All India · Junior Research Fellowship and/or Assistant Professor eligibility; Ph.D. admission

UGC NET Law 2026: Syllabus, Previous Year Papers & Bare Acts

UGC NET Law (Subject Code 58)

1
Stage
49
Past papers
41
Acts in syllabus
No
Negative marking

UGC NET in Law is a national eligibility test conducted by the National Testing Agency. It decides eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as Assistant Professor, for Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission, or for Ph.D. admission only. It has a common teaching and research aptitude paper and a Law subject paper, both objective and computer-based.

Conducted by
National Testing Agency (NTA) for the University Grants Commission
Official website
ugcnet.nta.nic.in
Language
Questions in English and Hindi (per the FAQ); the test is computer-based.
Negative marking
No negative marking for incorrect answers (per the FAQ).
Final selection
Candidates must qualify on the aggregate of both papers (40% General, 35% reserved categories); the top 6% of those qualifying are declared qualified for Assistant Professor (FAQ).
Last advertisement
2024 (December) · Public notice extending the application deadline for UGC-NET December 2024; the 2025 and 2026 advertisements are scanned with no text. (per Advertisement 2024; the next cycle may differ)

Official website and notifications

Exam pattern and stages

  1. UGC NET written test (computer-based): Two objective papers attempted together in one 3-hour sitting, 300 marks in total, with no negative marking; both papers must be attempted and qualified on aggregate.
    PaperQuestionsMarksDuration
    Paper 1: Teaching and Research Aptitude (common to all subjects) 2 marks per question; teaching aptitude, research aptitude, comprehension, communication, reasoning, logical reasoning, data interpretation, ICT, people and environment, higher education system (5 questions each, per FAQ)501003 hours (both papers combined)
    Paper 2: Law (Subject code 58) 2 marks per question; ten units1002003 hours (both papers combined)

Syllabus

Paper by paper, as the official syllabus lists it.

Unit I: Jurisprudence

  • Nature and sources of law
  • Schools of jurisprudence
  • Law and morality
  • Concept of rights and duties
  • Legal personality
  • Concepts of property, ownership, and possession
  • Concept of liability
  • Law, poverty, and development
  • Global justice
  • Modernism and post-modernism

Unit II: Constitutional and Administrative Law

  • Preamble, fundamental rights and duties, directive principles of state policy
  • Union and State executive and their interrelationship
  • Union and State legislature and distribution of legislative powers
  • Judiciary
  • Emergency provisions
  • Temporary, transitional and special provisions in respect of certain states
  • Election Commission of India
  • Nature, scope and importance of administrative law
  • Principle of natural justice
  • Judicial review of administrative actions

Unit III: Public International Law and IHL

  • International law: definition, nature and basis
  • Sources of international law
  • Recognition of states and governments
  • Nationality, immigrants, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)
  • Extradition and asylum
  • United Nations and its organs
  • Settlement of international disputes
  • World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • International humanitarian law (IHL): conventions and protocols
  • Implementation of IHL: challenges

Unit IV: Law of Crimes

  • General principles of criminal liability: actus reus and mens rea, individual and group liability and constructive liability
  • Stages of crime and inchoate crimes: abetment, criminal conspiracy and attempt
  • General exceptions
  • Offences against human body
  • Offences against state and terrorism
  • Offences against property
  • Offences against women and children
  • Drug trafficking and counterfeiting
  • Offences against public tranquility
  • Theories and kinds of punishments, compensation to the victims of crime

Unit V: Law of Torts and Consumer Protection

  • Nature and definition of tort
  • General principles of tortious liability
  • General defenses
  • Specific torts: negligence, nuisance, trespass and defamation
  • Remoteness of damages
  • Strict and absolute liability
  • Tortious liability of the State
  • The Consumer Protection Act 1986: definitions, consumer rights and redressal mechanism · Read the act
  • The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988: no fault liability, third party insurance and claims tribunal · Read the act
  • The Competition Act, 2002: prohibition of certain agreements, abuse of dominant position and regulation of combinations · Read the act

Unit VI: Commercial Law

  • Essential elements of contract and e-contract
  • Breach of contract, frustration of contract, void and voidable agreements
  • Standard form of contract and quasi-contract
  • Specific contracts: bailment, pledge, indemnity, guarantee and agency
  • Sale of Goods Act, 1930 · Read the act
  • Partnership and limited liability partnership
  • Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 · Read the act
  • Company law: incorporation of a company, prospectus, shares and debentures
  • Company law: directors and meetings
  • Corporate social responsibility

Unit VII: Family Law

  • Sources and schools
  • Marriage and dissolution of marriage
  • Matrimonial remedies: divorce and theories of divorce
  • Changing dimensions of institution of marriage: live-in relationship
  • Recognition of foreign decrees in India on marriage and divorce
  • Maintenance, dower and stridhan
  • Adoption, guardianship and acknowledgement
  • Succession and inheritance
  • Will, gift and wakf
  • Uniform Civil Code

Unit VIII: Environment and Human Rights Law

  • Meaning and concept of 'environment' and 'environmental pollution'
  • International environmental law and UN Conferences
  • Constitutional and legal framework for protection of environment in India
  • Environmental Impact Assessment and control of hazardous waste in India
  • National Green Tribunal
  • Concept and development of human rights
  • Universalism and cultural relativism
  • International Bill of Rights
  • Group rights: women, children, persons with disabilities, elderly persons, minorities and weaker sections
  • Protection and enforcement of human rights in India: National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Minorities, for Women, for Scheduled Castes, for Scheduled Tribes and for Backward Classes

Unit IX: Intellectual Property Rights and Information Technology Law

  • Concept and meaning of intellectual property
  • Theories of intellectual property
  • International conventions pertaining to intellectual properties
  • Copyright and neighboring rights: subject matters, limitations and exceptions, infringement and remedies
  • Law of patent: patentability, procedure for grant of patent, limitations and exceptions, infringement and remedies
  • Law of trademark: registration of trademarks, kinds of trademarks, infringement and passing off, remedies
  • Protection of Geographical Indications
  • Bio-diversity and Traditional Knowledge
  • Information technology law: digital signature and electronic signature, electronic governance, electronic records and duties of subscribers
  • Cyber crimes, penalties and adjudication

Unit X: Comparative Public Law and Systems of Governance

  • Comparative law: relevance, methodology, problems and concerns in comparison
  • Forms of governments: presidential and parliamentary, unitary and federal
  • Models of federalism: USA, Canada and India
  • Rule of Law: 'formal' and 'substantive' versions
  • Separation of powers: India, UK, USA and France
  • Independence of judiciary, judicial activism and accountability: India, UK and USA
  • Systems of constitutional review: India, USA, Switzerland and France
  • Amendment of the Constitution: India, USA and South Africa · Read the act
  • Ombudsman: Sweden, UK and India
  • Open Government and Right to Information: USA, UK and India

Bare Acts for this exam

41 acts tagged for UGC NET Law. Each opens section by section, free to read.

Old law → new law tables: IPC → BNS · CrPC → BNSS

Previous year papers

49 prelims papers, 2004 to 2025. All UGC NET Law papers by year

2025 (June)

2025 (December)

2024 (June)

2024 (December)

2023 (June)

2023 (December)

2022 (June)

2021 (November)

2020 (June)

2019 (June)

2018 (July)

2017 (November) - Paper III

2017 (November) - Paper II

2016 (July) - Paper III

2016 (July) - Paper II

2015 (June) - Paper III

2015 (June) - Paper II

2015 (December) - Paper III

2015 (December) - Paper II

2014 (June) - Paper III

2014 (June) - Paper II

2014 (December) - Paper III

2014 (December) - Paper II

2013 (September) - Paper III

2013 (September) - Paper II

2013 (June) - Paper III

2013 (June) - Paper II

2013 (December) - Paper III

2013 (December) - Paper II

2012 (June) - Paper III

2012 (June) - Paper II

2012 (December) - Paper III

2012 (December) - Paper II

2011 (June) - Paper II

2011 (December) - Paper II

2010 (June) - Paper II

2010 (December) - Paper II

2009 (June) - Paper II

2009 (December) - Paper II

2008 (June) - Paper II

2008 (December) - Paper II

2007 (December) - Paper II

2006 (June) - Paper II

2006 (December) - Paper II

2005 (June) - Paper II

2005 (December) - Paper II

2004 (December) - Paper II

September

June

Eligibility

A degree in law from a recognised university; the notification has the full conditions. Per the 2024 FAQ: Junior Research Fellowship maximum 31 years as on 1 January of the exam year, with relaxation for reserved categories; no upper age limit for Assistant Professor. Confirm against the current NTA bulletin. No limit on the number of attempts (FAQ) Qualifying marks: 40% aggregate for General/Unreserved and 35% for PwD/SC/ST/OBC-NCL/Third Gender; Assistant Professor qualification is then given to the top 6% of those crossing the minimum (FAQ)

Relaxations, attempts and category rules are in each cycle's notification.

UGC NET Law: frequently asked questions

What is the pattern of the UGC NET Law exam?
UGC NET Law (Subject Code 58) has 1 stage. UGC NET written test (computer-based): Two objective papers attempted together in one 3-hour sitting, 300 marks in total, with no negative marking; both papers must be attempted and qualified on aggregate. Papers: Paper 1: Teaching and Research Aptitude (common to all subjects): 50 questions, 100 marks, 3 hours (both papers combined); Paper 2: Law (Subject code 58): 100 questions, 200 marks, 3 hours (both papers combined).
Is there negative marking in UGC NET Law?
No negative marking for incorrect answers (per the FAQ).
In which language is the UGC NET Law exam held?
Questions in English and Hindi (per the FAQ); the test is computer-based.
Who is eligible for UGC NET Law?
A degree in law from a recognised university; the notification has the full conditions. Per the 2024 FAQ: Junior Research Fellowship maximum 31 years as on 1 January of the exam year, with relaxation for reserved categories; no upper age limit for Assistant Professor. Confirm against the current NTA bulletin. No limit on the number of attempts (FAQ) Qualifying marks: 40% aggregate for General/Unreserved and 35% for PwD/SC/ST/OBC-NCL/Third Gender; Assistant Professor qualification is then given to the top 6% of those crossing the minimum (FAQ) The notification for each cycle has the full conditions and relaxations.
Where is the UGC NET Law notification published?
National Testing Agency (NTA) for the University Grants Commission publishes the notification, dates and results on its official website, ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Check it for the current cycle.
Which bare acts are in the UGC NET Law syllabus?
41 acts are tagged for UGC NET Law here, including the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Companies Act, 2013, Competition Act, 2002, Constitution of India, Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and more. Each can be read section by section.

Facts on this page are read from UGC NET Law Syllabus, UGC NET Law FAQs, Advertisement 2024, owner note UGC-NET-Law and may change with each notification. Dates, vacancies and cut-offs for the coming cycle are not stated here; the official website has them.