UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Cluster sampling involves dividing the population into natural groups, or clusters, such as schools, villages or classes, and then randomly selecting some of these clusters for inclusion in the sample. All or many members within chosen clusters are then studied. This method is often used when a complete list of individuals is difficult to obtain but a list of groups is available. Since the stem describes selecting intact groups like schools as sampling units, cluster sampling is the correct term.

Option A:
Simple random sampling selects individual units from the entire population so that each has an equal chance of inclusion, without grouping them into clusters. It does not specifically use intact groups as the units of selection, so it does not match the situation in the stem.

Option B:
Stratified random sampling first divides the population into homogeneous strata based on characteristics such as gender or region and then draws random samples from each stratum. The primary aim is proportional representation of strata, not sampling intact groups as units. Therefore, stratified random sampling is not the best answer here.

Option C:
Cluster sampling is particularly useful when the population is geographically dispersed, because studying selected clusters reduces travel and administrative costs. However, it may increase sampling error compared to simple random sampling. The defining feature of using intact groups matches the description in the question.

Option D:
Quota sampling is a non-probability technique in which researchers fill predetermined quotas for subgroups using convenience procedures, not random selection of clusters. It does not require intact groups such as schools to be the sampling units, so quota is not appropriate.

Psychological barriers are internal states such as bias,prejudice,fear or low motivation that hinder effective communication. When a teacher dismisses suggestions due to prejudice,they block genuine interaction for emotional or attitudinal reasons. This is a classic psychological barrier.

Option A:
Semantic barriers involve confusion about meanings of words,not prejudice against people.

Option B:
Mechanical barriers arise from equipment failure or noise rather than attitudes.

Option C:
Physical barriers relate to environmental conditions like distance or obstacles,not internal bias.

Option D:
Psychological bias reduces trust and openness in the classroom,which matches the situation described,making option D correct.

Consecutive terms differ by 4: 2 − (−2) = 4, 6 − 2 = 4 and 10 − 6 = 4. This shows an arithmetic progression with common difference 4. Adding 4 to the last term 10 gives 14. Therefore, 14 is the correct next term in the sequence.

Option A:
Option A is 12, which is only 2 more than 10 and does not match the consistent difference of 4. Using 12 would reduce the step size at the end without justification. Hence, it cannot be correct.

Option B:
Option B equals 14, obtained by 10 + 4, which continues the established rule perfectly. The full series −2, 2, 6, 10, 14 keeps the same constant increase each time. This makes 14 the only value that preserves the pattern.

Option C:
Option C is 16, giving a difference of 6 from 10. No such difference appears earlier in the series, so this new step would break the arithmetic structure. Therefore, 16 is not the correct continuation.

Option D:
Option D is 18, which would involve adding 8 to 10 and drastically changing the rate of increase. Since the series has shown only jumps of 4, this option contradicts that behaviour and must be rejected.

Statements A, B, D and E are correct as they describe typical service deficits, risks and participatory solutions in informal settlements. Lack of basic services and marginal locations increase environmental health risks, and involving residents helps design appropriate upgrading interventions. Statements C and F are false because environmental conditions in slums strongly influence health, and air pollution does affect residents, who may even be more exposed. The correct combination therefore includes A, B, D and E only.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it brings together all true statements about service gaps, risk exposure, health benefits of upgrading and the value of participation. It rightly excludes C and F, which deny well-documented links between environment and health in slums.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes C, which wrongly claims that environmental conditions do not affect health outcomes. Adding this false statement makes the overall combination unacceptable.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it includes F, which denies the impact of air pollution on slum dwellers, and omits A. Air pollution clearly affects slum inhabitants, often living near busy roads or industrial areas, so accepting F is inconsistent with evidence.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it again accepts F and leaves out B, thus ignoring the importance of hazardous locations while including a clearly wrong statement about pollution.

When a teacher repeatedly expresses confidence in students’ ability to achieve,they promote a climate of high expectations. Such expectations influence the amount of support,challenge and feedback provided and often lead students to aim higher. The stem emphasises belief that all students can learn at high levels,so high expectations is the correct description.

Option A:
Low expectations may lead teachers to offer fewer challenges and overlook potential,which is contrary to the belief in students’ capability described in the question.

Option B:
Deficit expectations highlight students’ limitations and focus on what they cannot do,instead of affirming potential,so they conflict with the stem.

Option C:
High expectations,when combined with appropriate support,are associated with better achievement and a positive classroom climate,exactly matching the scenario given.

Option D:
Random expectations would imply inconsistency and lack of clear standards,which is not suggested here.

Stratification denotes the creation of hierarchical layers in which some institutions enjoy much greater prestige and resources than others. The stem notes that rankings concentrate prestige and funding at the top, which is a classic example of stratification, so “stratification” is the correct completion.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because egalitarianism implies greater equality, the opposite of the unequal concentration described.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it captures the structured inequality that critics say rankings intensify by repeatedly rewarding already advantaged institutions.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since randomness would mean there is no stable pattern, whereas rankings explicitly order institutions in a hierarchy.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as uniformity suggests that institutions become similar, not that a few accumulate disproportionate advantage.

Fear and anxiety are internal emotional states that block attention and participation, so they are psychological barriers to communication.

Option A:
Semantic barriers are meaning/language issues, not fear or anxiety.

Option B:
Organisational barriers are structural/institutional channel issues, not emotional states.

Option C:
Physical barriers are external (noise, seating, equipment), not internal fear/anxiety.

Option D:
Psychological barriers arise from emotions like anxiety, fear and low self-esteem, matching the stem.

In the Mode 1–Mode 2 framework, Mode 1 denotes conventional disciplinary research carried out largely in universities and driven by academic curiosity. The stem clearly describes this traditional pattern, so the correct number to complete the term is “1.”

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because “Mode 0” is not part of this established classification in the literature.

Option B:
Option B is correct as Mode 1 is the recognised label for university-based, discipline-bound knowledge production governed by academic norms.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since Mode 2 refers to transdisciplinary, application-oriented research conducted in heterogeneous contexts, not to the traditional university model in the stem.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because “4” likewise has no recognised meaning in this particular framework of knowledge modes.

Statement D is wrong because probability sampling typically requires a sampling frame or some representation of the population to ensure known selection probabilities. Statements A, B, C and E are correct: the sampling frame is the list from which samples are drawn, its quality affects representativeness, outdated frames cause coverage errors and an ideal frame covers the entire target population. Therefore, the only wrong statement is D.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it also labels A, which correctly defines the sampling frame, as wrong along with D. This misrepresents a basic concept in sampling.

Option B:
Option B is wrong because it groups C with D as wrong, even though C accurately states that outdated frames cause coverage errors. Coverage error is a standard threat to representativeness.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it isolates D as the sole statement inconsistent with probability sampling principles and implicitly accepts A, B, C and E as true.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats B and E as wrong along with D, despite both B and E properly describing the relationship between frame quality and sample representativeness.

Self-directed learning is characterised by learners taking responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating their own learning activities. They identify goals, choose resources and assess their progress, often with guidance rather than control from the teacher. The stem directly describes such behaviours, so the correct term is self-directed learning.

Option A:
Rote learning is based on memorisation without deep understanding and usually follows teacher-prescribed tasks, not learner-selected goals and resources.

Option B:
Classroom-based learning simply indicates that learning occurs in a classroom; it does not specify who directs the learning process or how autonomy is fostered.

Option C:
Self-directed learning involves metacognitive skills such as planning, monitoring and evaluating one’s own work. Because the stem mentions goal setting, resource selection and progress monitoring by students, it clearly points to self-directed learning.

Option D:
Teacher-dependent learning occurs when students rely heavily on the teacher for decisions and do not exercise autonomy. This is the opposite of what is described in the stem.

A carbon footprint quantifies the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity or entity. It expresses different greenhouse gases in a common unit of carbon dioxide equivalent. This helps compare and manage contributions to climate change. Therefore the description in the question clearly corresponds to a carbon footprint.

Option A:
Carbon footprint is specifically used to track how much climate forcing gases are emitted. It can be calculated for individuals,organisations,products or even countries. Because the definition in the stem mentions greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide equivalent,this term fits exactly.

Option B:
An ecological niche refers to the functional role and position a species occupies in an ecosystem. It has nothing to do with measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Hence it does not match the meaning described in the question.

Option C:
Energy budget generally denotes the balance between energy input and output in a system,such as a city or organism. While related to resource use,it is not a standard measure of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore it is not the best answer here.

Option D:
Water footprint measures the amount of freshwater used to produce goods and services consumed by an individual or community. It focuses on water use,not greenhouse gas emissions. Thus it does not correspond to the definition given in the stem.

A double-blind design ensures that both participants and the researchers who have contact with them are unaware of which individuals are in the experimental or control group. This reduces expectancy effects, such as participants changing behaviour because they think they are receiving a special treatment, and experimenter bias, where researchers unintentionally influence outcomes. By keeping group assignment concealed from both parties, the design enhances the credibility of observed differences. Therefore, the arrangement described in the stem is correctly called double-blind.

Option A:
Single-blind designs keep group assignment hidden from participants but not from researchers, so experimenter expectations can still influence data collection or interpretation. This makes single-blind less effective than double-blind in controlling expectancy effects, so it does not fully match the stem.

Option B:
Open-label studies are those in which both participants and researchers know who receives the treatment, making them vulnerable to numerous biases. They are not designed to control expectancy effects and therefore are not an appropriate completion.

Option C:
Option C, double-blind, is widely used in clinical trials and psychological experiments to address both participant and experimenter expectations simultaneously. This dual masking corresponds exactly to the description in the question, making it the correct option.

Option D:
Matched-pairs designs pair participants based on similarity in key characteristics before assigning them to different conditions but do not inherently prevent either party from knowing group assignments. Thus, matched-pairs is not the right answer here.

Statements A, B and D correctly describe the nature and prerequisites of e-governance, while statement C is false. E-governance utilises ICT to deliver services and interact with citizens, often improving transparency and accountability. It also depends on adequate infrastructure and digital skills among users. Excluding mobile technologies, as claimed in C, contradicts practice because mobile platforms are now central to many e-governance services. Therefore, the combination A, B and D only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it collects the three statements that match current understanding of e-governance. It recognises the role of ICT in service delivery, the potential for transparency and the importance of citizen readiness. By excluding the incorrect claim about excluding mobile technologies, it reflects realistic e-governance strategies.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes only A and B and leaves out D. Statement D is also true in emphasising that infrastructure and literacy are essential for effective e-governance. Omitting a true statement makes the option incomplete.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it contains B, C and D and thereby accepts C as correct. Statement C wrongly asserts that e-governance does not use mobile technologies, which is inconsistent with many mobile-enabled government services. Including this false statement invalidates the option.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it assumes that all four statements are correct. Accepting C would imply that mobile technologies are always excluded, which is contrary to practice. Since one statement is false, the set of all four cannot be the correct answer.

Kinesics is the technical term used for studying body movements,gestures,posture and facial expressions as forms of communication. It is a major component of non verbal communication research. The stem explicitly mentions body movements and gestures,so the correct term is kinesics.

Option A:
Proxemics focuses on personal space and distance between communicators,not the actual movements of the body.

Option B:
Kinesics examines how gestures such as nodding,shrugging or pointing convey attitudes and meanings beyond words. Since the stem highlights these physical movements,this option is appropriate.

Option C:
Oculesics deals with eye behaviour,including eye contact and gaze,which is only one part of body language.

Option D:
Chronemics is concerned with time-related aspects of communication,not with bodily gestures,making it unsuitable here.

The final part of Lasswell's formula,"with what effect," focuses on the consequences of communication. It asks what changes occur in knowledge,attitudes or behaviour as a result of the message. These changes are the outcomes or effects of communication. Hence,the phrase refers to the outcome of communication.

Option A:
Channel is already covered in the phrase "in which channel" and denotes the medium,not the consequences.

Option B:
The outcome reflects whether the communicator achieved the intended impact on the audience,making option B the precise meaning of "with what effect."

Option C:
Sender is represented by "Who,"so it cannot be the meaning of the last phrase.

Option D:
Noise is not part of Lasswell's formula and instead comes from other models such as Shannon–Weaver.