UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statement C is the only wrong statement because socio-economic factors strongly influence who has access to ICT and who does not. Income, education, location and disability status can all shape digital opportunities and constraints. Statements A, B and D correctly explain what the digital divide is, where it can appear and how it affects educational access. Thus, the option that selects only C as wrong is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it labels both A and C as wrong statements. Statement A is actually a standard definition of the digital divide, emphasising inequalities in access and skills. Treating this core definition as wrong makes the option conceptually inconsistent.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it groups B and C as wrong statements. While C is wrong, B correctly notes that digital gaps can exist within a country, for example between urban and rural regions. Mixing one correct and one incorrect statement in the wrong set invalidates the option.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it lists A, B and C as wrong statements. Both A and B are accurate descriptions of the digital divide, and only C is false. Including true statements among the wrong ones prevents this combination from being correct.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it identifies C as the only incorrect statement. It recognises the importance of socio-economic factors in shaping digital access and accepts the other statements as accurate. This matches the conceptual understanding of the digital divide in ICT.

An information society is characterised by the central role of information in production, decision making and daily life. ICT tools such as computers, networks and mobile devices enable rapid creation and sharing of data. As knowledge becomes a key resource, individuals and institutions depend more on digital information flows. Thus, the situation that highlights increased reliance on information processing through ICT reflects the idea of an information society.

Option A:
This option correctly stresses that ICT has made information a strategic asset in education, business and governance. It shows that decisions and opportunities increasingly depend on who can access and use information effectively.

Option B:
This option (banning ICT) contradicts the concept; banning computers and networks would push society away from, not toward, an information society.

Option C:
Handwritten surface mail is slow and limited in reach. While still useful, it cannot support the high-speed information flows typical of an information society.

Option D:

The digital divide highlights unequal access to devices, connectivity and digital skills, which can lead to broader social and economic inequalities. It is a major concern for policy makers seeking inclusive development. The phrase captures both physical access and the ability to use ICT effectively. Therefore, the gap described is known as the digital divide.

Option A:
Option A, digital bridge, would imply a mechanism to connect groups rather than the gap itself.

Option B:
Option B is correct because digital divide is the widely used term in ICT and development studies for describing disparities in access to technology.

Option C:
Option C, digital inclusion, refers to efforts and policies aimed at closing the divide rather than the inequality itself.

Option D:
Option D, digital surplus, would indicate an excess of digital resources, which is unrelated to inequitable access.

The digital divide highlights unequal opportunities to benefit from technology due to factors like income, location, gender and education. It includes not only devices and networks but also skills and meaningful usage. This gap can reinforce existing social and educational inequalities. The option that focuses on unequal access and use captures this core idea.

Option A:
This option correctly frames the divide as a social and economic issue rather than a purely technical one. It suggests that bridging the divide requires policy interventions, infrastructure development and capacity building.

Option B:
Differences between analogue and digital signals are issues in communication engineering, not in social equity. They do not directly express the concept of a divide among people.

Option C:
Managing multiple email accounts is a personal choice and does not necessarily reflect inequality of access. Many people on both sides of the divide may or may not use such practices.

Option D:
Temporary outages affect even well connected users and do not represent long term structural disparities. The digital divide refers to persistent differences, not brief technical problems.

The digital divide highlights disparities in access to devices, connectivity and digital skills across social groups or regions. These differences can reinforce existing inequalities in education, employment and civic participation. Policymakers emphasise closing the digital divide as part of inclusive development strategies. Therefore, the inequality described in the stem is termed the digital divide.

Option A:
Option A is correct because the phrase digital divide is widely used in ICT and social policy discourse to describe unequal access and use, distinguishing information-rich and information-poor groups.

Option B:
Option B, euphoria gap, is not a recognised concept in ICT studies and does not capture structural disparities in access.

Option C:
Option C, software loop, suggests a programming construct rather than a social phenomenon.

Option D:
Option D, bandwidth ring, could refer to a network topology or capacity but does not describe the broader socio-economic gap mentioned in the question.

“Digital divide” is a socio-economic term that points to inequalities in access to devices, connectivity, skills, and meaningful ICT use. It highlights how some groups benefit from ICT while others are left out.

Option A:
This option correctly frames the divide as a gap in effective ICT access and use across individuals and groups.

Option B:
This is a technical distinction between signal types, not a social issue about unequal access.

Option C:
ICT is used in both urban and rural areas to varying degrees; confining ICT to cities oversimplifies and misstates the problem.

Option D:
E-books vs printed books is about formats; the core of digital divide is inequality of access and capability, not just media formats.

The digital divide describes disparities in access to devices, connectivity and digital skills across social and geographic groups. This gap can reinforce existing economic and educational inequalities. Policy efforts often focus on reducing the digital divide through infrastructure and training programmes. Thus, the missing word in the phrase is divide.

Option A:
Option A is correct because the widely used term digital divide precisely captures the inequality in ICT access highlighted in the stem. It is a key concept in ICT and development discussions.

Option B:
Option B, literacy, refers to the ability to read, write or use digital tools, and while related, it does not complete the standard phrase used in the literature.

Option C:
Option C, footprint, is associated with the data trail left by users online and not with inequality in access.

Option D:
Option D, piracy, concerns unauthorised copying of software or digital media and does not describe gaps in access to ICT.