Updated on Mar 1, 2023 12:58 IST

UGC NET books 2023: Looking for the best books to prepare for the UGC NET exam? Check below the list of the best UGC NET books that will help boost your preparation level.

UGC_NET_Books

UGC NET Books for Paper 1 and Paper 2

UGC NET exam is held every year for determining the eligibility of candidates for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and/or Assistant Professor. The National Testing Agency (NTA) holds the UGC NET exam twice every year. The exam is conducted in two combined sessions for Paper 1 and Paper 2. Lakhs of candidates appear for the exam every year to obtain UGC NET E-certificates. As per the University Grants Commission (UGC) policy, only 6 per cent of candidates appearing in both Paper 1 and 2 and obtaining the minimum qualifying marks in aggregate are declared qualified in the exam. With such high competition, only those candidates can qualify the exam who have prepared well in advance.

Good study materials and resources such as books play very crucial roles in UGC NET preparation. Candidates must choose the right UGC NET books for Paper 1 and for their respective subject for Paper 2. It may be noted here that the UGC NET Paper 1 is common for all candidates and Paper 2 is held for 81 different subjects. Plenty of UGC NET books are available for all the subjects and papers in the market. For the ease of candidates, we have listed below the best UGC NET books for Paper 1 and Paper 2 which will help candidates in their preparations.

UGC NET Best Books

We have listed below some of the best UGC NET books for Paper 1 and 2 from leading publication houses. These are the books suggested by the UGC NET-qualified candidates. We have also highlighted the interactive features of the UGC NET Paper 1 books so that candidates can select the book as per their requirements. Also, when it comes to UGC NET preparation, studying one book is not enough, selecting two or more books for each paper will certainly give a boost to one's preparation. Have a look at the list of books below:

Q:   Why books are important for the preparation of the UGC NET exam?

A:
Books are an important source of information and knowledge for the preparation of the UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) exam. Here are some reasons why books are important for the UGC NET exam preparation: a) Comprehensive Coverage: Books provide comprehensive coverage of the UGC NET syllabus for each subject. They cover all the important topics and subtopics in detail, making it easy for candidates to understand and learn the concepts. B) Authentic Information: Books are written by subject matter experts and provide authentic and reliable information. Candidates can rely on the information provided in the books and use it as a reference for their exam preparation. C) In-depth Analysis: Books provide in-depth analysis and explanation of the concepts, making it easy for candidates to understand and apply them in the exam. They also provide examples and illustrations to help candidates grasp the concepts better. D) Practice Questions: Books provide a large number of practice questions, including previous year's question papers, model papers, and mock tests, which help candidates to evaluate their preparation level and improve their performance in the exam. E) Time-saving: Books can save a lot of time for candidates as they provide all the information and practice questions in one place. Candidates can easily refer to the books and save time in searching for information from multiple sources. F) Cost-effective: Books are a cost-effective mode of preparation for the UGC NET exam. Candidates can buy the books at a reasonable price and use them for their exam preparation. Therefore, books are an important tool for UGC NET exam preparation as they provide comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, authentic information, in-depth analysis, practice questions, time-saving, and cost-effective mode of preparation. Candidates are advised to choose the books carefully and refer to them regularly to enhance their preparation for the UGC NET exam.

Q:   Are NCERT books sufficient for the preparation of UGC NET exam?

A:

NCERT books can be beneficial for the aspirants in the initial days of preparation, especially for paper 1. However, * will not cover all the topics in detail. Sometimes UGC NET exam covers a wide range from all topics and may the NCERT book will NIT cover the topics in depth. Therefore, the candidates are advised to go through the detailed books and other study materials. Additionally solving previous years' question papers are taking mock tests can also be helpful in preparing for the UGC NET exam.

Q:   Which are the best books for the preparation of UGC NET Mass Communication exam?

A:
The best books that candidates can refer to for the preparation of the UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) exam in Mass Communication: a) UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) Mass Communication & Journalism Paper II & III by Arihant Experts b) Trueman's UGC NET Mass Communication and Journalism by S. Garg and A. Garg c) UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) Mass Communication & Journalism Paper II by Sanjay Gupta and Ruchi Gupta d) UGC NET Mass Communication and Journalism by Dr. M. Arora and Dr. M. Saxena e) NTA UGC NET Mass Communication and Journalism Paper II & III by Ashok Mehta Apart from the above-mentioned books, candidates can also refer to the standard textbooks for Mass Communication such as "Mass Communication: Theory and Practice" by Denis McQuail, "Communication Research: Techniques, Methods and Applications" by S. Kumar and R. Kaur, "Media Studies: An Introduction" by Paul Long and Tim Wall, "Theories of Communication Networks" by Peter R. Monge and Noshir S. Contractor, and "Media Effects Research: A Basic Overview" by Glenn G. Sparks.

Best UGC NET Books for Paper 1

Here's the list of best books recommended by exam toppers for preparation for UGC NET Paper 1.

UGC NET Paper 1 Book

Author

Trueman's UGC NET/SET General Paper I

M Gagan and Sajit Kumar

NTA UGC NET/SET/JRF Paper I: Teaching and Research Aptitude by Pearson

KVS Madaan

General Paper-1 UGC NET/JRF/SLET – Teaching & Research Aptitude

Arihant Experts

NTA UGC Paper 1 for NET/SET/JRF

Oxford

Let's have a look at the interactive features of the UGC NET Paper 1 books below.

NTA UGC - NET/SET/JRF Paper 1 - Teaching and Research Aptitude By Pearson

  • As per reviews from the students, this book has very little error or is almost error-free. Also, the book has covered all topics as per the latest UGC NET syllabus, divided into ten units
  • Another feature that will help many candidates is this book has published previous year’s papers  with proper solutions
  • If you talk about the content of this book, the quality is undoubtedly good. Along with good content, it has good illustrations and practical examples, which make this book one of the favourites among the aspirants.

UGC University Grants Commission NET/SET for Lectureship Exam: Paper 1  By Trueman's

  • This is another book for UGC NET Paper 1 which is very popular among the aspirants
  • Trueman’s books are known for its high-quality content presented in detail with ample amount of examples and illustrations
  • This book has explained Teaching and Research Aptitude in a very interactive way which candidates find easy to understand. This book is very helpful to build a strong foundation.   

UGC NET/SET Paper 1: Teaching & Research Aptitude General (Compulsory) - Guide  (English, Paperback, GKP)

  • The book has recently been updated as per the latest changes brought in UGC NET
  • It covers the UGC NET syllabus in detail
  • Also, they have added previous years' solved paper of UGC NET Paper 1. Hence, candidates can carry on with their practice as well
  • The main highlight of this book is the ‘communication section’, it is believed to be better than other books available in the market
  • The only cons of this book are its price, which is towards the higher side.

UGC NET/JRF/SLET General Paper-1 Teaching & Research Aptitude 2019 By Arihant Publications

  • Arihant Publications is one of the most renowned publishing houses which offers great resources for different competitive exams. This Book for UGC NET Paper 1 is also good in quality, each topic has a detailed explanation with an ample number of examples
  • They have also added to mock test apart from the previous year’s papers
  • However, this book alone is not a complete source of material for UGC NET preparation, one must follow few other reference books 

Oxford NTA UGC Paper 1 for NET/SET/JRF

  • This is another good book for UGC NET Paper 1, candidates who are looking for a good reference book can opt for this one
  • In this book, many difficult topics have been explained in a very lucid manner
  • The most interesting feature of this book is, candidates, can avail themselves of free lecture videos along with this book
  • Also, this book offers many new questions for practice based on the latest UGC NET pattern.

We will advise the candidates to choose books based on their needs. Rather than buying all books, start with one or two books mentioned above and gradually move to the other books based on your preparation levels.

Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates

SBI Clerk Prelims Admit Card 2025

10 Feb '25

IAS 2025 Application Dates

22 Jan '25 - 11 Feb '25

SBI PO 2025 Prelims Admit Card

20 Feb '25 - 28 Feb '25

ASRB NET Application Form 2025

28 Feb '25

CSIR NET December Session Exam 2024

28 Feb '25 - 2 Mar '25

SSC CPO application form 2025

16 May '25 - 14 Jun '25

IBPS PO 2025 application form

15 Jul '25

IBPS RRB PO 2025 Prelims Exam

27 Jul '25

IBPS Clerk 2025 notification

31 Jul '25

TS SET 2025 Application Form

30 Apr '25

Also Read: List of UGC NET Subjects with Codes

UGC NET Best Books for Paper 2

Here's the list of best books recommended by exam toppers for preparation for the UGC NET Paper 2.

Subjects Books

Economics / Co-operation / Demography / Rural Economics /Development Planning/Development Studies/Econometrics/ Applied Economics/Development Eco./Business Economics

Trueman's UGC NET Economics by Sriniwas Shirur

UGC NET/JRF/SET Economics (Paper 2) -Upkar Prakashan

Commerce

Trueman’s UGC NET Commerce by Praveen Kataria, Anshu Kataria & M. Shivani

Management

Trueman’s UGC-NET Management by M. Shivani

UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) Management by Mohit Aggarwal (Arihant experts)

Mass Communication and Journalism

Trueman’s UGC NET Mass Communication & Journalism by Sameer K. Mishra

UGC NET Mass Communication and Journalism by Atul Udaipuria and Nitesh Kumar Singh (Arihant)

English

UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) English Literature by Arihant Experts

Hindi

Trueman’s UGC NET Hindi Sahitya (Hindi Literature) by Board of Authors

Kannada

Samagra Kannada Sahitya Kaipidi - Useful For IAS, KAS, KES, PUC Lecturer, NET (UGC), K-SET by Lokesha Masavanaghatta

Malayalam

UGC NET /SET/ TET Malayalam Pareeksha Sahayi by Sasidharan A.P.

Odia

UGC NET/SSB/SLET/JRF Odia

Punjabi

U.G.C. NET/SET/JRF Punjabi by Universal

Sanskrit

UGC NET/JRF/SLET Sanskrit Prashan Patra (Hindi) by Priyanka Tiwari, Arihant Experts

Telugu

UGC NET & SET (Telugu Literature) by GanjiShashidar, Pothula Venkateshwar Reddy

Urdu

UGC-NET JRF & Assistant Professor Khazeen-E-Adab Urdu by M.Arshad Ansari and M. S. Ansari

Political Science

Trueman's UGC NET Political Science by K.A. Babu, Sajit Kumar

UGC NET Political Science by Rukmini Bhattacharjee (Arihant)

Psychology

Trueman's UGC NET Psychology by Dr Swati Maharshi

Sociology

Trueman's UGC NET Sociology by S.Hussain

Public Administration

Trueman's UGC NET Public Administration by Sajit Kumar

Bengali

Bengali NET/SET by Balaram Bapari

Assamese

UGC NET SET Guide By Assam Publishing Company (Assamese)

Linguistics

UGC NET/SET Linguistics Guide by Ringu Ann Baby

History

Trueman's UGC NET History by Promod Singh

Anthropology

Trueman’s UGC NET Anthropology by AM Tripathi

Education

Trueman’s UGC NET Education by Gagan Manocha

Social Work

Trueman’s UGC NET Education by Yogendra Pal

Defence and Strategic Studies

UGC-NET-JRF Defense And Strategic Studies

Home Science

Trueman’s UGC-NET Home Science by Anju Khosla & Ruchi

UGC NET /SET (JRF &LS) Home Science by Suchi Rastogi

Population Studies

Principles of Population Studies by Bhende, Himalayan Publishing House

Music

UGC NET Music Exam Guide (Hindi) by Gunjan Saxena and Nisha Rawa

Labour Welfare/Personnel Management/Industrial Relations/ Labour and Social Welfare/Human Resource Management

Trueman’s UGC NET HRM/ Human Resource Management & Labour Welfare by Reetu Dogra

Law

Trueman’s UGC NET Law by Suman Chauhan

UGC-NET: Law (Paper II) Exam Guide by Aproov Bhardwaj

Library and Information Science

Trueman’s UGC NET Library and Information Science by S. Thakur

Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies

UGC NET Buddhist, Jaina, Gandhian and Peace Studies by Deepak Kumar

Adult Education/Continuing Education/ Andragogy/Non-Formal Education

Book on Extension Education by Shruti Madan Singh, New Vishal Publications

Physical Education

Trueman’s UGC NET Physical Education by Akhilesh Tripathi

Comparative Study of Religions

Comparative Study of Religions by C.R. Jain

Comparative Study of Religions by Y. Masih

Sanskrit traditional subjects

UGC NET/JRF/SLET - Sanskrit Prashan by Priyanka Tiwari

Women Studies

Advanced Manual For Women Studies UGC/CBSE -NET/JRF by Anmol Murlidhar Nimsadkar

Visual Art (including Drawing & Painting/Sculpture Graphics/Applied Art/History of Art)

Upkar’s UGC-NET/JRF/SET Visual Art (Paper-II) by M Vasim

Museology & Conservation

Archaeology, Museology, and Conservation: A review Edited by Vibha Upadhaya

Archaeology

UGC NET/JRF Archaeology and Philosophy Paper (Hindi) by Mohan Lal

Criminology

(UGC-NET/JRF) Criminology Solved Question Paper by Mr Nitish Kumar Soni, Dr Mridul Srivastava and Dr Anup Yadava

Tribal and Regional Language

Folklore and Its Motifs in Tribal Literature by Dr Kishore Jadav

Folk Literature

Folk Literature: A Concise Guide for NET/JRF by Marya Naim

Geography

Trueman’s UGC NET Geography by A Magon, BP Panigrahi

Forensic Science

Forensic Science UGC NET/JRF-MCQ by Dr Anu Singla

Computer Science and Applications

Trueman’s UGC NET/SET Computer Science and Applications by Sanjay Singhal, Sameer Mishra

Electronic Science

CBSE UGC NET/SET ELECTRONIC SCIENCE by Sunil Kushwaha

Environmental Sciences

Trueman's UGC NET Environmental Science by Anil Tyagi and Virendra Singh

Human Rights and Duties

UGC NET/SET (JFR&LS) Human Rights & Duties by Fazil Atul Udaipuria

Tourism Administration and Management.

Trueman's UGC NET Tourism by Akhilesh

Yoga

R.Gupta’s UGC-NET Yoga Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board

UGC NET Preparation Tips 2022

Have a look at the general tips and tricks to crack the UGC NET 2022 exam below:

  • To crack the exam, candidates must have a concrete UGC NET study plan
  • Candidates must solve the UGC NET previous years’ question papers and UGC NET mock tests to improve speed and accuracy
  • Candidates should develop a habit of practising the Teaching and Research Aptitude section to ace Paper 1
  • Make your own notes
  • Practice important topics and strengthen your weak areas

Read More:

Q:   Which are the best preparation books for UGC NET (Commerce)?

A:
Some books are which are often recommended are: Arihant's NTA UGC NET/JRF/SET Paper 2 Commerce 11th and 12th textbooks for basic R. S. AGGARWAL & TS Grewal Graduation Textbook By Maheshwari and Mittal Graduation Textbook Micro Economics by Dr Deepshree Graduation level Textbook and Internet/ Wikipedia Graduation level Textbook by I. M. Pandey Post-Graduation level Textbook Business Statistics by Dr J. K. Thakur Graduation level Textbook by C. R. Kothari.

Q:   Which are the best books to prepare for history subject of UGC NET?

A:
The candidates preparing for the History subject of the UGC NET exam might get confused as there are ample books present in the market. Here are some of the best books that candidates can refer to for the preparation of the History subject of UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test): a) Trueman's UGC NET History by Promod Singh b) UGC NET/JRF/SET History (Paper II) by Promod Singh c) UGC NET History by Rukmini Bhattacharjee d) UGC NET/SET History Paper II by Dr. Alok Kumar and Dr. Shalini Mangla e) UGC NET/SET History by Dr. J. Tissainayagam and Dr. V. Suresh.

Q:   Which books are useful for UGC NET in political science?

A:
The best books that candidates can refer to for the preparation for the UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) exam in Political Science: a) UGC NET/SET Political Science Paper 2 by Pearson b) Trueman's UGC NET Political Science by K. A. Babu and Sajit Kumar c) UGC NET/JRF/SET Political Science Paper II by Sanjay Gupta and Ruchi Gupta d) UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) Political Science & International Relations Paper II & III by Sanjay Gupta and Ruchi Gupta e) NTA UGC NET Political Science Paper II & III by R. Gupta Apart from the above-mentioned books, candidates can also refer to the standard textbooks for Political Science such as "An Introduction to Political Theory" by O. P. Gauba, "Comparative Politics Today: A World View" by Gabriel A. Almond, "International Relations" by Paul R. Viotti and Mark V. Kauppi, "Indian Government and Politics" by B. L. Fadia and Kuldeep Fadia, and "Modern Political Theory" by S. P. Verma.

UGC NET Best Books FAQs

Q. Why UGC NET 2023 books are important for preparation?

A. The books play vital role in the preparation for the UGC NET exam as it helps the candidates to cover all the topics prescribed in the syllabus, if the candidate follow their time table seriously. The candidates can clear the fundamentals of the UGC NET exam through the books. The enhancement of the knowledge through the books can help the candidates to get more marks in the UGC NET exam. The candidates can learn more about the UGC NET topics easily through books without wasting time on videos that are available on the internet.

Q. What are the best Paper 1 books that are available for the UGC NET exam preparation?

A. The UGC NET preparation books for the paper 1 has been given below for the candidates:
  • CBSE UGC-NET - Teaching and Research Aptitude 
  • NTA UGC NET / SET / JRF of (Paper 1) 
  • 2019 Latest Syllabus of NTA UGC NET / SET / JRF – (Paper 1) 
  • NTA UGC NET/SET/JRF (Paper 1) 
  • Trueman’s UGC NET or SET General Paper I 

Q. What is the exam pattern of UGC NET exam?

A. The exam pattern for UGC NET has been given below for the candidates:
  • The UGC NET exam comprises two papers - paper 1 and paper 2 
  • Both the papers are compulsary in nature and the candidates have to qualify in both the papers
  • Exam duration of the exam is three hours 
  • Total number of question is 150
  • For correct answers are awarded 2  marks and no marks is deducted for the incorrect answers 
  • Total marks in UGC NET exam 300 marks 
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Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 2 days ago

Yes, you can definitely try the UGC NET in Environmental Science if you hold a Master's degree in Botany. The UGC NET eligibility criteria also include that such applicants holding their Master's degrees in subjects allied to Environmental Science are acceptable too. Botany falls in that category as

...Read more

T

Tanya Tomar

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 5 days ago

The new syllabus for UGC NET 2025 is divided into two papers: Paper 1 carries topics like General Teaching and Research Aptitude which are: Teaching Aptitude, Research Aptitude, Comprehension, Communication, Mathematical Reasoning, and Data Interpretation. This carries a total of 50 MCQs carrying 10

...Read more

L

Lalita Kumari

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 5 days ago

Since there is no separate Statistics paper in the UGC NET exam, you can choose Mathematical Sciences (Code 88). This subject includes topics from statistics, mathematics, and operations research, making it the best fit for your background.

V

Vidhi

Beginner-Level 2

Answered a week ago

Yes, the National Testing Agency released the UGC NET 2024 answer key for the December session on its official website - ugcnet.nta.ac.in. The UGC NET answer key is made available through the candidates' login on the official website. Along with the release of the answer key, the UGC NET response sh

...Read more

I

Ishita Kaur

Beginner-Level 2

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, the following are the colleges that offer PhD in Medicine without UGC NET in India:

PhD in Medicine Colleges

Accepted Exams

DMIHER

GPAT, AIPMCET

Amity University, Noida

GPAT, GATE, UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICMR JRF, ICAR AICE JRF/SRF

Chandigarh University 

GPAT, CSIR NET

LPU 

LPU NEST, ASRB ICAR NET, ICAR AICE JRF/SRF, CUET-PG

Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology

GATE, KIITEE, CSIR NET

Amity University, Gurugram

GPAT, GATE, CSIR NET, ICMR JRF

RKDF University, Bhopal

GPAT, GATE, CSIR NET

Amity University, Lucknow

GPAT, GATE, CSIR NET, ICMR JRF

K.R. Mangalam University

GATE, CSIR NET

KIIT

GATE, KIITEE, UGC NET, CSIR NET

Y

Yatendra Pradhan

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 3 weeks ago

 The NTA postponed the UGC NET Dec session exam for January 15, 2025 due to Pongal, Makar Sankranti and other festivals. The revsied dates were released by the NTA. Now, the January 15 exam was conducted on January 21 (morning shift) and January 27, 2025 in the evening shift.

S

Satyendra Garg

Beginner-Level 2

Answered 3 weeks ago

The NTA will release the UGC NET 2025 June session application form along with the notification 2025. It is advised to the candidates to fill out the correct details with utmost care in the UGC NET 2025 application form. Any request for change in the particulars after the closure of the correction p

...Read more

I

Ishita Kaur

Beginner-Level 2

Answered 3 weeks ago

Candidates will be able to apply for the UGC NET 2025 June session through online mode. The application form in any other mode will not be accepted. Also, it is important for the candidates to read the instructions, including how to fill out the application form online, provided in the Information B

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V

Virajita Shukla

Beginner-Level 2

Answered 4 weeks ago

 

Yes, a degree from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is valid for appearing in the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET). IGNOU is a recognised university, and its degrees are considered equivalent to those from other approved institutions. To be eligible

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A

Ankit kumar

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a month ago

Hello Everyone,

'Given your M.Com in Applied Business Economics, I'd recommend choosing Commerce for the UGC NET exam'. Commerce aligns well with your background, covering topics like Business Environment, Financial Management, Marketing, and Accounting, which you might find more familiar and manage

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P

Priya Kumari

Contributor-Level 7