Ethics in data handling – UGC NET Question

Statement C is wrong because fabricating or altering data is a serious ethical violation, regardless of the supposed clarity it might bring to conclusions. Statements A, B, D and E are correct: data should be stored securely, retained for reasonable periods, restricted to authorised users and anonymised when appropriate to protect participants. Therefore, C alone is the incorrect statement.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it treats C and D as wrong, even though D correctly states that access to identifiable data should be restricted to authorised persons. Including D among wrong statements misrepresents a key confidentiality safeguard.

Option B:
Option B is correct since it singles out C as the only unethical statement and implicitly affirms the ethical principles expressed in A, B, D and E. It highlights that integrity and confidentiality are central to responsible data management.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it pairs A, which correctly emphasises secure storage, with C, implying both are wrong. This not only fails to isolate the unethical behaviour but also discourages proper data security.

Option D:
Option D is also incorrect because it misclassifies B and D alongside C as wrong, even though B and D describe good practice in data retention and access control. This combination confuses ethical and unethical actions.