UGC NET 2026: NTA Sacks 600 Experts After Paper Error Row


NEW DELHI, August 28, 2026 —

UGC NET 2026: NTA Orders Re-Exam, Sacks 600 Subject Experts After Paper Error Scandal

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has removed 600 subject experts from its examination team and ordered fresh exams for three UGC NET 2026 subjects, following a full-scale audit ordered by the Ministry of Education after major errors surfaced in the June session question papers.



Highlights

  • NTA re-exam for English, Commerce, Sociology on September 9-10, 2026
  • No additional fee for candidates re-appearing
  • 84 other UGC NET subjects unaffected — results on schedule
  • 600 subject experts removed from NTA's exam-setting panel
  • NTA headquarters to relocate under CISF security cover

What Happened

The National Testing Agency, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education, has been under scrutiny over major lapses in conducting competitive exams, including NEET-UG 2026. The latest controversy centers on UGC NET June 2026, where NTA withheld provisional answer keys for English, Commerce, and Sociology while releasing keys for the remaining 84 subjects. ThePrint

Seven weeks after the exam, NTA confirmed the reason: extensive errors and repeated questions were found in the question papers for these three subjects, prompting the agency to order fresh examinations. Business Today

Re-Exam Schedule

H3: English — September 9, 2026, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
H3: Commerce — September 9, 2026, 3:00 PM–6:00 PM
H3: Sociology — September 10, 2026, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM

Candidates will not be charged any additional examination fee for the re-tests. Revised admit cards are expected shortly on the official portal, ugcnet.nta.ac.in. Business Today



Other Subjects Unaffected

Results for the remaining 84 subjects will be declared as scheduled, with no disruption to Junior Research Fellowship allocation or eligibility certificates for Assistant Professorships and PhD admissions. Business Today

For English, Commerce and Sociology candidates seeking Assistant Professor eligibility, the qualifying benchmark will be set at 6% of candidates who appeared in either the June test or the upcoming re-test — whichever figure is higher. Business Today

NTA's Internal Overhaul

The controversy has triggered a wider shake-up inside NTA. A day after the education ministry directed a thorough audit of all exam processes, NTA revamped its examination team — removing 600 subject experts and onboarding new ones. ThePrint

The agency has also informed the ministry that it will shift its offices to a new premises on a war footing, with security reinforced by Central Industrial Security Force teams. NTA is currently based in Okhla Industrial Estate. ThePrint



Background — NTA's Troubled 2026

This is NTA's second major controversy this year. Earlier in 2026, irregularities in NEET-UG triggered weeks of youth-led protests that eventually forced then-Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign in July. Pralhad Joshi was subsequently handed additional charge of the Ministry of Education. The UGC NET row has renewed pressure on the ministry to reform NTA's exam-conducting processes.

What Candidates Should Do

Affected candidates should track the official website for revised admit cards, avoid paying any unofficial "re-exam fee" demanded through unauthorized sources, and rely only on NTA's official notices for updates — not social media rumors.

FAQs

Q1. Is there a fee for the UGC NET re-exam?
No, NTA has confirmed no additional fee will be charged.

Q2. Will results for all 87 subjects be delayed?
No, only English, Commerce, and Sociology are affected. The other 84 subjects will see results on the original schedule.

Q3. What is the new qualifying criteria for the affected subjects?

6% of candidates, based on whichever candidate pool — June or September — is larger.

Sources:

  • Business Today
  • ThePrint

Disclaimer: This post is based on publicly available news reports as of August 28, 2026. Exam schedules and policies may change — verify details on the official NTA website before proceeding.

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