UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

When universities jointly design programmes, exchange students and faculty, and carry out shared research, they are engaging in academic collaboration. The cooperative and mutually beneficial nature of these activities matches the description in the stem, so “collaboration” is the correct word.

Option A:
Option A is correct because academic collaboration is the standard term for partnerships that involve joint degrees, exchange schemes and research projects between institutions.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as “isolation” implies avoiding contact and cooperation, which is the opposite of what the stem describes.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “unilateralism” refers to one-sided actions without mutual agreement, not jointly negotiated academic partnerships.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since “protectionism” focuses on shielding domestic sectors from external competition and does not capture cooperative cross-border academic work.