Full Form of NET: National Eligibility Test

NET Full Form: If you are someone who dreams to become a college lecturer, professor or pursue a career in research in India, then NET might be your first step. Every year thousands of aspirants appear for this exam and it is one of the most important competitive exams for postgraduate students in India.

NET is a national level exam conducted every year for the postgraduate students who wish to get into a teaching career in colleges or make their career in research fields. The NET exam plays a crucial role in shaping your career and qualifying it is a first step towards the start of your career.

If you are planning to give the NET exam then you are just at the right place. Read along to know the details regarding the NET exam. This blog will include NET’s full form, what is it, are you eligible to appear for NET and some tips to help you in your preparation journey.

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What is the full form of NET?

NET stands for National Eligibility Test. It is a national level exam which is conducted to test the ability of postgraduate students to become Assistant Professor or Junior Research Fellows in Indian universities or colleges. It is mandatory for every postgraduate student to give this exam if they want to become a college lecturer or to receive a research fellowship from UGC.

The National Eligibility Test is considered as a reputed exam in the Indian education system. If you qualify this exam, it increases your chances of getting a job in a good and well graded college or university. NET helps to make sure that the teachers and researchers meet a certain standard and are capable of providing the education students deserve.

Also Check: NTSE Full Form

What is the National Eligibility Test?

The National Eligibility Test is an online exam which is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on the behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India.
There are two main categories under which students can qualify:

• Assistant Professor only
• Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)

The NET exam is conducted two times a year, in the months of June and December. It covers subjects from a wide range including multiple subjects from humanities, social science, commerce, computer science, environmental science, management etc.
The mode of the exam is online. It is a computer based test in which the candidates are assigned an offline center where they have to go and give the exam. You can have a look at the below table to gather all of the information about the NET exam all from one place.

Eligibility Criteria for NET

Before you apply for the NET exam, make sure that you meet the basic requirements to appear for the NET exam and are eligible to give the exam. There are basic educational as well as age limit conditions to be eligible for appearing for the National Eligibility Test.
Let’s look at each of the eligibility criteria one by one.

• Educational Qualification
  To be eligible for giving the NET exam, the candidates must have a master’s degree with at least 55% marks. For reserved categories the minimum percentage of marks required is 50% or the students in their final year of post-graduation are also eligible to appear for the exam.
• Age Limit
  There is no minimum or maximum age limit for Assistant Professor and no minimum age limit for JRF but there is an upper age limit for the candidates targeting JRF (Junior Research Fellowship).
  For JRF the candidate must not be more than 30 years of age. But there is no such limitation SC/ST/OBC/PwD/Women.
• Subject Mapping
  Subject Mapping means that the subjects you choose for NET must match with subjects you had studied in your post-graduation.

Also Check: HSC Full Form

Exam Pattern of National Eligibility Test

The NET exam consists of two papers. Both the papers are conducted in a single session but the pattern of both the papers differs from each other.
Check out the below table to understand the exam pattern of one of the most important competitive exams for postgraduates wanting to make their career in teaching or research.

Tips to crack the NET exam

If your aim is to crack the NET exam then make sure to keep in mind the below tips which will help you to ace your exam.

1. Go through the syllabus thoroughly
Make sure you understand your syllabus properly before diving in for the preparation. This will help you get an idea on how to prepare and how much you have to study everyday to crack the exam.
2. Manage your time
You must learn how to manage your time, prioritize the chapters and sections in which you are weak and focus more on concepts. Also, give mock tests with a stopwatch timer so you will practice giving exams under time pressure.
3. Solve past year question papers
Solving previous year question papers can help you understand the difficulty level and exam pattern in a better way. Also, many times questions are repeated from previous question papers in competitive exams.
4. Revise Regularly
Even when you start preparing, don’t forget to revise on a regular basis. Otherwise you will keep studying the new concepts and will keep on forgetting the previous ones.5. Stay Updated
Staying updated becomes a very important step especially when you are preparing for any competitive exam. Keep a check on current affairs, develop a habit to read the newspaper daily etc.

Also Check: IT Full Form

NET Full Form FAQs

Is it compulsory to give NET for entering into the teaching line?

NET is compulsory for teaching in colleges or universities.

Is there negative marking in the NET exam?

No, there is no negative marking scheme in the NET exam till now,

Can final year post-graduate students appear for NET?

Yes, final year post-graduate students can apply for the NET exam but they must complete their degree within two years of result declaration.

How many times can I attempt the NET exam?

You can attempt the NET exam an unlimited number of times for the Assistant Professor post but for Junior Research Fellowship you must be under 30 years of age. (No restrictions on the number of attempts).