UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

NEP 2020 underlines that community participation strengthens schools. It supports School Management Committees and School Complex Management Committees with parent and community representation. Projects using local environment and traditions also deepen learning. This partnership improves accountability and relevance.

Option A:
Isolating schools from their communities would deprive them of support and feedback. NEP instead moves towards greater openness, so this option is incorrect.

Option B:
This option summarises the multi dimensional engagement NEP expects, including governance, co curricular activities and learning resources. It best reflects the policy’s participatory spirit and is correct.

Option C:
Giving communities full control over academic decisions without teacher input is not envisaged. Professional educators and community members are meant to collaborate rather than replace each other.

Option D:
Accepting only money while discouraging participation in decision making and learning activities contradicts the vision of schools as community hubs.

Community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) involves engaging local communities in all stages of risk assessment,planning and implementation. It recognises that people closest to hazards have valuable knowledge and strong incentives to act. The stem emphasises local people identifying,analysing and reducing risks with their own resources,which is the essence of CBDRR. Hence community based is the correct term.

Option A:
Centralised approaches rely mainly on higher level authorities to design and implement disaster management plans. While sometimes necessary,they may overlook local priorities and capacities,so they do not match the participatory process described.

Option B:
Market led strategies use price signals and private investment to manage risk,for example through insurance markets. They are not defined primarily by community participation in assessment and planning,so they are not appropriate for the blank.

Option C:
Technology driven approaches focus on tools like early warning systems,remote sensing and engineering solutions. These are valuable but may fail if communities are not actively involved in understanding and acting on risk information.

Option D:
Community based approaches strengthen local organisations and social networks,creating ownership and sustainability of risk reduction efforts. This participatory emphasis matches exactly the process mentioned in the question stem.

Statements A and B are correct: involving communities improves relevance and ownership, and participatory methods allow local knowledge to inform planning. Statements C and D are incorrect because one-way information after decisions and neglect of capacity building both undermine effective participation. Thus, the combination A and B only is correct.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete since it omits B, which rightly emphasises the role of local knowledge in participatory planning. Without B, the knowledge dimension of participation is not captured.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it identifies the two statements that reflect genuine participatory practice and excludes C and D, which describe top-down or capacity-blind approaches. It aligns with the unit’s focus on community-based environmental management.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it adds C, accepting the idea that communities should be informed only after decisions, which contradicts participatory principles.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines B, C and D and treats both C and D as correct, disregarding the importance of early involvement and capacity building.

Effective disaster management recognises that communities are the first to face impacts and the first to respond. Local residents possess detailed knowledge of terrain, hazards and social networks that outside experts may lack. When they participate in risk assessment, planning, drills and early warning systems, measures become more realistic and widely accepted. Therefore, involving communities throughout the disaster management cycle harnesses local capacity and builds resilience, as stated in option D.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because treating disaster management as purely technical overlooks social, cultural and behavioural factors. Excluding communities can result in plans that fail during real events.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since viewing people only as recipients of relief denies their agency and capabilities. Such a top-down approach misses opportunities for preparedness and risk reduction driven by communities themselves.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because hiding information increases vulnerability. Transparent risk communication allows people to take timely protective actions and reduces rumours and panic.

Option D:
Option D is correct as it emphasises participation, shared knowledge and empowerment. Community-based disaster risk management is widely promoted as a cornerstone of sustainable resilience.