UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B, C, E and F are correct and highlight both resource recovery and health–environment risks. Valuable metals can be recovered, informal recycling can be dangerous, EPR creates producer responsibility, consumer awareness supports proper disposal and standards protect workers and the environment. Statement D is false because poor e-waste handling can contaminate soil and groundwater with heavy metals and other toxins. Thus, the combination that includes all true statements and excludes D is correct.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it combines technological, economic, regulatory and awareness aspects while excluding the statement that denies environmental relevance of safe management. It aligns with comprehensive e-waste management principles.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F and therefore overlooks the importance of environmental and occupational standards in formal facilities, which are central to safer recycling.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it excludes A and thus fails to mention that e-waste is also a resource stream, not just a hazard. Losing the resource-recovery dimension makes the option incomplete.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it leaves out B, ignoring the dangerous conditions of informal recycling, which are a major concern in many countries.

Statements A, B and C are correct: A notes the resource recovery potential, B highlights health risks from informal recycling and C explains the EPR approach. Statement D is incorrect because e-waste contains hazardous components that can contaminate air, soil and water, affecting health and environment. Option C, which includes B, C and D, wrongly accepts D and leaves out A, so it cannot be the correct answer. The correct combination must therefore be A, B and C only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it combines all three true statements and excludes D. It recognises both the opportunity for material recovery and the risks of improper handling, while pointing to policy instruments such as EPR. This aligns well with the unit’s treatment of e-waste.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it omits C, thereby ignoring the important regulatory concept of Extended Producer Responsibility in e-waste management. Without C, the description is incomplete.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes D as a correct statement, which contradicts scientific evidence on the hazards of e-waste. The presence of this false claim makes the combination unacceptable.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it pairs A and C with D and leaves out B. It again treats D as correct and fails to acknowledge the serious health risks associated with informal recycling mentioned in B.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they describe the nature of e-waste, risks of informal recycling and goals of proper e-waste management. E-waste is a hazardous waste stream due to heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants in discarded electronics. Informal recycling with open burning or acid leaching exposes workers and the environment to toxics. EPR and related policies aim to promote organised collection, safe recycling and sound disposal. Statement C is incorrect because EPR places responsibility primarily on producers, often shared with other actors, not only on consumers.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits statement D, which is also true. While A and B correctly describe what e-waste is and why informal recycling is risky, leaving out D ignores the role of policy frameworks in promoting safe collection and recycling. Therefore, this option lists only part of the full set of correct statements.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it includes exactly those statements that accurately represent e-waste management: the hazardous nature of e-waste, the dangers of informal recycling and the importance of organised systems and policies. It also excludes statement C, which wrongly assigns responsibility only to consumers. Hence this option reflects the complete and accurate combination.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it treats B and C as the only correct statements. Although B is true, C misinterprets EPR by ignoring producer responsibility and the shared but differentiated roles of other stakeholders. The exclusion of A and D further weakens this option.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it includes all four statements and thereby accepts C as correct. Since C incorrectly defines EPR, any combination that retains it cannot represent the correct set of statements. This option also fails to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate descriptions of responsibility.

Statements A, B and C provide a realistic description of e-waste and responsible management practices, while D is clearly wrong. Discarded ICT devices often contain toxic materials that must be handled carefully. Policies promoting reuse, recycling and safe disposal aim to reduce environmental harm. Simply hoarding obsolete devices without proper treatment does not solve the e-waste problem and may create additional risks.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it includes only A and B and omits C. While defining e-waste and its hazards is important, mentioning policy directions such as recycling and responsible disposal is also necessary for a comprehensive answer.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it selects B and C and leaves out A. Statement A provides the basic definition of what counts as e-waste, and without it the context of B and C becomes less clear. Hence this combination is not fully correct.

Option C:
Option C is incomplete because it groups A and C only and ignores B. Statement B highlights the environmental consequences of improper disposal, which is central to the rationale for e-waste policies.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it collects all three true statements and excludes D, which wrongly portrays indefinite storage as effective management. It aligns with sustainability-oriented approaches emphasised in ICT and environment discussions.

Green computing seeks to minimise the environmental impact of ICT through energy-efficient use, responsible procurement and safe disposal. Using power-saving features like sleep mode reduces electricity consumption, while certified e-waste recycling prevents toxic substances from entering the environment. Together, these actions contribute to sustainability without sacrificing functionality.

Option A:
Keeping devices powered on unnecessarily wastes energy and contributes to higher carbon emissions and electricity costs. It contradicts the goals of efficiency and conservation.

Option B:
Printing every document increases paper consumption and may lead to storage and disposal problems. Digital archiving and selective printing are more sustainable approaches.

Option C:
This option correctly combines energy management with environmentally sound end-of-life handling. It reflects an institutional commitment to both operational and ecological responsibility in ICT use.

Option D:
Rapidly discarding gadgets in regular waste streams increases e-waste and exposes workers and ecosystems to hazardous materials. It is the opposite of green computing.