can I prepare for paper 2 of UGC NET?
Ans: Candidates have to follow the syllabus provided by NTA to prepare for the exam. Paper 2 is conducted for 81 subjects. Candidates can select the subject for paper 2 that is similar or related to their post-graduation subjects. It will have 100 MCQs only on the stream chosen by the candidate. All the questions of Paper 2 will be compulsory. It is suggested to thoroughly revise all the topics of the Bachelors and Masters curriculum of your subject. Check Detailed Updated Syllabus
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.