UGCNET Questions

A URL begins with a protocol specification that tells the browser how to communicate with the server (e.g., http, https, ftp). In the given example, “https” indicates Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure.

Option A:
This part is the domain name, which identifies the server/website, not the communication protocol.

Option B:
This option correctly points to “https” as the protocol component at the start of the URL.

Option C:
“/result” is the path to a specific resource on the server, not the protocol.

Option D:
“.ac.in” is part of the domain structure indicating an academic institution in India, but it does not specify the protocol.

Browsers like Chrome and Firefox run on user devices and interpret HTML and other web content for display. Search engines like Google run on remote servers, index vast numbers of pages and return lists of matching sites when users type keywords. Users typically open a browser first and then access a search engine website through it. This explanation correctly differentiates the two tools.

Option A:
This option matches ICT literacy expectations by separating the function of viewing content from the function of finding it. It shows that the tools complement each other but are not interchangeable.

Option B:
Treating a search engine as hardware and a browser as a printed document confuses software with physical artefacts. Neither tool fits these descriptions.

Option C:
Limiting browsers to SMS and search engines to file saving assigns functionalities they do not have. SMS uses different systems, and file saving is done by operating systems and applications.

Option D:
Saying that both terms always have the same meaning erases a practical distinction that users experience daily when navigating the Web.

The CC field allows senders to copy additional people for information, and their addresses appear in the message header visible to all. BCC is useful when the sender wants to protect the privacy of some recipients, such as in mass emails. Understanding this distinction helps maintain confidentiality and professionalism in ICT-mediated communication.

Option A:
This option correctly states the visibility difference between the two fields without exaggerating their functions. It reflects common email client behaviour and is essential for responsible use in institutional settings.

Option B:
Saying that both fields hide all addresses from everyone would make email headers useless and contradict actual implementations. Normal recipients do see at least some addresses.

Option C:
Claiming that CC recipients never receive messages or that BCC recipients always receive messages twice is baseless. Both sets receive one copy unless technical errors occur.

Option D:
Attachment handling is independent of CC and BCC usage. Any recipient field can receive messages with or without attachments.

The first part of a URL before the colon indicates the protocol or scheme used for communication. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and adds encryption to the basic HTTP protocol. It helps protect data from eavesdropping and tampering during transmission. Therefore, “https” identifies a secure protocol in use between browser and server.

Option A:
The top-level domain, such as “.in” or “.uk”, can hint at country, not the protocol. “https” itself tells us nothing about geographical location.

Option B:
The name of the specific page is usually in the path portion of the URL, such as “/results” here, not in the protocol field. The “https” part does not identify which page on the server is being accessed.

Option C:
The file format is typically indicated by an extension such as “.html” or “.pdf”; the presence of “https” does not specify the document type.

Option D:
This option correctly links HTTPS with secure communication and protocol choice. It reflects basic web literacy, including recognition that HTTPS encrypts hypertext transfer between browser and server.

The Internet provides the underlying infrastructure of interconnected networks that transport data using standard protocols. The Web is an application layer that leverages this infrastructure to deliver hyperlinked pages using HTTP or HTTPS. Users often access the Web through browsers but may use the Internet for other services like email and file transfer. This statement correctly captures their relationship.

Option A:
This option aligns with standard definitions and helps students avoid the common confusion between physical connectivity and specific services. It clarifies that the Web is just one of several services available over the Internet.

Option B:
Treating the two terms as identical hides important conceptual distinctions about layers and services. It may cause misunderstandings when discussing other Internet services beyond the Web.

Option C:
Restricting the Internet to email and the Web to video calls is arbitrary and incorrect. Both can support a wide range of applications depending on protocols and software.

Option D:
Identifying the Web as hardware and the Internet as printed documents reverses reality. Both concepts relate to digital networks and services rather than physical devices or paper manuals.

Browsers like Chrome, Firefox or Edge are installed on devices to render web content using protocols such as HTTP and HTTPS. Search engines such as Google or Bing run as services on the web that maintain huge indexes of websites and return results based on user queries. Users first open a browser and then visit a search engine site to locate information. This option therefore correctly captures their complementary but distinct roles.

Option A:
This option wrongly states that the two are exactly the same, ignoring their different technical functions. Confusing them can lead to misunderstanding of how web navigation actually works. From an ICT literacy perspective, differentiating them is essential.

Option B:
This option misclassifies the browser as a website and the search engine as a physical device, both of which are false. Search engines are implemented as software running on servers, not as standalone hardware gadgets. Hence, the description is technically incorrect.

Option C:
This option assigns very narrow and inaccurate tasks to browsers and search engines. Browsers are used for a wide range of online activities, not just email. Search engines help locate information of many types and do not specialise in online games. Thus, the option is misleading.

Option D:

Operating systems can offer different styles of interaction. Command line shells take typed commands and display text output, offering powerful control for experienced users. Graphical interfaces present icons, buttons and menus that users can manipulate using a mouse or touch, making basic operations easier for beginners. This contrast in interaction mode is the central difference between CLI and GUI.

Option A:
This option incorrectly reverses the characteristics, claiming CLIs use pictures and GUIs use only text. In reality, CLI environments are textual while GUIs are graphical.

Option B:
Option C introduces handwriting as a requirement, which is not true for either interface type. While touchscreens may accept handwriting, it is not a defining feature of CLI or GUI.

Option C:
Option D is wrong because both interfaces typically support file management commands or actions, such as creating folders, copying files and deleting documents.

Option D:

Domain names such as “jrfnet.com” are human-friendly labels, while IP addresses are numerical identifiers used by routers and hosts. The Domain Name System (DNS) maps each domain name to its corresponding IP address so that when users type the name, the network can route packets to the correct server.

Option A:
This option correctly explains that DNS translates readable domain names into numerical IP addresses. Users work with names, but machines rely on the mapped IP numbers for routing packets on the Internet.

Option B:
This statement is false because domain names and IP addresses have different formats and purposes. A domain like “jrfnet.com” is not the same string as its numeric address, and the two are not interchangeable.

Option C:
Domain names are specifically designed to identify online resources such as websites, mail servers and other services. They are not labels for offline printed books, so this option misunderstands their role.

Option D:
IP addresses are stored in devices and routing tables and are actively used in communication. They are not just written on paper, so claiming they exist only on paper is incorrect.

Ranking algorithms consider factors such as keywords, links, freshness and user behaviour to estimate which pages match a query best. By presenting the most relevant pages at the top, search engines increase the likelihood that users will quickly find needed information. Although not perfect, this ranking is central to effective web searching. Thus, the main purpose is relevance-based ordering.

Option A:
This option accurately captures that the ranking algorithm’s aim is to prioritise pages that appear most relevant and useful for a given query. By pushing such pages towards the top of the results, search engines help users locate information efficiently.

Option B:
This option suggests that only advertisements are shown, which contradicts actual behaviour. Most search engines clearly separate paid ads from organic results and do not exclude genuine content.

Option C:
Randomly shuffling web pages would undermine user trust and make search engines unusable. Sophisticated algorithms are explicitly designed to avoid such randomness and instead approximate relevance.

Option D:
Deleting all academic pages would be the opposite of supporting information retrieval. Search engines index academic content along with other types of pages; they do not aim to remove it.