UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

In a credit-based system, each course carries a fixed number of credits proportional to the student workload and contact hours, and learners progress by accumulating these credits. The stem describes exactly this arrangement, so “credit-based” system is the appropriate term.

Option A:
Option A is correct because credit-based systems, including CBCS, are explicitly built around credit values that can be flexibly combined and accumulated towards a degree.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since a fixed syllabus system simply specifies content; it does not necessarily imply credit allocation or flexible accumulation.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because an annual system refers mainly to the pattern of examinations and academic year structure, not to credit calculations.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as a purely examination system focuses on tests and may exist with or without credits; it does not by itself describe the credit-based flexibility highlighted in the stem.

CBCS is officially expanded as the Choice Based Credit System, which organises learning into credit units that students can combine flexibly across semesters and even institutions. Since the emphasis is on credits as the building blocks of the programme, “Credit” correctly completes the name.

Option A:
Option A is correct because in CBCS every course carries a specified number of credits, and learners progress by accumulating these credits rather than by following a rigid year-wise pattern.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as “Curriculum” would change the acronym and does not reflect the focus on quantifying learning through credits.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “Course” is only one component of the system; the key concept is how courses add up as credits, not the term “Course” itself in the expansion.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since “Class” refers to a teaching session or group of students and does not convey the systemic credit-based structure implied in CBCS.

Academic flexibility refers to the degree of choice students have in structuring their programmes of study. Letting them opt for courses outside the major broadens learning and supports interdisciplinary exposure. This practice is a clear manifestation of academic flexibility, making Option B correct.

Option A:
Rigidity denotes fixed curricula with little or no choice for learners. It would prevent students from exploring courses beyond their core discipline, so it does not fit the example in the stem.

Option B:
Academic flexibility enables learners to pursue their interests, build complementary skills and tailor their pathways. The example of cross-disciplinary choices directly illustrates this idea. Therefore, this option aligns exactly with the question.

Option C:
Secrecy has nothing to do with curriculum design and relates to withholding information. It cannot describe the provision of elective options, so this option is inappropriate.

Option D:
Surplus refers to excess quantity and does not capture any educational design principle related to choice. Thus, this option is not suitable here.

A common convention in CBCS is that one credit of practical work corresponds to about two hours of supervised lab activity per week. This reflects the additional time required for hands-on experimentation and preparation. It keeps the workload proportional between theory and practical components. Therefore, “two” hours is the most appropriate choice.

Option A:
Half an hour per week would be too little to justify a full credit and does not match typical academic regulations. It would severely underestimate the time needed for meaningful laboratory learning. Hence, this option is incorrect.

Option B:
One and half hours is closer but still not the widely cited standard used in many CBCS guidelines that specify two hours per credit for practicals. For consistency with common regulations, this option is less accurate than “two.”

Option C:
Two hours per week per credit balances contact time and learning objectives in most science and technical programmes. This is why Option C correctly completes the statement.

Option D:
Five hours for a single credit would make the lab component disproportionately heavy and misaligned with theory credit equivalence. Such a high time load per credit is uncommon, so this option does not fit standard practice.