UGC-NET Re-Exam Announced for 3 Subjects Without Extra Fee; NTA to Tighten Question Paper Standards

The UGC-NET re-examination for three subjects will be conducted without any additional fee for affected candidates. Officials have also clarified that the re-test will not lead to any reduction in the number of qualifying candidates or changes in subject-wise allocations. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is reviewing its examination procedures following complaints about errors in the English, Commerce and Sociology question papers. The agency said it plans to strengthen safeguards across the entire paper-production process, including question setting, moderation, translation and composition. It will also examine the lapses and determine responsibility where necessary.

NTA reiterated its commitment to conducting examinations that are fair, accurate and free from avoidable errors. The agency said corrective measures are being introduced to make the examination system more transparent and accountable in the future. The agency received multiple complaints concerning mistakes in the three question papers. Following the complaints, NTA constituted a committee to investigate the issues. Based on the committee's recommendations, it decided to conduct fresh examinations to ensure a fair assessment for candidates.

The English and Commerce re-tests are scheduled for September 9, while the Sociology examination will take place on September 10. The National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, held a protest in Delhi on Monday against the NTA over alleged irregularities in the 2026 UGC-NET examination. The demonstration later witnessed clashes between protesters and security personnel.

NSUI criticised the decision to make candidates appear for the examination again, arguing that students should not bear the consequences of mistakes made during the examination process. The organisation demanded accountability from NTA officials and questioned how incorrect and repeated questions were allowed to appear in the papers.

The student body also raised concerns over whether the examination papers could have been compromised before the test and called for greater transparency from the authorities. According to NSUI, thousands of candidates who had already invested considerable time, money and effort in preparing for the UGC-NET examination are now required to appear again because of errors in the papers. The organisation maintained that responsibility for the lapses should rest with the examination authorities rather than the students.