How Many Attempts Are Allowed in UGC NET? Age Limit and Attempt Rules

Candidates applying for UGC NET 2026 must be wondering about the number of attempts allowed, the age limit and more. But, good news for all UGC NET aspirants is that there is no limit on the number of attempts in UGC NET 2026. You can appear for the exam as many times as you want, for both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor (AP) posts, as long as you meet the required eligibility criteria. The UGC NET exam is conducted twice every year,  in June and December, by the National Testing Agency (NTA). However, while there is no attempt limit, there is an age limit for JRF that every candidate must know. So before you apply, read all the rules carefully.

How Many Attempts Are Allowed in UGC NET?

The number of UGC NET attempts is unlimited for all candidates. NTA conducts the UGC NET exam two times a year, the June cycle and the December cycle,  so candidates get two chances every year. This is a big relief for students who could not qualify on their first attempt. There is also no restriction based on how many times you have appeared before.

UGC NET Age Limit 2026: JRF and Assistant Professor

The age limit rules in UGC NET are different for JRF and Assistant Professor. If you want to apply for Assistant Professor only, there is absolutely no upper age limit — you can apply at any age. But if you want to apply for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), you must be 30 years old or younger (for the General/Unreserved category).

UGC NET Age Relaxation 2026: Category-Wise Rules for JRF

If you belong to a reserved or special category, you can get extra years added to the JRF age limit. This means you can apply for JRF even if you are older than 30 years. The maximum age after relaxation becomes 35 years for most reserved categories.

Key Eligibility Points to Remember for UGC NET 2026

Many students get confused between the attempt rules, age rules, and education rules for UGC NET. It is important to understand all three together before applying. The application is done fully online on the NTA website ugcnet.nta.nic.in for both the June and December cycles.

• No limit on the number of UGC NET attempts for JRF or Assistant Professor.
• JRF age limit is 30 years for the General category; up to 35 years for reserved categories.
• No age limit for Assistant Professor; candidates of any age can apply.
• A master’s degree with 55% marks (50% for reserved categories) is the basic education requirement.
• Final year students can apply provisionally for UGC NET.
• Apply online at ugcnet.nta.nic.in for the June or December cycle.