UGC NET / JRF
Your complete guide for the UGC NET exam.
Access the detailed syllabus, material, exam pattern, and preparation strategy.

Vijayakumar P
B.Tech, MBA, UGC-JRF, NET(4), SET(4)
Exam Pattern
The UGC NET exam consists of two papers with a total duration of 3 hours without any break.
Paper 1 (General)
50 Qns
100 Marks
Tests teaching and research aptitude.
Paper 2 (Subject)
100 Qns
200 Marks
Subject-specific questions.
Qualifying Rules & Criteria
1 Minimum Qualifying Marks
Aggregate percentage in both papers combined to be eligible for the merit list.
40% for General / Unreserved Category.
35% for Reserved Categories (OBC, SC, ST, PwD).
2 Merit List & Cut-off
Final selection is based on a subject-wise and category-wise merit list.
Top 6% of candidates (who clear Step 1) qualify for Assistant Professor (NET).
JRF is awarded to the highest-ranking candidates from the NET qualified list, based on available subject slots.
Detailed Syllabus
Refer the syllabus at official UGC NET website.
Paper 1 (Common for All)
General Paper (Teaching and Research Aptitude) (Code 00)
Unit I: Teaching Aptitude
- Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
- Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
- Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.
- Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centred vs. Learner centred methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).
- Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
- 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
- Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Post-positivistic approach to research.
- Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative methods.
- Steps of Research.
- Thesis and Article writing: Format and styles of referencing.
- Application of ICT in research.
- Research ethics.
Unit III: Comprehension
- A passage of text be given. Questions be asked from the passage to be answered.
Unit IV: Communication
- Communication: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication.
- 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
- Types of reasoning.
- Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships.
- Mathematical Aptitude (Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc.).
Unit VI: Logical Reasoning
- Understanding the structure of arguments: argument forms, 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.
- Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments.
- 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
- Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
- Quantitative and Qualitative Data.
- Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart and Line-chart) and mapping of Data.
- Data Interpretation.
- Data and Governance.
Unit VIII: ICT
- 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 & Environment
- Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals.
- Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment.
- 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.
- Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
- 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
- Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India.
- Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India.
- Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India.
- Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
- Value education and environmental education.
- Policies, Governance, and Administration.
Paper 2 (Select Your Subject)
Management (Code 17)
Unit I: Management & Managerial Economics
- Management – Concept, Process, Theories and Approaches, Management Roles and Skills
- Functions – Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Coordinating and Controlling.
- Communication – Types, Process and Barriers.
- Decision Making – Concept, Process, Techniques and Tools
- Organisation Structure and Design – Types, Authority, Responsibility, Centralisation, Decentralisation and Span of Control
- Managerial Economics – Concept & Importance
- Demand analysis – Utility Analysis, Indifference Curve, Elasticity & Forecasting
- Market Structures – Market Classification & Price Determination
- National Income – Concept, Types and Measurement
- Inflation – Concept, Types and Measurement
- Business Ethics & CSR
- Ethical Issues & Dilemma
- Corporate Governance
- Value Based Organisation
Unit II: OB & Core HRM
- Organisational Behaviour – Significance & Theories
- Individual Behaviour – Personality, Perception, Values, Attitude, Learning and Motivation
- Group Behaviour – Team Building, Leadership, Group Dynamics
- Interpersonal Behaviour & Transactional Analysis
- Organizational Culture & Climate
- Work Force Diversity & Cross Culture Organisational Behaviour
- Emotions and Stress Management
- Organisational Justice and Whistle Blowing
- Human Resource Management – Concept, Perspectives, Influences and Recent Trends
- Human Resource Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Induction, Training and Development
- Job Analysis, Job Evaluation and Compensation Management
Unit III: Advanced HRM, OD & IR
- Strategic Role of Human Resource Management
- Competency Mapping & Balanced Scoreboard
- Career Planning and Development
- Performance Management and Appraisal
- Organization Development, Change & OD Interventions
- Talent Management & Skill Development
- Employee Engagement & Work Life Balance
- Industrial Relations: Disputes & Grievance Management, Labour Welfare and Social Security
- Trade Union & Collective Bargaining
- International Human Resource Management – HR Challenge of International Business
- Green HRM
Unit IV: Accounting & Financial Management
- Accounting Principles and Standards, Preparation of Financial Statements
- Financial Statement Analysis – Ratio Analysis, Funds Flow and Cash Flow Analysis, DuPont Analysis
- Preparation of Cost Sheet, Marginal Costing, Cost Volume Profit Analysis
- Standard Costing & Variance Analysis
- Financial Management, Concept & Functions
- Capital Structure – Theories, Cost of Capital, Sources and Finance
- Budgeting and Budgetary Control, Types and Process, Zero base Budgeting
- Leverages – Operating, Financial and Combined Leverages, EBIT–EPS Analysis, Financial Breakeven Point & Indifference Level.
Unit V: Investment, Corporate Finance & IFM
- Value & Returns – Time Preference for Money, Valuation of Bonds and Shares, Risk and Returns;
- Capital Budgeting – Nature of Investment, Evaluation, Comparison of Methods; Risk and Uncertainly Analysis
- Dividend – Theories and Determination
- Mergers and Acquisition – Corporate Restructuring, Value Creation, Merger Negotiations, Leveraged Buyouts, Takeover
- Portfolio Management – CAPM, APT
- Derivatives – Options, Option Payoffs, Option Pricing, Forward Contracts & Future Contracts
- Working Capital Management – Determinants, Cash, Inventory, Receivables and Payables Management, Factoring
- International Financial Management, Foreign exchange market
Unit VI: Strategy & Marketing Foundations
- Strategic Management – Concept, Process, Decision & Types
- Strategic Analysis – External Analysis, PEST, Porter’s Approach to industry analysis, Internal Analysis – Resource Based Approach, Value Chain Analysis
- Strategy Formulation – SWOT Analysis, Corporate Strategy – Growth, Stability, Retrenchment, Integration and Diversification, Business Portfolio Analysis - BCG, GE Business Model, Ansoff’s Product Market Growth Matrix
- Strategy Implementation – Challenges of Change, Developing Programs
- Mckinsey 7s Framework
- Marketing – Concept, Orientation, Trends and Tasks, Customer Value and Satisfaction
- Market Segmentation, Positioning and Targeting
- Product and Pricing Decision – Product Mix, Product Life Cycle, New Product development, Pricing – Types and Strategies
- Place and promotion decision – Marketing channels and value networks, VMS, IMC, Advertising and Sales promotion
Unit VII: Consumer, Branding, SCM & Services
- Consumer and Industrial Buying Behaviour: Theories and Models of Consumer Behaviour
- Brand Management – Role of Brands, Brand Equity, Equity Models, Developing a Branding Strategy; Brand Name Decisions, Brand Extensions and Loyalty
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Drivers, Value creation, Supply Chain Design, Designing and Managing Sales Force, Personal Selling
- Service Marketing – Managing Service Quality and Brands, Marketing Strategies of Service Firms
- Customer Relationship Marketing – Relationship Building, Strategies, Values and Process
- Retail Marketing – Recent Trends in India, Types of Retail Outlets.
- Emerging Trends in Marketing – Concept of e-Marketing, Direct Marketing, Digital Marketing and Green Marketing
- International Marketing – Entry Mode Decisions, Planning Marketing Mix for International Markets
Unit VIII: Stats, Ops & OR
- Statistics for Management: Concept, Measures Of Central Tendency and Dispersion, Probability Distribution – Binominal, Poison, Normal and Exponential
- Data Collection & Questionnaire Design
- Sampling – Concept, Process and Techniques
- Hypothesis Testing – Procedure; T, Z, F, Chi-square tests
- Correlation and Regression Analysis
- Operations Management – Role and Scope
- Facility Location and Layout – Site Selection and Analysis, Layout – Design and Process
- Enterprise Resource Planning – ERP Modules, ERP implementation
- Scheduling; Loading, Sequencing and Monitoring
- Quality Management and Statistical Quality Control, Quality Circles, Total Quality Management – KAIZEN, Benchmarking, Six Sigma; ISO 9000 Series Standards
- Operation Research – Transportation, Queuing Decision Theory, PERT / CPM
Unit IX: International Business & IT
- International Business – Managing Business in Globalization Era; Theories of International Trade; Balance of payment
- Foreign Direct Investment – Benefits and Costs
- Multilateral regulation of Trade and Investment under WTO
- International Trade Procedures and Documentation; EXIM Policies
- Role of International Financial Institutions – IMF and World Bank
- Information Technology – Use of Computers in Management Applications; MIS, DSS
- Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
- Data Warehousing, Data Mining and Knowledge Management – Concepts
- Managing Technological Change
Unit X: Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship Development – Concept, Types, Theories and Process, Developing Entrepreneurial Competencies
- Intrapreneurship – Concept and Process
- Women Entrepreneurship and Rural Entrepreneurship
- Innovations in Business – Types of Innovations, Creating and Identifying Opportunities, Screening of Business Ideas
- Business Plan and Feasibility Analysis – Concept and Process of Technical, Market and Financial Analysis
- Micro and Small Scale Industries in India; Role of Government in Promoting SSI
- Sickness in Small Industries – Reasons and Rehabilitation
- Institutional Finance to Small Industries – Financial Institutions, Commercial Banks, Cooperative Banks, Micro Finance.
Commerce (Code 08)
Unit 1: Business Environment and International Business
- Concepts and elements of business environment: Economic environment- Economic systems, Economic policies(Monetary and fiscal policies); Political environment- Role of government in business; Legal environment- Consumer Protection Act, FEMA; Socio-cultural factors and their influence on business; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- Scope and importance of international business; Globalization and its drivers; Modes of entry into international business
- Theories of international trade; Government intervention in international trade; Tariff and non-tariff barriers; India’s foreign trade policy
- Foreign direct investment (FDI) and Foreign portfolio investment (FPI); Types of FDI, Costs and benefits of FDI to home and host countries; Trends in FDI; India’s FDI policy
- Balance of payments (BOP): Importance and components of BOP
- Regional Economic Integration: Levels of Regional Economic Integration; Trade creation and diversion effects; Regional Trade Agreements: European Union (EU), ASEAN, SAARC, NAFTA
- International Economic institutions: IMF, World Bank, UNCTAD
- World Trade Organisation (WTO): Functions and objectives of WTO; Agriculture Agreement; GATS; TRIPS; TRIMS
Unit 2: Accounting and Auditing
- Basic accounting principles; concepts and postulates
- Partnership Accounts: Admission, Retirement, Death, Dissolution and Insolvency of partnership firms
- Corporate Accounting: Issue, forfeiture and reissue of shares; Liquidation of companies; Acquisition, merger, amalgamation and reconstruction of companies
- Holding company accounts
- Cost and Management Accounting: Marginal costing and Break-even analysis; Standard costing; Budgetary control; Process costing; Activity Based Costing (ABC); Costing for decision-making; Life cycle costing, Target costing, Kaizen costing and JIT
- Financial Statements Analysis: Ratio analysis; Funds flow Analysis; Cash flow analysis
- Human Resources Accounting; Inflation Accounting; Environmental Accounting
- Indian Accounting Standards and IFRS
- Auditing: Independent financial audit; Vouching; Verification ad valuation of assets and liabilities; Audit of financial statements and audit report; Cost audit
- Recent Trends in Auditing: Management audit; Energy audit; Environment audit; Systems audit; Safety audit
Unit 3: Business Economics
- Meaning and scope of business economics
- Objectives of business firms
- Demand analysis: Law of demand; Elasticity of demand and its measurement; Relationship between AR and MR
- Consumer behavior: Utility analysis; Indifference curve analysis
- Law of Variable Proportions: Law of Returns to Scale
- Theory of cost: Short-run and long-run cost curves
- Price determination under different market forms: Perfect competition; Monopolistic competition; Oligopoly- Price leadership model; Monopoly; Price discrimination
- Pricing strategies: Price skimming; Price penetration; Peak load pricing
Unit 4: Business Finance
- Scope and sources of finance; Lease financing
- Cost of capital and time value of money
- Capital structure
- Capital budgeting decisions: Conventional and scientific techniques of capital budgeting analysis
- Working capital management; Dividend decision: Theories and policies
- Risk and return analysis; Asset securitization
- International monetary system
- Foreign exchange market; Exchange rate risk and hedging techniques
- International financial markets and instruments: Euro currency; GDRs; ADRs
- International arbitrage; Multinational capital budgeting
Unit 5: Business Statistics and Research Methods
- Measures of central tendency
- Measures of dispersion
- Measures of skewness
- Correlation and regression of two variables
- Probability: Approaches to probability; Bayes’ theorem
- Probability distributions: Binomial, poisson and normal distributions
- Research: Concept and types; Research designs
- Data: Collection and classification of data
- Sampling and estimation: Concepts; Methods of sampling - probability and non-probability methods; Sampling distribution; Central limit theorem; Standard error; Statistical estimation
- Hypothesis testing: z-test; t-test; ANOVA; Chi–square test; Mann-Whitney test (U-test); Kruskal-Wallis test (H-test); Rank correlation test
- Report writing
Unit 6: Business Management and Human Resource Management
- Principles and functions of management
- Organization structure: Formal and informal organizations; Span of control
- Responsibility and authority: Delegation of authority and decentralization
- Motivation and leadership: Concept and theories
- Corporate governance and business ethics
- Human resource management: Concept, role and functions of HRM; Human resource planning; Recruitment and selection; Training and development; Succession planning
- Compensation management: Job evaluation; Incentives and fringe benefits
- Performance appraisal including 360 degree performance appraisal
- Collective bargaining and workers’ participation in management
- Personality: Perception; Attitudes; Emotions; Group dynamics; Power and politics; Conflict and negotiation; Stress management
- Organizational Culture: Organizational development and organizational change
Unit 7: Banking and Financial Institutions
- Overview of Indian financial system
- Types of banks: Commercial banks; Regional Rural Banks (RRBs); Foreign banks; Cooperative banks
- Reserve Bank of India: Functions; Role and monetary policy management
- Banking sector reforms in India: Basel norms; Risk management; NPA management
- Financial markets: Money market; Capital market; Government securities market
- Financial Institutions: Development Finance Institutions (DFIs); Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs); Mutual Funds; Pension Funds
- Financial Regulators in India
- Financial sector reforms including financial inclusion
- Digitisation of banking and other financial services: Internet banking; mobile banking; Digital payments systems
- Insurance: Types of insurance- Life and Non-life insurance; Risk classification and management; Factors limiting the insurability of risk; Re-insurance; Regulatory framework of insurance- IRDA and its role
Unit 8: Marketing Management
- Marketing: Concept and approaches; Marketing channels; Marketing mix; Strategic marketing planning; Market segmentation, targeting and positioning
- Product decisions: Concept; Product line; Product mix decisions; Product life cycle; New product development
- Pricing decisions: Factors affecting price determination; Pricing policies and strategies
- Promotion decisions: Role of promotion in marketing; Promotion methods - Advertising; Personal selling; Publicity; Sales promotion tools and techniques; Promotion mix
- Distribution decisions: Channels of distribution; Channel management
- Consumer Behaviour; Consumer buying process; factors influencing consumer buying decisions
- Service marketing
- Trends in marketing: Social marketing; Online marketing; Green marketing; Direct marketing; Rural marketing; CRM
- Logistics management
Unit 9: Legal Aspects of Business
- Indian Contract Act, 1872: Elements of a valid contract; Capacity of parties; Free consent; Discharge of a contract; Breach of contract and remedies against breach; Quasi contracts;
- Special contracts: Contracts of indemnity and guarantee; contracts of bailment and pledge; Contracts of agency
- Sale of Goods Act, 1930: Sale and agreement to sell; Doctrine of Caveat Emptor; Rights of unpaid seller and rights of buyer
- Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881: Types of negotiable instruments; Negotiation and assignment; Dishonour and discharge of negotiable instruments
- The Companies Act, 2013: Nature and kinds of companies; Company formation; Management, meetings and winding up of a joint stock company
- Limited Liability Partnership: Structure and procedure of formation of LLP in India
- The Competition Act, 2002: Objectives and main provisions
- The Information Technology Act, 2000: Objectives and main provisions; Cyber crimes and penalties
- The RTI Act, 2005: Objectives and main provisions
- Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) : Patents, trademarks and copyrights; Emerging issues in intellectual property
- Goods and Services Tax (GST): Objectives and main provisions; Benefits of GST; Implementation mechanism; Working of dual GST
Unit 10: Income-tax and Corporate Tax Planning
- Income-tax: Basic concepts; Residential status and tax incidence; Exempted incomes; Agricultural income; Computation of taxable income under various heads; Deductions from Gross total income; Assessment of Individuals; Clubbing of incomes
- International Taxation: Double taxation and its avoidance mechanism; Transfer pricing
- Corporate Tax Planning: Concepts and significance of corporate tax planning; Tax avoidance versus tax evasion; Techniques of corporate tax planning; Tax considerations in specific business situations: Make or buy decisions; Own or lease an asset; Retain; Renewal or replacement of asset; Shut down or continue operations
- Deduction and collection of tax at source; Advance payment of tax; E-filing of income-tax returns
Labour Welfare / PM / IR / LSW / HRM (Code 55)
Unit - I
- Principles and Practices of Management: Development of management Thought, Contributions of Taylor, Fayol, Mayo, Mary Parker Follett and C.I. Barnard.
- Behavioural Approach, Systems Approach, Quantitative Approach and Contingency Approach.
- Function of Management: Planning and Decision Making, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Controlling, Coordinating.
Unit - II
- Human Resource Management: Conceptual framework, Human Resource Planning, Job Analysis, Recruitment, Selection, Placement, Induction, Training and Development, Performance Management, Job Evaluation, Compensation Management, Employee Benefits and Incentives, Managing Career.
- New Trends in HRM: Changing environment of HRM and contemporary challenges, Emerging HRM Concepts.
Unit - III
- Human Resource Development (HRD): Concepts, Assumptions, Values, HRD Mechanisms, Action – research Model, HRD Culture and Climate, HRD Interventions, HR Accounting and Audit, Consultant – client relationship, Knowledge Management, Human Resource Information System.
- International Human Resource Management (IHRM): Organisational context of IHRM, IHRM and Sustainable Business, Functions of IHRM, Cross – Cultural Studies, Cultural Diversity, Transnational Organisations, IHRM models.
Unit - IV
- Organisational Behaviour: Concept, Scope, Nature of human behavior, Personality, Perception, Learning, Attitude, Motivation, Interpersonal Behaviour, Group Dynamics, Leadership, Communication, Power and Authority, Stress, Organisational Change and Development.
Unit - V
- Industrial Relations: Concept, Scope, Evolution, Approaches, Actors and Models, Conflict and cooperation, Bi-partitism, Tri-partitism, Collective Bargaining, Workers’ Participation in Management, Grievance Handling and Disciplinary Action, Code of Conduct, Industrial Relations in changing scenario, Employers’ organisations.
- Trade Unions: Concepts, Evolution, Problems of trade unions in India, Recognition, The Trade Unions Act, 1926. Emerging role of trade unions in India.
Unit - VI
- Industrial Disputes: Factors, Forms, Trends, Prevention and Settlement, Role of State and Central Labour Administration, Strikes and Lockouts. The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946. The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
Unit - VII
- Labour Legislation:
- Objectives, Principles, Classification and Evolution. International Labour Organisation, Social Justice and Labour Legislation, Indian Constitution and Labour Laws.
- The Factories Act, 1948.
- The Mines Act, 1952.
- The Inter-state Migrant Workmen (Regulation of employment and conditions of service) Act, 1979.
- The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970.
- The Building and other Construction workers (Regulation of employment and conditions of service) Act, 1996.
- The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.
Unit - VIII
- Wages:
- Concept, Types, Factors influencing wages, Wage Theories and Wage Differentials
- The Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
- The Payment of Wages Act, 1936.
- The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.
- The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
- The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.
- The Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
Unit - IX
- Labour Welfare: Concept, Scope, Types, Theories and Principles, Industrial Health and Hygiene, Industrial Accidents and safety, Occupational Diseases
- Social Security: Concept and Scope, Social Assistance and Social assurance.
Unit - X
- Labour Market:
- Features, Demand and Supply of Labour, Nature and Composition of Indian Labour Force, Unemployment and Underemployment, Types of Labour Market,
- Characteristics of Indian Labour Market, New Dynamics of Labour Market in India, Economic Systems and Labor Market, Problems of Labour in India.
Strategic Preparation Plan
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Step 1: Understand the Syllabus & Pattern
Thoroughly analyze the detailed syllabus and exam pattern to create a structured study plan. Identify high-weightage topics.
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Step 2: Build Conceptual Clarity
Focus on building a strong foundation for both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Use standard textbooks and our e-books for in-depth understanding.
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Step 3: Practice & Mock Tests
Solve previous year question papers and take regular mock tests to improve speed, accuracy, and time management.