Units 2, 5 and 9
Numericals, one step at a time
Calculations in environmental chemistry, energy and statistics are broken into steps and then applied to previous-year questions until the method sticks.
Paper 2, subject code 89
UGC NET Environmental Science syllabus and study planWith Dr. Mukesh Goyal, JRF and Ph.D. in Environmental Science
Everything you need to plan Paper 2: the exam pattern, all ten units with the topics that matter in each, an order to study them in, and how Dr. Goyal teaches the parts students find hardest.
UGC NET exam pattern at a glance
Environmental Science is your Paper 2. You attempt it in the same sitting as the common Paper 1, and your result is worked out from the combined score of both.
| Paper 1 | Paper 2: Environmental Science | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 50 | 100 |
| Marks | 100 | 200 |
| Syllabus | 10 units of teaching, research and general aptitude | 10 units of Environmental Sciences, code 89 |
| Duration | 3 hours for both papers together, with no break between them | |
| Marking | 2 marks for each correct answer and no negative marking | |
| Mode | Computer based test, with questions in English and Hindi | |
| Held | Twice a year by NTA, in a June cycle and a December cycle | |
All 10 units of the Environmental Science syllabus
The ten units of Environmental Sciences, subject code 89, with the topics Dr. Goyal builds each one around. The syllabus published by NTA remains the final reference.
Unit 1: Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences
- Definition, principles and scope of environmental science
- Structure of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere
- Laws of thermodynamics, heat transfer and material balance
- Meteorology: stability, inversions, mixing height and wind roses
- Sustainable development and environmental ethics
Unit 2: Environmental Chemistry
- Stoichiometry, chemical kinetics, Gibbs energy and chemical potential
- Water chemistry: pH, alkalinity, hardness, DO, BOD and COD
- Atmospheric chemistry: photochemical smog, ozone and greenhouse gases
- Soil chemistry, heavy metals and pesticides
- Analytical methods from titrimetry to AAS, chromatography and spectroscopy
Unit 3: Environmental Biology
- Ecosystem structure, food chains, energy flow and ecological pyramids
- Population and community ecology, succession and biomes
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Biodiversity, hotspots and conservation strategies
- Toxicology and bioaccumulation
Unit 4: Environmental Geosciences
- Origin of the Earth, geological time scale and plate tectonics
- Minerals, rocks, weathering and soil formation
- Hydrological cycle and groundwater
- Natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides, floods and cyclones
- Remote sensing and GIS in environmental studies
Unit 5: Energy and Environment
- Solar radiation and the Earth's energy budget
- Fossil fuels and their environmental impact
- Solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal and biomass energy
- Nuclear energy and radioactive waste
- Energy conservation and efficiency
Unit 6: Environmental Pollution and Control
- Air pollutants, dispersion and control equipment
- Water pollution and wastewater treatment
- Soil, noise, marine, thermal and radioactive pollution
- Ambient standards and monitoring
- Pollution prevention and cleaner production
Unit 7: Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
- Sources, composition and characteristics of solid waste
- Collection, segregation and the 3Rs
- Sanitary landfill, incineration, composting and vermicomposting
- Hazardous, biomedical and electronic waste
- Waste-to-energy options
Unit 8: Environmental Assessment, Management and Legislation
- Environmental Impact Assessment: screening, scoping, baseline and public hearing
- Environmental audit, life cycle assessment and ISO 14000
- Environment Protection Act 1986, Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981
- Wildlife, forest and biodiversity legislation
- National Green Tribunal and environmental clearances
Unit 9: Statistical Approaches and Modelling in Environmental Sciences
- Central tendency, dispersion and probability distributions
- Hypothesis testing: t-test, chi-square and ANOVA
- Correlation and regression
- Environmental models such as Gaussian plume and DO sag
- Population growth models
Unit 10: Contemporary Environmental Issues
- Climate change, ozone depletion and acid rain
- International conventions from Stockholm 1972 to Paris 2015
- India's climate action plans and missions
- Environmental movements such as Chipko and Narmada Bachao
- Major environmental disasters and what they changed
An order to study the ten units in
The units are not equally hard or equally connected. In this order each block leans on the one before it, and the numericals never pile up at the end.
Build the base
Units 1, 3 and 4
Fundamentals, ecology and geosciences give you the vocabulary and the processes that every later unit assumes you already know.
Add the science of pollution
Units 2, 5 and 6
Chemistry, energy and pollution control are where reactions, standards and calculations live, so they come once the base is steady.
Cover management and law
Units 7, 8 and 10
Waste, impact assessment, Acts, conventions and current issues are dense with facts. Learn them alongside their PYQs and revise them often.
Keep statistics running throughout
Unit 9
Solve a few statistics and modelling questions every week from the first month instead of leaving Unit 9 for the end.
Finish with PYQs, mocks and revision
All ten units
Close each block with its previous-year questions, then move to full mocks and revise the mistakes they expose.
How Dr. Goyal teaches the hard parts
His classes follow one cycle for every topic: learn the concept, apply it to PYQs, test yourself and revise the gap. These are the places where that cycle does the most work.
Units 3, 4 and 6
Processes you can reason through
Difficult processes, from biogeochemical cycles to treatment systems, are taught stage by stage with diagrams, so you can work out an answer instead of guessing between close options.
Units 8 and 10
Facts learned the way they are asked
Acts, conventions and contemporary issues are taught against how UGC NET has asked about them before, which shows you what to remember and in how much detail.
Hear it from Dr. Goyal
A full review of the June 2026 Environmental Science paper, the launch of his December 2026 batch, and his breakdown of how many candidates qualified in June 2026.
PART-01 UGC NET EVS June 2026 Paper-2 Analysis | NTA Answer Key? II Complete Question Review
Part 1 of Dr. Goyal's question-by-question review of the June 2026 Environmental Science Paper 2, checked against the NTA answer key. A full class, not a clip.
SWMG UGC NET EVSAug 2026
UGC NET Environmental Science December 2026 Batch Launch
Dr. Goyal introduces his December 2026 UGC NET Environmental Science batch.
SWMG UGC NET EVSJul 2026
Result Truth UGC NET EVS June 2026 II JRF, NET & PhD Only Selection Data
Dr. Goyal's breakdown of the June 2026 Environmental Science result: registered versus appeared candidates and how many qualified for JRF, NET and Ph.D. admission only.
SWMG UGC NET EVSAug 2026
Dr. Goyal's Environmental Science courses
His Environmental Science courses, test series and notes on Testkart.
His Environmental Science course is coming to Testkart
Dr. Goyal is publishing his UGC NET Environmental Science preparation on Testkart, and it will be listed here as soon as it goes live. His EVS channel has more than 380 free lessons to start with in the meantime.
Paper 1 comes in the same sitting
Your result is worked out from the combined score of both papers, so Paper 1's 100 marks can decide whether a strong Environmental Science score clears the cut-off. Dr. Goyal teaches all ten Paper 1 units too.
- Teaching Aptitude
- Research Aptitude
- Comprehension
- Communication
- Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
- Logical Reasoning
- Data Interpretation
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- People, Development and Environment
- Higher Education System
UGC NET Environmental Science questions
- What is the subject code for UGC NET Environmental Science?
- Environmental Sciences is subject code 89 in UGC NET. It is the Paper 2 you take alongside the common Paper 1.
- How many units are in the UGC NET Environmental Science syllabus?
- Ten. They run from the fundamentals of environmental science through chemistry, biology, geosciences, energy, pollution, waste, assessment and legislation, statistics and modelling, to contemporary environmental issues.
- What is the exam pattern?
- The exam is computer based. Paper 1 has 50 questions for 100 marks and Environmental Science Paper 2 has 100 questions for 200 marks. Both are attempted together in 3 hours, every question carries 2 marks and there is no negative marking.
- How often is UGC NET held?
- NTA conducts UGC NET twice a year, in a June cycle and a December cycle. Check the NTA notification for each cycle's exact dates.
- Which unit do students find hardest?
- Many find Unit 9, statistics and modelling, and the numericals in Unit 2 the hardest, because they need regular calculation practice rather than reading. Dr. Goyal breaks these into steps and practises them through PYQs.
- Can beginners prepare Environmental Science with Dr. Goyal?
- Yes. His teaching starts from basic concepts and builds to exam level, so it suits first-time candidates as well as repeaters strengthening weak units.
- Is Environmental Science a good subject for JRF?
- JRF goes to the top-scoring candidates within the NET cut-off and has an upper age limit set in each NTA notification. Candidates who cover all ten units and practise PYQs and mocks consistently give themselves the best chance.