UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is one of the most awaited updates for candidates who appear in the UGC NET December 2025–January 2026 examination cycle. The UGC NET cutoff marks 2026 decide whether a candidate qualifies for Assistant Professor or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). As per the latest updates, the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is expected to be released in February 2026, shortly after the declaration of the UGC NET Result 2026 by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Every year, lakhs of candidates appear for the UGC NET exam, but only a limited number qualify due to the percentile-based cutoff system. Understanding how the UGC NET cutoff 2026 works, the UGC NET expected cutoff 2026 trends, and previous year data can help candidates assess their chances realistically.
Also Read: UGC NET Expected Cutoff 2026
What is UGC NET Cutoff 2026?
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 refers to the minimum marks or percentile a candidate must secure to qualify for the UGC NET exam. The UGC NET Cut Off 2026 is released subject-wise and category-wise in PDF format on the official UGC NET website.
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The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is prepared separately for:
- Assistant Professor
- Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
It is important to note that meeting the minimum qualifying marks does not guarantee selection. Final qualification depends on the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 percentile fixed by NTA.
Also Read: UGC NET Result 2026
UGC NET Cutoff 2026 Release Date
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is an important document released post the release of the UGC NET Result 2026. The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 includes the subject-wise and category-wise cutoff trends for the session held. The expected schedule related to the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is given below:
| Event | Date |
| UGC NET Exam 2026 | 31 December 2025 – 7 January 2026 |
| UGC NET Provisional Answer Key 2026 | 15 January 2026 |
| UGC NET Final Answer Key 2026 | Last week of January 2026 (Tentative) |
| UGC NET Result 2026 | Last week of January 2026 (Tentative) |
| UGC NET Cutoff 2026 | February 2026 (Tentative) |
Also Read: UGC NET Exam Date 2026
UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF Download
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is expected to be released around February 2026. The UGC NET Cut Off 2026 PDF will be released by the NTA, including the category-wise and subject-wise cutoffs. After the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is released, the aspirants can download the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF from the link provided below, which will be made active once the official document is released:
UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF Download Category-wise, Subject-wise (Available Soon)
Also Read: UGC NET Cut Off Marks 2026
Minimum Qualifying Marks for UGC NET 2026
Before the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is applied, the candidates must meet the minimum qualifying marks set by NTA. Here we have provided the UGC NET minimum qualifying marks for the UGC NET 2026 exam in the table below:
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
| General (UR) | 40% aggregate in Paper 1 & Paper 2 |
| OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD | 35% aggregate in Paper 1 & Paper 2 |
Only candidates meeting these criteria are considered for ranking and UGC NET Cutoff 2026 calculation.
Also Read: UGC NET Question Paper 2026
Expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 (Category-wise)
Based on previous year trends and the recently concluded December session exam’s difficulty levels, the expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 range is provided below for the Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). These figures are indicative and may vary.
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Expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 for Assistant Professor
The expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 for the Assistant Professor posts is provided below based on the expert analysis and predictions:
| Category | Expected Cutoff Range (%) |
| General (UR) | 95 – 97 |
| OBC-NCL | 92 – 94 |
| SC | 88 – 90 |
| ST | 85 – 88 |
| PwD | 80 – 85 |
Also Read: UGC NET Provisional Answer Key Out 2026
Expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 for JRF
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 expected for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) posts is given below in the table. The expected UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is based on the expert predictions after analyzing the December sessions’ shift-wise exams and their difficulty levels.
| Category | Expected Cutoff Range (%) |
| General (UR) | 98 – 99 |
| OBC-NCL | 96 – 97 |
| SC | 93 – 95 |
| ST | 90 – 93 |
| PwD | 88 – 90 |
Also Read: UGC NET Final Answer Key 2026
Previous Year UGC NET Cutoff (2025)
The previously held UGC NET June 2025 session’s UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is provided here for both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) as well as the Assistant Professor. Analyzing last year’s UGC NET cutoffs helps candidates understand the competition level, difficulty levels, as well as help them prepare their study plan. Check the UGC NET Cutoff 2025 June sessions in the table below:
| Category | Assistant Professor (%) | JRF (%) |
| General (UR) | 96.2 | 98.8 |
| OBC-NCL | 93.5 | 96.4 |
| SC | 89.7 | 94.2 |
| ST | 87.1 | 91.8 |
| PwD | 83.4 | 89.5 |
Also Read: UGC NET Certificate 2026
Factors Affecting UGC NET Cutoff 2026
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is not fixed and depends on multiple factors. Some of such key factors are listed below:
- Number of candidates appearing in the exam
- Difficulty level of Paper 1 and Paper 2
- Total available JRF slots
- Subject-wise performance of candidates
- Category-wise reservation norms
- Overall normalization and percentile calculation
A higher number of candidates or an easier paper generally leads to a higher UGC NET Cutoff.
Also Read: UGC NET Expected Result Date 2026
How to Download UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF?
Once the official UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is released by the NTA, the candidates can follow these steps listed below to download the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF:
- Visit the official website: ugcnet.nta.nic.in
- Click on the “UGC NET Cutoff 2026” link
- Download the subject-wise UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF
- Search your subject code and category
- Compare your percentile with the cutoff
Also Read: UGC NET Score Card 2026
Difference Between UGC NET Qualifying Marks and UGC NET Cutoff
Sometimes, the aspirants may find it difficult to distinguish between the UGC NET Qualifying Marks 2026 and the UGC NET Cutoff 2026. Here we have provided clear differentiation of the UGC NET minimum qualifying marks and the UGC NET Cutoff in the table below:
| Aspect | Qualifying Marks | Cutoff |
| Purpose | Basic eligibility | Final selection |
| Fixed or Variable | Fixed | Variable |
| Based on | Percentage | Percentile |
| Selection Guarantee | No | Yes |
Also Read: UGC NET Exam 2026
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Conclusion
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 plays an important role in determining a candidate’s success in the UGC NET examination. The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is expected to be released in February 2026, after the UGC NET Result 2026 is published officially. Candidates should not rely only on minimum qualifying marks but must aim for a high percentile to secure Assistant Professor or JRF status. Keeping track of previous year UGC NET cutoffs and understanding subject-wise trends can help candidates plan better for future attempts.
UGC NET Cutoff 2026 FAQs
Is the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 the same for all subjects?
No, the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 is released separately for each subject and category.
Are qualifying marks enough to clear UGC NET 2026?
No, candidates must clear the subject-wise and category-wise UGC NET cutoff percentile to qualify the exam.
Will there be a separate UGC NET Cutoff 2026 for JRF and Assistant Professor?
Yes, the JRF UGC NET Cutoff is generally higher than the Assistant Professor cutoff.
Where can I download the UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF?
The UGC NET Cutoff 2026 PDF will be available to download on the official website ugcnet.nta.nic.in or from the link provided in this article.
