(UGC-NET) is a standardized test in India, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the UGC, to determine the eligibility of candidates for Junior Research Fellowships (JRF), Assistant Professor positions, and PhD admissions in Indian universities and colleges.
Prerequisites
A Master's degree with a minimum of 55% marks or a 4-year undergraduate degree with 75%
Detailed Syllabus for UGC NET Commerce Paper
The UGC NET paper is divided into two parts and the syllabus for each part has been provided in detail below:
Paper 1 includes the following evaluating basis:
Units
Topics Covered
Teaching Aptitude
Teaching concepts
Learner Characteristics
Teaching methods
ICT in Teaching
Evaluation Systems
Research Aptitude
Research Type
Methods
Thesis Writing
Steps of Research
Ethics
Application of ICT
Communication
Types
Barriers
Effective classroom communication
Reasoning & Analytical Ability
Analogies
Syllogism
Arguments
Deductive/Inductive Reasoning
Tables
Graphs (bar,pie,line)
Data comparison
Analysis
Reading Comprehension
Reading & Analysing Unseen passages
Information & Communication Technology
ICT basics
Internet
E-mail
Digital initiatives in higher education
Paper 2 includes the following evaluation basis:
Units
Topics Covered
Business Environment & International Business
Concepts & elements of business environment
Scope & importance of international business
Theories of International trade
Foreign Direct Investment & Foreign Portfolio investment
Balance of payment
Regional economic integration
International Economic Institutions
World Trade organisation
Accounting & Auditing
Basic Accounting principles
Partnership Accounts
Corporate Accounting: Issue, forfeiture & reissue of shares
Holding company accounts
Cost & management accounting
Financial Statements Analysis
Human Resource accounting
Indian accounting standards & IFRS
Auditing
Recent trends in auditing
Business Economics
Meaning & Scope business economics
Objectives of business firms
Demand analysis
Consumer behavior
Law of variable proportions
Theory of cost
Price determination under different market forms
Pricing Strategies
Business Finance
Scope & source of finance
Cost of capital & time value of money
Capital structure
Capital budgeting decisions
Working capital management
Risk & return analysis
International monetary system
Forex market
International financial markets & instruments
International arbitrage
Business Management & Human Resource Management
Principles & functions of management
Organisation structure
Responsibility & authority
Motivation & leadership
Corporate governance & business ethics
Human Resource Management
Compensation Management
Performance appraisal including 360- degree performance appraisal
Collective bargaining & workers’ participation in management
Personality
Organisational culture
Marketing Management
Marketing
Product Decisions
Pricing Decisions
Promotion Decisions
Distribution Decisions
Consumer Behavior
Service marketing
Trends in Marketing
Logistics Management
Strategic Management
Strategic analysis
Strategy Formulation
Strategy implementation
Porter’s 5 forces
SWOT analysis
Corporate strategies
Important Topics in UGC NET Commerce Syllabus
While all the topics are of importance some of the main topics along with their key focus areas and preparation techniques has been provided below:
Topic
Importance
Average Weightage
Key Focus Areas
Preparation Strategy
Financial Accounting
High - Forms the foundation of commerce and appears frequently in exams.
15-20%
• Basic accounting principles
• Partnership accounts
• Corporate accounting
• Financial statement analysis
• Indian accounting standards & IFRS
• Master journal entries and ledger postings
• Practice numerical problems
• Focus on reconciliation statements
• Understand accounting standards differences
Cost & Management Accounting
High - Technical area with consistent representation in exam.
12-15%
• Costing methods (process, job, ABC)
• Standard costing & variance analysis
• Marginal costing & decision making
• Budgetary control
• Modern costing techniques
• Practice numerical problems
• Understand applications rather than just formulas
• Focus on comparative analysis between costing methods
• Learn interpretation of variance analysis
Business Finance
High - Complex concepts with significant weightage.
Medium-High - Recent addition with growing importance.
8-10%
• GST structure and implementation
• Input tax credit mechanism
• Direct tax provisions
• International taxation
• Stay updated with recent amendments
• Focus on computational aspects
• Understand the conceptual framework
• Practice numerical problems
Corporate Governance & Business Ethics
Medium - Increasingly important theoretical area.
8-10%
• Corporate governance mechanisms
• Business ethics theories
• CSR frameworks
• Corporate governance codes
• Focus on theoretical frameworks
• Study recent corporate governance failures
• Understand regulatory requirements
• Learn key committee recommendations
International Business
Medium - Important for understanding global commerce.
8-10%
• International trade theories
• Foreign investments (FDI & FPI)
• Balance of payments
• Regional trade agreements
• Focus on theoretical concepts
• Stay updated with current international trends
• Learn about major trade agreements
• Understand exchange rate mechanisms
Marketing Management
Medium - Conceptual with some application questions.
8-10%
• Marketing concepts
• Consumer behavior
• Marketing mix strategies
• Digital marketing trends
• Focus on conceptual clarity
• Study recent marketing innovations
• Understand consumer psychology
• Learn application of marketing theories
Research Methodology
Medium - Technical area frequently tested.
7-9%
• Research designs
• Sampling techniques
• Data analysis methods
• Hypothesis testing
• Understand statistical applications
• Learn research process steps
• Practice interpretation of research results
• Master basic statistical concepts
Business Economics
Medium - Theoretical with some calculations.
7-9%
• Demand analysis
• Production function
• Market structures
• Pricing strategies
• Focus on graphical representations
• Practice numerical problems
• Understand economic theories
• Learn applications to business decisions
Comprehensive Resources for UGC NET Commerce Preparation
Standard Textbooks & Reference Materials
Topic
Essential Books
Advanced References
General Paper (Paper 1)
• Trueman's UGC NET/SET General Paper
• KVS Madaan: NTA UGC NET Paper 1 (Pearson)
• Arihant UGC NET/JRF/SET General Paper 1
• Teaching Aptitude by Pradip Sarkar
• NET/JRF/SET Teaching & Research Aptitude by Dr. Lal & Jain
Accounting & Auditing
• Financial Accounting by T.S. Grewal
• Advanced Accounts by M.C. Shukla
• Corporate Accounting by J.R. Monga
• Cost Accounting by Jawaharlal
• Advanced Financial Accounting by Vikas Publishing
• Contemporary Auditing by Kamal Gupta
• Financial Reporting & Analysis by John J. Wild
Business Finance
• Financial Management by I.M. Pandey
• Financial Management by Khan & Jain
• Financial Management by R.P. Rustagi
• Corporate Finance by Aswath Damodaran
• International Financial Management by P.G. Apte
• Cases in Financial Management by I.M. Pandey
Business Economics
• Managerial Economics by H.L. Ahuja
• Business Economics by T.R. Jain & O.P. Khanna
• Micro Economics by H.L. Ahuja
• Managerial Economics by Dominick Salvatore
• Economics by Paul Samuelson & William Nordhaus
Management & HRM
• Principles of Management by L.M. Prasad
• Organisational Behaviour by Robbins
• Human Resource Management by C.B. Gupta
• Strategic HRM by Jeffrey Mello
• Industrial Relations by Arun Monappa
• Organisational Theory by Gareth Jones
Marketing & Strategy
• Marketing Management by Philip Kotler
• Marketing Management by Ramaswamy & Namakumari
• Strategic Management by Fred David
• Services Marketing by Valarie Zeithaml
• Consumer Behavior by Leon Schiffman
• Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter
Business Laws
• Business Law by N.D. Kapoor
•Company Law by Avtar Singh
• Mercantile Law by M.C. Kuchhal
• The Companies Act, 2013 (Bare Act)
• Business Laws by P.C. Tulsian
• Corporate Laws by Taxmann
Taxation
• Income Tax by Vinod Singhania
• GST by V.S. Datey
• Income Tax by Girish Ahuja
• Direct Taxes Law & Practice by Vinod Singhania
• GST Acts with Rules & Forms by Taxmann
Digital Learning Resources
Online Courses & Video Lectures
Platform
Recommended Resources
Special Features
YouTube
• Unacademy Commerce - Prof. Naveen Jaiswal
• Amit Khatuwala Commerce Classes
• Arun Jindal UGC NET
• Commerce Companion
• Free content with structured playlists
• Topic-wise videos
• Previous years' paper discussions
Unacademy
• UGC NET Commerce by Mohit Agarwal
• NET Commerce Complete Course by Tanvi Dharwal
• Paper 1 Comprehensive by Nisha Mittal
• Structured courses with assessments
• Live doubt-solving sessions
• PDF notes with each lecture
Coursera/edX
• Financial Accounting Fundamentals (University of Illinois)
• Marketing Analytics (University of Virginia)
• Strategic Management (Copenhagen Business School)
• University-backed content
• Professional certification options
• Interactive assignments
SWAYAM/NPTEL
• Financial Accounting & Analysis
• Strategic Management
• Research Methodology for Management
• UGC/AICTE approved content
• Free certificates with exam
• Taught by IIM/IIT professors
Mobile Apps & Practice Platforms
App/Platform
Best For
Key Features
NTA UGC NET
All-in-one preparation
• Previous papers with solutions
• Mock tests with detailed analysis
• Topic-wise quizzes
• Daily practice questions
BSC Education
Subject expertise
• In-depth subject content
• Video lectures
• Concept-based MCQs
• Performance tracking
Oliveboard
Test practice
• Adaptive mock tests
• Analysis of strong/weak areas
• Percentile ranking
• Customized practice sets
Gradeup
Community learning
• Structured courses
• Daily quizzes
• Live classes
• Discussion forums
Testbook
Mock tests
• Full-length mock exams
• Sectional tests
• Performance analytics
• Comparison with peers
Free Study Materials & Resources
Resource Type
Sources
Content Highlights
E-Libraries
• Shodhganga
• National Digital Library
• e-PG Pathshala
• INFLIBNET
• Research papers
• Theses on commerce topics
• E-books and journals
• Reference materials
Government Resources
• UGC NET official website
• Ministry of Education portals
• National Education Policy documents
• Official syllabus
• Sample papers
• Examination notifications
• Educational policy updates
PDF Notes
• Commerce Notes
• UGC NET Commerce Notes
• Study Material by toppers (edusaksham.com)
• Topic-wise notes
• Memory aids and mnemonics
• Important formulae and concepts
• Quick revision notes
Current Affairs
• The Hindu Business Line
• Economic Times Knowledge
• Business Standard
• Daily business updates
• Economic policy changes
• Corporate governance cases
• International business trends
Mock Test & Practice Resources
Resource
Features
Best Used For
NTA Test Practice Centre
• Official NTA pattern
• Similar difficulty level
• Computer-based test experience
Final preparation phase
Previous Year Papers
• Last 10 years' solved papers
• Topic-wise question banks
• Answer explanations
Understanding exam pattern
Monthly Mock Series
• Full-length papers
• Timed test environment
• Result analysis
Regular assessment
Topic-wise Test Series
• Subject-focused tests
• Concept-based questions
• Difficulty progression
Strengthening weak areas
Additional Specialized Resources
For Advanced Preparation
Description
Value Addition
NET Commerce Toppers' Blog
Insights and strategies from previous qualifiers
Real exam experience and tips
Research Journals Access
Indian Journal of Commerce, Journal of Commerce & Management Thought
Latest research and case studies
Case Study Collections
Harvard Business Review cases, ICMR case collection
Application-based understanding
Commerce Webinars & Workshops
Live sessions by subject experts and exam trainers
Interactive learning opportunities
Study Group Resources
Platform
Benefits
How to Utilize
Telegram Groups
• Daily quizzes
• Resource sharing
• Doubt solving
Join active groups with serious aspirants
Facebook Communities
• Expert live sessions
• Success stories
• Study partner finding
Participate in discussions and polls
Discord Servers
• Topic-wise channels
• Voice study rooms
• Document sharing
Collaborative learning with peers
Subject-wise Online Repositories
Subject
Recommended Repositories
Special Collections
Accounting
• ICAI Knowledge Portal
• Accounting Education Resources
• Practical problems
• Industry standards
Business Law
• Legal Services India
• MyLaw Prep
• Case law examples
• Amendment updates
Economics & Finance
• NPTEL Economics Courses
• Finance Train
• Macroeconomic data analysis
• Financial models
Management
• Management Study Guide
• Business Case Studies
• Leadership theories
• Organizational case studies
Preparation Tips
Phase 1 Foundation Building (3-4 Months)
Phase 2 Advanced Preparation (2-3 Months)
Phase 3 Final Preparation (1 Month)
Changes & Updates in UGC NET Commerce Syllabus
The UGC NET Commerce syllabus was last updated in January 2019 and remains unchanged since then. It follows all the NTA guidelines.
Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme for UGC NET Commerce
How to Download the Official UGC NET Commerce Syllabus
A complete step wise procedure is given below:
Step 1: Visit the Official NTA Website
Open your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.)
Type https://nta.ac.in/ in the address bar and press Enter
Alternatively, search for "NTA UGC NET official website" in any search engine
Ensure you're on the authentic website by verifying the .ac.in domain (government educational domain)
Important: Avoid third-party websites that may contain outdated information
Step 2: Navigate to UGC NET Section
On the NTA homepage, locate the "Examination" dropdown menu in the top navigation bar
Click on "Examination" to expand the dropdown menu
Select "UGC-NET" from the dropdown list
You will be redirected to the dedicated UGC NET section
Alternatively, you may directly visit https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/ if available
Step 3: Locate the Syllabus Section
On the UGC NET landing page, look for the "Downloads" or "Important Links" section
This is typically found on the right sidebar or main menu
Scroll down if necessary to find the "Syllabus" link
Alternatively, look for a separate "Syllabus" tab in the main navigation menu
If you cannot find it easily, use the search function on the website with the keyword "syllabus"
Step 4: Find the Commerce Syllabus
Click on the "Syllabus" link to access the syllabus page
You will see a list of subjects or a dropdown to select subjects
Look for "Commerce" or "Code 08" in the list of subjects
If there's a search function, type "Commerce" to filter the list
Verify that you're selecting the most recent syllabus by checking the date of publication
Step 5: Download the PDF File
Click on the Commerce syllabus link or download icon
Your browser will either:
Start downloading the file automatically to your default download location
Open the PDF in a new browser tab (in which case, use the download button in the PDF viewer)
If prompted, select "Save" or "Download" in any dialog box that appears
Choose your preferred download location if prompted
Wait for the download to complete (typically a few seconds for a PDF file)
Step 6: Save and Verify the File
Navigate to the location where the file was downloaded
Verify the filename contains "UGC NET Commerce Syllabus" and the current year
Right-click on the file and select "Properties" to check:
File type (should be PDF)
Size (typically 1-5 MB)
Date (should reflect recent updates)
Open the file using Adobe Reader or any PDF reader to ensure it's complete and readable
Check the first few pages to confirm it's the official UGC NET Commerce syllabus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the syllabus coverage for Paper 1 & Paper 2?
Research Aptitude and Teaching Ability Communication Reasoning and Analytical Ability Reading Comprehension Information and Communication Technology
Are there any recent updates to the syllabus ?
No, changes have been made. The UGC NET Commerce syllabus was last updated in January 2019 and remains unchanged since then. It follows all the NTA guidelines
How to prepare for the syllabus topics?
Step 1: Understand the exam Pattern Paper 1 (Teaching Aptitude) Paper 2 (Subject Specific) Step 2: Develop a study plan Time Management Realistic Targets Break Down Syllabus Step 3: Use Effective Study Material Use the above recommended books and/or videos Make study notes Step 4: Practice & prepare Solve previous years papers Practice mock Test Step 5: Last minute Tips Focus on key points Take full length mock test
What is the exam pattern and marking scheme of the UGC NET exam?
Paper 1: 3 hrs total (paper 1+Paper 2) 50 questions 100marks 2 marks for correct answer no negative marking Paper 2: 3 hrs total (paper 1+paper 2) 100questions 200marks 2 marks for correct answer No negative marking
Are online resources helpful while preparing for UGC NET exam?
Yes online resources like eduX, coursera and many more are helpful for the preparation.
