UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B, D and F accurately characterise action research, while C and E are false. Statement A is true because action research is practitioner-led and improvement-oriented. Statement B correctly outlines the cycle of planning, acting, observing and reflecting, and statement D is right that collaboration among teachers can enhance such projects. Statement F is also true since engaging in action research fosters professional growth, whereas C is false because its main goal is local improvement and E is false because reports may be shared in practitioner forums, schools or communities rather than only technical journals.

Option A:
Option A contains A and B but leaves out D and F, which are also true aspects of action research. Without acknowledging collaboration and professional development, the description is incomplete. Hence this combination cannot be accepted as fully correct.

Option B:
Option B adds D but still omits F, ignoring the professional development dimension. While collaboration is important, growth in practitioner expertise is also a core benefit, so leaving out F makes the set partial.

Option C:
Option C correctly combines A, B, D and F while excluding the false statements C and E. It presents action research as practitioner-led, cyclical, potentially collaborative and professionally enriching. Because it includes all and only the true statements, this option is the correct answer.

Option D:
Option D omits A, which is central because action research is specifically carried out by practitioners themselves. Excluding this defining element results in an incomplete characterisation, so the option is not acceptable.

Statements A, B, D and E correctly capture the spirit of action research, whereas C is false. Action research is usually conducted by practitioners such as teachers to solve local problems, and involves cycles of acting and reflecting on action. It aims at improving practice and can foster both professional development and institutional change, rather than at statistical generalisation to large populations. Statement C is wrong because generalisation is limited and context-specific.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all four true statements while excluding C, which misrepresents the goal of action research. It reflects the practitioner-led, improvement-oriented and reflective nature of this approach.

Option B:
Option B omits E, thereby ignoring the broader impact of action research on professional growth and institutional learning, even though these are significant outcomes. This omission makes the option incomplete.

Option C:
Option C leaves out A, failing to highlight that the practitioner often functions as researcher in action research, which is a defining feature. Without A, the description is not fully accurate.

Option D:
Option D includes C, the false statement about statistical generalisation, and so cannot be considered correct despite containing other true statements.

Option E retains C and therefore also becomes invalid, as it wrongly suggests that action research necessarily aims at large-scale generalisation.