UGC NET Law 2026: Smart Strategy to Prepare Paper I & Paper II(Law) Together

Overview: With the June attempt concluded, it's the perfect time to strategise for the upcoming December session to achieve your goal of clearing NET or JRF. This blog post outlines an effective strategy essential for success in the NTA eligibility test. 

The June attempt is done, and it's time to target the December session to achieve your goal of clearing NET or JRF. Whether you are a seasoned student or a beginner, developing a sound strategy is crucial for success in the NTA eligibility test. 

To clear the UGC NET/JRF, you must focus equally on both Paper I and Paper II. While Paper II is your core subject (Law), Paper I is highly scoring and critical for achieving the final clearance. 

Download Free UGC NET Law Study Material By LegalEdge

What is the UGC NET Structure for the Exam? 

The UGC NET exam syllabus consists of two papers. Clearing this exam opens up options for research work or becoming an Assistant Professor. 

Feature	Paper I (General)	Paper II (Subject-Oriented - Law)
Focus	General, Common things (e.g., Teaching/Research Aptitude)	Subject-oriented (Law)
Questions	50 Questions	100 Questions
Marks	100 Marks	200 Marks
Total Marks	300 Marks (Paper I + Paper II)

Important Note: The UGC Net Law exam pattern currently has no negative marking, meaning students typically attempt all 150 questions. 

How to prepare for Paper I in the UGC NET Exam?

Paper I tests knowledge essential to teaching and research, covering topics such as Teaching Aptitude, Research Aptitude, Comprehension, Communication, Environment, People Development, General Awareness, and Higher Education. 

Paper I consists of 10 units, but you should prioritise those that are highly scoring and certain. 

High-Scoring Units for Paper I 

The sources identify four units with very high confidence in their scores. If you secure these, you can guarantee a significant portion of your marks: 

• Mathematics: The formulas remain the same, providing reliability in your answers if practised correctly. 
• Data Interpretation (DI): Five questions are guaranteed from DI, securing 10 marks if prepared well. 
• Reading Comprehension (RC): Questions are based solely on the comprehension provided, making practice highly effective for scoring. 
• Logical Reasoning: Similar to Math/DI, the logical approaches applied remain constant, allowing for consistent scores through practice. 

If you are a beginner, it is highly recommended to start your preparation with these specific units. While you shouldn't skip the less specific units, the initial focus should be on building a strong foundation. 

How to prepare for Law (Paper II) in the UGC NET Exam? 

Paper II (Law) is known to be very vast, encompassing numerous case laws, detailed topics, subtopics, and complex interpretations. This vastness is common across all subject papers. 

The critical shift in preparation is moving beyond simply applying previous years' questions (PYQs): 

• Understand the Concepts: You must understand the underlying concepts. By gaining a firm grip on an idea, you will be able to answer various types of questions asked around that topic comfortably. 
• Identify Favourite Topics: NTA generally keeps about 70% of the subject core consistent, focusing on established "favourite topics". Identifying these through analysis is key. 

How to Build a Comprehensive Strategy for UGC NET Paper I Alongside Law (Paper II)? 

Achieving NET or JRF status necessitates equal focus on both papers. You cannot afford to focus solely on Paper II, even if you have studied the subject (Law) extensively during your master's, as this will prevent your NET or JRF from clearing. Paper I is highly scoring and is critical for cracking the UGC NET Law exam.
If you are a beginner and have 4–5 months available, use this time to start working on your known weak points rather than waiting until the last month to rely solely on your strengths.

Start with Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

UGC NET Law PYQs are considered the "Ramban" (ultimate remedy) for the UGC NET exam. 

• Initial Step: Start your entire preparation by analysing the last three to four years' worth of PYQs. 
• Identify Weaknesses: Use PYQs to find where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and then specifically work on improving those weak points. 
• Why Not Older PYQs? Since the trend has changed, focusing on PYQs older than four years is generally not necessary, unless used later for practice. 

Address Your Weak Points Early

If you know, for example, that your Mathematics or any other topic is weak, acknowledge this and work on it immediately, especially since you have several months available. Focusing on strengths is better reserved for the final month or two of preparation. 

Limit and Trust Your Study Sources

A major mistake is accumulating too many resources and notes from different toppers, multiple books, coaching PDFs, etc.. 

• Limit Sources: Keep your sources very limited, ideally one to two sources maximum. 
• Trust Your Mentor: Choose a mentor/teacher who can explain concepts clearly and has a track record of success. Stick to that source and trust it(don't constantly jump between 10 different sources). 
• Repetition over Variety: Rather than reading 10 different sources, read your chosen source(s) 10 times. Sticking to your limited sources and repeating the material frequently will lead to success. 

Expand Your Practice Sources

Practice is essential for clearing the UGC NET or JRF exam. Beyond the UGC NET papers, consider using materials from related high-level examinations for excellent practice: 

• DU/Central University Papers: Specifically for Law students, practising the Delhi University (DU) LLM entrance papers is recommended, as the level is high and provides good preparation. 
• IGNOU Papers. 
• State Entrance Test (SET) Papers. 
• Other Central University Exams

Key Takeaways: 

• Start Your Prep with PYQs: Beginners should begin their preparation by analysing PYQs immediately.
• The Current Trend: Focus specifically on the last three to four years' worth of PYQs, as the trend of the exam has changed. Extremely old papers (8, 10, or 11 years back) can be used later for practice, but are not necessary for the initial preparation phase.
• Identify Gaps: Use PYQs to find where your strengths and, more importantly, weaknesses lie, so you can work specifically on improving those weak points.
• Work on Weak Points Early: If you know your Math or any other subject is weak, it is the best time to work on it now, when you have four to five months available.
• Avoid Taking Chances: Do not rely solely on your strengths right now. If you have time, you must work on your weaknesses while revising important topics.