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UGC NET aspirants claim that several questions contained ambiguous wording or answer choices that could support more than one interpretation.
UGC NET 2026 Answer Key out at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. (File/Representative Image)
Political Science candidates appearing for the UGC NET examination are raising questions over as many as 14 questions in the paper, with students and teachers calling for a detailed review of both the questions and the provisional answer key.
Furthermore, candidates are required to pay Rs 200 for every question they challenge. For an aspirant seeking to contest all 14 disputed questions, the total cost would therefore reach Rs 2,800.
Students have alleged that several questions contained ambiguous wording or answer choices that could support more than one interpretation. Suchitra Srivastava, a Political Science candidate, said around 14 questions appeared challengeable.
“… I am a student of the Textbook platform. Pradyumn Sir taught me Political Science, and I appeared for the Political Science paper. The problem right now is that 14 questions are challengeable. These are basic-understanding questions that any Political Science student can easily answer… But challenging 14 questions is not easy for a middle-class student. It costs Rs 200 per question, which means Rs 2,800 for 14 questions…” Suchitra Srivastava told ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: Educators and Aspirants visit NTA office, Student Suchitra Srivastava says, “… I am a student of the Textbook platform. Pradyumn Sir taught me Political Science, and I appeared for the Political Science paper. The problem right now is that 14 questions are… pic.twitter.com/vpadmVyqNC— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2026
The Rs 2,800 challenge cost has left candidates facing a difficult decision. They must either spend a substantial amount to contest questions they believe are flawed or risk accepting the possible impact of those questions on their scores.
The stakes are high because UGC NET scores are used to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor positions and, where applicable, PhD admissions. Even a small change in marks can be important in an examination where candidates compete for limited opportunities.
If the alleged discrepancy is verified, it could have a direct impact on candidates’ scores and, consequently, their eligibility for JRF or Assistant Professor opportunities.
The Political Science controversy comes as the broader UGC NET examination process is already facing scrutiny. The NTA has not announced a re-test for Political Science, and the subject remains among the 84 papers for which the provisional answer-key process has been completed.
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August 20, 2026, 11:03 IST
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