UGC NET December 2026 registration deadline extended to October 31

The NTA has extended the UGC NET December 2026 application deadline to October 31. Candidates can submit forms and pay examination fees by 11.50 pm without a late fee.

In Short

• Applicants can complete online forms and fee transactions by 11.50 pm
• No late fee applies throughout the extended application window period
• NTA advises candidates to avoid last-minute submissions amid technical difficulties

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the registration deadline of UGC NET to October 31, according to a public notice dated October 27. The extension allows applicants to submit their online forms and complete the examination fee payment by 11.50 pm on October 31, without paying a late fee.

Candidates who have not completed their application for the December 2026 examination have been given more time to apply.

The decision is intended to help candidates who were unable to complete the application process before the earlier deadline. The NTA has advised applicants not to wait until the final hours, as last-minute technical difficulties could affect submission.

UGC NET DECEMBER 2026: REVISED DATES

As per the NTA notice, the revised schedule is as follows:

• Last date to submit the online application form: October 31, 2026, by 11.50 pm.
• Last date for examination fee payment: October 31, 2026, by 11.50 pm.
• Late fee: No late fee is applicable during the extended application window.

Candidates should ensure that both their application forms and fee transactions are completed successfully before the deadline.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR UGC NET?

The UGC NET December 2026 examination determines eligibility for three academic opportunities in Indian universities and colleges:

• Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
• Appointment as Assistant Professor
• Admission to PhD programmes

Candidates should check the official Information Bulletin for eligibility conditions, examination details and other application requirements.

Replace the earlier registration section with this updated version using the latest figures as of October 25, 2026.

UGC NET REGISTRATIONS CROSS 5.5 LAKH

Registrations for the UGC NET December 2026 examination have crossed 5.5 lakh, with 5,50,048 candidates registered as of October 25, according to the latest figures shared by the agency. Of these, 3,73,419 candidates had completed their applications and paid the examination fee.

However, thousands of applicants still have pending steps to complete before their registrations are finalised.

The latest figures show:

NTA has urged candidates who have not applied to submit their forms at the earliest. Applicants with incomplete forms have also been advised to finish all pending steps, pay the application fee and download the confirmation page rather than wait until the last date.

WHERE TO CHECK THE LATEST UPDATES

Applicants can visit the official NTA website at nta.ac.in or the UGC NET portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in to access the latest announcements and application-related information.

The agency has clarified that all other terms and conditions mentioned in the Information Bulletin and earlier public notices remain unchanged. Candidates should carefully review their application details and complete the process well before October 31 to avoid technical issues.

- Ends