UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Social forestry programmes focus on involving local communities in tree planting and management outside traditional forest areas. The objectives include supplying fuelwood,fodder and small timber while improving the environment. The stem mentions planting on community lands and roadsides for local needs,which is a hallmark of social forestry. Therefore social forestry is the correct answer.

Option A:
Social forestry emphasises both livelihood support and ecological benefits such as soil conservation and micro climate improvement. Because the question stresses meeting local needs as well as tree planting,this option aligns closely with the described approach.

Option B:
Industrial forestry is oriented toward large scale timber production,often in monoculture plantations,primarily for industrial use. It is not specifically designed to meet small local subsistence needs,so it does not match the stem.

Option C:
Clear cut forestry refers to a harvesting method in which all or most trees in an area are felled at once. It describes a logging practice rather than a community oriented planting programme.

Option D:
Commercial forestry is driven mainly by profit from wood or other products and may not prioritise local subsistence needs or community participation. Hence it is not the best fit for the concept in the question.

The Chipko movement arose when local communities resisted large-scale logging contracts granted to outside companies. Villagers, especially women, hugged trees to prevent them from being cut, symbolically placing their bodies between the axes and the forest. The movement underlined the ecological and livelihood value of forests for local people. Therefore, its central objective was to protect forests from commercial felling, which is accurately captured in option A.

Option A:
Option A correctly reflects a community-based response to forest degradation. It demonstrates how environmental protection and livelihood security can be closely linked in hill economies where people depend on forests for fuel, fodder and soil stability. The movement later became a global symbol of non-violent ecological resistance.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because Chipko activists were not campaigning for large dams; in fact, many environmental movements have opposed dams due to displacement and ecosystem impacts. Dams and logging involve different types of projects and different protest histories.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since the movement was rooted in traditional, low-input agriculture and forest use. Promoting chemical fertilisers is more characteristic of intensive agriculture policies rather than forest conservation struggles.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because open-cast coal mining would destroy large tracts of land and forest. Chipko stood against such destructive exploitation of natural resources, so supporting expanded mining would go against its core philosophy.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they reflect the role of communities and ecological functions of forests. A captures the participatory nature of JFM, B points to the multiple ecological and livelihood services provided by forests and D notes how community management can help conserve biodiversity. Statement C is incorrect since deforestation does affect the hydrological cycle, influencing rainfall, runoff and water availability. Therefore, the correct answer is the combination that includes A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only A and B and leaves out D. While A and B are true, D is also correct in recognising that community-based management supports biodiversity conservation. Omitting a correct statement makes this combination incomplete.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it joins A and D but excludes B. Statement B is a core idea about ecosystem services of forests, so leaving it out fails to represent the full set of correct statements about forest resources. As a result, this option is not satisfactory.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it identifies that A, B and D are all valid statements while C is false. It maintains the link between forests, ecological services and community-based conservation approaches. By excluding C, it preserves internal consistency with ecological science.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes B, C and D and thus accepts C as correct. Since C wrongly minimises the impact of deforestation on water cycles, the combination cannot be chosen despite including B and D.

Statements A and C are correct because informal settlements are frequently located in environmentally risky areas and suffer from poor housing and inadequate services, increasing health risks. Statement B is incorrect as service provision in informal settlements is often inadequate or absent, not uniformly adequate. Statement D is wrong because urban poor communities can and do participate in planning processes when given opportunities. Thus, the combination containing A and C only represents the set of correct statements.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes both true statements (A and C) and excludes the false statements (B and D). It correctly captures exposure of informal settlements to hazards and higher environmental health risks due to poor housing and inadequate services.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it adds statement B to A and C, thereby treating B as true. In reality, B misrepresents the situation by suggesting that all informal settlements have adequate services, which contradicts evidence of widespread deficits in water, sanitation and waste management. Including this false statement invalidates the combination.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it selects B and D only. Both B and D are false: service access is not uniformly adequate, and communities can contribute meaningfully to environmental decision-making. By excluding the true statements A and C, this option is completely misaligned with the reality of urban poverty and environment linkages.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines A, C and D. While A and C are true, D is false as it denies the agency and potential role of urban poor in planning. A correct combination must exclude statement D.

Statements A, B and D are correct as they summarise the core elements of the sustainable livelihoods framework: focus on assets and vulnerability, recognition of multiple strategies and emphasis on participation. Statement C is incorrect because environmental sustainability is explicitly considered in many applications of the framework. Therefore, the combination including A, B and D, and excluding C, is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect since it omits D, which underlines the participatory nature of the approach. Without D, the description lacks an essential principle related to ownership and empowerment.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes C along with A and B. C wrongly suggests that environmental concerns are ignored, which contradicts the integrative perspective of sustainable livelihoods.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it groups B, C and D and thereby accepts C as true while excluding A. This skips the central notion of assets and vulnerability and introduces an incorrect claim about environmental neglect.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it combines all the true statements and discards C, the false one. It reflects how the sustainable livelihoods approach brings together environmental, economic and social considerations through participatory analysis.

Statements A, B, D, E and F are correct and show drivers, impacts, policy measures, participation and data needs. Statement C is false because there is not yet a universally accepted, binding international legal category of “climate refugees”. Therefore, the correct set is A, B, D, E and F only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all true statements and excludes C, which overstates the current legal status of climate displacement protections.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits E and F, underplaying both rights-based participation and the importance of data for planning.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it omits A and therefore misses slow-onset drivers like sea-level rise/desertification.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it omits B, so it underrepresents major livelihood/housing/service challenges faced by displaced people.

Statements A and B are correct: involving communities improves relevance and ownership, and participatory methods allow local knowledge to inform planning. Statements C and D are incorrect because one-way information after decisions and neglect of capacity building both undermine effective participation. Thus, the combination A and B only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete since it omits B, which rightly emphasises the role of local knowledge in participatory planning. Without B, the knowledge dimension of participation is not captured.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it identifies the two statements that reflect genuine participatory practice and excludes C and D, which describe top-down or capacity-blind approaches. It aligns with the unit’s focus on community-based environmental management.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it adds C, accepting the idea that communities should be informed only after decisions, which contradicts participatory principles.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines B, C and D and treats both C and D as correct, disregarding the importance of early involvement and capacity building.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they explain the broad need for capacity building among institutions, educators and civil society actors. A refers to institutional capacity, B to educational roles and D to NGOs and communities. Statement C is incorrect as environmental training is relevant to many stakeholders, not just government officials. Option D includes C and omits B, so it cannot be the correct answer. The correct combination has to be A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it brings together A, B and D and excludes the narrow and incorrect view in C. It reflects the multi-stakeholder nature of environmental governance and education. Therefore, it matches the requirement of the question.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it ignores D, which rightly points to capacity needs in NGOs and communities. Excluding this dimension underestimates the importance of civil society in environmental action.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it includes C, which wrongly restricts environmental training to government officials. Even though B and D are correct, the inclusion of C invalidates the combination.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because, by including C, it endorses the restrictive view on who needs environmental training and leaves out B, which stresses teacher training. This makes the set both incomplete and partly wrong.

Statements A and C are correct: integrated management combines multiple strategies and decentralised systems with participation can ease pressure on landfills. Statements B and D are incorrect: open dumping can contaminate air and water, and waste-to-energy plants involve emissions and residues that require careful management. Thus, the combination A and C only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete since it includes only A and ignores C, which adds the important decentralisation and participation dimension. Without C, the approach to waste management appears overly centralised.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it treats B as correct along with A. B denies impacts of open dumping, which is contradicted by environmental health evidence.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it selects the two statements aligned with best practice and excludes B and D, which underestimate risks of dumping and incineration.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it includes B among correct statements and omits C, giving an inaccurate picture of both impacts and solutions.

Statements A, B, C and E are correct, describing planning, social, ecological and analytical dimensions of urban resilience. Integrating risk into planning, using social protection, restoring ecosystems and conducting multi-hazard assessments all strengthen cities’ ability to cope with climate impacts. D is wrong because institutions and communities are central to resilience, and F is wrong as community participation improves relevance and ownership of plans. Therefore, A, B, C and E only is the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits E, thereby ignoring the importance of multi-hazard assessments in understanding combined risks. Without E, the analytical basis of resilience planning is not fully captured.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it includes only B, C and E and leaves out A, which is fundamental in stating that planning and infrastructure must integrate climate risk. Excluding A weakens the description of what makes a city climate-resilient.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it accepts F and omits B. Accepting F denies the value of community participation, while dropping B neglects the role of social protection for vulnerable groups.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it combines all the true statements and excludes D and F, which narrow resilience to physical assets and dismiss participation. It reflects the multi-dimensional approach to urban climate resilience emphasised in this unit.

NEP 2020 proposes SCMCs as participatory bodies that bring together principals, teachers, parents and local community members to manage and support the school complex. They collectively plan academic and developmental work for all schools in the cluster.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because limiting SCMCs to finance officials would ignore the voices of educators, parents and community members that NEP wants to include.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it reflects the multi-stakeholder composition of SCMCs envisaged by NEP for decentralised, community-based governance.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect; while students may contribute, the committee cannot consist only of senior students and exclude adults responsible for school management.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because NEP does not suggest giving SCMC membership solely to private company representatives; that would undermine democratic and community participation.

Effective disaster management recognises that communities are the first to face impacts and the first to respond. Local residents possess detailed knowledge of terrain, hazards and social networks that outside experts may lack. When they participate in risk assessment, planning, drills and early warning systems, measures become more realistic and widely accepted. Therefore, involving communities throughout the disaster management cycle harnesses local capacity and builds resilience, as stated in option D.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because treating disaster management as purely technical overlooks social, cultural and behavioural factors. Excluding communities can result in plans that fail during real events.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since viewing people only as recipients of relief denies their agency and capabilities. Such a top-down approach misses opportunities for preparedness and risk reduction driven by communities themselves.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because hiding information increases vulnerability. Transparent risk communication allows people to take timely protective actions and reduces rumours and panic.

Option D:
Option D is correct as it emphasises participation, shared knowledge and empowerment. Community-based disaster risk management is widely promoted as a cornerstone of sustainable resilience.

Statements A, B, C and E are correct, linking green spaces with cooling, health, biodiversity and equity. Urban vegetation can moderate microclimates, provide recreational and psychological benefits, host species and, when unevenly distributed, contribute to unequal environmental quality. D is wrong because high-density cities often need deliberate green planning, and F is wrong as community involvement can improve maintenance and safety. Thus, the combination A, B, C and E only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it includes all the true statements and excludes D and F, which underestimate the importance of planning and community role. It reflects current thinking on green infrastructure and environmental justice in urban areas.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits E, ignoring how unequal access to green spaces can mirror broader socio-spatial inequalities. Without E, the equity dimension of urban greening is not captured.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it groups B, C, E and F and implicitly accepts F, which denies the impact of community participation. This contradicts evidence that engaged communities maintain greener and safer parks.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it accepts D and F as if planning and participation were irrelevant, while excluding B. This option significantly downplays both the need for deliberate green planning and the health benefits of green spaces.

Statements A, B, C, E and F are correct and jointly describe objectives, measures and co-benefits of watershed management. They show how soil and water are conserved, how rainwater harvesting aids recharge, how community participation improves outcomes and how biodiversity can recover in treated areas. Statement D is wrong because watershed development is widely used for drought mitigation and livelihood support. Therefore, the correct answer is the combination A, B, C, E and F only.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it includes all true statements and excludes D, which denies key benefits of watershed development. It reflects the integrated ecological and livelihood focus of watershed programmes.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F and thereby ignores the potential for biodiversity regeneration in treated watersheds. It also still excludes D but gives an incomplete picture of environmental benefits.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it excludes A and thus fails to mention the basic aim of watershed management. Without A, the central resource-conservation objective is lost.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it omits B, leaving out typical measures such as contour bunding and check dams, which are crucial to understanding how watershed activities are implemented.

Statements A, C and D are correct as they describe key pillars of sustainable tourism, including environmental protection, community benefits and carrying capacity-based planning. Sustainable tourism aims at minimising impacts, linking livelihoods with conservation and ensuring that visitor numbers do not exceed the ability of destinations to cope. Statement B is incorrect because mass tourism in fragile ecosystems can cause significant damage if not properly managed. Thus, the combination containing A, C and D only is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it selects the three statements consistent with sustainable tourism principles and excludes B, which idealises mass tourism. It emphasises community involvement and ecological limits, both central to sustainable tourism discourse.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits D, a vital statement about considering carrying capacity in tourism planning. Without acknowledging carrying capacity, the combination fails to capture an important tool for sustainability.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it includes B, which wrongly asserts that mass tourism in sensitive areas is always beneficial. Including this misleading statement undermines the accuracy of the combination.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it groups B, C and D and leaves out A. Accepting B as correct goes against numerous case studies showing how unregulated mass tourism can degrade natural and cultural heritage.