UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

The official title of the policy is National Education Policy 2020, abbreviated as NEP 2020. It covers the entire education system from school to higher education and lays down a long-term roadmap for reforms. The stem clearly refers to this document by year and scope. Therefore, “Education” is the only word that correctly completes the name.

Option A:
“Employment” policies focus on labour markets and jobs, not on the structure and content of the education system. Using this term would change the meaning of NEP and no such “National Employment Policy 2020” guides higher education reforms. Thus, Option A cannot be correct.

Option B:
“Education” identifies the sector addressed by NEP and matches both the commonly used acronym and the formal title. It correctly conveys that the policy is about schooling, higher education, teacher development and related issues. Hence, Option B is the appropriate completion of the stem.

Option C:
“Environment” policies address ecological protection, climate change and related concerns rather than curriculum, pedagogy or university governance. Since the stem is about reforms in higher education, Option C does not fit.

Option D:
“Expenditure” suggests a financial or budgetary policy and does not name the principal vision document for Indian education. There is no widely recognised “National Expenditure Policy 2020” guiding universities, so Option D is not suitable.

The National Education Policy 2020 is the comprehensive document that superseded the earlier National Policy on Education 1986 and its 1992 modifications. It lays out a holistic vision for school and higher education, including structural reforms, multidisciplinary learning and quality improvement. The stem clearly refers to the policy that replaced NPE 1986 and now guides higher education, which is the National Education Policy 2020. Thus, Option A is correct.

Option A:
National Education Policy 2020 addresses all levels of education and is explicitly described as replacing the earlier NPE. It sets out goals and strategies for access, equity and quality, directly matching the description in the question. Hence, this option accurately completes the statement.

Option B:
New Examination Policy would focus only on assessment practices and is not the name of the broader policy that governs the entire education system. Therefore, Option B does not fit the stem.

Option C:
New Employment Policy and National Employment Plan would relate primarily to labour market strategies and job creation, not to comprehensive restructuring of education. Options C and D are therefore not appropriate answers here.

Option D:
National employment plans focus on economic and labour policy, whereas the stem is clearly about an education policy document. Since National Employment Plan has no formal status as the successor to NPE 1986 in the education context, this option cannot be correct.