New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has decided to conduct re-examinations for three subjects of the UGC-NET 2026 examination held in June. The decision covers English, Commerce and Sociology after candidates raised complaints about several alleged errors in the question papers, including factual inaccuracies, printing mistakes, translation issues, grammatical and language-related problems, as well as repetition of previously asked questions. Following a review by a committee constituted to examine the complaints, the NTA decided to hold fresh examinations for the three subjects to ensure a fair and equal opportunity for candidates.
According to the schedule announced by the NTA, the English re-examination will be held on September 9 from 9 am to 12 noon. The Commerce examination will be conducted on the same day from 3 pm to 6 pm. The date and timing for the Sociology re-examination will be communicated by the agency separately. Candidates appearing for the affected subjects will receive further instructions regarding examination centres and other arrangements through official channels.
Decision Taken After Examination Complaints
The NTA received several complaints from candidates regarding the question papers of the three subjects. The complaints included alleged factual errors in questions, printing-related mistakes, translation issues, grammatical and language problems, and repetition of questions that had appeared in earlier examinations. Considering the nature of the complaints, the agency constituted a committee to examine the matter.
After reviewing the question papers and complaints submitted by candidates, the committee recommended conducting fresh examinations for the three subjects to maintain fairness in the assessment process. The NTA subsequently accepted the recommendation and announced the re-examinations. The agency has stated that the objective is to protect the credibility of the examination and provide affected candidates with a fair opportunity.
No Additional Examination Fee
Candidates appearing for the re-examinations will not have to pay any additional examination fee. Students who are required to take the English, Commerce or Sociology examination again will therefore not be charged separately for the fresh test.
The NTA has also clarified that the re-examination of the three subjects will not delay the results of the remaining subjects. The UGC-NET 2026 examination covered 87 subjects, and the evaluation process for the other 84 subjects is proceeding according to the existing schedule. The agency said the re-examinations will not affect the declaration of results for those subjects.
Provisional Answer Keys Released for 84 Subjects
The NTA has released provisional answer keys for 84 of the 87 subjects. Answer keys for English, Commerce and Sociology have not been released as the examinations for these subjects are being conducted again.
Candidates who appeared for the other 84 subjects can submit challenges against the provisional answer keys. Under the prescribed procedure, objections can be submitted until 11:59 pm on August 18. Candidates are required to pay a fee of ₹200 for each question challenged. The objections will subsequently be reviewed by subject experts before the final answer keys are prepared.
Congress Questions Government and NTA
The decision to conduct re-examinations in three subjects has also triggered a political response. The Congress has criticised the examination process and raised questions about the functioning of the NTA.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera criticised the agency in a post on X, arguing that the NTA had once again come under scrutiny over the examination process.
The NTA is now preparing to conduct the fresh examinations according to the announced schedule while continuing the evaluation and result process for the remaining 84 subjects. The re-examination is intended to address concerns raised over the three affected question papers without disrupting the broader UGC-NET 2026 result timeline.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
