UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Sanitation includes safe disposal of human excreta and waste water to protect health and the environment. Providing toilets and eliminating open defecation reduce contamination of soil and water and break disease transmission pathways. The stem clearly describes such actions,so sanitation is the appropriate term. Therefore Option D is correct.

Option A:
Aesthetics may improve indirectly,but the primary purpose of toilets is hygiene and health,not appearance.

Option B:
Production relates to economic output and is not the primary objective of ending open defecation.

Option C:
Commerce concerns trade and business activity and does not capture the hygiene and disease prevention focus here.

Option D:
Sanitation directly refers to safe excreta disposal and improved hygiene through toilets,matching the stem precisely.

Statements A, B and D are correct as they reflect established public health knowledge about contaminated water, vulnerability of children and benefits of integrated WASH programmes. Statement C is incorrect because handwashing with soap at critical times is one of the most effective measures to prevent diarrhoeal and related diseases. Therefore, the combination A, B and D only is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it excludes D, which correctly emphasises the value of integrated WASH interventions. Without D, the answer does not show how combined strategies reduce disease burden.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it includes C, which wrongly downplays the effectiveness of handwashing. Including this false statement makes the combination unacceptable.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it groups B, C and D and accepts C as true. While B and D are correct, C is not, so the option mixes true and false statements.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it recognises that unsafe water and sanitation particularly harm children and that integrated WASH programmes can substantially lower disease. It also correctly rejects statement C.

Waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid spread mainly through ingestion of water contaminated with human or animal waste. In crowded settlements, breaking this transmission route requires reliable access to microbiologically safe drinking water and effective removal and treatment of sewage. When these systems function together, they significantly reduce pathogen loads in the environment and improve public health outcomes.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because individual bottled water use by a few does not address community-wide contamination and is often unaffordable; it leaves systemic sanitation problems unsolved.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it tackles both the supply of safe water and the safe disposal of excreta, which is the foundation of modern public health engineering.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since storing wastewater in open containers creates breeding grounds for disease vectors and increases exposure risks.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because open defecation near water bodies directly contributes to faecal contamination and is a major cause of waterborne disease outbreaks.

Statements A, B and C properly describe the scope and determinants of environmental health and occupational risk. A points to specific occupational exposures that can harm health, B defines environmental health as dealing with external physical, chemical and biological factors and C identifies safe water and sanitation as key determinants. Statement D is incorrect because workplace safety is a major component of environmental and occupational health. Thus, the correct combination is A, B and C only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all the true statements while excluding D, which denies the environmental dimension of workplace safety. It offers a comprehensive view linking occupational risk, environmental conditions and public health determinants. Therefore, it meets the requirement.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as it omits C, which is a crucial aspect of environmental health related to basic services like water and sanitation. Leaving out such a central factor makes the combination incomplete.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it includes D, which wrongly disconnects workplace safety from environmental health. Although B and C are correct, the presence of D renders the option unacceptable.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines A and C with D. While A and C are valid statements, D contradicts the recognised inclusion of workplace conditions within environmental and occupational health domains. This mixture of correct and incorrect statements cannot be chosen.

Statements A, B, D and E are correct as they describe contamination pathways, the importance of safe sludge and wastewater management, the effectiveness of handwashing and the role of school facilities, especially for girls. Statement C is wrong because toilets without use, cleaning and maintenance do not remove disease risks, and F is wrong since poor solid waste management contributes to vector breeding and environmental contamination. Therefore, the correct combination includes A, B, D and E and excludes C and F.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it brings together all key links between sanitation, health and education outcomes, while leaving out statements that oversimplify solutions or deny environmental health connections. It reflects the integrated WASH perspective promoted in this unit.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits E and fails to recognise how school facilities affect attendance and dignity. Without E, the answer underplays the gendered and educational dimensions of sanitation.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it includes C, which wrongly claims that infrastructure alone guarantees disease elimination. Including C ignores the importance of behaviour change, operations and maintenance for sustained health gains.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it accepts F, which denies links between solid waste and environmental health, and excludes A. This combination both removes a fundamental contamination pathway and accepts a false statement.