UGC NET 2023 Syllabus & Exam Pattern (Updated)

The UGC NET Revised 2020 exam consists of two papers – Paper 1 and paper 2. The UGC NET Syllabus was revised in 2019 and no changes should be made to the UGC NET 2020 Syllabus.

The Syllabus for UGC NET 2020 Paper 1 tests the ability of candidate to teach and his her reasoning skill, research skills, understanding skill, divergent thinking and general awareness. The Syllabus for UGC NET Paper 2 is based on the subject chosen by the candidate and it tests the candidate’s in-depth knowledge and expertise in the subject choosen.

NTA (National Testing Agency) UGC NET Exam is conducted for a total of 81 subjects. NTA (National Testing Agency is an Indian government agency that has been approved by the Union Council of Ministers and established in November 2017 to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions) will organize the UGC NET 2020 session from June 15 to 20 June 2020 in online mode.

In order to better prepare and give a clear idea of ​​the program and paper model, NTA has also published mock tests for the exam on its official website. NTA revised the UGC NET Syllabus of paper 1 and the 81 NET subjects of paper 2.

UGC NET Paper 1 Syllabus 2020

UGC NET Paper 1 Exam is common and mandatory for all applicants. paper 1 Exam will consist of total 50 questions comprising 100 markss. The Syllabus for paper 1 exam includes 10 units and exactly 5 questions will be asked to each unit. The detailed Syllabus of UGC NET 2020 paper 1 exam is described below:

Unit-I Teaching Aptitude  

1. Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding, and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
2. Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
3. Factors affecting teaching related to Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment, and Institution.
4. Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centered vs. Learner-centered methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs, etc.).
5. Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
6. Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based testing, Innovations in evaluation systems.

Unit-II Research Aptitude 

1. Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Postpositivistic approach to research.
2. Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods, Steps of Research.  
3. Thesis and Article writing: Format and styles of referencing,  Application of ICT in research, Research ethics.

Unit-III Comprehension 

1. A passage of text is given. Questions are asked from the passage to be answered.

Unit-IV Communication

1. Communication: Meaning, types, and characteristics of communication.
2. Effective communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and group communications, Classroom communication, Barriers to effective communication, Mass-Media and Society.

Unit-V Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude 

1. Types of reasoning: Number series, Letter series, Codes, and Relationships.
2. Mathematical Aptitude: Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc. 

Unit-VI Logical Reasoning 

1. Understanding the structure of arguments: argument forms, the structure of categorical propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal fallacies, Uses of language, Connotations and denotations of terms, Classical square of opposition, Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning, Analogies. 
2. Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments.  
3. Indian Logic: Means of knowledge, Pramanas- Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension).  Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation), Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference).

Unit-VII Data Interpretation 

1. Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
2. Quantitative and Qualitative Data. 
3. Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart and Line-chart) 
4. Mapping of Data, Data Interpretation. Data and Governance.

Unit-VIII Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 

1. ICT: General abbreviations and terminology, Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing, Digital initiatives in higher education. ICT and Governance. 

Unit-IX People, Development and Environment 

1. Development and Environment: Millennium development and Sustainable Development Goals. 
2. Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment. 
3. Environmental issues: Local, Regional and Global; Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution, Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic), Climate change and its Socio-Economic and Political dimensions. Impacts of pollutants on human health.
4. Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
5. Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies, Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate Change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance.

Unit-X Higher Education System 

1. Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India.
2. Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India. 
3. Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India. 
4. Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
5. Value education and environmental education.
6. Policies, Governance, and Administration.

UGC NET Paper 1 – Books Referred by Last Year Students

UGC NET Paper 2 Syllabus 2020

The students who have choosen paper-2 get 100 questions exclusively based on the chosen Subject by them. The Syllabus for these 81 UGC NET exam subjects is given in the table below

UGC NET Exam Pattern 2020

1. UGC NET 2020 Exam will be conducted in online mode. 
2. All questions in UGC NET 2020 in both the papers (paper-1 & paper-2) will be Multiple Choice Type (MCQs) 
3. All the questions will have four options, candidates can select the most appropriate answer as their final selection. 
4. There is no restricting to move between papers. 
5. All questions are compulsory in nature. 

A Cumulative time duration of 3 hours is available for both the Papers. The Exam of both the papers will be conducted in 2 shifts

Shift 1: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (Paper-1 & Paper-2)

Shift 2: 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM (Paper-1 & Paper-2)

UGC NET Marking Scheme 2020

1. A uniform marking scheme is followed in both the Papers i.e. Paper 1 and 2
2. Candidates will get 2 Marks for each correct answer. 
3. There will be no negative marking for an incorrect answer in both the papers. 
4. Hence, students are advise to attempt all the questions instead of skipping a question, they can use their calculated guess and tick the answer. 

The updated marking scheme of UGC NET is given below: 

Note : If a question, for whatever reason, is found to be incorrect, points will only be awarded to candidates who have attempted to answer the question. However, if NTA drops a question, the benefit will be given to all applicants.