UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Micro-teaching is a teacher education technique that compresses the complexities of real classroom teaching into a controlled, small-scale situation. Trainees teach a brief lesson to a small group, focusing on one or two specific skills, and then receive feedback. This cycle of teach–feedback–reteach helps refine teaching behaviour. Thus, the scaled-down scenario described in the stem is called micro-teaching.

Option A:
In micro-teaching, elements such as time, number of students and content are reduced so that the trainee can concentrate on mastering particular teaching skills. The emphasis is on practice and immediate feedback. This matches the description of a small lesson for a small group used for skill practice, making this option correct.

Option B:
Macro-teaching would refer to full-length lessons in a normal classroom setting with all its complexities. It does not intentionally simplify the environment for training purposes. Therefore, this term does not fit the scaled-down practice described in the question.

Option C:
Peer tutoring involves students teaching other students, usually at the same or slightly different levels. Although it can occur in small groups, its primary purpose is not specifically to train teachers in selected skills. Hence, it is not equivalent to the teacher training technique mentioned.

Option D:
Distance teaching uses correspondence, online platforms or broadcast media to teach learners who are not physically present. It does not inherently involve short lessons for training teachers. As such, it does not match the scenario given in the stem.

Statement C is the only wrong statement because ICT alone cannot automatically remove inequalities created by differences in access, skills and infrastructure. Statements A, B and D correctly describe realistic limitations such as cost, distraction and the need for teacher training. Even with ICT, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds may still face barriers. Hence, the option that selects only C as wrong best matches the conceptual understanding of ICT limitations.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it groups A and C together as wrong statements. Statement A is actually true since the cost of equipment, connectivity and maintenance can prevent effective ICT adoption in some institutions. Treating A as wrong misrepresents a genuine challenge faced in many educational contexts.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it isolates statement C as the sole wrong statement. It acknowledges that digital divide issues are not automatically resolved by simply introducing ICT tools. By accepting A, B and D as true limitations, this option properly identifies the single incorrect claim.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it lists B and C as wrong statements. While C is indeed wrong, B is true in pointing out that overuse or misuse of ICT and social media can distract learners. Mixing a correct statement with the wrong one makes this option conceptually inconsistent.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it marks A, C and D as wrong. Both A and D are valid statements: cost is a barrier and continuous teacher training is necessary for effective ICT use. Including these true statements in the wrong set prevents this option from being the correct answer.

Micro-teaching is a technique in which trainee teachers practise short lessons focusing on one or a few teaching skills,such as questioning or reinforcement. They receive feedback,reflect and re-teach to improve those skills. The central purpose is skill refinement,not syllabus coverage or policy explanation. Hence,the correct completion is teaching skills.

Option A:
Content units are used as vehicles during micro-teaching,but the emphasis is on how the content is presented,rather than on completing topics.

Option B:
Teaching skills like explaining,use of examples and blackboard work are broken down and improved in cycles,which aligns with the stem’s emphasis on improvement.

Option C:
School policies concern institutional rules and regulations and are not the focus of micro-teaching sessions.

Option D:
Admission rules belong to administrative processes,not to the core objectives of micro-teaching in teacher education.

Micro-teaching is a teacher training technique where the complexity of the teaching situation is reduced. The trainee teaches a short lesson, usually to a small group of students, concentrating on one or a few specific skills such as questioning or reinforcement. The session is often recorded and followed by feedback and re-teaching. Thus, the method described in the stem is accurately called micro-teaching.

Option A:
Simulation involves creating artificial scenarios that imitate real-life situations, which may be used for training but are not limited to teaching skills or short lessons. It is broader and not the specific technique defined in teaching aptitude for skill practice.

Option B:
Micro-teaching provides repeated opportunities to plan, teach, receive feedback and reteach, which helps teacher trainees refine their skills systematically. The emphasis on scaled-down class size and time, along with focus on specific skills, matches the stem exactly, making this option correct.

Option C:
Team teaching refers to two or more teachers jointly planning and delivering instruction to one group of students. It seeks to use teachers’ complementary strengths but is not about isolated skill practice in a reduced setting.

Option D:
Programmed instruction delivers content in small steps through instructional materials where learners receive immediate feedback, but it concerns student learning rather than teacher skill rehearsal.

Blackboard skill (or chalkboard skill) refers to the ability to use the board effectively to support teaching. It includes writing clearly,arranging information in a logical layout and using diagrams or charts that are visible to all students. When done well,it enhances student understanding and note-taking. The behaviours described in the stem fit exactly into blackboard skill.

Option A:
Blackboard skill ensures that visual information complements verbal explanations,helping learners to follow the sequence of ideas. Since the stem explicitly mentions writing legibly and organising points on the board,this option correctly identifies the competency concerned.

Option B:
Reinforcement skill is related to using praise,rewards or other responses to strengthen desirable student behaviours or answers,rather than to writing and drawing on the board.

Option C:
Questioning skill concerns framing and asking questions at suitable levels of difficulty,distributing questions and using probes; it does not directly describe board usage.

Option D:
Closure skill refers to summarising and concluding a lesson effectively,helping students consolidate learning,which is different from managing the visual layout on the board.

The National Council for Teacher Education is specifically mandated to oversee teacher education in India. It regulates courses such as B.Ed, M.Ed and other teacher preparation programmes and sets norms for institutions offering them. The stem refers to a body that plans and coordinates the teacher education system and regulates teacher education institutions, which directly corresponds to NCTE. Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

Option A:
The University Grants Commission deals broadly with universities and academic standards but does not specialise in teacher education programmes. It may work with NCTE but is not the primary regulator of teacher education institutions. Therefore, Option A does not fully answer the question.

Option B:
The All India Council for Technical Education is responsible for technical and management education, not teacher education. Its jurisdiction covers engineering and related fields, so it cannot be the body described in the stem.

Option C:
The National Council for Teacher Education prescribes standards for infrastructure, faculty, curriculum and intake in teacher-training institutions. It also grants recognition to such institutions and monitors compliance. These responsibilities align exactly with the description in the stem, confirming this option as correct.

Option D:
The National Institute of Open Schooling provides open schooling options mainly at the school level and does not regulate teacher education programmes. It functions in a different domain from what the question is asking about, so Option D is not appropriate.

Microteaching is a technique used in teacher education programmes to focus on the development of discrete teaching skills. It typically involves short lessons taught to a small group of peers or students. The controlled setting allows detailed feedback and repeated practice. Thus, its main purpose is skill development rather than full scale teaching practice.

Option A:
This option misrepresents microteaching as a context for full length courses and large classes. In fact, its defining characteristics are short duration and small groups, which make observation and feedback easier.

Option B:
This option correctly points out that microteaching isolates skills such as questioning, reinforcement or explaining. Because the context is simplified, student teachers can concentrate on improving these skills with guidance and reflection. It is an important step before handling full-sized classes.

Option C:
This option suggests replacing all real classroom experience, which is not advisable. Microteaching is a preparatory stage and cannot fully substitute teaching practice in actual school or college environments.

Option D:
This option confuses microteaching with subject tests. While subject knowledge is important, microteaching primarily evaluates and enhances pedagogical skills such as communication, organization and interaction.

NEP 2020 acknowledges the importance of ISL for learners with hearing impairment. It recommends efforts to standardise it across the country and develop teaching-learning materials. Teacher training in ISL is also encouraged. This supports inclusion and access to curriculum.

Option A:
Rejecting ISL would create serious barriers for deaf learners and is against the policy.

Option B:
This option reflects the supportive and developmental stance of NEP towards ISL as a full-fledged language.

Option C:
Foreign sign languages may be useful but ISL remains central in the Indian context.

Option D:
Denying curriculum access to ISL users violates equity and rights principles.

Statements A, B, C and E correctly describe micro-teaching. A is true because it focuses on specific skills in a scaled-down format. B is true since time, students and content are deliberately reduced. C is true because the micro-teaching cycle emphasises repeated teaching with feedback, and E is true as video recordings can support self-analysis. D is false because micro-teaching usually takes place with small groups, and F is false since its main purpose is skill development, not just evaluation; therefore A, B, C and E only is correct.

Option A:
Option A brings together all four true statements about the nature, structure and tools of micro-teaching while excluding the incorrect claims that it uses full classes or only evaluates students. Hence this option provides a complete and accurate description.

Option B:
Option B omits E, ignoring the important use of video for self-reflection in many micro-teaching programmes. As a result, A, B and C only does not fully reflect current practice.

Option C:
Option C includes F, which wrongly asserts that micro-teaching is only evaluative. Because F contradicts the developmental purpose of the technique, B, C, E and F only mixes true and false ideas and cannot be accepted.

Option D:
Option D incorporates D, which insists on standard class sizes, contrary to the scaled-down nature of micro-teaching. Thus A, C, D and E only is not a valid answer.

Questioning skill involves using different types of questions—such as recall, probing, divergent and higher-order questions—to stimulate students’ thinking and check understanding. A teacher proficient in this skill varies the difficulty level and distributes questions across the class. The stem specifically mentions framing and asking questions at appropriate levels, which is the essence of questioning skill.

Option A:
Questioning skill helps the teacher diagnose learning, maintain attention and promote active participation. Effective questions encourage students to clarify ideas, justify answers and think beyond the textbook. Because the focus of the stem is on asking questions to stimulate thinking, questioning skill is the correct completion.

Option B:
Explaining skill concerns presenting ideas clearly and logically so that students can understand new content. While explanations may include embedded questions, the central focus of this skill is not on designing questions.

Option C:
Blackboard skill relates to using the chalkboard or whiteboard effectively to highlight key points, diagrams and summaries. It deals with visual presentation rather than question design.

Option D:
Rewarding skill is associated with providing reinforcement, praise or incentives to encourage desired behaviours. Although reinforcement may follow good answers, it is distinct from the skill of framing questions.

Statements A, B and D are correct because they explain the broad need for capacity building among institutions, educators and civil society actors. A refers to institutional capacity, B to educational roles and D to NGOs and communities. Statement C is incorrect as environmental training is relevant to many stakeholders, not just government officials. Option D includes C and omits B, so it cannot be the correct answer. The correct combination has to be A, B and D only.

Option A:
Option A is correct as it brings together A, B and D and excludes the narrow and incorrect view in C. It reflects the multi-stakeholder nature of environmental governance and education. Therefore, it matches the requirement of the question.

Option B:
Option B is incomplete because it ignores D, which rightly points to capacity needs in NGOs and communities. Excluding this dimension underestimates the importance of civil society in environmental action.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it includes C, which wrongly restricts environmental training to government officials. Even though B and D are correct, the inclusion of C invalidates the combination.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because, by including C, it endorses the restrictive view on who needs environmental training and leaves out B, which stresses teacher training. This makes the set both incomplete and partly wrong.

Statements A, B, D and E correctly describe constructive uses of ICT. A is true because multimedia tools make explanations richer and more engaging. B is true since an LMS centralises resources and communication. D is true as online forums and chats extend interaction outside class time. E is true because effective ICT integration usually requires teacher preparation and support. C is false; ICT can complement, not replace, face-to-face interaction. F is false as technology alone does not ensure learning gains without appropriate pedagogy.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits E, thereby ignoring the crucial need for teacher capacity building in ICT use.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes F, which wrongly assumes that ICT guarantees learning improvement regardless of instructional design, making the combination partly false.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes F and omits A, failing to mention core classroom uses while accepting the flawed idea that technology alone assures learning outcomes.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it combines four accurate statements about classroom use, LMS, extended interaction and teacher training, and excludes C and F, which exaggerate or distort the role of ICT.

DIKSHA is an initiative of the Ministry of Education in India that offers digital resources aligned with school curricula and professional development for teachers. It supports multiple languages and device types, including mobile phones. By centralising quality-assured content, it enhances access to learning materials across states. Therefore the school-focused platform described in the stem is DIKSHA.

Option A:
Option A, SWAYAM, targets MOOCs for higher and some school education but is not primarily framed as a classroom resource repository for school systems and teacher training in the way DIKSHA is.

Option B:
Option B, NAD (National Academic Depository), manages digital certificates and academic awards rather than everyday teaching–learning resources.

Option C:
Option C is correct because DIKSHA is explicitly branded as the national digital infrastructure for school education and teacher professional development, which fits the description.

Option D:
Option D, SHODHGANGA, is concerned with hosting theses and dissertations and is focused on research, not school-level teaching content.

Statements A, B and C correctly summarise three important digital initiatives, while statement D is incorrect. These platforms extend ICT-based resources to learners at different levels and often include teacher training modules as well. The claim that such initiatives always exclude teacher training does not match actual practice. Hence, the combination A, B and C only is the correct set of statements.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all three true statements about SWAYAM, NPTEL and e-PG Pathshala, and excludes the false one. It recognises the scope of these initiatives in expanding ICT-enabled higher education. By rejecting D, it remains consistent with national policy directions.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it lists only A and B and omits C. Statement C is also true in describing e-PG Pathshala’s focus on postgraduate content. Any correct answer should include all three valid descriptions.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it groups B, C and D as correct, thus accepting D. Statement D wrongly suggests that teacher training is always excluded, which is contrary to many ICT-based faculty development efforts. Including D invalidates the combination.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it assumes all four statements are correct. Since D is incorrect, this set cannot be accepted as the correct answer.