Candidates planning to appear for the UGC NET December 2026 examination have until October 28 to complete their applications without paying an additional fee. However, missing this deadline does not immediately mean losing the opportunity to register.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has provided a separate late-registration window from October 29 to 31, during which candidates can submit their applications by paying an additional Rs 500 over the prescribed examination fee.
The regular application window, which opened on October 8, will close at 11:50 pm on Wednesday, October 28.
October 28 or October 31: Which deadline applies?
The two deadlines serve different purposes.
Candidates completing their applications by October 28 need to pay only the applicable examination fee, along with any processing charges.
Those applying between October 29 and 31 must pay an additional Rs 500, irrespective of their category.
The final deadline for completing the late-fee transaction is 11:50 pm on October 31.
This means that candidates still have an opportunity to apply after October 28, but at an additional cost.
UGC NET December 2026: How much is the application fee?
The examination fee varies according to the candidate’s category.
| Category | Regular fee | Fee with late charge |
|---|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | Rs 1,150 | Rs 1,650 |
| General-EWS/OBC-NCL | Rs 600 | Rs 1,100 |
| SC/ST/Third Gender | Rs 325 | Rs 825 |
| PwD/PwBD | Rs 325 | Rs 825 |
Applicable payment gateway charges and GST, if any, are additional.
Application submitted but payment incomplete?
One detail candidates should not overlook is that merely filling out the application form does not complete the registration process.
According to NTA’s information bulletin, an application is considered successfully submitted only after the prescribed examination fee has been received.
Candidates should download and save their confirmation page after completing payment.
If the confirmation page is not generated despite a payment attempt, applicants should verify the transaction status through the concerned bank or payment gateway and follow the NTA instructions for resolving payment-related issues.
Correction window opens November 2
Candidates who have already submitted their applications will have an opportunity to correct permitted details from November 2 to November 4, 2026.
The correction facility will close at 11:50 pm on November 4.
However, candidates should not assume that all particulars can be modified. NTA has clarified that corrections will be restricted to permitted fields.
Applicants should therefore check their name, date of birth, category, examination subject and other information carefully before final submission.
When will UGC NET December 2026 be conducted?
The December examination is scheduled for December 14 to 18 and December 21, 2026.
The examination will be conducted in computer-based test mode and will consist of two papers.
Paper 1 and Paper 2 together will have a duration of three hours, without a break between them.
The examination city intimation is scheduled for November 23, while admit cards are scheduled to be available from December 7.
What candidates should do now
Candidates who have not yet registered should visit the official UGC NET website and complete the process before the regular deadline to avoid the additional late fee.
Those who have already applied should check whether their payment was successful and retain their application number and confirmation page.
The UGC NET examination determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship, appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to PhD programmes, subject to the applicable qualification criteria.
Official website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
Source: NTA UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin and corrigendum dated October 16, 2026.