The University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) December 2025 session exams come to an end today, January 7, 2026 . This is the final day for thousands of students taking the exam across India. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is in charge of conducting this test. All students appearing today must carry their UGC NET admit card and a valid photo identity card to their exam center.
The UGC NET exam is very important for students who want to become Assistant Professors in Indian universities and colleges. It also helps those who wish to get a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for higher studies and research. The exam checks a candidate's knowledge and research ability in various subjects.
UGC NET Exam Schedule for January 7, 2026
Today's exam is split into two sessions:
| Shift I (Morning Session) | Shift II (Afternoon Session) |
| Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Time: 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
Here are the subjects being tested in each shift on January 7, 2026 :
| Shift I Subjects (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM) | Shift II Subjects (3:00 PM to 6:00 PM) |
| Economics (and related fields) | Environmental Sciences |
| Management | Home Science |
| Public Administration | Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Theatre) |
| Population Studies | Music |
| Linguistics | Electronic Science |
| Buddhist/Jaina/Gandhian/Peace Studies | Labour Welfare/HRM (Human Resource Management) |
| Pali | Marathi |
| Ayurveda | Physical Education |
| Biology |
Important Documents to Bring to the Exam Center
Students must remember to bring the following items to the exam center:
- Your official UGC NET admit card for the January 7, 2026 exam. This admit card acts as your entry pass. Without it, you will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.
- One original and valid photo identity (ID) card . Acceptable ID proofs include: Aadhaar card, PAN card, Voter ID card, Passport, or Driving License. Please ensure that the name on your ID card matches the name on your admit card exactly.
Students should arrive at their designated exam center well before the scheduled start time. This will help them complete all necessary entry procedures without any rush. It is always better to be early than late.
What Happens Next: After the Exam
With the December 2025 UGC NET exams now concluded, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will proceed with the next steps for result processing. Students should keep an eye on official announcements for these important updates:
- Release of Provisional Answer Key: The NTA is expected to release the provisional answer key within approximately one week after the final exam date. This key will provide the correct answers to all questions asked in the exam papers.
- Opportunity to Challenge Answers: After the provisional answer key is published, students will be given a specific time frame to raise objections. If a student believes an answer in the key is incorrect, they can challenge it by submitting their concerns online, usually with a small fee per challenge.
- Final Result Announcement: Once all objections have been reviewed by experts and necessary changes are made to the answer key, the NTA will declare the final UGC NET 2025 results. The result will clearly state whether a candidate has qualified for Assistant Professor only, or both Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).
- Minimum Qualifying Marks and Cut-off: To pass the UGC NET exam, students must achieve certain minimum marks. Candidates from the General category must score at least 40% of the total marks . For students belonging to Reserved Categories (such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) - Non-Creamy Layer, and Persons with Disabilities (PwD)), the minimum qualifying score is 35% . Meeting these cut-off marks is essential for eligibility.
Understanding UGC NET Paper 1
The UGC NET exam consists of two papers. Paper 1 is common for all subjects and tests general aptitude. Yes, the NTA UGC NET Paper 1 exam does include questions related to communication skills. This section is part of the broader General Aptitude Test, which also covers teaching aptitude, research aptitude, reading comprehension, reasoning ability, and data interpretation. It is designed to assess a candidate's basic understanding and abilities needed for teaching and research roles.
