UGC NET English 2023: Syllabus, Books, Question Papers & Answer Key

UGC NET English Exam 2023: UGC NET Exam is one of the most prestigious National Level Examination.

The exam is conducted to check the candidates’ eligibility skills and whether they are qualified enough for the posts of Assistant Professors and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).

The subject code for English is 30. It comprises two online papers namely Paper-I & Paper-II with Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)s.

If you want to start your career as a JRF or Assistant Professor then you should go for the UGC NET 2023 Exam.

It gives you a chance to start your career as a JRF or Assistant Professor. So, you must know about the details of the NET English Exam 2023.

In this article, you will get a detailed guide on UGC NET English Exam 2023. And, also detailed Syllabus, Study Material, & Preparation Tips to crack the exam.

Why Choose UGC NET English?

UGC NET exam is quite popular among many postgraduate students. Before starting the complete guide, you should know why to select UGC NET English and a list of other Career Scopes.

With these career options as JRF & Lectureship, you will also get the other scopes and opportunities offered by various prestigious organizations.

Find the list of all the options below:

  • Assistant Professor/Lecturer: It is one of the most satisfying jobs with a lucrative salary in the country where you will get the opportunity to teach your favorite subject to the youth.
  • Junior Research Fellow (JRF): This job profile holds vast opportunities in the field of English Literature along with a monthly stipend of INR 31,000 for the research work.
  • Other Career Options: Apart from Lecturer or JRF, there are many other UGC NET Career Options available for the students which are as follows: –
    • Media & Journalism
    • Publishing Industry
    • Author
    • Script Writer, PR Writer, Copywriter, or Blogger
    • Job in PSUs
    • Advertisement Manager
    • English Literature Counsellor
    • Ph.D. in English Literature
    • Government jobs

UGC NET English Eligibility Criteria 2023

You must check the UGC NET Eligibility Criteria for English before filling out the online Application Form.

You should meet all essential criteria as mentioned in Educational Qualification & Age Limit.

Educational Qualification for NET English Exam 2023

  • You have to complete Post-Graduation in English or another equivalent subject.
  • If you are belonging to General Category, then you have to secure 55% in English or an equivalent subject, and for ST/SC/OBC/PWD/Transgenders, the percentage criteria are 50%.

NET English Exam Age Limit 2023

  • For JRF: 30 Years for the General Category & Up to 5 Years of Age Relaxation in Other Categories.
  • For Lectureship: No Upper Age Limit for NET Exam 2023 English Lectureship.

UGC NET English Syllabus 2023

NET English Syllabus lets you know about the topics covered in the exam. You should know that the NET English exam is divided into two parts, i.e., UGC NET Paper 1 & Paper 2.

UGC NET Paper 1 syllabus is common for all candidates, but paper 2 is based on English.

  • Paper-I Syllabus covers teaching and reasoning ability, research aptitude, comprehension, divergent thinking, and general awareness.
  • Paper-II Syllabus is based on English subjects. It tests your depth of knowledge and expertise in the respective subject.

For your upcoming exam, you must go through the UGC NET Syllabus for English. So don’t miss out on anything.

UGC NET English Syllabus for Paper 1

Here is the UGC NET English Exam Syllabus for Paper 1-

Unit Topic
Unit 1 Teaching Aptitude
Unit 2 Research Aptitude
Unit 3 Reading Comprehension
Unit 4 Communication
Unit 5 Reasoning (including Maths)
Unit 6 Logical Reasoning
Unit 7 Data Interpretation
Unit 8 Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
Unit 9 People & Environment
Unit 10
Higher Education System: Governance, Polity & Administration

UGC NET English Syllabus for Paper 2

The University Grants Commission (UGC) NET revised its syllabus for UGC NET in English in June 2019 and the same syllabus will be applicable for the upcoming UGC NET / JRF and SET or SLET examination.

Below are important topics of the NET English Paper 2 syllabus (Paper 2 is completely based on your selected subject). These topics are suggested by our experts after analyzing the last few year’s question papers.

S.No. UGC NET Syllabus for English Paper 2
1. Chaucer to Shakespeare
2. Romantic Period
3. Victorian Period
4. Modern Period
5. Contemporary Period
6. History of English Language
7. English Language Teaching
8. Indian Writing in English
9. Indian Literature in English Translation
10. Contemporary British literature
11. Modern British Literature
12. American and other non-British English Literature
13. Contemporary Theory
14. Literary Theory and Criticism

The details of the syllabus of Paper 2 can be downloaded in pdf format from the following link:

[Download New UGC NET English Syllabus PDF]

UGC NET English Exam Pattern 2023

UGC NET Exam is a computer-based test having multiple-choice questions. UGC NET Exam Pattern will consist of details related to the UGC NET 2023 Exam mode, the number of questions asked, sections, marking scheme, and more.

Check out the table below for a quick overview of the NTA NET English paper pattern:

Particulars UGC NET Paper-I Overview
UGC NET Paper-II Overview
Exam mode Online Online
Exam duration 3 hours (180 minutes)
Type of paper Common for all candidates Subject-specific questions
Total questions 50 100
Type of questions MCQs; 4 options with only 1 correct option
MCQs; 4 options with only 1 correct option
Total marks 100 200
Marking scheme 2 marks for the correct answer
0 for an incorrect answer
2 marks for the correct answer
0 for an incorrect answer
Language of paper English and Hindi English and Hindi

UGC NET English Old Exam Pattern

You should know that till November 2017, UGC NET in English consists of three papers, i.e. paper-1, paper-2, and paper-3. Paper-1 was general and compulsory for all subjects, and paper-2 and paper-3 were based on English.

However, from June 2018, UGC NET in English consists of only two papers, i.e. paper-1 and paper-2 (merging the previous paper-2 and paper-3 into the current paper-2).

So, you are requested to go through the previous Paper 2 and Paper 3 to better prepare yourself for the current Paper 2 in English.

UGC NET examination in English was conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) till June 2014. From December 2014 to June 2018 UGC NET exam was conducted by the Central Board of Secondary English (CBSE).

NTA started to conduct the exam from Dec. 2018 onwards.

UGC NET English Previous Year Question Papers With Solutions

Previous Year Question Papers are one of the best study materials for the NET English 2023 Exam.

To get an idea of the English question paper, you have to practice the NET previous year’s question papers.

Solving question papers will familiarise you with the difficulty level of questions, types of questions, and common question topics.

The UGC NET English previous year’s question papers provide valuable insights into the types of questions asked the exam pattern, and the weightage of different topics according to the syllabus.

Download the UGC NET Question Papers PDF with answer key solutions here.

Best Books For UGC NET English & Study Materials

Choosing the correct UGC NET Books and study material without any further confusion should be the goal.

You should be able to concentrate on your preparation without further delay once you find the correct books and preparatory material.

Make sure to check the books for the latest updated course content. The Books and study material chosen should be such that it is easy to learn & interpret.

You can also refer to the UGC NET Books for English Exam from the below link:

[Download UGC NET English Books PDF]

UGC NET English Mock Test

Any exam preparation is incomplete without practicing the topics you are studying. For getting the best results, you need to test your preparation.

To have a fair understanding of the question paper pattern and marking scheme, it is recommended to take the mock tests of NET English.

Practicing mock tests provides a better perspective of what kind of questions will appear in the exam. They also help in improving the score in competitive exams.

While solving the NET English mock tests, you can mark questions in which you have doubts and get them cleared.

NTA UGC NET English Exam Cut Off Marks

NTA releases the UGC NET English Cut Off marks after the declaration of results.

You have to obtain the minimum cut-off marks to get selected for the merit list. The merit list will be prepared category-wise and subject-wise for each subject.

Only the top 6% qualified candidates will be considered for the Junior Research Fellowship program.

Go through the UGC NET Cut off for English Paper 2020 from the table below (official) to get an idea for this year.

NTA UGC NET English Cut Off for Assistant Professor 2020 June

English Cut Off for Assistant Professor 2020 June
Category Cutoff Marks Percentage Total
UNRESERVED 98.29336 908
EWS 90.2198152 265
OBC(NCL) 87.3253538 1521
SC 79.9617713 560
ST 75.2787512 285
PWD‐VI‐UR 79.9617713 14
PWD‐HI‐UR 56.8834479 9
PWD‐LM‐UR 85.97103 7
PWD‐OD&AO‐UR 50.1967096 7
PWD‐VI‐OB 69.7537887 11
PWD‐HI‐OB ‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐
PWD‐LM‐OB 77.6179857 5
PWD‐OD&AO‐OB 49.943112 1
PWD‐VI‐SC 60.205707 3
PWD‐HI‐SC 54.2963162 1
PWD‐LM‐SC 56.8834479 3
PWD‐OD&AO‐SC ‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐
PWD‐VI‐ST 54.2963162 1
PWD‐HI‐ST ‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐
PWD‐LM‐ST 68.3923462 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐ST ‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐
PWD‐VI‐EW 75.2787512 2
PWD‐HI‐EW 49.943112 1
PWD‐LM‐EW 66.6909389 8
PWD‐OD&AO‐EW ‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐

NTA UGC NET English Cut Off for JRF & Assistant Professor 2020 June

English Cut Off for JRF & Assistant Professor 2020 June
Category Cutoff Marks Percentage Total
UNRESERVED 99.7405907 128
EWS 99.0624858 19
OBC(NCL) 96.3227598 320
SC 96.3227598 44
ST 88.8590543 60
PWD‐VI‐UR 99.0624858 1
PWD‐HI‐UR 92.167382 1
PWD‐LM‐UR 99.2536295 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐UR 98.8394848 1
PWD‐VI‐OB 95.8020386 1
PWD‐HI‐OB 64.8828684 2
PWD‐LM‐OB 93.2671674 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐OB 69.7537887 1
PWD‐VI‐SC 88.8590543 1
PWD‐HI‐SC ‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐
PWD‐LM‐SC 92.363355 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐SC 54.2963162 1
PWD‐VI‐ST ‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐
PWD‐HI‐ST ‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐
PWD‐LM‐ST 77.0565093 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐ST ‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐
PWD‐VI‐EW 79.9617713 1
PWD‐HI‐EW 49.943112 1
PWD‐LM‐EW 91.4121877 1
PWD‐OD&AO‐EW 50.1967096 1

UGC NET English Preparation Tips

You already know that when you are preparing for NET English Exams, it’s a milestone that needs to be achieved.

With a proper study plan and essential materials, you can score a better mark in the English Exam.

We are providing the complete UGC NET Preparation Tips below to enhance your UGC NET 2023 Exam preparation.

  • Know the English syllabus and exam pattern to better understand the topics covered.
  • Create a solid study plan thoroughly and ensure your plan contains enough time for revision and relaxation.
  • Make notes while studying for a quick review of concepts.
  • Revise as many times as possible to recollect the information easily on the day of the exam.
  • Practice multiple UGC NET English past years’ question papers to get a clear idea of what to expect during the actual exam and avoids any surprise on the last day.
  • Appearing for mock tests helps you to know the stand concerning your preparation.
  • Learn time management to boost your speed to solve a problem.
  • Eat healthy foods and stay relaxed.

We have covered the detailed guide on NTA UGC NET English Exam 2023. Feel free to ask us any questions in the comment section below.

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