UGC NET 2025 Answer Key Expected by January 15

• NTA to release UGC NET December session provisional answer key by January 15.
• Objections can be raised; final key & results follow expert review.
• NET qualifiers can pursue PhD, research, or SMEs in edtech fields.

The National Testing Agency, NTA will release the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test, (UGC NET) answer key for December session this

week. As per the latest notification released by NTA, the answer key will be released by January 15. Following the pattern, the answer key released will be provisional in nature. Candidates will be given time to raise objections against the same (in case they want to). The final answer key and result will be prepared only after considering all the objections raised by candidates. Most of the times, the final answer key is released 1-2 days ahead of the result. NTA conducted the UGC NET December session exams between December 31, 2025 and January 7, 2026.

UGC NET Answer Key 2026: How to Check (once released)

• Step 1: Candidates who appeared in the exam should go to the official website: ugcnet.nta.nic.in
• Step 2: On the homepage, candidates should look for latest news section
• Step 3: Candidates should click on the link that reads “UGC NET Provisional Answer Key”.
• Step 4: Log in using application number and Date of Birth/Password.
• Step 5: The answer key PDF will appear on the screen
• Step 6: Go through the same and download it
• Step 7: Raise objections if any

Official notice reads, "Upon display of the provisional answer key(s), candidates will be able to view the question paper along with recorded responses and will be provided an opportunity to submit representations, as per the prescribed process, within the notified schedule. All representations received during the notified period will be examined by subject experts, and the final answer key and results will be prepared accordingly."

Career Options After Qualifying NET

After qualifying UGC NET, pursuing a PhD is the second most preferred career option after becoming an Assistant Professor. Many universities offer direct PhD admission to NET-qualified candidates, although applicants generally need to score higher than the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) cut-off.

Another career path is working as a researcher in various fields, as several government and private research institutes and universities actively recruit candidates with strong research aptitude. NET-qualified candidates can also work as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for edtech platforms.