UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B, C and E align with standard guidelines on authorship and publication ethics. Authorship should be based on substantial intellectual contributions, gift authorship describes inappropriate inclusion without contribution, and the corresponding author manages communication with the journal. All authors share responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work. Statement D is false because authorship order is often expected to reflect contribution, conventions or agreements rather than arbitrary listing.

Option A:
Option A includes only A, B and C and omits E, thereby failing to mention the shared responsibility of all authors for the published work. This shared accountability is a key ethical principle, so the omission makes the option incomplete.

Option B:
Option B includes B, C and E but leaves out A, ignoring the basic rule that authorship must be tied to substantial contributions. Without A, the foundation for ethical authorship decisions is missing.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it gathers all four true statements and excludes D, which misrepresents authorship ordering practices. It reflects both who should be named as author and how shared responsibility and communication roles are understood in scholarly publishing.

Option D:
Option D contains A, C and E but omits B, so it does not explain what gift authorship is, even though it is a major ethical issue. This omission prevents the option from presenting a complete set of correct statements.

Statements A, B, D and E correctly describe shared responsibilities in the supervisor–scholar relationship. Supervisors guide design and ethics, scholars communicate progress and both parties must uphold honesty, integrity, respect and timely feedback. Statement C is false because insisting on first authorship regardless of contribution violates authorship ethics and can amount to coercive or honorary authorship. Therefore, the correct combination includes A, B, D and E while excluding C.

Option A:
Option A includes A, B and D but omits E, ignoring the relational dimension of mutual respect and feedback that strongly influences the quality of supervision. Without E, the interpersonal aspect of the supervisory role is underemphasised.

Option B:
Option B lists B, D and E but leaves out A, thereby not acknowledging the key responsibility of supervisors to provide methodological and ethical guidance. This omission makes the description of roles incomplete.

Option C:
Option C contains A, D and E but omits B, so it fails to mention that scholars themselves must take responsibility for regular progress communication. As such, it underplays the active role of the student in the relationship.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it gathers all four true statements and excludes C, which endorses unethical authorship behaviour. It reflects both professional responsibilities and the relational qualities that contribute to successful supervision.