UGC NET CS
UGC NET - Computer Science & Applications (Code 87)
10 units covering discrete structures, architecture, programming, DBMS, OS, software engineering, algorithms, TOC, networks, AI.
Syllabus & Units
Discrete Structures & Optimization
Logic, sets, counting, group and graph theory, Boolean algebra, linear and integer programming.
Computer System Architecture
Digital logic, data representation, register transfer, CPU, pipelining, I/O, memory hierarchy.
Programming Languages & Computer Graphics
C, C++, OOP, web programming, graphics primitives, 2D and 3D transforms.
Database Management Systems
Data models, ER, SQL, normalization, transactions, big data, NoSQL, data warehousing and mining.
System Software & Operating Systems
Compilers, loaders, OS basics, processes, threads, scheduling, deadlocks, memory, security, virtualization.
Software Engineering
Process models, requirements, design, quality, estimation, testing, configuration management.
Data Structures & Algorithms
Trees, hashing, complexity, design techniques, graph algorithms, P/NP, advanced algorithms.
Theory of Computation & Compilers
Regular and context-free languages, Turing machines, undecidability, parsing, semantic analysis, code generation.
Data Communication & Computer Networks
Signals, OSI / TCP-IP, framing, IPv4/IPv6, WWW, network security, mobile, cloud and IoT.
Artificial Intelligence
Search, knowledge representation, planning, NLP, multi-agent systems, fuzzy sets, GA, ANN.
FAQs
What is the UGC NET CS exam pattern?
Two papers in one 3-hour sitting. Paper 1 (50 questions, 100 marks) is general aptitude / teaching aptitude common to all subjects. Paper 2 (100 questions, 200 marks) is Computer Science and Applications, code 87. No negative marking.
What is JRF and why does it matter?
Junior Research Fellowship: a monthly stipend (currently around Rs 37,000 for the first 2 years, Rs 42,000 thereafter) for candidates who clear NET in the top fellowship percentile. It is the standard funding route into a CS PhD in India.
How is NET CS different from GATE CS?
NET CS Paper 2 covers everything GATE CS covers, plus Software Engineering and a wider Discrete Maths section. NET also has Paper 1 (teaching / research aptitude). GATE skips Paper 1 entirely.
Can I prepare for NET and GATE together?
Yes, the syllabus overlap is roughly 65 to 70 percent. Plan GATE first (deeper, harder), then add Paper 1 and the NET-only topics (Software Engineering, broader AI / KR, parts of Optimization) in the last 6 to 8 weeks. The blog has a combined-prep timeline.
How often is NET conducted?
Twice a year, in June and December cycles. Application windows open about 6 weeks before each exam.
Is there a marks breakdown for Paper 2 by unit?
UGC does not publish a strict per-unit weight, but historically DBMS, Operating Systems, Networks, Algorithms, and Software Engineering account for the bulk of Paper 2 questions. Discrete Maths and TOC are usually 10 to 15 questions combined.