UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statement C is wrong because urbanisation does not always reduce pressure on rural and peri-urban areas; in fact, urban demand often increases extraction of resources and conversion of land outside cities. Statements A, B and D are correct: urbanisation can raise resource demand, compact forms can lower per capita use and urban consumption patterns shape wider ecological footprints. Therefore, the option that selects C alone as wrong is correct.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it treats both A and C as wrong, even though A is a true statement about increased resource demand with urban growth. Including a correct statement among wrong ones makes the option unacceptable.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it groups C and D as wrong. While C is indeed wrong, D is correct since city consumption influences regional and global ecological footprints through resource flows and waste.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it isolates C as the only incorrect statement and implicitly recognises A, B and D as accurate. It matches the requirement for selecting wrong statement(s).

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it labels all four statements as wrong. This misrepresents three correct statements about urbanisation and its environmental implications.

Statements A, B, C and D are correct because they reflect the standard definition of ecological footprint, its relationship with urban consumption, and the role of design and comparative analysis. The metric estimates land and water area needed for resources and waste, urbanisation can expand demand, compact design and transit can lower per capita pressure, and footprints can be compared across places. Statements E and F are incorrect since ecological footprints do not capture cultural or spiritual values and clearly depend on both population and per capita consumption patterns. Therefore, the correct set of statements is A, B, C and D only.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it includes all the true statements about ecological footprints and excludes E and F, which exaggerate the scope of the indicator and over-simplify its determinants. It captures both the measurement concept and its practical uses in urban sustainability analysis.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes F, which claims that footprints depend only on population size. This ignores the crucial role of consumption levels and technology in determining the magnitude of ecological footprints, so the option mixes true and false statements.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it accepts both E and F along with the true statements. Adding E implies the indicator fully covers cultural and spiritual aspects, which it does not, and adding F misstates the drivers of ecological demand, making the whole combination invalid.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it omits A and treats only B, C and D as correct. Leaving out A removes the basic definition of ecological footprint, which is essential for understanding the rest of the statements.

Statements A, B, C and E are correct, while statement D is incorrect. A and B describe demographic and spatial dynamics of urban growth, C points to planning approaches that can lower resource use and E highlights environmental health risks in informal settlements. D is wrong because urbanisation by itself does not guarantee equitable access to services; inequalities often persist. Since option B includes only A, B and C and omits E, it is incomplete and cannot be the correct answer. The correct combination must be A, B, C and E only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes A, B, C and E, all of which accurately describe urbanisation-related phenomena, and it excludes D, which incorrectly assumes automatic equity in service provision. It therefore presents a comprehensive and accurate picture, matching the requirement.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it ignores E, which is a key statement about the environmental and health challenges of informal settlements. This omission leads to an incomplete representation of risks.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes D, which is false, along with B, C and E. Accepting D contradicts evidence of persistent urban inequalities.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it groups A, C, D and E and leaves out B. Apart from omitting B, it again accepts D, which misrepresents the relationship between urbanisation and service equity.