UGC NET Nursing Syllabus 2026 – Complete Topic List & Weightage

UGC NET Nursing syllabus 2026 — complete topic list

If you are an M.Sc. Nursing graduate aiming for Assistant Professor or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Indian universities, the UGC NET Nursing exam is your gateway. The syllabus is divided into two papers: Paper I (General Teaching & Research Aptitude) and Paper II (Subject-specific Nursing). This page provides the entire UGC NET Nursing syllabus 2026, including every section, sub-topic, and weightage, so you know exactly what to study.

Always confirm dates, fees and eligibility on the official notification before applying.

Paper I – Teaching & Research Aptitude (Common for all subjects)

Paper I is common for all UGC NET candidates and tests your teaching and research aptitude. It carries 50 questions (100 marks) and covers the following units:

• Unit 1: Teaching Aptitude – Nature, objectives, characteristics of teaching; learner characteristics; factors affecting teaching; methods of teaching; teaching aids; evaluation systems.
• Unit 2: Research Aptitude – Research meaning, types, steps; thesis and article writing; research ethics; plagiarism.
• Unit 3: Comprehension – A passage of text followed by questions.
• Unit 4: Communication – Nature, types, barriers, effective classroom communication.
• Unit 5: Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude – Types of reasoning; number series; letter series; codes; mathematical aptitude (fraction, time, distance, ratio, etc.).
• Unit 6: Logical Reasoning – Understanding argument forms; Venn diagrams; syllogisms; inductive/deductive reasoning.
• Unit 7: Data Interpretation – Sources, acquisition, interpretation of data; graphical representation (bar, pie, line charts); data analysis.
• Unit 8: Information & Communication Technology (ICT) – ICT basics; email, internet, social media; e-governance; digital initiatives in higher education.
• Unit 9: People & Environment – Human interaction; environmental issues; pollution; natural resources; sustainable development.
• Unit 10: Higher Education System – Governance, polity, administration; institutions of higher learning; professional councils; evaluation reforms.

Section-wise breakdown with weightage

UGC NET Nursing exam is conducted as Computer Based Test (CBT) with a total duration of 180 minutes (3 hours). The marking scheme is: +2 for each correct answer, 0 for incorrect (no negative marking). Maximum marks: 300.

| Section | Number of Questions | Marks | Duration | |---------|-------------------|-------|----------| | Paper I (General) | 50 | 100 | 1 hour (shared) | | Paper II (Nursing) | 100 | 200 | 3 hours total |

Paper II is the subject-specific section and carries 200 marks. It covers the entire M.Sc. Nursing curriculum. The weightage of topics in Paper II is based on previous years’ trends (approximate):

• Nursing Foundation & Education – 15-20% (includes nursing theories, education, administration)
• Medical-Surgical Nursing – 20-25% (includes adult health, critical care, oncology)
• Community Health Nursing – 10-15% (includes epidemiology, biostatistics, family health)
• Obstetric & Gynaecological Nursing – 10-12%
• Pediatric Nursing – 8-10%
• Psychiatric Nursing – 8-10%
• Research & Statistics – 10-12%
• Nursing Management & Leadership – 5-8%

Subject-wise topics in detail

1. Nursing Foundation & Education

• Nursing theories (Orem, Roy, Henderson, Nightingale)
• Nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation)
• Health assessment & physical examination
• Teaching-learning principles, curriculum development
• Evaluation in nursing education (OSCE, OSPE, viva, assignments)
• Continuing education, in-service education
• Nursing standards, code of ethics, legal aspects

2. Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Pathophysiology and nursing management of common disorders:
• Cardiovascular: hypertension, CAD, heart failure, MI
• Respiratory: COPD, asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis
• Gastrointestinal: peptic ulcer, hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis
• Renal: acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, dialysis
• Endocrine: diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders
• Neurological: stroke, meningitis, epilepsy, head injury
• Musculoskeletal: fractures, arthritis, osteoporosis
• Perioperative nursing (pre, intra, post-operative care)
• Critical care nursing (ICU, ventilators, hemodynamic monitoring)
• Oncology nursing (chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care)
• Emergency nursing (triage, BLS, ACLS, trauma management)

3. Community Health Nursing

• Concepts of health, disease, and prevention levels
• Epidemiology: natural history, disease transmission, outbreak investigation
• Biostatistics: measures of central tendency, dispersion, probability, sampling
• National health programs (NHP, RCH, immunization, TB, HIV/AIDS)
• Family health, school health, occupational health
• Health planning, health committees, health care delivery system
• Demography, vital statistics, family planning methods

4. Obstetric & Gynaecological Nursing

• Antenatal care (high-risk pregnancy, antenatal assessment)
• Intranatal care (stages of labour, pain management, partograph)
• Postnatal care (postpartum complications, family planning)
• Gynaecological disorders (PCOD, endometriosis, prolapse, infertility)
• Contraceptive methods, abortion, MTP act
• Neonatal care (resuscitation, low birth weight, kangaroo care)

5. Pediatric Nursing

• Growth and development (milestones, theories)
• Common childhood illnesses (diarrhoea, pneumonia, malnutrition, measles)
• Neonatal nursing (NICU, jaundice, sepsis, congenital anomalies)
• Immunization schedule, cold chain
• Child health nursing (play therapy, hospitalised child, child abuse)
• Pediatric emergencies (status epilepticus, poisoning, burns)

6. Psychiatric Nursing

• Mental health assessment (MSE, psychiatric history)
• Therapeutic communication, nurse-patient relationship
• Psychopharmacology (antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers)
• Disorders: schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, anxiety, OCD, PTSD
• De-addiction, suicide prevention, crisis intervention
• Community mental health, mental health act

7. Research & Statistics

• Research types (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods)
• Research process (problem statement, hypothesis, variables, sampling)
• Data collection tools (questionnaire, interview, observation)
• Data analysis (descriptive & inferential statistics, t-test, chi-square, ANOVA)
• Ethical issues in nursing research
• Evidence-based practice (EBP)

8. Nursing Management & Leadership

• Management theories (classical, behavioural, modern)
• Planning, organising, staffing, directing, controlling
• Budgeting, inventory control, quality assurance
• Leadership styles, conflict management, change management
• Nursing audit, accreditation (NABH, JCI)
• Legal issues in nursing (negligence, malpractice, informed consent)

Recent syllabus changes for 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) revises the UGC NET syllabus periodically. For 2026, the following updates have been observed (based on official notifications):

• Increased emphasis on research methodology – The Research & Statistics section now includes more questions on qualitative research designs and mixed methods.
• Addition of digital health topics – Tele-nursing, electronic health records (EHR), and mobile health (mHealth) have been added under Community Health Nursing.
• Revised mental health content – The Psychiatric Nursing section now includes newer treatment modalities like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine therapy.
• Updated national health programmes – Content on Ayushman Bharat, PM-JAY, and National Digital Health Mission has been incorporated.

Always verify the latest syllabus from the official website: https://ugcnet.nta.ac.in/.

Topics ranked by frequency in past papers

Based on analysis of previous UGC NET Nursing question papers (last 5 years), the following topics appear most frequently:

1. 1Nursing theories – Orem, Roy, Henderson (almost every year)
2. 2Research process – Hypothesis, sampling, data analysis (high frequency)
3. 3Cardiovascular nursing – MI, hypertension, heart failure
4. 4National health programmes – Especially immunization, RCH, TB
5. 5Psychiatric disorders – Schizophrenia, depression, anxiety
6. 6Obstetric emergencies – PPH, preeclampsia, eclampsia
7. 7Pediatric growth & development – Milestones, immunization
8. 8Nursing management – Leadership, budgeting, quality assurance
9. 9Biostatistics – t-test, chi-square, p-value
10. 10Ethical & legal issues – Informed consent, negligence, code of ethics

Focus on these high-yield topics to maximise your score. For targeted practice, use the mock tests on PractiseExam.com that simulate the actual UGC NET Nursing exam pattern.

Official syllabus PDF download

The most authoritative source for the UGC NET Nursing syllabus is the official NTA website. Follow these steps to download the PDF:

1. 1Visit https://ugcnet.nta.ac.in/
2. 2Click on “Information Bulletin” or “Syllabus” under the candidate corner.
3. 3Select “Nursing” from the list of subjects.
4. 4Download the PDF (usually named “UGC-NET-Syllabus-Nursing.pdf”).

Alternatively, you can find the syllabus PDF on the official UGC website: https://www.ugc.ac.in/.

Note: The PDF contains the complete list of topics with sub-headings. It is recommended to print it and use it as a checklist during preparation.

How to use this syllabus for preparation

• Create a study plan – Allocate 2-3 months for Paper II and 1 month for Paper I.
• Prioritise high-weightage topics – Medical-Surgical Nursing and Nursing Foundation should be covered first.
• Practice with mock tests – Attempt at least 10 full-length mock tests on PractiseExam.com to build speed and accuracy.
• Revise using the syllabus PDF – Tick off topics as you complete them.
• Focus on research & statistics – This section can be scoring if you understand basic formulas and concepts.

For a detailed preparation strategy, check our preparation strategy page. Also, explore the best books for UGC NET Nursing and exam pattern page for a complete overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the UGC NET Nursing syllabus same for JRF and Assistant Professor?

Yes, the syllabus is identical for both JRF and Assistant Professor eligibility. The only difference is the age limit for JRF (30 years).

2. How many questions are asked from Paper I in UGC NET Nursing?

Paper I has 50 questions (100 marks). It is common for all subjects and covers teaching aptitude, research, communication, logical reasoning, etc.

3. Can I skip Paper I and focus only on Nursing?

No, you must attempt both papers. Your final score is the sum of Paper I and Paper II marks. Paper I is essential for qualifying.

4. What is the passing percentage for UGC NET Nursing?

The cut-off varies each year. Generally, the minimum qualifying marks are 40% for General category (120 out of 300) and 35% for reserved categories (105 out of 300).

5. Is there negative marking in UGC NET Nursing?

No, there is no negative marking. Each correct answer gives +2 marks, and unattempted or incorrect answers receive 0 marks.

6. Where can I download the official UGC NET Nursing syllabus PDF?

Download from the official NTA website: https://ugcnet.nta.ac.in/. Look for the “Syllabus” link under the candidate section.