UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The null hypothesis (H0) typically asserts that there is no significant effect, difference or relationship in the population. It serves as the baseline assumption in statistical testing. Researchers try to gather evidence to decide whether this assumption can be rejected. Hence, the hypothesis of no difference is correctly termed the null hypothesis.

Option A:
A research hypothesis expresses the researcher’s expectation about relationships or differences, often in directional language. It is not usually the default statement of “no difference.” Therefore, it is not the best completion here.

Option B:
The alternative hypothesis (H1) states that a real effect or relationship does exist in the population. It is accepted when the null hypothesis is rejected, so it does not claim “no difference” as described in the stem.

Option C:
Option C, null hypothesis, specifically denotes the statement that any observed differences are due to chance and that there is no real effect in the population. It is the focus of significance testing and is rejected only when evidence is strong. This fits the definition in the question, making this option correct.

Option D:
A directional hypothesis predicts not only that a difference exists but also its direction, such as “greater than” or “less than.” It is a kind of research or alternative hypothesis, not the no-difference statement. So it does not answer the stem.