NEW DELHI, Oct 17: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued a corrigendum to the information bulletin for the December 2026 University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET), introducing clarifications and changes to examination procedures ahead of the upcoming test.
The revised bulletin, issued on October 16, outlines provisions relating to permitted items, answer evaluation, examination city preferences, entry deadlines, footwear and application procedures. Candidates preparing for the national-level eligibility examination have been advised to consult the updated document carefully and follow the revised instructions.
According to the examination schedule published with the revised information, UGC NET December 2026 will be conducted on December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21. The examination is used to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), appointment as an Assistant Professor and admission to PhD programmes across 87 subjects.
Online applications opened on October 8 and will remain available until October 28, 2026, at 11.50 pm. Candidates applying with a late fee can submit their forms until October 31, according to the published schedule.
The changes are relevant to applicants completing registration as well as those preparing for examination-day procedures. Candidates should rely on the latest official bulletin rather than older instructions or information circulated through unofficial channels.
Revised examination-day instructions
One of the clarifications concerns the provision of a ball-point pen. Under the revised instructions, the examination centre will supply the pen, helping candidates understand what stationery will be available to them during the test.
The bulletin also clarifies how answered questions will be treated during evaluation. Questions that have been attempted or answered will be evaluated even if they have been marked for review. Questions left unanswered or unattempted will not be evaluated.
This distinction is important for candidates using the examination interface to revisit responses before submitting their papers. Marking an answer for review does not, under the revised provision, automatically exclude that response from evaluation.
Candidates should nevertheless read the complete instructions on the examination interface and ensure that they understand how to record answers, review selections and complete the test within the allotted time.
The updated guidelines also specify that examination-centre gates will close 30 minutes before the examination begins. Applicants should therefore plan their journey in advance and allow sufficient time for travel, identification checks and other entry formalities.
Arriving close to the reporting deadline could create unnecessary difficulties, particularly for candidates travelling from outside the city in which their examination centre is located. The revised entry provision makes it important to check the reporting time and centre details once the relevant documents become available.
Changes to examination-city preferences
The corrigendum also addresses the selection of examination cities.
Candidates may select available cities if fewer than four options are listed in the state or Union Territory of their permanent or present address. The revised provision clarifies how applicants can proceed when the system does not offer four city choices within the relevant state or Union Territory.
The bulletin further states that candidates may revise their city preferences during the correction window, subject to the applicable process.
Applicants should review the available options carefully when completing their forms. The city selected during registration can have practical implications for travel arrangements, accommodation and the time required to reach the examination centre.
Candidates should not assume that a preferred city will necessarily be allotted simply because it has been selected. They should check the official examination-city intimation slip when released and subsequently verify the address and reporting instructions on their admit cards.
The NTA’s published schedule states that the city intimation slip is expected to be released on November 23, 2026, while admit cards are scheduled to become available from December 7.
These dates give applicants a timeline for checking their examination arrangements, but candidates should continue to monitor official announcements for any subsequent changes.
Footwear and other provisions
The revised bulletin also clarifies the footwear permitted inside examination centres. Normal shoes, slippers and low-heeled sandals are allowed, while long boots are not permitted under the stated instructions.
Candidates should read the full list of examination-day requirements before travelling to the venue. Checking these details in advance can help avoid confusion at entry points and reduce the risk of delays during security screening.
Another amendment concerns the undertaking required for candidates using a scribe. The prescribed undertaking proforma has been moved from Annexure IX to Annexure VII in the revised bulletin.
Applicants who require a scribe should consult the updated annexure and follow the applicable instructions while preparing their documentation. Using an outdated form or relying on an earlier version of the information bulletin could lead to avoidable errors in the application process.
The corrigendum also contains a revised table of payment gateway and service charges. Applicants should check the applicable amount and payment instructions on the official portal before completing their transactions.
The changes underline the importance of reading the complete corrigendum instead of relying only on summaries of selected amendments.
Application deadlines and fees
The registration process for the December 2026 examination is already underway. Candidates must submit their applications through the official UGC NET portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in within the prescribed period.
The application fee listed in the published information is Rs 1,150 for candidates in the General category, Rs 600 for candidates in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer categories, and Rs 325 for other eligible categories.
Applicants should confirm their category, eligibility and fee requirements before submitting the form. They should also check that personal information, academic details and other required entries have been completed accurately.
Where corrections are necessary, candidates should use the designated correction window and follow the instructions issued by the agency. They should not presume that every field can be changed at any time after the application has been submitted.
The NTA has advised applicants to read the comparative statement of changes and the updated information bulletin before completing the process. These documents provide the basis for understanding which provisions have been modified and which instructions continue to apply.
Candidates should preserve their application details and payment confirmation for future reference. They should also monitor the official website for notices relating to corrections, examination-city information and admit-card downloads.
Marks and result information
The revised bulletin clarifies that examination results will include marks alongside percentile scores. Candidates should refer to the official result notice when the results are eventually declared to understand the information provided and how their performance has been reported.
The UGC NET is an important examination for postgraduate candidates seeking academic and research opportunities. Qualification can support eligibility for JRF, Assistant Professor positions and PhD admissions, depending on the candidate’s result and the applicable eligibility criteria.
Applicants should remember that qualifying in the examination does not automatically guarantee appointment to a teaching position or admission to a particular research programme. Universities and recruiting institutions may have additional eligibility conditions, selection procedures and requirements.
For candidates pursuing research careers, the examination is one component of a wider academic pathway. Preparation involves understanding the syllabus, developing subject knowledge and becoming familiar with the test format and instructions.
The revised bulletin is therefore relevant both to the immediate application process and to candidates’ preparation for the December examination.
What candidates should do next
With the registration deadline approaching, applicants should first confirm that they meet the eligibility requirements and complete their applications before the stipulated closing time. Those who need to pay a late fee should check the separate deadline and applicable instructions.
Candidates should then review the corrigendum, particularly the provisions governing examination-centre entry, permitted footwear, answer evaluation and city preferences. Applicants requiring a scribe should pay particular attention to the revised location of the prescribed undertaking.
The expected release dates for the city intimation slip and admit card should also be kept in mind. Once these documents are published, candidates should verify their details and make travel arrangements based on the information provided by the agency.
The NTA’s latest amendment aims to clarify the examination process before the December session. For applicants, careful attention to the updated instructions will be essential to completing registration correctly and avoiding preventable problems on examination day.