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UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026 & Previous Trends

14 Min Read

The UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026 is an important benchmark for candidates who appeared for Law (Subject Code 058). The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the UGC NET June 2026 result on August 28, 2026, along with subject-wise and category-wise cut-off marks.

The cut-off is different for JRF and Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and PhD, and PhD Only. It also varies according to the candidate’s category.

This article covers the latest UGC NET Law cut-off for 2026 and compares it with previous years to help candidates understand how the cut-off has changed over time.

UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026

For the June 2026 examination, the Law cut-off for the Unreserved category was:

CategoryJRF + Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor + PhDPhD Only
Unreserved204178160
OBC (NCL)190164148
EWS194164144
SC180154138
ST174150134

These figures are for Law, Subject Code 058, and are part of the June 2026 subject-wise cut-off list.

The three categories shown in the 2026 cut-off table have a specific meaning. Candidates should therefore compare their marks with the qualification category applicable to them rather than looking at one single “UGC NET cut-off.”

UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026: Category-Wise Details

General / Unreserved Category

For the Unreserved category, the June 2026 Law cut-off was:

  • 204 marks for JRF and Assistant Professor
  • 178 marks for Assistant Professor and PhD
  • 160 marks for PhD Only

OBC-NCL Category

For OBC-NCL candidates:

  • 190 marks for JRF and Assistant Professor
  • 164 marks for Assistant Professor and PhD
  • 148 marks for PhD Only

EWS Category

For EWS candidates:

  • 194 marks for JRF and Assistant Professor
  • 164 marks for Assistant Professor and PhD
  • 144 marks for PhD Only

SC Category

For SC candidates:

  • 180 marks for JRF and Assistant Professor
  • 154 marks for Assistant Professor and PhD
  • 138 marks for PhD Only

ST Category

For ST candidates:

  • 174 marks for JRF and Assistant Professor
  • 150 marks for Assistant Professor and PhD
  • 134 marks for PhD Only

UGC NET Law Previous Year Cut Off

Looking at previous cycles gives a clearer picture of how much the cut-off can move.

The following table compares the main categories for recent UGC NET Law examinations:

SessionCategoryJRFAssistant ProfessorPhD Only
June 2026UR204178160
June 2026OBC-NCL190164148
June 2026EWS194164144
June 2026SC180154138
June 2026ST174150134
December 2025UR218188166
December 2025OBC-NCL202172154
December 2025EWS210174150
December 2025SC196162144
December 2025ST182156140
June 2025UR200178158
June 2025OBC-NCL190166142
June 2025EWS192160138
June 2025SC180146126
June 2025ST178138120
December 2024UR218194174
December 2024OBC-NCL202178158
December 2024EWS208180156
December 2024SC190166148
December 2024ST190156138
June 2024UR216188166
June 2024OBC-NCL204174154
June 2024EWS206172148
June 2024SC188162144
June 2024ST184154138

The June 2025 and December 2024 figures are published in the respective NTA cut-off data, while the June 2024 figures are also available in the NTA subject/category-wise cut-off record.

What Does the Previous Trend Show?

The previous years show that the UGC NET Law cut-off does not remain fixed.

For example, the Unreserved JRF cut-off moved from:

  • 216 in June 2024
  • 218 in December 2024
  • 200 in June 2025
  • 218 in December 2025
  • 204 in June 2026

This variation shows why candidates should not treat the previous year’s cut-off as a guaranteed target for the next examination.

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UGC NET Law JRF Cut Off Trend

The JRF cut-off is generally higher than the corresponding Assistant Professor cut-off.

For the Unreserved category, the recent JRF cut-offs were:

SessionUR JRF Cut Off
June 2026204
December 2025218
June 2025200
December 2024218
June 2024216

The figures demonstrate considerable variation between sessions rather than a consistent year-on-year increase or decrease.

UGC NET Law Assistant Professor Cut Off Trend

For the Unreserved category, the recent Assistant Professor cut-offs were:

SessionUR Assistant Professor Cut Off
June 2026178
December 2025188
June 2025178
December 2024194
June 2024188

Again, the numbers fluctuate between examination cycles.

UGC NET Law PhD Only Cut Off Trend

The PhD Only category was included in the recent cut-off tables.

For the Unreserved category:

SessionUR PhD Only Cut Off
June 2026160
December 2025166
June 2025158
December 2024174
June 2024166

The PhD Only cut-off has also varied from one session to another.

Why Does the UGC NET Law Cut Off Change?

The cut-off can change from one examination cycle to another because several factors affect the final qualifying marks.

Difficulty of the Examination

The difficulty level of the Law paper can influence candidate performance. If candidates generally score lower in a particular session, the cut-off can also move accordingly.

However, difficulty alone does not determine the final cut-off.

Number of Candidates

The number of candidates appearing for the examination and their overall performance can affect the competition for available qualification categories.

Category

The cut-off is released separately for different categories. Therefore, candidates should always check the cut-off corresponding to their own category.

Availability of JRF Slots

JRF has a more limited number of available fellowships compared with the broader Assistant Professor eligibility category. This is one reason the JRF threshold is generally higher.

Overall Candidate Performance

The cut-off reflects the performance distribution of candidates in the particular examination cycle. A candidate should therefore avoid assuming that the previous session’s marks will automatically apply to the next session.

What Is the Minimum Qualifying Percentage for UGC NET?

The minimum qualifying percentage is different from the final subject-wise cut-off.

The basic minimum aggregate requirement is:

CategoryMinimum Aggregate
General / Unreserved40%
Reserved Categories35%

Meeting this minimum requirement does not automatically mean that a candidate will qualify for JRF or Assistant Professor. The subject-wise and category-wise cut-off is the relevant benchmark for qualification.

Minimum Marks vs UGC NET Law Cut Off

These two terms are often confused.

Minimum Qualifying Marks

These are the basic percentage requirements prescribed for eligibility to be considered.

Subject-Wise Cut Off

This is the actual cut-off for a particular subject and category.

For example, a candidate may satisfy the minimum percentage requirement but still fall below the Law cut-off for JRF or Assistant Professor.

Therefore:

Minimum qualifying marks make you eligible to be considered; the subject and category-wise cut-off determines the actual qualification level.

How Should You Read the 2026 Law Cut Off?

Suppose a candidate belongs to the Unreserved category and has scored 185 marks in UGC NET Law.

The June 2026 cut-offs were:

  • JRF + Assistant Professor: 204
  • Assistant Professor + PhD: 178
  • PhD Only: 160

A score of 185 is below the JRF cut-off but above the Assistant Professor and PhD cut-off.

The candidate should therefore look at the appropriate qualification category rather than simply asking whether 185 is “above the UGC NET cut-off.”

Is 200 Marks a Good Score for UGC NET Law?

A fixed score cannot guarantee the same qualification category in every examination cycle.

The previous trend shows that the Unreserved JRF cut-off has ranged from 200 to 218 across the June 2024 to June 2026 sessions shown above.

Therefore, candidates should use previous cut-offs as a reference point, not as a guaranteed qualifying score.

How to Use Previous Cut Offs for Preparation

Previous cut-offs are most useful when they are used to set a realistic preparation target.

Keep a Target Above the Historical Cut Off

Instead of preparing only to reach the previous cut-off, aim to create a reasonable margin above it.

This provides some protection against changes in difficulty and competition.

Track JRF and Assistant Professor Separately

If your goal is JRF, studying only the Assistant Professor cut-off is not sufficient.

Maintain separate targets for the qualification category you want to pursue.

Analyse Your Mock Test Scores

After every mock test, compare your marks with historical Law cut-offs.

For example:

Mock ScoreWhat to Check
Below 160Strengthen fundamentals and improve accuracy
160–180Work on consistency and weak areas
180–200Focus on improving accuracy and higher-level questions
200+Continue revision and work on maintaining performance

These ranges are preparation benchmarks, not official qualifying thresholds.

What Candidates Should Do After the 2026 Result

If you have already appeared for UGC NET Law 2026, compare your score with the exact category and qualification level applicable to you.

If you did not qualify, the previous cut-off trend can help identify how much improvement may be required for the next attempt.

Focus on:

  • Analysing incorrect questions
  • Identifying weak Law units
  • Revising important concepts
  • Solving previous-year questions
  • Improving Paper 1 performance
  • Taking full-length mocks
  • Tracking scores over time

If you qualified, the next step depends on the qualification category and your academic or career plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026 for General category?

For June 2026, the Unreserved Law cut-off was 204 for JRF and Assistant Professor, 178 for Assistant Professor and PhD, and 160 for PhD Only.

What is the UGC NET Law JRF Cut Off 2026?

The June 2026 JRF cut-off for Law was 204 for the Unreserved category, 190 for OBC-NCL, 194 for EWS, 180 for SC and 174 for ST.

What is the UGC NET Law Assistant Professor Cut Off 2026?

For June 2026, the Law cut-off for Assistant Professor and PhD was 178 for Unreserved, 164 for OBC-NCL, 164 for EWS, 154 for SC and 150 for ST.

Does the UGC NET Law cut-off remain the same every year?

No. The cut-off changes between examination cycles depending on factors such as candidate performance, examination difficulty and the applicable qualification category.

Is the UGC NET Law cut-off different for JRF and Assistant Professor?

Yes. The cut-offs are separately specified for different qualification categories, and the JRF threshold is generally higher than the Assistant Professor threshold.

Can I use previous-year cut-offs to predict the next cut-off?

Previous cut-offs can help you understand the historical range, but they cannot guarantee the cut-off for a future examination.

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Conclusion

The UGC NET Law Cut Off 2026 shows why candidates should look beyond a single qualifying number. The cut-off varies according to category and qualification level, and it can change considerably between examination sessions.

The June 2026 Unreserved cut-off for Law was 204 for JRF and Assistant Professor, 178 for Assistant Professor and PhD, and 160 for PhD Only.

Previous years also show fluctuations. The Unreserved JRF cut-off, for example, was 216 in June 2024, 218 in December 2024, 200 in June 2025, 218 in December 2025 and 204 in June 2026.

For future preparation, candidates should use these figures as historical benchmarks while focusing primarily on improving their own score, accuracy and consistency.

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