To be eligible for the UGC NET in HRM (Human Resource Management) and LW (Labour Welfare)Commerce, you must meet one of the following criteria:

(i) Possess a 2-year postgraduate degree, commonly known as a master’s degree.

(ii) Hold a 4-year bachelor’s degree in Commerce or a related field.

Now, let’s explore both qualifications in detail to understand the eligibility of the UGC NET in HRM (Code 55)

In case you have 2 year Master’s degree

Marks Requirement

You are eligible for UGC NET in HRM if you have passed a 2-year Master’s degree program with a minimum of 55% marks (requirement is lowered at 50% if you belong to SC or ST or OBC or PwD or Third Gender category).

Which subject can you choose

You can write UGC NET in that subject only in which you have done your post-graduation (master degree).

For example, if you have done M.Com, you are not eligible to write UGC NET in HRM. You can appear for UGC NET in Commerce (Code 08) only.

Since you are planning to write UGC NET in HRM and Labour Welfare (Code 55), therefore you should have masters degree in HRM, Industrial Relations, labour Laws, Personnel Management etc. If you have MBA degree, you are eligible for Code 55 HRM, even if you have specialization in Operations Management or Financial Management. Just having MBA degree makes you eligible.

Part Time or Full Time

It does not matter, if you have MBA degree through part time or correspondence. You are eligible for UGC NET, irrespective of mode of degree.

Diploma and Certificate Courses

If you have post-graduate Diploma (and not post-graduate degree), then you are eligible only if your Diploma has been granted status equivalent to Post-Graduate Degree. The equivalence status is granted by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU website). To check, if your Diploma is equivalent, check it on website of AIU ( Go to Home Page >> Evaluation, click this Link ). If your diploma is there in this list, then you are eligible, otherwise not. You may also reach out principal or director of your college and ask, if your diploma has equivalence certificate of AIU (they always know it).

For instance, IIM provides 2-year diploma and not 2-year degree. Hence they should be not eligible for UGC NET. But PG Diploma of IIMs has been granted equivalence certificate by the AIU and this makes them eligible for UGC NET in HRM.

Foreign University Degrees

Similarly, if you have done MBA from a foreign institute or university, you are not eligible for UGC NET exam, unless your program has been given equivalence certificate by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) (www.aiu.ac.in).

Pursuing PG Degree or having failed in few subjects

However if you are still pursuing a two-year Master’s degree program, you are eligible to write UGC NET exam. Till 2024, you were eligible to write only when in second year of study. But after June 2024, there has been relaxation in this.

Now you can write UGC NET exam anytime (even in first year) while pursuing your PG Degree. But you must complete your masters within 2 years from the date of declaration of result of UGC NET (for Category 1 and Category 2).

If you qualify for the “Admission to Ph.D. only”(Category 3), then you do not get 2 years. You must complete your masters within 1 year from the date of declaration of result of UGC NET.

In case of 4-year Bachelor’s degree

First thing, 4 year Bachelor’s degree makes you eligible for UGC NET, but you are eligible for ‘JRF’ and “Admission to PhD” only. You are not eligible for “Assistant Professor” eligibility.

Marks Requirement

You are eligible if you have passed a 4-year Bachelor’s degree program with a minimum of 75% marks (this is 70% if you belong to SC or ST or OBC or PwD or Third Gender category).

Which subject can you choose

You can write the UGC-NET exam in any subject (out of list of 83 subjects), irrespective of the discipline of your four-year bachelor’s degree. (Full List of subjects). Thus, you can plan to join PhD in any discipline. This is in line with National Education Policy 2020 objectives, which gives flexibility to move around in multi-disciplinary courses.

For instance, if you have done B. Tech in Civil Engineering, you are eligible to apply for the UGC-NET exam in History. This provides great flexibility. Thus anyone with 4 year degree course can write UGC NET in HRM.

Pursuing 4 year Degree or having failed in few subjects

If you are still pursuing a four-year Bachelor’s degree program, you are eligible only  in the final year/semester. But you must complete your bachelors within 2 years from the date of declaration of UGC-NET result.

If you qualify for the “Admission to Ph.D.” option, you must complete your bachelors within 1 year from the date of declaration of UGC-NET result..

Age limit

If you want to apply for JRF, you must not be more than 30 years of age as on 1st day of of the month, in which UGC NET is planned to be conducted.

For example, if you are planning to write UGC NET in June 2024, your age should be less than 30 years on 01 June 2024.

For example, if you are planning to write UGC NET in December 2024, your age should be less than 30 years on 01 December 2024.

There is a relaxation of 5 years if you are SC or ST or OBC or PwD or Third Gender or Women. All female candidates have age limit of 35 years.

There is no upper age limit to apply for Assistant Professorship. You can apply at any age of life.

There is no upper age limit for admission to Ph. D (without JRF). You can apply at any age of life.