UGC NET exam pattern: Paper 1, Paper 2 and marking
Two papers, one 3-hour sitting, 150 questions and no negative marking. Here is how the UGC NET December 2026 paper is built and marked.
This page is based on the UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin (section 3). NTA can change the pattern between cycles, so check the bulletin for the cycle you sit.
What is the UGC NET exam pattern?
| Paper | Questions | Marks | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 50 | 100 | Teaching and research aptitude, reasoning, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness |
| Paper 2 | 100 | 200 | Your chosen subject (one of 87) |
| Total | 150 | 300 | 3 hours, no break between papers |
- Mode: computer-based test.
- Question type: all multiple choice.
- All questions are compulsory.
- Medium: English and Hindi, except language papers.
The Paper 1 units and the subject list are on the syllabus page.
Is there negative marking in UGC NET?
No.
| Response | Marks |
|---|---|
| Correct | +2 |
| Wrong | 0 |
| Unanswered | 0 |
| Marked for review | 0 |
Because a wrong answer costs nothing, leaving a question blank can never help you. Answer every question, even if you have to guess.
What if a question is wrong in the paper?
The bulletin sets out what happens:
- If a question is dropped, or no option is correct, the 2 marks go only to candidates who attempted it.
- If more than one option is correct, 2 marks go to anyone who chose any of the correct options.
This is another reason not to leave blanks: a dropped question rewards only those who attempted it.
How long do I have per question?
You have 180 minutes for 150 questions across both papers, with no break in between. A simple check: if you spend the same time on every question, that is 1 minute 12 seconds each.
How are scores normalised?
Subjects held across more than one shift are normalised using the equi-percentile method. Results are declared as percentiles together with normalised marks. Your raw score is not directly comparable with a candidate who sat a different shift.
How does the pattern decide who qualifies?
You need at least 40% aggregate across both papers (35% for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/PwD/Third gender) to be considered at all. After that, only the top 6% of candidates who appeared in both papers qualify for Assistant Professor, divided by category and subject. The cutoff page explains this in full.
Where TestGuru fits
TestGuru’s UGC NET mock tests are not open yet. When they are, they will follow this pattern, and the report will show which ideas are behind your wrong answers, not just your score. The preparation strategy page covers what to do in the meantime.