The National Eligibility Test (NET), also known as UGC NET or NTA-UGC-NET, is the examination for determining the eligibility for the post of assistant professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship award in Indian universities and colleges. The examination is conducted by National Testing Agency on behalf of University Grants Commission.

UGC NET is considered as one of the toughest exams in India, with success ratio of merely 6%. Previously, the passing ratio was around 3% - 4%. Assistant professors in private colleges may or may not be NET qualified but NET qualification is mandatory for universities and government colleges. According to recent report of National Testing Agency, a total of 1,034,872 candidates have applied for December 2019 examination, covering 81 subjects, across 700 centres in 219 cities.

Until July 2018, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the UGC NET exam but from December 2018 onwards, NTA is conducting the UGC National Eligibility Test. As per the press-release by Indian Government, the exam would be conducted twice a year June month and December month, and it will be conducted in an online mode instead of offline mode.

NTA UGC National Eligibility Test
Acronym	NET
Type	CBT
Developer / administrator	National Testing Agency
Year started	1989–90
Duration	3 hours (180 minutes)
Score / grade range	0–100 (Paper I) 0–200 (Paper II)
Score / grade validity	Three years (JRF) Lifetime (for Assistant Professor)
Offered	Twice annually
Restrictions on attempts	No restriction
Countries / regions	India
Languages	Mainly English and Hindi
Fee	₹1000 (General) ₹500 (OBC/EWS) ₹250 (SC/ST)
Qualification rate	 6% (2018)
Website	ntanet.nic.in

University Grants Commission (UGC) announced in 2013 that the candidates who clear the NET successfully would be eligible for lucrative jobs in public sector undertakings (PSUs). PSUs can use UGC-NET scores for the recruitment process of the posts of executives in their organizations in disciplines like science (R&D), management, corporate communications, human resources, and finance. This step taken by the UGC would also increase the number of students taking the UGC-NET examination which has witnessed a gradual decline in recent years.

UGC Net Qualifying Criteria And Cut Off Percentages

• Obtain minimum qualifying marks with aggregate 55% marks to General and 50% to others in master's degree.
• The paper will be divided into two papers: Papers 1 and 2. The candidates would have to attempt a total of (both papers 1 and 2) 150 questions in three hours.
• UGC NET qualifying cut off marks for General category is 40% in Paper I and II while the qualifying marks for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD/Transgender categories is 35% in Papers I and II.
• Amongst those candidates who have obtained Minimum marks a merit list will be prepared subject wise and category-wise using the aggregate marks of two papers secured by such candidates.
• For lectureship, the aggregate cut off marks for General category is between 54 and 60, for OBC NCL it is 49–56, for SC/ST it is 45–54 and for EWS it is 48–58 (for all subjects).
• On the other hand, Top 6% of candidates will be selected for eligibility of NET Lectureship. Simultaneously, a separate list for JRF would be prepared.
• A separate merit list for the award of JRF will be prepared from amongst the NET qualified candidates figuring in the above merit list prepared.