UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statement D is the only wrong statement because ICT use clearly affects energy consumption, resource use and e-waste generation, so it is linked to environmental sustainability. Statements A, B and C correctly identify concerns and mitigation strategies such as data centre energy use, efficient technologies and digital documents. Claiming that ICT has no relationship with sustainability ignores both negative impacts and opportunities for greener practices. Hence the option that selects only D as wrong is correct.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it groups A and D as wrong statements. Statement A is true, as large data centres are known to consume substantial electricity and may contribute to emissions depending on the energy mix. Including this accurate statement with the false one makes the option invalid.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it labels B and D as wrong. While D is false, B correctly notes that energy-efficient hardware and cooling can reduce ICT’s environmental footprint. This combination misclassifies a genuine mitigation strategy as wrong.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it isolates D as the sole incorrect statement while accepting A, B and C as accurate. It acknowledges that ICT both poses environmental challenges and offers ways to reduce impact through efficiency and reduced paper use.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes A, B and D as wrong, thereby rejecting A and B, which are true. Considering genuine environmental issues and solutions as wrong contradicts the intent of the question.

E-waste is a growing environmental concern resulting from rapid obsolescence of ICT devices. It includes any discarded or end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment and their components. Such waste can release toxic substances if not handled properly. Therefore, the option describing unwanted electronic equipment correctly defines e-waste in ICT contexts.

Option A:
This option focuses on organic agricultural waste, which is managed through separate environmental processes such as composting. It is not specific to ICT and does not involve electronic components. Hence, it does not represent e-waste.

Option B:
This option correctly identifies e-waste as encompassing various ICT hardware that has reached the end of its useful life. Items like computers, monitors and phones contain metals and chemicals that require specialised recycling. This aligns with standard environmental discussions on e-waste.

Option C:
Paper waste from printing is indeed a concern but falls under general solid waste or paper waste, not e-waste. It does not involve electronic circuitry or hazardous materials unique to ICT devices.

Option D:
Plastic bottles are a form of plastic waste and contribute to pollution but are not classified as e-waste. The term specifically refers to electronic items rather than general plastic products.

Carrying capacity refers to the largest population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely given the available resources and technology. If this limit is exceeded,resources are depleted and environmental degradation occurs. The stem clearly mentions a maximum sustainable population without degrading resources,which is precisely the idea of carrying capacity. Therefore this option correctly completes the statement.

Option A:
Carrying capacity is widely used in ecology and human ecology to discuss limits to growth. It reminds planners that development must respect environmental constraints. This matches the emphasis on sustainability in the question.

Option B:
Demographic bonus refers to potential economic gains from a favourable age structure and has nothing to do with physical resource limits. It does not answer what the maximum sustainable population is.

Option C:
Population pyramid is a graphical representation of age and sex composition. It shows structure,not the maximum population an environment can support,so it is not appropriate here.

Option D:
Dependency ratio compares dependants with working age people. It is an economic-demographic indicator rather than a measure of environmental limits.

Statements A, B and C provide a realistic description of e-waste and responsible management practices, while D is clearly wrong. Discarded ICT devices often contain toxic materials that must be handled carefully. Policies promoting reuse, recycling and safe disposal aim to reduce environmental harm. Simply hoarding obsolete devices without proper treatment does not solve the e-waste problem and may create additional risks.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it includes only A and B and omits C. While defining e-waste and its hazards is important, mentioning policy directions such as recycling and responsible disposal is also necessary for a comprehensive answer.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it selects B and C and leaves out A. Statement A provides the basic definition of what counts as e-waste, and without it the context of B and C becomes less clear. Hence this combination is not fully correct.

Option C:
Option C is incomplete because it groups A and C only and ignores B. Statement B highlights the environmental consequences of improper disposal, which is central to the rationale for e-waste policies.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it collects all three true statements and excludes D, which wrongly portrays indefinite storage as effective management. It aligns with sustainability-oriented approaches emphasised in ICT and environment discussions.

Green campus initiatives focus on making higher education campuses environmentally sustainable by reducing energy use, managing waste responsibly, increasing greenery and promoting eco-friendly transport. The stem lists actions such as installing solar panels, waste segregation and car-free zones, which are hallmark practices of green campus efforts. Thus, “green” correctly completes the sentence, making Option B the right answer.

Option A:
Green campuses serve as living laboratories where students can learn about sustainability through direct experience. They demonstrate institutional commitment to environmental responsibility, aligning perfectly with the examples given in the question.

Option B:
Digital initiatives focus on ICT adoption and online processes but do not specifically address energy, waste or transport in the environmental sense described here. Therefore, Option A is not suitable.

Option C:
Military initiatives would relate to defence or security preparedness and are not implied by the sustainability measures listed. Hence, Option C does not fit the stem.

Option D:
Purely ceremonial activities may involve symbolic events but do not necessarily change infrastructure or everyday practices. The question describes substantive infrastructural actions rather than ceremonies, so Option D is incorrect.

Renewable resources are replenished naturally on a human time scale, while non-renewable resources are finite and deplete with extraction. Solar energy is continuously supplied by the Sun and does not run out through human use. Coal, on the other hand, is a fossil fuel formed over millions of years and is exhausted when mined and burned. Thus, pairing solar energy as renewable with coal as non-renewable correctly illustrates the contrast between the two categories.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it lists two renewable resources together and does not provide a non-renewable counterpart. Although both solar and wind are renewable, the question asks for a renewable and a non-renewable pair.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since coal and crude oil are both non-renewable fossil fuels. They do not demonstrate the contrast between resource types that the question seeks.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it combines one clearly renewable source, solar energy, with one clearly non-renewable source, coal. This makes the distinction between resource types easy to understand in the context of sustainable development.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as natural gas and petroleum are both non-renewable fossil fuels. Like coal and crude oil, they are finite and formed over geological time spans.