UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Everyday teaching often reveals recurring difficulties, such as low engagement or poor achievement, that signal underlying issues worth investigating. When a teacher reflects on these difficulties and frames them in researchable terms, they become the basis for a research problem. This problem then guides systematic inquiry aimed at understanding causes and testing solutions. Thus, classroom difficulties are a rich source for identifying a research problem.

Option A:
A statistic is a numerical summary computed from sample data, such as a mean or percentage, and is derived during analysis rather than at the stage of identifying issues. It cannot by itself capture the complexity of classroom difficulties.

Option B:
A parameter is a numerical characteristic of a population, not the conceptual challenge that motivates the study. It is estimated after data are collected rather than serving as the origin of the research.

Option C:
A research problem grows out of felt difficulties that are expressed in clear, specific and feasible terms, such as exploring why a particular teaching strategy fails for certain learners. This transformation of experience into a problem statement aligns exactly with the stem.

Option D:
A sample consists of selected individuals or units that will be studied after the problem and objectives are defined. Sampling decisions depend on the nature of the problem, so sample is not the correct completion here.