UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

UGC, AICTE and NCTE are statutory bodies empowered by Acts of Parliament to regulate segments of higher education. They issue regulations, grant approvals and ensure institutions meet minimum standards. Their core function is to control and guide quality and expansion. Thus, they are best described as regulatory agencies.

Option A:
Regulatory agencies have authority to frame rules, recognise institutions and take action when norms are violated. UGC, AICTE and NCTE perform precisely these roles in their respective domains. This is why “regulatory” is the correct term.

Option B:
Examination agencies mainly conduct tests and evaluate candidates, roles more typical of bodies like the National Testing Agency. While regulators may influence examinations indirectly, they are not primarily examination agencies, so this option is wrong.

Option C:
Placement agencies help students secure jobs and internships and do not possess statutory powers over institutions. Therefore, this option does not fit the description.

Option D:
Media agencies create and distribute content to the public and have no regulatory authority in higher education governance. Hence, this option is not appropriate.

The National Council for Teacher Education is a statutory body established specifically to regulate teacher education. It prescribes norms for curriculum, teacher educators, facilities and intake for programmes like B.Ed. The stem points to the regulator of teacher education programmes, which is clearly NCTE.

Option A:
The National Council for Teacher Education grants recognition to institutions offering teacher education programmes and periodically reviews their compliance. Its authority extends nationwide in this specific domain. For this reason, Option A correctly completes the statement.

Option B:
NCERT develops school curricula, textbooks and educational research for the school sector but does not grant recognition to teacher education institutions. It plays a supportive, not regulatory, role, so Option B is incorrect.

Option C:
AICTE is concerned with technical and management programmes and has no mandate over teacher education degrees such as B.Ed. Therefore, Option C cannot fit the stem.

Option D:
The Medical Council of India (and its successor bodies) regulate medical education and the medical profession, not teacher education. As a result, Option D is not an appropriate answer.

The National Council for Teacher Education is the statutory body specifically mandated to plan and coordinate teacher education and to regulate institutions offering teacher preparation programmes like B.Ed. and D.El.Ed. It sets norms and standards for these courses. The stem clearly points to the apex regulator of teacher education institutions, which is NCTE, so Option C is correct.

Option A:
The University Grants Commission oversees university-level education more broadly and does not issue programme recognition for teacher education in the way NCTE does. Hence, Option A is not the best match for the description in the question.

Option B:
AICTE focuses on technical and management education and has no direct role in accrediting teacher education programmes for schools, making Option B inappropriate.

Option C:
NCERT is primarily concerned with school curriculum development, textbooks and research in school education, not with regulatory approval for teacher education institutions. Therefore, Option D does not satisfy the stem’s requirement.

Option D:
NCTE issues recognition orders, prescribes intake, infrastructure and faculty norms for teacher education, and monitors compliance, directly matching the regulatory functions described. This close alignment confirms that Option C is the correct answer.