Purposes of research – UGC NET Question

Statements A, C and E correctly summarise the main purposes of research. Research certainly attempts to describe, explain and understand phenomena, and it often seeks to predict or control events when conditions permit. It also contributes to both knowledge creation and practical problem solving in society. By contrast, B is false because research may challenge existing beliefs, and D is false because educational research is not confined to laboratories.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes A, C and E, which are all true, and excludes B and D, which wrongly restrict or misrepresent the purposes of research. The combination recognises that research can be descriptive, predictive and problem oriented. It also acknowledges that educational research can occur in natural and institutional settings, not only in laboratories.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it adds B, which wrongly claims that confirmation of what is already known is the only purpose of research. Including B implies that research is never exploratory or critical, which contradicts the open-ended nature of inquiry. Even though A, C and E are true, the presence of B makes the overall combination false.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it includes both B and D, which are false statements, and omits A and C, which are true. It thereby misrepresents research as mainly confirming prior beliefs and limiting educational research to laboratories. This fails to capture the broader descriptive, explanatory and applied purposes of research.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it brings in D, a false statement that confines educational research to lab experiments. While A and C are true, mixing them with D distorts the understanding of where educational research can be conducted. The omission of E also means that the role of research in social problem solving is ignored.