UGC NET Commerce

NET SYLLABUS COMMERCE

UGC NET (Commerce)

UGC NET (Commerce) INTRODUCTION

UGC NET (Commerce) The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been entrusted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) with the task of conducting UGC-NET, which is a Test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for ‘Assistant Professor’ as well as ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor’ in Indian Universities and Colleges.The UGC-NET is being conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode w.e.f. December 2018 onwards.

Awarding of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and/ or Eligibility for Assistant Professorship depends on the aggregate performance of the candidate in Paper-I and Paper-II of UGC-NET. The candidates qualifying only for Assistant Professorship are not eligible to be considered for the award of JRF. Candidates who qualify the eligibility test for Assistant Professorship are governed by the rules and regulations of the concerned Universities/Colleges/State Governments, as the case may be for recruitment of Assistant Professor.

UGC-NET is conducted twice every year (June & December). In order to regularize the UGC-NET examination cycle, the National Testing Agency (NTA), with the concurrence of UGC is conducting UGC NET December 2023 in 83 subjects, at selected cities across the country.

NET SYLLABUS

There are two papers:

Paper 1 (General Teaching and Research Aptitude) and

Paper 2 (Commerce-specific topics).

Paper 1 (GENERAL PAPER ON TEACHING & RESEARCH APTITUDE)

The main objective is to assess the teaching and research capabilities of the candidates. The test aims at assessing the teaching and research aptitude as well. Candidates are expected to possess and exhibit cognitive abilities, which include comprehension, analysis, evaluation, understanding the structure of arguments, deductive and inductive reasoning. The candidates are also expected to have a general awareness about teaching and learning processes in higher education system. Further, they should be aware of interaction between people, environment, natural resources and their impact on the quality of life. The details of syllabi are as follows:

Unit-I :Teaching Aptitude

• Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory,
  Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
• Learner’s characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners
  (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
• Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material,
  Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.
• Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centred vs.
  Learner centred methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam,
  Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).
• Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
• Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in
  Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based
  testing, Innovations in evaluation systems.

Unit-II: Research Aptitude

• Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Post-positivistic approach to research.
• Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative
  and Quantitative methods.
• Steps of Research.
• Thesis and Article writing: Format and styles of referencing.
• Application of ICT in research.
• Research ethics.

Unit-III: Comprehension

• A passage of text be given. Questions be asked from the passage to be
  answered.

Unit-IV: Communication

• Communication: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication.
• Effective communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and group
  communications, Classroom communication.
• Barriers to effective communication.
• Mass-Media and Society.

Unit-V :Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude 

• Types of reasoning
• Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships
• Mathematical Aptitude (Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and
  Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc.).

Unit-VI :Logical Reasoning

• Understanding the structure of arguments: argument forms, structure of
  categorical propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal fallacies,
  Uses of language, Connotations and denotations of terms, Classical
  square of opposition.
• Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning.
• Analogies.
• Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of
  arguments.
• Indian Logic: Means of knowledge.
• Pramanas: Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana
  (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and
  Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension).
• Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation),
  Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference).

Unit-VII :Data Interpretation

• Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
• Quantitative and Qualitative Data
• Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart
  and Line-chart) and mapping of Data
• Data Interpretation.
• Data and Governance

Unit-VIII: Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

• ICT: General abbreviations and terminology.
• Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing.
• Digital initiatives in higher education.
• ICT and Governance

Unit-IX :People, Development and Environment

• Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable
  development goals.
• Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their
  impacts on environment.
• Environmental issues: Local, Regional and Global; Air pollution, Water
  pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution, Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical,
  hazardous, electronic), Climate change and its Socio-Economic and
  Political dimensions.
• Impacts of pollutants on human health.
• Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal,
  Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
• Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies
• Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate
  Change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit,
  Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International
  Solar Alliance.

Unit-X :Higher Education System

• Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India
• Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India.
• Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India.
• Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
• Value education and environmental education.
• Policies, Governance, and Administration.

Download the UGC NET Paper1 syllabus in PDF format

Paper 2(Subject: Commerce)

UGC NET (Commerce)

Unit 1: Business Environment and International Business
Unit 2: Accounting and Auditing
Unit 3: Business Economics
Unit 4: Business Finance
Unit 5: Business Statistics and Research Methods
Unit 6: Business Management and Human Resource Management
Unit 7: Banking and Financial Institutions
Unit 8: Marketing Management
Unit 9: Legal Aspects of Business
Unit 10: Income-tax and Corporate Tax Planning

Unit 1: Business Environment and International Business

• Concepts and elements of business environment: Economic environment- Economic
  systems, Economic policies(Monetary and fiscal policies); Political environment Role of government in business; Legal environment- Consumer Protection Act,
  FEMA; Socio-cultural factors and their influence on business; Corporate Social
  Responsibility (CSR)
• Scope and importance of international business; Globalization and its drivers; Modes
  of entry into international business
• Theories of international trade; Government intervention in international trade; Tariff
  and non-tariff barriers; India’s foreign trade policy
• Foreign direct investment (FDI) and Foreign portfolio investment (FPI); Types of
  FDI, Costs and benefits of FDI to home and host countries; Trends in FDI; India’s
  FDI policy
• Balance of payments (BOP): Importance and components of BOP
• Regional Economic Integration: Levels of Regional Economic Integration; Trade
  creation and diversion effects; Regional Trade Agreements: European Union (EU),
  ASEAN, SAARC, NAFTA
• International Economic institutions: IMF, World Bank, UNCTAD
• World Trade Organisation (WTO): Functions and objectives of WTO; Agriculture
  Agreement; GATS; TRIPS; TRIMS

Unit 2: Accounting and Auditing

• Basic accounting principles; concepts and postulates
• Partnership Accounts: Admission, Retirement, Death, Dissolution and Insolvency of
  partnership firms
• Corporate Accounting: Issue, forfeiture and reissue of shares; Liquidation of
  companies; Acquisition, merger, amalgamation and reconstruction of companies
• Holding company accounts
• Cost and Management Accounting: Marginal costing and Break-even analysis;
  Standard costing; Budgetary control; Process costing; Activity Based Costing (ABC);
  Costing for decision-making; Life cycle costing, Target costing, Kaizen costing and
  JIT
• Financial Statements Analysis: Ratio analysis; Funds flow Analysis; Cash flow
  analysis
• Human Resources Accounting; Inflation Accounting; Environmental Accounting
• Indian Accounting Standards and IFRS
• Auditing: Independent financial audit; Vouching; Verification ad valuation of assets
  and liabilities; Audit of financial statements and audit report; Cost audit
• Recent Trends in Auditing: Management audit; Energy audit; Environment audit;
  Systems audit; Safety audit

Unit 3: Business Economics

• Meaning and scope of business economics
• Objectives of business firms
• Demand analysis: Law of demand; Elasticity of demand and its measurement;
  Relationship between AR and MR
• Consumer behavior: Utility analysis; Indifference curve analysis
• Law of Variable Proportions: Law of Returns to Scale
• Theory of cost: Short-run and long-run cost curves
• Price determination under different market forms: Perfect competition; Monopolistic
  competition; Oligopoly- Price leadership model; Monopoly; Price discrimination
• Pricing strategies: Price skimming; Price penetration; Peak load pricing

Unit 4: Business Finance

• Scope and sources of finance; Lease financing
• Cost of capital and time value of money
• Capital structure
• Capital budgeting decisions: Conventional and scientific techniques of capital
  budgeting analysis
• Working capital management; Dividend decision: Theories and policies
• Risk and return analysis; Asset securitization
• International monetary system
• Foreign exchange market; Exchange rate risk and hedging techniques
• International financial markets and instruments: Euro currency; GDRs; ADRs
• International arbitrage; Multinational capital budgeting

Unit 5: Business Statistics and Research Methods

• Measures of central tendency
• Measures of dispersion
• Measures of skewness
• Correlation and regression of two variables
• Probability: Approaches to probability; Bayes’ theorem
• Probability distributions: Binomial, poisson and normal distributions
• Research: Concept and types; Research designs
• Data: Collection and classification of data
• Sampling and estimation: Concepts; Methods of sampling – probability and non probability methods; Sampling distribution; Central limit theorem; Standard error;
  Statistical estimation
• Hypothesis testing: z-test; t-test; ANOVA; Chi–square test; Mann-Whitney test (U-test); Kruskal-Wallis test (H-test); Rank correlation test
• Report writing

Unit 6: Business Management and Human Resource Management

• Principles and functions of management
• Organization structure: Formal and informal organizations; Span of control
• Responsibility and authority: Delegation of authority and decentralization
• Motivation and leadership: Concept and theories
• Corporate governance and business ethics
• Human resource management: Concept, role and functions of HRM; Human resource
  planning; Recruitment and selection; Training and development; Succession planning
• Compensation management: Job evaluation; Incentives and fringe benefits
• Performance appraisal including 360 degree performance appraisal
• Collective bargaining and workers’ participation in management
• Personality: Perception; Attitudes; Emotions; Group dynamics; Power and politics;
  Conflict and negotiation; Stress management
• Organizational Culture: Organizational development and organizational change

Unit 7: Banking and Financial Institutions

• Overview of Indian financial system
• Types of banks: Commercial banks; Regional Rural Banks (RRBs); Foreign banks;
  Cooperative banks
• Reserve Bank of India: Functions; Role and monetary policy management
• Banking sector reforms in India: Basel norms; Risk management; NPA management
• Financial markets: Money market; Capital market; Government securities market
• Financial Institutions: Development Finance Institutions (DFIs); Non-Banking
  Financial Companies (NBFCs); Mutual Funds; Pension Funds
• Financial Regulators in India
• Financial sector reforms including financial inclusion
• Digitisation of banking and other financial services: Internet banking; mobile
  banking; Digital payments systems
• Insurance: Types of insurance- Life and Non-life insurance; Risk classification and
  management; Factors limiting the insurability of risk; Re-insurance; Regulatory
  framework of insurance- IRDA and its role

Unit 8: Marketing Management

• Marketing: Concept and approaches; Marketing channels; Marketing mix; Strategic
  marketing planning; Market segmentation, targeting and positioning
• Product decisions: Concept; Product line; Product mix decisions; Product life cycle;
  New product development
• Pricing decisions: Factors affecting price determination; Pricing policies and
  strategies
• Promotion decisions: Role of promotion in marketing; Promotion methods –
  Advertising; Personal selling; Publicity; Sales promotion tools and techniques;
  Promotion mix
• Distribution decisions: Channels of distribution; Channel management
• Consumer Behaviour; Consumer buying process; factors influencing consumer
  buying decisions
• Service marketing
• Trends in marketing: Social marketing; Online marketing; Green marketing; Direct
  marketing; Rural marketing; CRM
• Logistics management

Unit 9: Legal Aspects of Business 

• Indian Contract Act, 1872: Elements of a valid contract; Capacity of parties; Free
  consent; Discharge of a contract; Breach of contract and remedies against breach;
  Quasi contracts;
• Special contracts: Contracts of indemnity and guarantee; contracts of bailment and
  pledge; Contracts of agency
• Sale of Goods Act, 1930: Sale and agreement to sell; Doctrine of Caveat Emptor;
  Rights of unpaid seller and rights of buyer
• Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881: Types of negotiable instruments; Negotiation and
  assignment; Dishonour and discharge of negotiable instruments
• The Companies Act, 2013: Nature and kinds of companies; Company formation;
  Management, meetings and winding up of a joint stock company
• Limited Liability Partnership: Structure and procedure of formation of LLP in India
• The Competition Act, 2002: Objectives and main provisions
• The Information Technology Act, 2000: Objectives and main provisions; Cyber
  crimes and penalties
• The RTI Act, 2005: Objectives and main provisions
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) : Patents, trademarks and copyrights; Emerging
  issues in intellectual property
• Goods and Services Tax (GST): Objectives and main provisions; Benefits of GST;
  Implementation mechanism; Working of dual GST

Unit 10: Income-tax and Corporate Tax Planning

• Income-tax: Basic concepts; Residential status and tax incidence; Exempted incomes;
  Agricultural income; Computation of taxable income under various heads; Deductions
  from Gross total income; Assessment of Individuals; Clubbing of incomes
• International Taxation: Double taxation and its avoidance mechanism; Transfer
  pricing
• Corporate Tax Planning: Concepts and significance of corporate tax planning; Tax
  avoidance versus tax evasion; Techniques of corporate tax planning; Tax
  considerations in specific business situations: Make or buy decisions; Own or lease an
  asset; Retain; Renewal or replacement of asset; Shut down or continue operations
• Deduction and collection of tax at source; Advance payment of tax; E-filing of
  income-tax returns

Download the UGC NET (Commerce) Paper2 syllabus in PDF format

FAQs UGC NET Commerce

1.What is UGC NET Commerce?

UGC NET Commerce is a national-level exam conducted to determine eligibility for Assistant Professorship and Junior Research Fellowship in the field of Commerce.

2.What are the eligibility criteria for UGC NET Commerce?

Candidates must have a master’s degree in Commerce or related subjects with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for reserved categories).

3.How many papers are there in UGC NET Commerce?

There are two papers: Paper 1 (General Teaching and Research Aptitude) and Paper 2 (Commerce-specific topics).

4.What is the mode of the UGC NET Commerce exam?

The exam is conducted online as a computer-based test (CBT).

5.What is the duration of the exam?

The exam is 3 hours long without any break between the two papers.

6.What is the passing criteria for UGC NET Commerce?

Candidates need to score at least 40% aggregate marks (35% for reserved categories) across both papers.

7.How often is the UGC NET Commerce exam conducted?

It is usually conducted twice a year by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

8.Can I apply for UGC NET Commerce multiple times?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of attempts for the UGC NET exam.

9.Where can I download the admit card for UGC NET Commerce?

The admit card can be downloaded from the official NTA UGC NET website.

10.How can I apply for the UGC NET Commerce exam?

You can apply online through the official NTA UGC NET website by filling out the application form, uploading necessary documents, and paying the exam fee within the specified timeline.