UGC‑NET JRF – Marking Scheme
(Foundation & Exam Strategy – Level: IIT‑JEE/Competitive)
Why it matters
The UGC‑NET JRF exam is a multiple‑choice test with negative marking.
Knowing the exact scoring rules lets you optimize your attempts and maximise your expected score.
In a 3‑hour exam with 120 questions, a small calculation error can cost you over 10% of your final mark.
1. Overview of the Exam Format
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Paper | 3 hours, 120 MCQs |
| Marking | +1 for a correct answer, –0.25 for a wrong answer (no negative for unattempted) |
| Time | 180 minutes → 1.5 min per question on average |
| Sections | 4 sections (Science, Social Science, Language, General Knowledge); each section has 30 questions |
| Scoring | Total marks = Sum of marks across all questions (max 120, min 0) |
2. Precise Marking Rules
- Correct Answer:
[ M_{\text{correct}} = +1 ] - Wrong Answer:
[ M_{\text{wrong}} = -0.25 ] - Unattempted:
[ M_{\text{unattempted}} = 0 ]
Important – The negative marking is exactly one‑quarter of the positive mark. It is not “0.25 points off” but “0.25 points lost”.
3. Expected Marks per Question
Let
- (p) = probability of answering a question correctly.
- (q = 1 - p) = probability of answering incorrectly.
Then the expected mark for a single question is
[ E[M] = p \times (+1) ; + ; q \times (-0.25) \ = p - 0.25(1-p) \ = 1.25p - 0.25 ]
3.1 Derivation
| Step | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Correct: +1, probability (p). |
| 2 | Wrong: –0.25, probability (q). |
| 3 | Linear expectation: (E[M] = p(+1) + q(-0.25)). |
| 4 | Substitute (q = 1 - p). |
4. Decision Criteria for Attempting a Question
From the expected mark formula:
- If (E[M] > 0) → Attempt
- If (E[M] < 0) → Skip
- If (E[M] = 0) → Either (but usually skip to save time)
Solve (E[M] > 0):
[ 1.25p - 0.25 > 0 ;;\Longrightarrow;; p > \frac{0.25}{1.25} = 0.20 ]
Rule of thumb
Attempt a question only if you are at least 20 % confident in answering it correctly.
5. Common Tricky Points
| Tricky Point | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Correct Options | Some papers contain “Select all that apply” questions. The scoring is per option; each correct option gives +1, each wrong option –0.25. | 4‑option question: A & C correct. Picking A & C → +2. Picking A, B, C → +2 – 0.25 = +1.75 |
| Partial Knowledge | If you know some options are wrong, you can eliminate them. Even eliminating one wrong option increases expected value. | 4 options, you know B is wrong: (p = 1/3) → (E[M] = 1.25(1/3)-0.25 = 0.083>0). |
| Time vs. Accuracy Trade‑off | Faster attempts increase probability of guessing (higher (p) because of time pressure). | 30‑sec per question → (p = 0.25); 90‑sec per question → (p = 0.55). |
| Tie‑breakers in Ranking | Final ranking is based on total marks. In case of tie, number of correct answers is used. | 2 candidates: A = 90 correct, 30 wrong → 60 marks. B = 80 correct, 20 wrong → 60 marks. B ranked higher because more correct answers. |
| Unattempted vs. Wrong | Wrong answer forfeits 0.25 marks that could have been earned by leaving blank. So avoid random guessing unless (p > 20%). | Guessing on a 4‑option question: (p = 0.25) → (E[M] = 0). No advantage over leaving blank. |
| Sectional Penalties | No sectional penalties, but time allocated per section (45 min each) can influence strategy. |