UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The grapevine is the informal communication network that develops spontaneously within organisations. It carries rumours,gossip and unofficial information through personal contacts. Because it is not officially authorised,it often spreads faster but may be less accurate. The stem describes exactly this kind of unplanned flow,so it is called the grapevine network.

Option A:
Formal network refers to the planned,official channels defined by the organisation’s structure,such as memos and meetings. These are not the unplanned exchanges described in the stem.

Option B:
Vertical communication emphasises upward or downward direction along the hierarchy,which can be either formal or informal,but the term does not capture the rumour-based nature of the grapevine.

Option C:
Diagonal communication cuts across departmental lines and levels,but may still be formal,so it is not the best term for spontaneous rumours.

Option D:
Grapevine networks can influence morale and attitudes significantly,which is why understanding them is important in communication studies,making option C correct.

Statements A, B, C, D and F are correct, while E is the only wrong statement. Over-reliance on personal accounts can create unequal access, so formal channels are still needed. Confidential information must be protected, language should be respectful, and staff acting online need to follow institutional policies. It is never acceptable to spread unverified rumours just to create excitement because this damages trust and can mislead stakeholders. Therefore E only is the wrong statement.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it isolates E as the sole statement that violates ethical communication norms on social media. It recognises the importance of equity, confidentiality, respectful language and policy awareness in institutional messaging. By leaving all those correct statements untouched, this option accurately answers the question.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it also labels A as wrong, even though A rightly warns against announcing crucial dates only through personal accounts. Doing so may exclude students who do not follow those accounts. Hence A and E only cannot be considered the right set of wrong statements.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it treats C and F, both correct statements, as wrong along with E. C recognises the need to protect student data, and F highlights adherence to organisational policies; both align with professional practice. Including them in the wrong set makes this option logically inconsistent.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as it misclassifies B and F, which call for formal channels and policy awareness, as wrong. These statements reflect good institutional practice rather than error. Therefore B, E and F only cannot be chosen as the set of wrong statements.

Grapevine communication is the informal network through which information and rumours spread in an organisation. Conversations during lunch breaks often create and transmit such unofficial news about changes. The stem clearly describes rumours moving among colleagues. Thus it is grapevine communication.

Option A:
Formal communication uses official channels,such as written orders,which are not mentioned here.

Option B:
Downward communication flows from higher to lower levels and is usually formal. Lunchtime rumours move among peers.

Option C:
Grapevine often mixes accurate and inaccurate information,so staff must treat it cautiously,making this option correct.

Option D:
Upward communication is feedback from lower to higher levels,which again is not what is happening in the example.

Statements A, B and E are correct, whereas C, D and F are wrong and therefore form the correct set of wrong statements. Rumours do travel through informal networks, grapevine talk often mixes facts and assumptions, and its patterns can reveal organisational climate. Saying administrators should always ignore informal messages, that all informal talk can be eliminated, or that students never join grapevine communication is unrealistic. Thus the wrong statements are precisely C, D and F.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it marks C only as wrong and overlooks D and F, which also seriously misrepresent informal communication. It underestimates how unrealistic it is to eliminate all informal talk or to assume students are not involved. Therefore C only cannot be accepted as the full set of wrong statements.

Option B:
Option B is still incomplete as it identifies C and D only and omits F. Students often participate in grapevine exchanges, so claiming they never do is also a wrong statement. By failing to include F, C and D only does not cover all the incorrect statements provided.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it groups C, D and F, the three statements that deny the pervasiveness and complexity of informal networks. It correctly leaves A, B and E as accurate descriptions of how rumours and grapevine function. For this reason C, D and F only is the right answer.

Option D:
Option D is wrong as it adds B, a true statement about the mixed nature of grapevine messages, to the wrong set. B accurately recognises that grapevine information often combines facts and guesses. Including B among wrong statements creates a logically inconsistent option.