Skip to main content
Food Science Daily

Exam resources

UGC NET Home Science (Subject Code 012) 2026

UGC NET Home Science determines eligibility for Assistant Professor positions and Junior Research Fellowships. The subject spans food and nutrition, human development, textiles, resource management and extension education.

Last date to apply Tentative
15 Nov 2026
Exam date
15 Dec 2026
Previous papers
38
Full mocks
28
Sectionals
32

Syllabus-aligned UGC NET Home Science notes, solved questions and practice sets. Preview 20 pages free.

View syllabus & exam pattern

Food Science and Food Service ManagementUnit I252 pages Nutrition and DieteticsUnit II241 pages TextilesUnit III255 pages Apparel DesigningUnit IV216 pages Resource Management and Consumer IssuesUnit V231 pages Housing and Interior DesignUnit VI208 pages Child/Human DevelopmentUnit VII224 pages Family StudiesUnit VIII206 pages Communication for DevelopmentUnit IX183 pages Extension Management and Community DevelopmentUnit X216 pages

Open study materials

UGC NET Home Science determines eligibility for Assistant Professor posts and the Junior Research Fellowship. Food and nutrition forms a substantial part of the Paper II syllabus.

Conducted by
National Testing Agency (NTA) for the UGC
UGC NET official site (opens on the official site) NTA (opens on the official site)

Who can apply

A postgraduate degree is required. Age requirements depend on whether the application concerns the Junior Research Fellowship or Assistant Professor eligibility.

  • At least 55% in a postgraduate degree from a UGC-recognised institution
  • JRF: not more than 30 years, on the first of the month the exam concludes
  • Assistant Professor and Ph.D. admission: no upper age limit
  • Relaxations for reserved categories are set per cycle

A summary. Confirm the details in the current notice.

Source: UGC NET (NTA) ↗. Checked 2026-08-15.

Based on past papers, not an official scheme. Confirm in the current notice.

Every section is compulsory, with no choice between them, and the paper is timed at 120 minutes.

Sections, questions and marks
Section Questions Marks Status
Paper II — Home Science 100 200 Compulsory
Paper total — 200

Paper II is a single subject paper — there is no optional section to choose.

Marking scheme

+2 for a correct answer. There is no negative marking. An unanswered question scores zero. Our mocks for this exam are scored the same way.

Source: NTA UGC-NET June 2026 information bulletin ↗

NTA's official subject- and category-wise cut-offs for Home Science (code 012). The figures are combined Paper 1 + Paper 2 marks (the exam totals 300). Each session has three thresholds: JRF (which also covers Assistant Professor), Assistant Professor (which also covers PhD admission), and PhD admission only.

Category-wise cut-off marks by year
Year Stage UNRESERVED OBC(NCL) EWS SC ST Third Gender Source
2025 (December session) JRF cut-off (marks, out of 300) 212 200 202 192 182 — Official, NTA UGC NET December 2025 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2025 (December session) Assistant Professor cut-off (marks, out of 300) 186 168 170 160 156 — Official, NTA UGC NET December 2025 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2025 (June session) JRF cut-off (marks, out of 300) 202 188 192 182 176 152 Official, NTA UGC NET June 2025 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2025 (June session) Assistant Professor cut-off (marks, out of 300) 174 156 156 148 146 152 Official, NTA UGC NET June 2025 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2024 (December session) JRF cut-off (marks, out of 300) 204 192 196 180 178 — Official, NTA UGC NET December 2024 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2024 (December session) Assistant Professor cut-off (marks, out of 300) 180 164 164 156 156 — Official, NTA UGC NET December 2024 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2024 (June session) JRF cut-off (marks, out of 300) 214 202 200 194 186 — Official, NTA UGC NET June 2024 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗
2024 (June session) Assistant Professor cut-off (marks, out of 300) 188 172 170 164 162 176 Official, NTA UGC NET June 2024 subject/category-wise cutoff ↗

Compared across past papers. Not an official announcement.

Detected changes between consecutive papers
Change Compared papers Before After What changed
2021 UGC NET Home Science 2020 (November) — Home Science Part → UGC NET Home Science 2021 — Paper II 96 q 192 marks 120 min 1 section 100 q 200 marks 120 min 1 section
Questions 96 → 100 Marks 192 → 200 Section split Paper II — Home Science 96q → 100q
2020 UGC NET Home Science 2018 (July) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2020 (November) — Home Science Part 99 q 198 marks 120 min 1 section 96 q 192 marks 120 min 1 section
Questions 99 → 96 Marks 198 → 192 Section split Paper II — Home Science 99q → 96q
2018 UGC NET Home Science 2017 (January) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2018 (July) — Paper II 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 99 q 198 marks 120 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 99 Duration 75 → 120 min Marks 100 → 198 Section split Paper II — Home Science 50q → 99q
2017 UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2017 (November) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2017 UGC NET Home Science 2017 (November) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2017 (November) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2017 UGC NET Home Science 2017 (November) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2017 (January) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2017 UGC NET Home Science 2017 (January) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2017 (January) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2016 UGC NET Home Science 2015 (June) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2016 UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2016 UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2016 (July) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2015 UGC NET Home Science 2015 (December) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2015 (December) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2015 UGC NET Home Science 2015 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2015 (June) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2014 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (December) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2014 (December) — Paper III 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 74 q 148 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 74 Marks 150 → 148 Section split Paper III — Home Science 75q → 74q
2014 UGC NET Home Science 2014 (December) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2014 (December) — Paper II 74 q 148 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 74 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 148 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2014 UGC NET Home Science 2014 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2014 (June) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2012 (December) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (September) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (September) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (September) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (September) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (June) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (June) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 71 q 142 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 71 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 142 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (June) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (December) — Paper II 71 q 142 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 71 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 142 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2013 UGC NET Home Science 2013 (December) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2013 (December) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2012 UGC NET Home Science 2011 (December) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2012 (June) — Paper II 40 q 80 marks 75 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 40 → 50 Marks 80 → 100 Section split Paper II — Home Science 40q → 50q
2012 UGC NET Home Science 2012 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2012 (June) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2012 UGC NET Home Science 2012 (June) — Paper III → UGC NET Home Science 2012 (December) — Paper II 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 75 → 50 Duration 150 → 75 min Marks 150 → 100 Dropped Paper III — Home Science Added Paper II — Home Science
2012 UGC NET Home Science 2012 (December) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2012 (December) — Paper III 50 q 100 marks 75 min 1 section 75 q 150 marks 150 min 1 section
Questions 50 → 75 Duration 75 → 150 min Marks 100 → 150 Dropped Paper II — Home Science Added Paper III — Home Science
2011 UGC NET Home Science 2010 (December) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2011 (June) — Paper II 43 q 86 marks 75 min 1 section 49 q 98 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 43 → 49 Marks 86 → 98 Section split Paper II — Home Science 43q → 49q
2011 UGC NET Home Science 2011 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2011 (December) — Paper II 49 q 98 marks 75 min 1 section 40 q 80 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 49 → 40 Marks 98 → 80 Section split Paper II — Home Science 49q → 40q
2010 UGC NET Home Science 2009 (December) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2010 (June) — Paper II 44 q 88 marks 75 min 1 section 45 q 90 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 44 → 45 Marks 88 → 90 Section split Paper II — Home Science 44q → 45q
2010 UGC NET Home Science 2010 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2010 (December) — Paper II 45 q 90 marks 75 min 1 section 43 q 86 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 45 → 43 Marks 90 → 86 Section split Paper II — Home Science 45q → 43q
2009 UGC NET Home Science 2009 (June) — Paper II → UGC NET Home Science 2009 (December) — Paper II 43 q 86 marks 75 min 1 section 44 q 88 marks 75 min 1 section
Questions 43 → 44 Marks 86 → 88 Section split Paper II — Home Science 43q → 44q

Free PDFs and recommended books for UGC NET Home Science. How we choose

Free PDFs

12 free PDFs

Food safety & law

FSSAI

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (full text)

The core food law behind every CFSO, TO and Food Analyst law paper.

Free PDF · fssai.gov.in

FSSAI

Manual for Food Safety Officers — A Ready Reckoner

FSSAI's own handbook of a Food Safety Officer's hygiene and enforcement duties.

Free PDF · fssai.gov.in

FSSAI

Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Spices and Condiments

Official methods for spice quality and adulterant detection.

Free PDF · fssai.gov.in

FSSAI

Compendium — Food Additives Regulations (December 2022)

Consolidated legal limits for additives by food category.

Free PDF · fssai.gov.in

Processing & preservation

FSSAI

Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods — Cereal and Cereal Products (2022)

Official analytical methods for cereals and flours.

Free PDF · fssai.gov.in

NCERT

Class 12 Human Ecology & Family Sciences — Food Processing and Technology

A plain-language overview of preservation and processing.

Free PDF · ncert.nic.in

Nutrition

FAO

Human Nutrition in the Developing World (Latham)

A classic free textbook on macro- and micronutrients and deficiency diseases.

Free PDF · fao.org

NCERT

Class 12 Human Ecology & Family Sciences — Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics

A simple introduction to clinical nutrition and dietetics.

Free PDF · ncert.nic.in

Official and open resources

5 resources

Exam-specific preparation

1 resource

UGC NET guide

Trueman's UGC NET Home Science

Broad Paper II coverage across nutrition, textiles, human development.

Reading suggestion

Core food science

1 resource

Nutrition reference

Nutritive Value of Indian Foods by C. Gopalan

Important nutrition tables and Indian-food composition reference.

Reading suggestion

Free channels worth following for UGC NET Home Science.

YouTube channels

1 channel

Coaching (free lectures)

Adda247 UGC NET — Home Science

A free unit-wise UGC NET Home Science Paper 2 series covering all ten units.

Watch on YouTube

Full topic list and section weightage UGC NET Home Science syllabus and exam pattern

Free access

Start with a free sectional test

Sign up and start. No payment details.

Start Paper II - Home Science

Complete series

UGC NET Home Science — Complete Test Series

Every test. Free to practice.

30 tests 41h of practice
Free
View tests

Tests for this exam

28 results · page 3 of 3