The UGC NET December 2026 exam dates now run December 14 to 18 and December 21. Amendments dated October 16, 2026 made that change. Buffer days are gone.
The National Testing Agency conducts UGC NET. NTA issued the change as a corrigendum to the UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin. That document is dated October 16, 2026.
The corrigendum carries 28 amendments and clarifications. One drops both buffer days. December 21 is now a live exam day instead.
Forms closed on October 28, 2026 at 11:50 p.m. IST. A late-fee window runs October 29 to 31. That extra charge is Rs 500.
What are the revised UGC NET December 2026 exam dates?
The revised UGC NET December 2026 exam dates are December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21, 2026. NTA runs it as a computer based test, or CBT.
Paper 1 carries 50 questions and 100 marks. For Paper 2 the count is 100 questions and 200 marks, across 87 subjects. Both sit in one 180 minute slot.
| What | Exam calendar, before October 16 | Revised bulletin, October 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Exam dates | December 14 to 19, 2026 | December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026 |
| Buffer dates | December 20 and 21, 2026 | None |
| Exam days | 6 | 6 |
| Spare days held back | 2 | 0 |
NTA has not put out the subject wise date sheet. A candidate cannot yet see which of the six days carries their subject.
Why the dropped buffer days leave NTA no spare exam day
A buffer day is a spare date an exam body keeps back. It gets used when a centre fails or a shift is called off.
Read one way, nothing changed. The December session had six exam days before October 16, and it has six now.
Read the other way, the cushion is gone. December 20 and 21 were the two dates held back for trouble. Now December 21 carries exams of its own.
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So a shift that fails in December 2026 has nowhere to go. NTA would have to add a date after December 21.
Nobody announces a buffer day until it is needed. This time there is none to announce.
When does the UGC NET December 2026 application close?
The UGC NET December 2026 application closes on October 31, 2026 at 11:50 p.m. IST. A late fee of Rs 500 applies from October 29.
The form opened on October 8, 2026. Without the late fee it shut on October 28 at 11:50 p.m. IST.
General candidates pay Rs 1,150. The fee is Rs 600 for General-EWS and OBC-NCL. For SC, ST, PwD and Third Gender it is Rs 325.
That Rs 500 sits on top of the category fee.
A correction window runs November 2 to 4, 2026. NTA keeps it online only, open until 11:50 p.m. IST.
Rs 500 late fee dekar apply karun, ya June session ka wait karun?
The Rs 500 late fee is cheaper than a seven month wait. UGC NET runs twice a year. A candidate who misses October 31, 2026 applies again in the June 2027 cycle.
What else did the October 16 corrigendum change?
That notice lists 28 changes to the December 2026 Information Bulletin. Centre gates now close 30 minutes before a shift starts.
Challenging the provisional answer key costs Rs 200 for each question.
CampusFeed could not open the NTA notice page on October 29, 2026. No source CampusFeed checked lists all 28 entries in full.
Which December 2026 exam dates are still not announced?
The subject wise date sheet is not out. Shift timings are not out either.
NTA has set the exam city intimation slip for November 23, 2026. The admit card follows on December 7, 2026.
That leaves seven days between the admit card and the first exam day. Travel to another city has to be planned on the city slip alone.
What a registered candidate must do before November 4
NTA counted 5,50,048 registered candidates on October 25, 2026. Of those, 3,73,419 had paid the fee.
That gap is 1,76,629 candidates. CampusFeed worked it out from the two NTA figures. Each one had until October 31 to pay.
A paid candidate still has the correction window. It closes on November 4, 2026 at 11:50 p.m. IST.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the UGC NET December 2026 exam dates?
The UGC NET December 2026 exam runs on December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21, 2026. NTA revised this schedule on October 16, 2026. An earlier calendar ran December 14 to 19, with December 20 and 21 kept as buffer days.
Are there buffer dates in the December 2026 NET session?
No. The revised Information Bulletin for the December 2026 session lists no buffer dates. Earlier, December 20 and 21 were buffer days. December 21 is now a regular exam day, so no spare date is held back.
What is the last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026?
The last date to apply for UGC NET December 2026 is October 31, 2026, up to 11:50 p.m. IST. A late fee of Rs 500 applies from October 29, 2026. Regular applications without the late fee closed on October 28, 2026.
How much is the December 2026 NET application fee?
The UGC NET December 2026 application fee is Rs 1,150 for General candidates. General-EWS and OBC-NCL candidates pay Rs 600. SC, ST, PwD and Third Gender candidates pay Rs 325. A late fee of Rs 500 is charged on top from October 29, 2026.
When will the December 2026 NET admit card come out?
The UGC NET December 2026 admit card is due on December 7, 2026. An exam city intimation slip comes earlier, on November 23, 2026. Both come from ugcnet.nta.ac.in. NTA has not yet put out the subject wise date sheet.
Last verified: October 29, 2026
Disclaimer: Dates, fees, cutoffs and eligibility can change without notice. Check with the National Testing Agency before you act.
