UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements A, B and D correctly summarise NEP 2020 teacher education reforms. The policy highlights a four-year integrated BEd rooted in strong disciplinary and professional preparation and expects teacher education to be located in multidisciplinary higher education institutions. It does not favour permanent isolation of teacher education from universities, and it emphasises appropriate regulation and quality assurance. Therefore C, E and F are incorrect because they either insist on stand-alone isolation or deny the need for regulatory oversight and common quality frameworks.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only A and B and leaves out D, thereby neglecting the policy’s emphasis that teacher preparation must combine disciplinary depth with professional and pedagogical training.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it selects B and D and omits A, so it ignores the specific structural reform of introducing a four-year integrated BEd as a central route for teacher preparation.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it groups A, B and D, the three true statements about integrated programmes, multidisciplinary location and strong disciplinary foundations, while excluding C, E and F, which misrepresent NEP 2020’s stance on isolation and regulation.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes C, which favours permanent stand-alone teacher education institutions, contrary to NEP’s integration approach, and omits B, which describes that integration.

Statements A, B and C correctly describe NEP 2020 institutional types. The policy speaks of research-intensive universities, teaching-intensive multidisciplinary institutions and autonomous degree-granting colleges as the three broad categories. It does not freeze institutions into single-stream teaching-only roles, and it allows evolution from one type to another as quality improves. Statements D, E and F distort the policy by denying multidisciplinary flexibility and integration of teacher education with the overall system.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it leaves out statement C, so it does not acknowledge autonomous degree-granting colleges as a distinct institutional type envisaged by NEP 2020. This makes the description of the new institutional structure incomplete.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes A and C but omits B, thereby not explicitly recognising teaching-intensive multidisciplinary institutions, which are a major category in NEP 2020.

Option C:
Option C is correct since it includes A, B and C, the three true statements about institutional types, and excludes D, E and F, which incorrectly portray NEP as enforcing single-stream colleges and permanent separations.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats D as part of the correct set even though D wrongly claims that all institutions must remain single-stream teaching colleges, which contradicts the multidisciplinary thrust of NEP 2020.

NEP 2020 repeatedly emphasises that classrooms should move towards student-centred learning. In this approach, learners actively construct knowledge through interaction, exploration and reflection. It values student voice, choice and collaboration over one-way lecturing. Thus, “student-centred” learning accurately captures the pedagogic shift described in the policy.

Option A:
Syllabus-centred learning focuses mainly on completing the prescribed content rather than responding to learner needs. It encourages a coverage mentality rather than deep understanding. This is closer to traditional teacher dominance and not the reform direction suggested by NEP 2020.

Option B:
Student-centred learning keeps learners’ interests, prior knowledge and pace at the core of teaching. It uses activities, discussions and projects to engage students meaningfully. This orientation matches NEP 2020’s call for active, holistic and flexible learning environments.

Option C:
Exam-centred learning places tests at the centre and often pushes students towards rote memorisation. NEP 2020 discourages such exam-driven culture and promotes continuous assessment instead. Therefore, this option does not align with the desired shift.

Option D:
Authority-centred learning reinforces hierarchy and unquestioned obedience to the teacher. It restricts critical questioning and participatory decision-making. This is opposite to the democratic, learner-focused ethos promoted in the policy.

NEP 2020 emphasises a holistic and multidisciplinary higher education structure with flexible curricular choices, making statement A correct. It also proposes a time-bound phasing out of the affiliation system, which confirms the correctness of statement B. Statement D is correct because NEP 2020 envisions the Higher Education Commission of India as an umbrella organization for regulation, accreditation and funding separation. Statement C is incorrect; NEP does not propose a single examination board controlling all aspects of higher education institutions. The combination A, B and D only therefore correctly captures the intended provisions.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it acknowledges A and B as correct but omits D, which is also a key part of NEP 2020 relating to the Higher Education Commission of India. Leaving out this true statement makes the combination incomplete.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it combines all three true statements A, B and D while excluding C, which exaggerates central examination control beyond what NEP 2020 proposes. This option closely matches the reform agenda described in the policy.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because, although B and D are true, it leaves out A, which is central to NEP’s emphasis on multidisciplinary and flexible education. The omission of A makes the combination partially correct but not fully accurate.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct and thereby accepts the exaggerated claim in C about a single exam board controlling all institutions. Since C is not consistent with the policy, this option cannot be chosen.

NEP 2020 underlines that all students, regardless of discipline, should cultivate critical and creative thinking. Arts and humanities are seen as powerful avenues to question assumptions, imagine alternatives and reflect on human experience. The stem refers to this intended outcome of broad-based education. Thus, “critical and creative” thinking is the correct phrase.

Option A:
Narrow thinking implies limited perspectives and resistance to new ideas, which is precisely what NEP aims to overcome. This option contradicts the spirit of the policy and so is not correct.

Option B:
Mechanical thinking suggests routine, unreflective responses without imagination. NEP 2020 explicitly seeks to move away from such rote or mechanical learning, making this option inappropriate.

Option C:
Critical and creative thinking captures both analytical rigor and imaginative problem solving. It is central to the NEP vision of holistic and multidisciplinary education, which is why this option matches the stem.

Option D:
Purely rote thinking relies mainly on memorisation without understanding or originality. The policy criticises rote learning, so this option cannot correctly complete the statement.

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.

NEP 2020 notes that the Indian higher education system has many small, fragmented institutions that lack resources and multidisciplinary breadth. By consolidating colleges into larger multidisciplinary clusters, the policy aims to reduce such fragmentation. The stem refers to this reorganisation and asks what it intends to reduce, which is fragmentation. Therefore, Option A is correct.

Option A:
Reducing fragmentation can allow for shared resources, better faculty recruitment and richer academic offerings. Larger multidisciplinary institutions are expected to provide more holistic education and stronger governance structures, fitting the description in the question.

Option B:
Coordination is something that such clusters seek to enhance, not reduce. Thus, Option B reverses the intended effect and is incorrect.

Option C:
Autonomy is generally to be increased for institutions under NEP 2020, especially as they mature into multidisciplinary universities. The goal is not to reduce autonomy, making Option C unsuitable.

Option D:
Access is also intended to expand over time, even if institutional structures change. The policy does not aim to reduce access, so Option D is not appropriate.

Statements A, B, D and E together show how NEP 2020 is expected to be implemented in higher education. A is correct because the policy speaks of phased and prioritised implementation. B is correct as multiple stakeholders must coordinate for system-level reforms. D is correct since institutions are expected to prepare their own strategic plans under the policy framework. E is correct because teachers and administrators need orientation and training to translate policy into practice. C is incorrect as the policy does not require unrealistically instant implementation, and F is incorrect because monitoring and review are integral to policy execution.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes all the statements that are true about NEP 2020 implementation (A, B, D and E) and excludes C and F, which wrongly portray implementation as immediate and unmonitored.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it adds C, thereby accepting the claim that all reforms must be completed within one academic year, which is neither feasible nor stated in NEP 2020.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes F, suggesting that monitoring and review are unnecessary; this contradicts the emphasis on continuous review and feedback in policy processes.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes C, which exaggerates the speed of implementation, and also omits B, thus ignoring the crucial need for coordination across levels of governance.

NEP 2020 proposes the Academic Bank of Credits as a national digital repository where students “deposit” the credits they earn and later “withdraw” or redeem them towards a qualification. This banking metaphor is reflected directly in the official name Academic Bank of Credits, so “Bank” correctly completes the term.

Option A:
Option A is correct because the Academic Bank of Credits is explicitly named as such in policy documents, highlighting its function of storing and managing credits like a bank account for learners.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since an Academic Board usually means a committee that takes academic decisions; it does not denote a digital repository for credit storage and transfer.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because an Academic Bureau suggests an office or department, not a system that securely tracks and redeems credits across institutions.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as “Block” has no established connection with credit storage or banking metaphors and is not used in the official terminology.

NEP 2020 introduces the Academic Bank of Credits as a digital repository where students can deposit credits earned from approved courses and later withdraw or redeem them towards a qualification. The metaphor of a “Bank” captures this deposit-and-withdrawal idea, so “Bank” is the correct word to complete the name.

Option A:
Option A is correct because “Bank” suggests safe storage, accumulation and future use, which accurately reflects how credits are to be handled in this system.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as “Bureau” usually denotes an office or department, not a repository that holds individual credit balances over time.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because a “Board” is generally a governing body or committee and does not convey the notion of storing and managing credits like an account.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since “Block” has no natural association with credit storage and retrieval in this context and is not part of the official term in NEP 2020.

NEP 2020 repeatedly emphasises that pedagogy should be learner-centric rather than dominated by the teacher. Student-centred learning promotes active engagement, critical thinking and autonomy, allowing learners to construct their own understanding. It fits well with constructivist principles and flexible curricula that respond to diverse learner needs. Because the policy explicitly calls for shifting from teacher control to learner agency, “student-centred” is the only option that correctly completes the statement.

Option A:
Syllabus-centred learning keeps the primary focus on completing prescribed content, often at a fixed pace, regardless of students’ interests, prior knowledge or learning difficulties. This approach typically leads to coverage-oriented teaching where “finishing the syllabus” is more important than deep understanding. NEP 2020 calls for flexibility, interdisciplinarity and focus on competencies, so a syllabus-centred orientation does not represent the recommended pedagogic shift and is therefore not correct.

Option B:
Student-centred learning recognises students as active participants who co-construct knowledge through questioning, exploration and collaboration. It encourages teachers to use varied strategies like projects, discussions and problem-solving tasks suited to learners’ contexts. NEP 2020 links such learner-centred environments with holistic development, creativity and democratic classroom culture. Hence, Option B, student-centred learning, accurately reflects the direction of reform advocated in the policy.

Option C:
Exam-centred learning makes tests and marks the dominant driver of classroom activity and curriculum decisions. This often results in rote memorisation, short-term preparation and teaching narrowly to the test. NEP 2020 explicitly discourages such exam-driven practices and instead promotes formative, competency-based and continuous assessment. Because the policy is trying to move away from exam-centred practices, this option cannot complete a statement about the desired pedagogic shift and is incorrect.

Option D:
Authority-centred learning reinforces rigid hierarchies in which the teacher is unquestioned and students remain passive recipients of information. Such environments leave little space for dialogue, feedback or shared decision-making, which runs counter to NEP 2020’s emphasis on participatory and inclusive classrooms. By keeping control with the authority figure, this model undermines the learner agency and voice that the policy wants to strengthen. Therefore, authority-centred learning does not represent the recommended move and is not the right answer.

NEP 2020 explicitly states that India should aim to achieve a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035. This target reflects the policy objective of significantly expanding access to post-secondary education. It is seen as necessary for economic growth, knowledge creation and demographic advantage. Therefore, 50% is the only option that correctly matches the official NEP target mentioned in the stem.

Option A:
A GER of 25% is closer to earlier levels of participation and does not represent the ambitious future target set by NEP 2020. Selecting this option would underestimate the scale of expansion envisaged for 2035. Hence, it cannot be the correct completion of the statement.

Option B:
A GER of 35% is higher than 25% but still falls short of the officially stated goal of 50% by 2035. Choosing this option would misrepresent the magnitude of growth planned in the policy. Therefore, it is not the correct answer.

Option C:
50% is the official GER target mentioned in NEP 2020 for higher education by 2035, representing a major planned expansion of access and capacity.

Option D:
A GER of 75% would represent an even more ambitious target than what NEP 2020 actually proposes. Since the policy documents do not state 75% as the 2035 goal, this option does not align with the official benchmark and is incorrect. Although 75% would indicate extremely wide participation, NEP 2020 clearly fixes the benchmark at 50%, so selecting 75% would overstate the intended level of massification.

Statements A, B and D accurately capture autonomy and governance reforms for colleges. A is true because academic autonomy allows colleges to tailor curricula and evaluations within regulatory frameworks. B is correct since autonomy is intended to foster innovation suited to local and regional needs. D is also true as NEP 2020 explicitly proposes graded autonomy and the evolution of colleges into degree-granting institutions. Statement C is false because autonomous colleges remain subject to accreditation and regulatory oversight. Thus, A, B and D only form the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it gathers all the true statements about the goals and policy direction of college autonomy and excludes C, which wrongly suggests complete regulatory exemption. It reflects both flexibility and accountability.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it lists only A and B and omits D, thereby ignoring the explicit policy push in NEP 2020 towards graded autonomy. Without D, the policy context is incomplete.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it combines B and D only and leaves out A, which explains how academic autonomy operates in practice through curriculum and evaluation design.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct, thereby accepting C’s claim that autonomy removes accreditation and regulatory review. This contradicts the principle of autonomous yet accountable institutions.

The phrase used in NEP 2020 is “light but tight,” meaning that regulation should be limited in quantity but strict in enforcement. “Light” refers to reducing unnecessary rules and intrusive control, while still maintaining strong oversight on core quality aspects. Hence, “light” is the correct completion.

Option A:
Option A is correct because the policy explicitly calls for fewer but clearer regulations, trusting institutions in day-to-day matters while keeping oversight tight on academic standards and integrity.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since “heavy” would indicate many rules and detailed micromanagement, which the policy seeks to move away from.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “weak” regulation would imply lax enforcement, contradicting the “tight” part of the phrase that stresses strong compliance and accountability.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as “rigid” suggests inflexible and possibly excessive regulation, again at odds with the idea of keeping the framework light in terms of the number of regulations.