Academic integrity and plagiarism – UGC NET Question

Statements A, B, D and E correctly describe the principles and mechanisms of academic integrity. A is true because proper acknowledgement of sources is fundamental to integrity. B is true as many HEIs use software tools to detect similarity and possible plagiarism. D is true since clear policies and procedures provide transparency and fairness. E is true because training in citation reduces inadvertent plagiarism. C is false because reusing another’s assignment as one’s own is a clear violation, and F is false because integrity expectations apply to all levels of study.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits E, thereby failing to highlight the preventive educational role of teaching referencing skills.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it excludes A and includes only B, D and E, thus not explicitly stating the core principle of acknowledging sources.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it groups A, B, D and E, the four true statements about principles, tools, policies and training, while excluding C and F, which normalise misconduct or limit integrity to a small group.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes F, which wrongly suggests academic integrity applies only to research scholars, and omits B, which mentions the practical tool of plagiarism-detection software.