UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

A program encodes an algorithm in a form that can be understood and executed by a computer, producing desired outputs from given inputs. It may be written in languages such as C, Java or Python and must follow precise syntax rules. Programs form the basis of all application and system software. Therefore, the description in the stem refers to a computer program.

Option A:
Option A is correct because the standard definition of a program highlights it as a list of ordered instructions that direct a computer to perform tasks. This aligns exactly with the wording of the question.

Option B:
Option B, database, is an organised collection of data that programs can manipulate but is not itself a set of executable instructions.

Option C:
Option C, spreadsheet, is a type of application that contains programs within its functions but primarily serves as a user tool for calculations and data organisation.

Option D:
Option D, topography, relates to mapping physical terrain and has no direct connection with programming instructions.