UGC NET 2021 Syllabus and Exam Pattern
Table of Contents
UGC NET 2021 Syllabus: The National Eligibility Test (NET), also known as UGC NET or NTA-UGC-NET, is the examination for determining the eligibility for the post of assistant professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship award in Indian universities and colleges. The syllabus for this test is quite vast and all the candidates, willing to pass this exam must have the detailed knowledge of the subject matter of the syllabus.
In the following article we have discussed UGC NET Exam Pattern and Syllabus for 2021. All the candidates are recommended to read this before starting their prep.
Also Read – UGC NET 2021 Exam Details – Important Dates, Pattern, etc.
UGC NET 2021 Exam Pattern
UGC NET 2021 June Examination shall be conducted as Computer Based Test (CBT) only. The Online Test will consist of two papers. both the papers will consist of objective-type, multiple-choice questions. There will be no break between two papers.
| Paper | Number of Questions | Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | 50 | 100 | 03 hours (180 minutes) |
| Paper 2 | 100 | 200 |
Note: For each correct response the candidate will get 2 marks but there is no negative marking for incorrect answer.
UGC NET Paper Details
In the table below, we have laid down all the important details regarding the UGC NET 2021 Exam Pattern.
| Exam Mode | The entrance test will be organized in Online CBT mode. |
| Number of Papers | There will be two papers for the exam – Paper-I and Paper-II. |
| Number of Questions | A total of 150 questions will be there in the exam paper. 50 questions in Paper I and 100 questions in Paper-II. |
| Type of Questions | The question paper will contain multiple-choice type questions. |
| Language Medium | The question paper will be available in the medium language of English and Hindi. |
| Time Duration | Paper I will be of 1-hour duration while Paper II will be of 2 hours. |
| Total Marks | Paper 1 will be 100 marks and Paper-II will be 200 marks. |
| Marking Scheme | For every correct answer, 2 marks will be given. There will be no provision of negative marking for incorrect answers. |
UGC NET 2021 Syllabus
UGC NET 2021 Syllabus for Paper 1
The UGC NET Paper 1 will test a candidate’s teaching and research ability, logical abilities, general awareness about teaching and learning processes in higher education system. Below, we have mentioned the complete and detailed syllabus for UGC NET 2021 Exam.
I. Teaching Aptitude Syllabus
- Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
- Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
- Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material, Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.
- Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centred vs. Learner centred methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).
- Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
- Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based testing, Innovations in evaluation systems.
II. Research Aptitude Syllabus
- Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Postpositivistic approach to research.
- Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative methods, Steps of Research.
- Thesis and Article writing: Format and styles of referencing.
- Application of ICT in research.
- Research ethics.
III. Comprehension Syllabus
- A passage of text be given. Questions be asked from the passage to be answered.
IV. Communication
- Communication: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication.
- Effective communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and group communications, Classroom communication.
- Barriers to effective communication.
- Mass-Media and Society.
V. Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude Syllabus
- Types of reasoning.
- Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships.
- Mathematical Aptitude (Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc.).
VI. Logical Reasoning Syllabus
- Understanding the structure of arguments: argument forms, structure of categorical propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal fallacies, Uses of language, Connotations and denotations of terms, Classical square of opposition.
- Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning.
- Analogies.
- Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments.
- Indian Logic: Means of knowledge.
- Pramanas: Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension).
- Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation), Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference).
VII. Data Interpretation Syllabus
- Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
- Quantitative and Qualitative Data.
- Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart and Line-chart) and mapping of Data.
- Data Interpretation.
- Data and Governance.
VIII. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Syllabus
- ICT: General abbreviations and terminology.
- Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing.
- Digital initiatives in higher education.
- ICT and Governance.
IX. People, Development and Environment Syllabus
- Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals.
- Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment.
- Environmental issues: Local, Regional and Global; Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution, Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic), Climate change and its Socio-Economic and Political dimensions.
- Impacts of pollutants on human health.
- Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
- Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies.
- Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate Change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance.
X. Higher Education System Syllabus
- Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India.
- Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India.
- Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India.
- Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
- Value education and environmental education.
- Policies, Governance, and Administration.
NOTE: (i) Five questions each carrying 2 marks are to be set from each Module.
(ii) Whenever graphical/pictorial question(s) are set for sighted candidates, a passage followed by equal number of questions and weightage be set for visually impaired candidates.
UGC NET 2021 Syllabus for Paper 2
UGC NET Paper 2 will be subject specific test, where all the candidates will have to take a test on the subject of their interest, which will be examining their expertise in that discipline. Paper-II will consist of 100 objective type questions (MCQs) for 200 marks. A total of 101 subjects will be covered in the UGC NET Exam. Candidates will have to select one subject for the NET Exam preferably the subject of their post-graduation.
| Subject Code | Subject |
| 01 | Economics / Rural Economics /Co-operation / Demography / Development Planning/ Development Studies / Econometrics/ Applied Economics/Development Economics /Business Economics |
| 02 | Political Science |
| 03 | Philosophy |
| 04 | Psychology |
| 05 | Sociology |
| 06 | History |
| 07 | Anthropology |
| 08 | Commerce |
| 09 | Education |
| 10 | Social Work |
| 11 | Defence and Strategic Studies |
| 12 | Home Science |
| 14 | Public Administration |
| 15 | Population Studies |
| 16 | Music |
| 17 | Management (including Business Admn. Mgt./Marketing/ Marketing Mgt./Industrial Relations and Personnel Mgt./ Personnel Mgt./Financial Mgt./Co-operative Management) |
| 18 | Maithili |
| 19 | Bengali |
| 20 | Hindi |
| 21 | Kannada |
| 22 | Malayalam |
| 23 | Oriya |
| 24 | Punjabi |
| 25 | Sanskrit |
| 26 | Tamil |
| 27 | Telugu |
| 28 | Urdu |
| 29 | Arabic |
| 30 | English |
| 31 | Linguistics |
| 32 | Chinese |
| 33 | Dogri |
| 34 | Nepali |
| 35 | Manipuri |
| 36 | Assamese |
| 37 | Gujarati |
| 38 | Marathi |
| 39 | French (French Version) |
| 40 | Spanish |
| 41 | Russian |
| 42 | Persian |
| 43 | Rajasthani |
| 44 | German |
| 45 | Japanese |
| 46 | Adult Education/ Continuing Education/ Andragogy/ Non- Formal Education. |
| 47 | Physical Education |
| 49 | Arab Culture and Islamic Studies |
| 50 | Indian Culture |
| 55 | Labour Welfare/Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/ Labour and Social Welfare/Human Resource Management |
| 58 | Law |
| 59 | Library and Information Science |
| 60 | Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies |
| 62 | Comparative Study of Religions |
| 63 | Mass Communication and Journalism |
| 65 | Performing Art – Dance/Drama/Theatre |
| 66 | Museology & Conservation |
| 67 | Archaeology |
| 68 | Criminology |
| 70 | Tribal and Regional Language/Literature |
| 71 | Folk Literature |
| 72 | Comparative Literature |
| 73 | Sanskrit traditional subjects (including) Jyotisha/Sidhanta Jyotish/ Navya Vyakarna/ Vyakarna/ Mimansa/ Navya Nyaya/ Sankhya Yoga/ Tulanatmaka Darsan/ Shukla Yajurveda/ Madhav Vedant/ Dharmasasta/ Sahitya/ Puranotihasa /Agama). |
| 74 | Women Studies |
| 79 | Visual Art (including Drawing & Painting/Sculpture Graphics/Applied Art/History of Art) |
| 80 | Geography |
| 81 | Social Medicine & Community Health |
| 82 | Forensic Science |
| 83 | Pali |
| 84 | Kashmiri |
| 85 | Konkani |
| 87 | Computer Science and Applications |
| 88 | Electronic Science |
| 89 | Environmental Sciences |
| 90 | Politics including International Relations/International Studies including Defence/Strategic Studies, West Asian Studies, South East Asian Studies, African Studies, South Asian Studies, Soviet Studies, American Studies. |
| 91 | Prakrit |
| 92 | Human Rights and Duties |
| 93 | Tourism Administration and Management. |
| 94 | Bodo |
| 95 | Santali |
| 100 | Yoga |
| 101 | Sindhi |
Conclusion
In the above article, we have discussed the complete UGC NET 2021 Exam Pattern and Syllabus in detail. Every candidate is suggested to go through the syllabus before starting their preparation. It is hoped that the contents of the above article end up being helpful to all the aspirants eyeing this test.
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