UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Workload norms define how many hours of teaching and related activities faculty members should perform per week, often differentiated by cadre and type of institution. They help in planning timetables, staffing needs and equitable distribution of duties. The stem refers exactly to the expected number of weekly hours on teaching and related duties, which is determined by workload norms. Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

Option A:
Workload norms ensure that faculty responsibilities are manageable and appropriately balanced with research and extension activities. They also provide a basis for calculating teacher–student ratios and sanctioning posts, fitting the context of the question.

Option B:
Curriculum outlines the content and structure of academic programmes, not the specific hours a teacher must work each week. Thus, Option A does not answer what the stem is asking about.

Option C:
Examination norms relate to how tests are conducted and evaluated and do not primarily determine faculty teaching hours. Hence, Option B is not appropriate here.

Option D:
Hostel norms concern residential facilities and student welfare, which are unrelated to academic workload expectations, making Option D incorrect.

NEP 2020 envisions the head of a school complex as an academic leader who coordinates curricular planning, teacher deployment, resource sharing and professional support across the schools in the cluster, so that small schools benefit from pooled expertise and facilities.

Option A:
Focusing only on maintenance ignores the central role of leadership in pedagogy and school improvement described in NEP.

Option B:
This option is correct because it reflects the collaborative, academic and supportive leadership functions expected of complex heads.

Option C:
Acting merely as an occasional inspector is too limited and does not match the ongoing, facilitative role emphasised in the policy.

Option D:
Running the complex like a private business conflicts with the public-good nature of school education and the accountability structures outlined in NEP.

A research proposal is a detailed plan that outlines the background, significance, objectives, methodology, ethical considerations and budget of a study. When submitted to a funding agency or sponsor, it serves as the basis for deciding whether to allocate financial support. The proposal must convince reviewers of the feasibility, importance and methodological soundness of the project. Thus, the funding-oriented document described in the stem is correctly termed a research proposal.

Option A:
A report summarises the results of a completed study and is written after data collection and analysis, not before funding is granted. It does not function primarily as a request for support, so report is not the correct answer.

Option B:
Option B, proposal, emphasises forward-looking planning and justification, including how funds will be used and what outcomes are expected. This aligns closely with the stem’s focus on submission to an agency for financial backing.

Option C:
A synopsis is often a brief summary of a proposed or completed study and usually lacks the full details about budget and implementation required in a funding application. Hence, synopsis does not fully match the description.

Option D:
A monograph is a substantial written work that reports in-depth research on a single topic, typically produced after the research is complete. It is not the document used to seek funding beforehand, so monograph is not appropriate here.

Statements A and C correctly describe the role of the academic calendar and semester planning. Statement A is true because an academic calendar outlines teaching weeks, examination periods, vacations and other key events. Statement C is also true, as a clear calendar helps in timely course completion and provides transparency to students and staff. Statement B is false because in a semester system assessments are typically conducted at the end of each semester and may include internal tests as well. Statement D is false since institutions may need to revise calendars in response to emergencies or policy directions. Therefore, A and C only form the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it mentions the content of the calendar but omits the important function of transparency and timely completion described in C. Without C, the benefits of having a calendar are not fully reflected.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it selects only C and ignores A, thereby failing to indicate what the academic calendar actually contains in terms of schedule and structure.

Option C:
Option C is correct as it joins A and C, capturing both the descriptive and functional aspects of the academic calendar, while excluding B and D, which misrepresent the nature of the semester system and the flexibility of calendars.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes D, which wrongly claims that calendars can never be modified, and also omits the explicit reference to the contents of the calendar in A, leading to an inaccurate and incomplete understanding.