The UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 for the December 2025 cycle is one of the most searched topics today, as the result is scheduled to be declared on 4 February 2026. Based on exam difficulty, student feedback, and previous years’ trends, experts have released a detailed Paper 1 + Paper 2 combined cut-off analysis, including subject-wise and category-wise expectations.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will publish the official UGC NET Result 2026, scorecard, and final cut-off on the official website ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Until then, these expected cut-off marks will help candidates realistically assess their chances of qualifying for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).
UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 – Key Highlights
Cut-off marks are based on aggregate scores of Paper 1 and Paper 2
JRF cut-offs are always higher than Assistant Professor cut-offs
Final cut-off depends on:
Difficulty level of exam
Number of candidates
Subject-wise performance
Normalisation across shifts
UGC NET Minimum Qualifying Marks (Official Rule)
Before understanding the cut-off, candidates must know the minimum qualifying percentage fixed by NTA:
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| General (UR) | 40% |
| OBC-NCL / SC / ST / PwD | 35% |
These are only eligibility marks. The actual cut-off for qualification is always higher, especially for JRF.
UGC NET Result December 2025, Final answer keys released, Cut-Off Marks
| Category | JRF (Expected %) | Assistant Professor (Expected %) |
| General | 65–70% | 58–62% |
| EWS | 60–65% | 55–60% |
| OBC-NCL | 58–63% | 53–58% |
| SC | 55–60% | 50–55% |
| ST | 50–55% | 45–50% |
| PwD | 50–55% | 45–50% |
UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 for General Category
Here is the complete UGC cut off marks 2026 list for the General Category (Unreserved) across all 85 subjects, such as UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 Law, UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 Political Science, UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 Geography, UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 Management, UGC NET Expected Cut Off 2026 Commerce:
| Subject | JRF Cut-off | Assistant Professor Cut-off | PhD Cut-off |
| Economics | 195-215 | 174-190 | 150-165 |
| Political Science | 220–228 | 190–198 | 180–186 |
| Philosophy | 215–225 | 185–195 | 160–170 |
| Psychology | 240-250 | 220-230 | 190-200 |
| Sociology | 215–225 | 185–195 | 160–170 |
| History | 180–190 | 160–170 | 140–150 |
| Commerce | 135-145 | 120-130 | 110-120 |
| Education | 134-140 | 124-128 | 116-120 |
| English | 200-210 | 170-180 | 150-160 |
| Hindi | 210-225 | 184-198 | 156-170 |
| Defence & Strategic Studies | 198-216 | 180-198 | 150-168 |
| Home Science | 205-215 | 175-185 | 155-165 |
| Public Administration | 230-240 | 200-210 | 170-180 |
| Population Studies | 210-225 | 190-205 | 170-185 |
| Management | 215-225 | 185-195 | 160-170 |
| Bengali | 195-205 | 175-185 | 155-165 |
| Urdu | 190-200 | 170-180 | 150-160 |
| Sanskrit | 205–215 | 180–190 | 160–170 |
| Tamil | 192-210 | 174-192 | 144-162 |
| Punjabi | 192-210 | 174-192 | 144-162 |
| Anthropology | 215–225 | 185–195 | 165–175 |
| Linguistics | 198-216 | 174-192 | 150-170 |
| Indian Knowledge Systems | 180-198 | 162-180 | 135-153 |
| Disaster Management | 200-215 | 175-190 | 155-170 |
| Ayurveda Biology | 210-228 | 192-210 | 168-186 |
| Law | 210–220 | 185–195 | 165–175 |
| Library & Information Science | 185-195 | 165-175 | 145-155 |
| Mass Communication & Journalism | 204-222 | 186-204 | 156-174 |
| Visual Arts | 190–200 | 165–175 | 140–150 |
| Environmental Science | 192-210 | 174-192 | 144-162 |
| Geography | 240-250 | 220-230 | 190-200 |
| Social Work | 190-200 | 170-180 | 150-160 |
| Women Studies | 190-200 | 170-180 | 150-160 |
| Comparative Literature | 210-225 | 186-201 | 162-177 |
| Linguistics | 192-210 | 174-192 | 150-168 |
| Archaeology | 205–215 | 175–185 | 155–165 |
| Computer Science & Applications | 185-195 | 165-175 | 150-160 |
| Electronic Science | 210-228 | 192-210 | 162-180 |
| Forensic Science | 200-210 | 185-195 | 165-175 |
| Criminology | 200–215 | 175–190 | 155–170 |
| Buddhist Studies | 204-219 | 180-195 | 150-165 |
| Indian Culture | 210–225 | 180–195 | 165–180 |
| Folk Literature | 210–220 | 185–195 | 160–170 |
| Physical Education | 205-220 | 180-195 | 160-175 |
| Tourism Administration & Management | 180-190 | 165-175 | 145-155 |
| Yoga | 200-215 | 175-190 | 155-170 |
| Sanskrit Traditional | 185–195 | 160–170 | 140–150 |
| Human Rights & Duties | 190-200 | 170-180 | 150-160 |
| Arab Culture & Islamic Studies | 216-234 | 198-216 | 168-186 |
| Tribal & Regional Language | 190–200 | 165–175 | 140–150 |
| Marathi | 186-204 | 168-186 | 138-156 |
| Chinese | 170–180 | 165–175 | 150–160 |
Below, the date-wise, category-wise expected UGC NET Paper 1 Cut Off 2026 has been updated after the exams on 31 Dec 2025 and 2 Jan 2026. Paper 1 is a compulsory paper that assesses candidates’ teaching and research aptitude, reasoning ability, comprehension, and general awareness.
| Date | Category | JRF Cut-off (Marks) | LS Only Cut-off (Marks) | PhD Only Cut-off (Marks) |
| 31 December 2025 | General | 65-70 | 58-62 | 48-52 |
| OBC | 58-63 | 53-58 | 43-48 | |
| SC | 55-60 | 50-55 | 40-45 | |
| ST | 50-55 | 45-50 | 40-45 | |
| EWS | 60-65 | 55-60 | 45-50 | |
| 2 January 2026 | General | 67-72 | 60-64 | 50-54 |
| OBC | 60-65 | 55-59 | 45-49 | |
| SC | 57-62 | 52-56 | 42-46 | |
| ST | 52-57 | 47-51 | 42-46 | |
| EWS | 62-67 | 57-61 | 47-51 | |
| 3 January 2026 | General | 68-73 | 60-64 | 50-54 |
| OBC | 60-65 | 55-59 | 45-49 | |
| SC | 57-62 | 52-56 | 42-46 | |
| ST | 52-57 | 47-51 | 42-46 | |
| EWS | 62-67 | 57-61 | 47-51 | |
| 5 January 2026 | General | 66-71 | 59-63 | 49-53 |
| OBC | 59-64 | 54-58 | 44-48 | |
| SC | 56-61 | 51-55 | 41-45 | |
| ST | 51-56 | 46-50 | 41-45 | |
| EWS | 61-66 | 56-60 | 46-50 | |
| 6 January 2026 | General | 65-70 | 58-62 | 48-52 |
| OBC | 58-63 | 53-58 | 43-48 | |
| SC | 55-60 | 50-55 | 40-45 | |
| ST | 50-55 | 45-50 | 40-45 | |
| EWS | 60-65 | 55-60 | 45-50 | |
| 7 January 2026 | General | 68-73 | 60-64 | 50-54 |
| OBC | 60-65 | 55-59 | 45-49 | |
| SC | 57-62 | 52-56 | 42-46 | |
| ST | 52-57 | 47-51 | 42-46 | |
| EWS | 62-67 | 57-61 | 47-51 |