NTA UGC NET Exam Analysis 2026 Out for 5 Jan, Check Attempts and Difficulty Level

NTA UGC NET 2026 exam analysis for 5 January is out. Check Paper 1 and Paper 2 difficulty level, section-wise good attempts, key topics, and expert insights based on student feedback and exam trends.

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The NTA UGC NET Exam Analysis 2026 for 5 January 2026 is now available, as today’s Shift 1 has concluded successfully. Based on real-time student feedback and expert review, Adda247 has released a detailed exam analysis for today’s shift, providing candidates with a clear understanding of section-wise difficulty levels, good attempts, and question trends. This analysis is also aligned with the previous year UGC NET exam patterns, ensuring aspirants get a reliable and accurate picture of the exam level.

UGC NET Exam Analysis 2026 by Students: Today Highlights

According to the Adda247 UGC NET expert team, today’s Shift 1 paper closely followed the established UGC NET pattern. Most questions were direct, syllabus-oriented, and concept-driven, making the paper approachable for well-prepared candidates.

Overall paper was Easy to Moderate as reported by most students.
Questions were concept-based, testing understanding rather than memory.
Assertion–Reason and Match the Following questions appeared frequently.
Several sections included direct and scoring questions, helping balance time.
Numerical questions were manageable with basic calculation skills.
Data-based questions were clear and not calculation-heavy.
Logical questions required careful interpretation rather than lengthy solving.
Many questions followed a repetitive pattern from previous years.
Students found the paper balanced across sections with no unexpected surprises.
Proper time management allowed good attempts within the given duration.

NTA UGC NET 2026 Exam Pattern: Overview

The UGC NET examination consists of two papers conducted in a single session:

Paper 1: General Aptitude (50 Questions, 100 Marks)
Paper 2: Subject-Specific (100 Questions, 200 Marks)

Both papers are conducted in CBT mode, with no negative marking. Based on Adda247’s analysis and previous year trends, Paper 1 continues to be scoring, while Paper 2 remains decisive for JRF qualification.

UGC NET 2026 Paper 1 Analysis: Difficulty Level (Shift 1)

The UGC NET 2026 Paper 1 exam for Shift 1 was assessed as easy to moderate in overall difficulty, as per student feedback and expert review. The paper maintained a balanced structure, covering all ten units of the syllabus. Most questions were direct, concept-based, and familiar to candidates who had practised previous year questions. Below is the section-wise difficulty level table to help candidates quickly understand the paper’s overall nature and scoring potential.

Section	Good Attempt	Difficulty Level
Teaching Aptitude	6-8	Easy to Moderate
Research Aptitude	5-7	Moderate
Reading Comprehension	5	Easy
Communication	6-8	Easy to Moderate
Logical Reasoning	5-7	Moderate
Data Interpretation	4-5	Moderate
Mathematical Reasoning	5-6	Moderate
Information & Communication Technology (ICT)	6-8	Easy to Moderate
People & Environment	5-7	Moderate
Higher Education System	4-6	Moderate

UGC NET 2026 Paper 1 Analysis: Section-wise

As per Adda247’s today’s exam analysis, the UGC NET Paper 1 conducted on 5 January 2026 (Shift 1) was Easy to Moderate in overall difficulty. The paper focused more on conceptual understanding, application-based thinking, and PYQ-aligned topics rather than rote memorisation. All ten units of the syllabus were represented, making the paper balanced and scoring well for well-prepared candidates.

Part	Section	Important Topics Asked (as per Student Feedback)
I	Teaching Aptitude	Functions and Types of Evaluation (Match the Following), Formative & Summative Evaluation, P-Value, Assertion-Reason questions, Ancient Universities (Nalanda-Takshila match), Teaching-Learning Process
II	Research Aptitude	Research Methodology, Research Hypothesis & Null Hypothesis, P-Value, Statistics-based question, Research Evaluation Concepts
III	Reading Comprehension	RC passages were direct and fact-based, no tricky vocabulary, questions were straightforward
IV	Communication & Media Studies	Communication Models (Aristotle, 5W Model – Chronology), Mass Media, TV Channel Series, News Agencies & Sources, Barriers of Communication
V	Logical Reasoning	Square of Opposition, Fallacies, Indian Logic, Assertion-Reason, Coding-Decoding, Number Series (2, 6, 12, 20, ?, 42), Alphabet-based Question
VI	Data Interpretation	Table-based DI, Percentage Calculation, DI considered easier compared to previous shifts
VII	Mathematical Reasoning	Speed & Distance, CI & SI, Speed-based Problems, Gaseous State (Basic Numerical), Binary-Octal Conversion
VIII	Information & Communication Technology (ICT)	Number System, Binary-Octal, RAM & ROM, CPU, Generation of Computers, MS Excel (Short Cut Keys), Networking Devices, Full Forms
IX	People & Environment	Environment Protection Act (Chronology), Greenhouse Gases (GHG), Ozone Protocol, Ethanol, Coal Formation (Stages & Longest Period), Earth Development Stage
X	Higher Education System	NAAC-UGC Sequence, Universities Matching, History of Coal Information (Education-linked), Governance-related factual questions

Preparation Insights Based on Today’s Exam Analysis

Candidates appearing in upcoming shifts should:

Focus on conceptual understanding rather than rote memorization.
Practice assertion–reason questions regularly to improve accuracy.
Match-the-following type questions should be attempted with careful elimination.
Time management is crucial, as several questions were lengthy but solvable.
Accuracy matters more than attempting maximum questions.
Numerical questions require clarity of basic formulas and quick calculation.
Speed-based questions can be scoring with regular practice.
Analytical thinking helped in solving moderate-level reasoning questions.
Regular revision improves confidence in static and theoretical areas.
Attempt easy and familiar questions first to maximize overall score.