Primary memory vs secondary – UGC NET Question

Primary memory includes RAM and sometimes ROM, which the processor uses to hold data and instructions currently in use. It is fast but typically limited in size and volatile. Secondary memory, such as hard disks and solid-state drives, provides larger, long-term storage for programs and data. This division of roles is fundamental to understanding ICT hardware.

Option A:
This option correctly highlights speed and direct access as key features of primary memory, and persistence and larger capacity as features of secondary memory. Knowing this difference helps in interpreting performance and storage specifications of computing systems in educational institutions.

Option B:
In most systems, secondary memory has higher capacity than primary memory, so the statement that primary is always larger is incorrect. Capacity comparisons depend on design choices, but the typical pattern is the reverse.

Option C:
Both primary and secondary memory can be either fixed or removable depending on device design. For example, RAM is fixed, and portable hard drives are removable, so the simple distinction in this option is wrong.

Option D:
Categorising memory types by the kind of files stored on them, such as music or text, is meaningless. Any digital file can be stored on both primary and secondary memory at different stages of processing.