UGC NET History 2025: Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Analysis & PYQs

Aspiring to become an Assistant Professor or secure a Junior Research Fellowship in History? Here’s your detailed, updated roadmap for UGC NET History 2025. We’ll cover eligibility, exam pattern, deep syllabus insights, exam trends, and smart preparation strategies using previous year questions.

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1. Eligibility Criteria

To appear for UGC NET History (Subject Code: 06) in 2025:

• Educational Qualification: A post-graduate degree (e.g., MA in History) with at least 55% marks—50% for reserved categories.
  

• Age Limit:

  • Junior Research Fellowship (JRF): Not more than 30 years (relaxations applicable).
  • Assistant Professor Eligibility: No upper age limit.
    

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2. Exam Pattern & Structure

UGC NET for History follows the standard format:

• Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT), conducted by NTA.
• Total Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes), with no breaks.
• Paper Distribution:
  • Paper I (General Aptitude): 50 MCQs, 100 marks, 1 hour.
  • Paper II (Subject – History): 100 MCQs, 200 marks, 2 hours.
• Marking Scheme: +2 marks for each correct answer, no negative marking.
• Languages: Available in both English and Hindi.
  

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3. UGC NET History Paper II Syllabus

UGC NET History Paper II is structured in 10 detailed units, designed to test both depth and breadth of knowledge:

1. Negotiating the Sources:
   Archaeological, literary, epigraphic, numismatic sources; Indus Valley Civilization; Vedic periods; early pastoralism and food production.

2. From State to Empire:
   Breakdown of earlier state formations, regional powers, Harsha, Gupta-Vakataka Age.

3. Emergence of Regional Kingdoms:
   Political developments in different regions; trade, urbanization, and debates surrounding early medieval state formation.

4. Sources of Medieval Indian History:
   Vijayanagara, Bahmani Sultanate, Mughal rise and decline, regional Mughal challenges.

5. Administration & Economy:
   Revenue, taxation, administration under Sultanate and Mughal rules.

6. Society & Culture:
   Bhakti and Sufi movements, vernacular literatures, education, changes in cultural patterns.

7. Modern Indian History:
   Colonial power dynamics, 1857 Revolt, nationalist movements, freedom struggle.

8. Colonial Economy:
   Deindustrialization, famines, commercialization, economic exploitation under colonialism.

9. Rise of Indian Nationalism:
   Multiple streams—Moderate, Extremist, Gandhian, revolutionary, women’s roles—in the independence movement.

10. Historical Method, Research & Historiography:
    Approaches to history writing, schools like Marxist and Subaltern, methodological debates.

Paper I Syllabus (General Paper)

Paper I assesses your readiness for teaching and research:

• Teaching & Research Aptitude
• Reading Comprehension
• Communication
• Reasoning (including Mathematical)
• Logical Reasoning
• Data Interpretation
• ICT
• People and Environment
• Higher Education System
  

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4. Exam Analysis & Trends

According to news reports and exam analysis:

• UGC NET History 2025 (June session) was held between June 21–30, 2025.
  

• Exam Overview: Paper I was generally rated easy to moderate, focusing on reasoning and comprehension. Paper II required deeper clarity, especially on historiography, Mughal history, and modern political movements.
  

• Result Declaration: For June 2025, results were announced on July 22, 2025.
  

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5. Qualifying & Cut-Off Criteria

To qualify in UGC NET History:

• Minimum Aggregate Marks:

  • General: At least 40% combined in both papers.
  • Reserved Categories: At least 35% combined.
    

• Reference past performance to gauge cut-off trends—generally 40–45% for General, 35–40% for reserved categories.

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6. Prep Strategy Using PYQs & Mocks

Preparation Focus	Strategy
Deep Syllabus Coverage	Break the 10 units into manageable study sessions.
PYQs Practice	Solve previous year papers focusing on key topics like historiography, administrative systems, and modern history trends.
Combine Theory + Application	Use past questions to anchor theory with factual recall.
Regular Timed Mocks	Simulate the exam environment to build speed and accuracy.
Revise Smartly	Develop notes/mind maps for each unit (e.g., Mughals, Indus Civilization, research methods).

Focus on recurring themes such as sources of history, Indian nationalism, and research methodologies—as these frequently appear.

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7. Final Takeaways

• To crack UGC NET History 2025, you must combine deep conceptual understanding (via syllabus units) with strategic practice (using mocks and PYQs).
• Understanding the exam pattern, syllabus breadth, qualifying thresholds, and exam trends gives you a strong roadmap.
• Regular mock tests, targeted revision, and clarity around historiographical methods and modern political movements will serve you well.