UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B and C set out the commonly accepted hierarchy from data to information to knowledge, while D is incorrect. Raw data must be organised, processed and interpreted to become information, and knowledge adds the element of understanding and application. Treating all three terms as identical ignores these conceptual differences. Consequently, the correct combination is A, B and C only.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it includes only A and B and omits C. While A and B describe the transition from data to information, recognising knowledge as a higher level is also essential in ICT and information science.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it lists B and C only and excludes A. Statement A defines what counts as raw data, which is the essential starting point for the hierarchy, so leaving it out weakens the explanation.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it collects all three true statements that describe successive stages of transformation, from unprocessed data to usable knowledge. It excludes D, which ignores the conceptual distinctions that underpin ICT-based information systems.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it accepts all four statements, thereby endorsing D. Since D denies the widely accepted distinctions between data, information and knowledge, this option cannot be accurate.