UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

A curriculum that offers a major along with minors and diverse electives across disciplines embodies the philosophy of liberal education, which values breadth, flexibility and intellectual exploration. It aims at holistic development and critical thinking rather than narrow specialisation, so “liberal” is the correct descriptor.

Option A:
Option A is correct because liberal education explicitly encourages students to engage with multiple fields, integrate knowledge and design flexible study pathways, exactly as described in the stem.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since “remedial” education focuses on removing basic learning deficits and is not defined by a broad elective-based curriculum.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “vocational” education emphasises specific job skills and a focused, occupation-centred syllabus, not wide disciplinary choice across humanities, sciences and social sciences.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as “purely rote” learning is based on memorisation and repetition, which is the opposite of the critical, reflective and multi-disciplinary engagement promoted by liberal education.

Academic mobility refers to the ability of students to move between institutions, programmes or even countries while getting recognition for learning already completed. Credit transfer is a key mechanism that enables such mobility by allowing credits from one place to be counted toward a degree at another. The stem describes exactly this practice of recognising credits across institutions, which exemplifies academic mobility. Thus, Option B is correct.

Option A:
Mobility expands students’ choices, encourages diverse learning experiences and prevents duplication of effort. It is closely connected with the NEP 2020 emphasis on multiple entry and exit points and flexible curricula, matching the context of the question.

Option B:
Rigidity in the system would mean fixed pathways with little room for movement or recognition of prior learning, which is the opposite of what credit transfer seeks to achieve. Therefore, Option A is incorrect.

Option C:
Segregation implies separation or isolation of groups, which contradicts the idea of interconnected pathways and shared recognition of credits. Option C does not fit the concept described.

Option D:
Exclusion suggests denying access or recognition, while credit transfer is designed to include and value students’ prior learning. Hence, Option D is not appropriate for this stem.

The Higher Education Commission of India is proposed in NEP 2020 as a single umbrella institution to regulate higher education, excluding legal and medical education. It is envisaged to have verticals for regulation, accreditation, funding and academic standards. The stem mentions a single overarching body for higher education regulation, which corresponds directly to the proposed HECI. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

Option A:
HECI is intended to replace or subsume multiple existing regulatory bodies for general higher education, reducing fragmentation and overlap. Its creation is expected to streamline norms and improve transparency in the regulatory environment. These features align closely with the description given in the question.

Option B:
The National Testing Agency is responsible for conducting entrance examinations for various higher and professional education programmes. It does not regulate institutions or set broad higher education policy, so this option is not appropriate.

Option C:
A Central Education Service would refer to a cadre of educational administrators or officers, not a regulatory commission for institutions. Therefore, this option does not fit the stem.

Option D:
The National Council of Universities is not a formal body described in NEP 2020 and does not capture the regulatory, standard-setting and funding roles associated with HECI. Thus, this option is incorrect.

NEP 2020 highlights the importance of developing critical and creative thinking among all students, irrespective of their principal field of study. Exposure to arts and humanities is seen as a way to cultivate these abilities by broadening perspectives and encouraging reflection. The stem refers to this purpose of such exposure, so “critical and creative” thinking is the most accurate completion. Hence, Option C is correct.

Option A:
Narrow thinking suggests limited viewpoints and unwillingness to question assumptions, which conflicts with NEP’s goal of open-minded inquiry. Therefore, Option A is incorrect.

Option B:
Mechanical thinking implies rigid, repetitive approaches without imagination, which is contrary to creativity and critical analysis. Thus, Option B is incorrect.

Option C:
Option C is correct because arts and humanities exposure is intended to broaden perspectives and foster both critical analysis and creativity as per NEP 2020’s holistic education vision.

Option D:
Purely rote thinking is based on memorisation without understanding—something NEP 2020 explicitly criticises and seeks to move away from. Therefore, Option D is incorrect.

The Academic Bank of Credits is a proposed digital repository where students’ academic credits from different recognised institutions and courses can be safely stored. It allows learners to combine credits accumulated over time and across institutions to earn degrees or certifications. The stem refers to a system that enables storing, transferring and redeeming credits under NEP 2020, which corresponds exactly to the Academic Bank of Credits. Thus, Option B is correct.

Option A:
The National Scholarship Portal is aimed at processing and managing government scholarships and does not function as a credit storage and transfer mechanism. It deals with financial support rather than academic credits, so this option is not appropriate.

Option B:
The Academic Bank of Credits supports the NEP 2020 vision of multiple entry and exit points and flexible learning pathways. By recognising learning from various sources, it enhances mobility and lifelong learning, aligning closely with the description in the question.

Option C:
National Career Service is an employment-related portal connecting job seekers and employers. It does not manage academic credits in higher education, so this option is unrelated to the concept asked.

Option D:
Digital India Mission is a broad umbrella programme to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. While ABC is one component of digitalisation in education, the Mission itself is not the specific credit bank referred to in the stem.

The General Education Council under the proposed HECI is envisaged to frame expected learning outcomes and broad curricular frameworks for higher education. Its role is to define what graduates should know and be able to do across disciplines. The stem indicates that this vertical is concerned with “setting,” which refers to curriculum and learning outcomes. Therefore, Option B accurately captures its core function.

Option A:
Infrastructure development is usually handled through funding agencies and institutional planning, not by an outcomes-oriented council. Hence, Option A does not fit the description of the General Education Council.

Option B:
Option B is correct because the General Education Council’s key mandate is to frame broad curricular frameworks and expected learning outcomes (i.e., standards for what graduates should learn).

Option C:
Hostel and mess charges are administrative and welfare issues that fall under institutional management, not under a national council for learning outcomes. Option C is therefore not appropriate.

Option D:
Sports quotas relate to admission or recruitment policies and are not the focus of a body tasked with defining academic outcomes and curricula. A sports quota is a mechanism to provide representation for students with sporting achievements, not to set academic standards. Therefore, Option D is incorrect.

The General Education Council is envisaged as a body that frames expected learning outcomes and broad curricular frameworks for higher education. It will articulate what graduates should know and be able to do across disciplines. The stem points to a council concerned with “setting,” which logically refers to curriculum and learning outcomes. Therefore, this option is correct.

Option A:
Curriculum and learning outcomes define the academic direction and standards for programmes. The GEC’s mandate to specify these provides coherence across institutions while allowing flexibility. This responsibility matches the description in the question.

Option B:
Hostel and mess charges are operational and welfare issues handled at the institutional level. They do not fall within the remit of a national academic council like GEC, so this option is inappropriate.

Option C:
Infrastructure norms are usually decided by regulatory and funding agencies or through separate regulations. They are not the primary focus of the General Education Council, making this option unsuitable.

Option D:
Alumni donations concern fund-raising and alumni relations, which are important but different from setting curricular and outcome standards. Hence, this option does not fit the stem.

NEP 2020 uses the phrase “light but tight” to convey that while regulations should be few and non-intrusive (“light”), they must be strictly enforced where they exist (“tight”). The missing word in the stem must therefore be “light,” which captures the idea of reduced bureaucratic burden combined with strong enforcement on core quality norms.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because “heavy” regulation implies dense, detailed control and frequent interference in institutional functioning, which is exactly what NEP 2020 wants to avoid.

Option B:
Option B is correct as “light” reflects simplified, limited regulation that still insists on compliance with key standards, matching the policy’s own wording.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since “rigid” emphasises inflexibility and excessive control, not the balanced approach of fewer but well-enforced rules.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because “weak” regulation would suggest poor enforcement and diluted standards, contradicting the “tight” part of the phrase.

The official title of the policy is National Education Policy 2020, abbreviated as NEP 2020. It covers the entire education system from school to higher education and lays down a long-term roadmap for reforms. The stem clearly refers to this document by year and scope. Therefore, “Education” is the only word that correctly completes the name.

Option A:
“Employment” policies focus on labour markets and jobs, not on the structure and content of the education system. Using this term would change the meaning of NEP and no such “National Employment Policy 2020” guides higher education reforms. Thus, Option A cannot be correct.

Option B:
“Education” identifies the sector addressed by NEP and matches both the commonly used acronym and the formal title. It correctly conveys that the policy is about schooling, higher education, teacher development and related issues. Hence, Option B is the appropriate completion of the stem.

Option C:
“Environment” policies address ecological protection, climate change and related concerns rather than curriculum, pedagogy or university governance. Since the stem is about reforms in higher education, Option C does not fit.

Option D:
“Expenditure” suggests a financial or budgetary policy and does not name the principal vision document for Indian education. There is no widely recognised “National Expenditure Policy 2020” guiding universities, so Option D is not suitable.

NEP 2020 promotes the creation of large multidisciplinary institutions that house diverse fields of study. Such institutions allow students to combine disciplines and craft broad-based learning pathways. This structure supports holistic development and flexible curriculum choices. Hence, “multidisciplinary” is the correct term for the institution described.

Option A:
A mono-disciplinary institution limits itself to one broad field such as engineering or medicine. It does not provide the wide mix of sciences, social sciences, arts and professional programmes mentioned in the stem. Therefore, this option cannot describe the institution.

Option B:
A vocational-only institution focuses mainly on skill-based and job-oriented programmes in a narrow range of trades. It may not include full-fledged academic disciplines across humanities and sciences. Thus, it does not match the broad programme mix in the question.

Option C:
A multidisciplinary institution deliberately combines many disciplines under one roof. It supports double majors, minors and interdisciplinary work. This design is exactly what NEP 2020 envisions when it talks about such institutions.

Option D:
A residential-only institution is defined primarily by its hostel facility and the fact that students live on campus. It may still have a narrow academic profile. Since the stem is about academic breadth, this label is not appropriate.

NEP 2020 advocates for large multidisciplinary institutions that bring together diverse fields such as sciences, social sciences, humanities and professional programmes under one roof. These institutions enable students to choose combinations of courses, pursue double majors or minors and experience broad-based liberal education. Such breadth is considered essential for holistic development, creativity and complex problem-solving. Therefore, “multidisciplinary” is the only term that correctly captures the institution described in the stem.

Option A:
Mono-disciplinary institutions restrict themselves to a single broad area, for example only engineering, only medicine or only law. They do not provide the wide spectrum of disciplines specified in the question. Since the stem explicitly lists multiple knowledge domains, a mono-disciplinary label cannot match that description and is therefore incorrect.

Option B:
Vocational-only institutions primarily offer job-oriented or skill-based training in a limited set of trades or professions. They may not cover full academic disciplines across sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. While they are important for employability, they do not embody the comprehensive academic breadth stressed in NEP 2020, so this option does not fit the description in the question.

Option C:
A multidisciplinary institution deliberately brings multiple domains such as sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities and professional programmes together within a single organisational framework. This structure enables students to explore combinations of courses across disciplines, supporting flexible academic pathways like double majors, minors and interdisciplinary projects. Such institutions are central to NEP 2020’s vision of holistic and liberal education, where learners can integrate knowledge from different fields to address complex real-world problems. Because this description exactly matches what is stated in the stem, “multidisciplinary” appropriately captures the nature of the institution being referred to.

Option D:
A residential-only institution is defined mainly by its boarding arrangement, meaning that students live on campus. An institution can be residential yet offer a very narrow, specialised set of programmes. Because the stem is about the range of disciplines and not about housing facilities, “residential-only” fails to capture the key academic feature being described and is not the correct answer.

The proposed apex body in NEP 2020 is named the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), envisioned as an overarching regulator with specialised verticals for accreditation, regulation and funding. Therefore, the missing word in the stem is “Commission.”

Option A:
Option A is correct because “Commission” reflects a statutory authority with clearly defined responsibilities, and this is the term actually used in policy drafts and discussions about HECI.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since “Council” would result in a different name and acronym and does not match the official proposal.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “Corporation” suggests a commercial or corporate body, which does not fit the intended character of a regulatory apex body for higher education.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as “Consortium” refers to a voluntary association of institutions, not to a single statutory regulator created by law.

NEP 2020 clearly states that India should aim for a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035. This target reflects a major planned expansion of access beyond the current participation levels. It is seen as necessary to utilise the demographic dividend and support a knowledge-based economy. Therefore, 50% is the only option that correctly represents the official policy target.

Option A:
A GER of 25% is closer to older participation levels and does not represent the ambitious expansion envisioned by NEP 2020. Choosing this value would underestimate the policy’s future goal. Hence, 25% cannot complete the statement correctly.

Option B:
A GER of 35% would imply some growth but still falls short of the 50% target clearly mentioned in NEP 2020. It does not capture the scale of expansion the policy aspires to. Therefore, 35% is not the correct answer.

Option C:
A GER of 50% matches the numerical target written in NEP 2020 for 2035. It signals that roughly half of the relevant age cohort should be in higher education. This value alone is consistent with the policy text, which is why it is the correct choice.

Option D:
A GER of 75% would represent an even more ambitious scenario than what NEP 2020 proposes. While desirable in the very long term, it is not the official 2035 benchmark. Therefore, 75% does not correctly complete the statement.

Statements A and D correctly summarise key aspects of the HECI framework in NEP 2020. Statement A is true because NEP 2020 envisages HECI as an umbrella body with distinct verticals for regulation, accreditation, funding and academic standards. Statement D is also correct in assigning responsibility for academic standards and learning outcomes to a General Education Council. Statements B and C are false since NEP does not propose a single body for all examinations and affiliations, and it explicitly calls for restructuring existing regulatory bodies rather than leaving them unchanged.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it selects precisely those statements that reflect the broad structure proposed in NEP 2020. It acknowledges the multi-vertical design of HECI and the role of the General Education Council. By excluding B and C, it rejects overstated and inaccurate claims about centralised control and lack of restructuring.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes B as correct along with A and D. Statement B wrongly suggests that one body will handle all examinations, affiliations and accreditation, which is not what NEP 2020 proposes. Therefore this combination mixes true and false descriptions.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it accepts C, which claims that all existing regulators will remain unchanged. In fact, NEP 2020 proposes significant restructuring and consolidation of regulatory functions under HECI. Including this false statement invalidates the option.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it pairs A with C. While A is correct, C contradicts the reform spirit of NEP 2020 by denying any restructuring. Hence this combination cannot be considered accurate.

Statements A, B, C and E express the key features of holistic, multidisciplinary education in NEP 2020. The policy promotes flexible curricula and multiple exits, integrates diverse disciplines and values courses from arts and Indian knowledge systems. It also gives importance to ethics and co-curricular development. Statements D and F are false because NEP encourages multidisciplinary institutions and explicitly stresses critical thinking rather than rote learning.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits E and thus ignores the importance of co-curricular activities, ethics and values, which are central to the holistic vision of NEP 2020.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it leaves out A, so it does not mention the structural reform of flexible curricula with multiple entry and exit, an important aspect of the policy.

Option C:
Option C is correct since it groups A, B, C and E, the four true statements about flexibility, disciplinary integration, course choice and ethical development, while excluding D and F, which contradict the spirit of NEP 2020.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes D, which falsely claims that institutions must remain single-discipline, and therefore mixes one false statement with otherwise true statements.