As candidates await the UGC NET June 2026 results, understanding the examination's marking scheme can help them estimate their expected scores. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC NET examination to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor and PhD-related categories.
The examination consists of two papers—Paper 1 and Paper 2—conducted in a single three-hour Computer-Based Test (CBT) session. Both papers are objective-type and carry two marks for every correct response, with no negative marking for incorrect answers.
UGC NET June 2026 Exam Pattern
Paper 1 assesses candidates on Teaching and Research Aptitude, while Paper 2 tests their knowledge of the subject selected by them.
UGC NET June 2026 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Component | Paper 1 | Paper 2 | Total |
| ------------------------ | ------: | ------: | ----: |
| Number of Questions | 50 | 100 | 150 |
| Total Marks | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Marks per Correct Answer | +2 | +2 | +2 |
| Negative Marking | None | None | None
With 150 questions carrying two marks each, the maximum score is 300 marks.
How to Calculate Your UGC NET Raw Score
Since there is no negative marking, candidates can calculate their estimated raw score relatively easily by comparing their responses with the answer key.
Step 1: Check Your Response Sheet
Candidates should refer to their recorded response sheet and the relevant answer key released by NTA.
Step 2: Count Correct Responses
Count the number of questions answered correctly in Paper 1 and Paper 2 separately.
Step 3: Apply the Formula
The raw score can be calculated using:
Total Raw Score = (Correct answers in Paper 1 + Correct answers in Paper 2) × 2
Example
Suppose a candidate has answered 35 questions correctly in Paper 1 and 70 questions correctly in Paper 2.
Total correct answers:
35 + 70 = 105
Therefore:
105 × 2 = 210 marks
The candidate's estimated raw score would be 210 out of 300.
Minimum Qualifying Marks
Candidates must meet the prescribed minimum aggregate marks in both papers combined to be considered for further eligibility.
The minimum aggregate requirement is:
- General/Unreserved and EWS: 40%, or 120 marks out of 300
- OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD and Third Gender: 35%, or 105 marks out of 300
However, merely achieving the minimum qualifying percentage does not guarantee selection for JRF or Assistant Professor eligibility. The actual qualification depends on the applicable subject- and category-wise cutoff and the number of candidates qualifying under the prescribed rules.
Understanding the NTA Percentile Score
Candidates should also understand the difference between raw marks and the NTA Percentile Score.
Where the examination is conducted in multiple shifts, NTA applies its prescribed normalization methodology to account for differences in difficulty levels between shifts.
The percentile score reflects a candidate's relative performance among candidates appearing in the relevant examination session. It should not be confused with the percentage of marks obtained.
A simplified representation of percentile calculation is:
NTA Percentile Score = 100 × (Number of candidates with raw scores equal to or below the candidate's score ÷ Total number of candidates appearing in that shift)
Thus, a higher percentile indicates that the candidate performed better than a larger proportion of candidates in the relevant session.
Raw Score and Percentile Are Different
For example, a candidate scoring 210 out of 300 has a raw percentage of:
(210 ÷ 300) × 100 = 70%
This 70% is the candidate's marks percentage, not necessarily their NTA percentile.
The final percentile can be different because it reflects the candidate's position relative to other candidates and, where applicable, the normalization procedure.
How Candidates Can Estimate Their Score
Candidates waiting for the result can follow these steps:
- Check the recorded response sheet.
- Compare the answers with the final answer key when available.
- Count the correct answers from both papers.
- Multiply the total number of correct answers by two.
- Calculate the percentage of raw marks if required.
- Remember that the estimated raw score should not be treated as the final NTA Score or qualification status.
What Candidates Should Keep in Mind
The estimated score obtained from the response sheet is useful for understanding one's performance, but it does not by itself determine JRF or Assistant Professor eligibility. Subject-wise and category-wise cutoffs play an important role in the final qualification.
Candidates should also rely on the official NTA result, final answer key and scorecard for their final marks, percentile and qualification status.
As the UGC NET June 2026 results approach, understanding the marking and normalization process can help candidates interpret their expected performance more accurately. The most important point is simple: each correct answer carries two marks, there is no negative marking, and the final result should be checked against the official NTA scorecard.
