The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued an important notice for candidates who appeared in the UGC NET December 2025 examination. According to the advisory, the provisional answer keys, along with the question papers and recorded responses, are expected to be released by 15 January 2026. These will be available on the official NTA UGC NET website at @ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
Once the provisional answer keys are published, candidates will be able to check their question papers and the responses they marked during the exam. NTA will also allow candidates to raise objections or submit representations, if any, within the given time period by following the prescribed process.
The UGC NET December 2025 examination was conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode on 31 December 2025, and 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 January 2026. The exam was held for 85 subjects at multiple exam centres across the country.
Candidates are advised to keep visiting the official NTA UGC NET website regularly for the latest updates regarding the answer key, objection process, and further announcements related to the exam.
UGC NET Answer Key: How to Download?
Step 1: Visit the official NTA UGC NET website @ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Step 2: On the homepage, click on the link for “UGC NET December 2025 Provisional Answer Key.”
Step 3: Log in using your Application Number and Date of Birth/Password.
Step 4: After logging in, the answer key, question paper and recorded responses will appear on the screen.
Step 5: Click on the download option to save the answer key in PDF format.
Step 6: Take a printout of the answer key for future reference, if required.
Objection Process for UGC NET December 2025 Answer Key
After the release of the provisional answer key, the National Testing Agency (NTA) will provide candidates with an opportunity to raise objections, if they find any discrepancy in the answers. To challenge the answer key, candidates must log in to the official UGC NET website using their application number and password or date of birth.
Once logged in, candidates can select the question they wish to challenge and submit their objection through the online portal within the specified time frame. Each objection must be supported with valid proof, such as references from standard textbooks or authentic academic sources, to justify the claim.
Only objections submitted online and within the notified schedule will be considered by the NTA. After reviewing all the challenges, the agency will release the final answer key, which will be used for the preparation of the UGC NET December 2025 results.
Marking Scheme for UGC NET December 2025
The UGC NET examination follows a clear and candidate-friendly marking scheme. Each correct answer is awarded 2 marks, while no marks are deducted for incorrect responses, as there is no negative marking in the exam. Questions left unanswered do not carry any penalty. This marking pattern applies to both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the UGC NET examination.
Next Steps After UGC NET December 2025 Results
Once the UGC NET December 2025 results are declared, candidates who meet the required cut-off will be considered qualified. Based on their performance, candidates may become eligible for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), eligibility for Assistant Professor or both, depending on their score and category.
Qualified candidates for JRF can apply for research fellowships and pursue higher studies like PhD in their respective subjects. Those eligible for Assistant Professor can apply for teaching positions in colleges and universities across India. Candidates who qualify for both have the option to either take up teaching roles or focus on research opportunities.
The official list of qualified candidates, along with detailed category-wise cut-offs, will be published on the NTA UGC NET website.
