TeachingUsual cycle
CTET
Central Teacher Eligibility Test
- Age
- 17+
- Qualification
- 12th pass (B.Ed / D.El.Ed)
- Usually
- Notified around March–April and September–October
UGC National Eligibility Test
UGC NET · also known as NET, NTA NET
Overview
Qualifies you as an Assistant Professor and for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), and for PhD admission in Indian universities. Held twice a year in 80+ subjects.
Posts: Assistant Professor eligibility, Junior Research Fellowship, PhD admission.
Important dates
No official dates have been published for the next cycle yet.
Usual yearly cycle
| Notification | April–May and September–October |
|---|---|
| Applications | Within 3–4 weeks |
| Exam | June and December |
| Result | 1–2 months later |
Eligibility
Age
Up to 30 years. JRF: up to 30 (5 years more for OBC/SC/ST/PwBD/women). Assistant Professor: no upper limit.
| Category | Upper age limit | Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| General | 30 years | No limit |
| EWS | 30 years | No limit |
| OBC | 35 years (+5) | No limit |
| SC | 35 years (+5) | No limit |
| ST | 35 years (+5) | No limit |
| PwBD (General) | 35 years (+5) | No limit |
PwBD candidates from OBC/SC/ST get their category relaxation on top (central government rules). Ex-servicemen and some departmental candidates get further relaxation as per the notice.
Qualification
A master's degree with 55% (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwBD, transgender). Final-year master's students can apply. Four-year UG with 75% also eligible.
Nationality
Citizen of India (some posts also accept subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and certain persons of Indian origin, as the notice states).
Exam pattern
1. Exam (one 3-hour sitting)
3 hours for both papers together. No negative marking.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Teaching & Research Aptitude | 50 | 100 | — | — |
| Paper 2: your subject | 100 | 200 | — | — |
Syllabus
An outline of the main topics. The official notification has the full syllabus.
Paper 1
- Teaching aptitude
- Research aptitude
- Comprehension
- Communication
- Mathematical and logical reasoning
- Data interpretation
- ICT
- People, development and environment
- Higher education system
Paper 2
- Your postgraduate subject (80+ options)
Selection process
Cut-off percentiles by subject and category decide JRF, Assistant Professor and PhD-only qualification.
Salary and vacancies
Pay: JRF: ₹37,000 a month for two years, then SRF ₹42,000. Assistant Professor: Level 10 (approx.).
Vacancies: About 6–9 % of candidates qualify for Assistant Professor each cycle.
Latest notices
- Notification
- Notice
- Notification
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit for Assistant Professor?
No. The age limit applies only to JRF.
This page summarises the most recent official notification and is approximate: age limits, pattern, fees and vacancies change from year to year. Always read the official notification on ugcnet.nta.nic.in before applying.