UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements B, C, D and F are conceptually aligned with NEP’s vision for HECI. B is true because NEP proposes distinct verticals for regulation, accreditation, funding and standards under one umbrella. C is true as professional councils are to be integrated into a coordinated system rather than act as isolated regulators. D is true since “light but tight” regulation emphasises transparency and outcomes. F is true because a key aim is to reduce overlapping and fragmented regulatory arrangements. A is false as HECI is not meant to manage daily operations, and E is false because policy transitions normally involve phased and consultative processes.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits F, overlooking the focus on reducing duplication and fragmentation in regulatory structures.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it leaves out C, failing to mention the envisioned repositioning of professional councils within the new framework.

Option C:
Option C is correct as it includes B, C, D and F, the four statements that reflect NEP’s regulatory rationalisation, and excludes A and E, which overstate centralisation and ignore gradual implementation.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes A, which misrepresents HECI as a day-to-day manager of universities, contrary to its regulatory and coordinating role.

Statements A, B and D correctly describe how higher education institutions support SDGs. Statement A is true because educating students, conducting relevant research and engaging communities directly advance SDG targets. Statement B is correct as curriculum that addresses sustainability builds awareness and problem-solving skills. Statement D is also true since policies on energy use, waste and social responsibility demonstrate institutional commitment to sustainable development. Statement C is false because partnerships with local communities and governments are often essential for implementing SDG-related initiatives. Accordingly, A, B and D only form the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes A and B but omits D, thereby neglecting the importance of operational policies that model sustainable practices on campus.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it pairs B and D but leaves out A, failing to emphasise the full range of teaching, research and outreach functions that connect HEIs to SDGs.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it combines A with C and D, accepting C’s wrong claim that collaborations are irrelevant, which undermines the collaborative nature of SDG implementation.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it includes the three statements that capture curricular, operational and outreach contributions to SDGs while excluding C, which contradicts the recognised role of community and governmental partnerships.

The concept of Mode 2 knowledge refers to research that is produced in the context of application, across disciplinary boundaries, and often in collaboration with non-academic actors. It contrasts with Mode 1, which is disciplinary and primarily academic. The stem describes characteristics such as transdisciplinarity and application orientation, which align with Mode 2 knowledge. Hence, Option C is the correct answer.

Option A:
Mode 0 is not a standard term in this framework and has no established meaning in the Mode 1/Mode 2 literature. Therefore, Option A is incorrect.

Option B:
Mode 1 refers to traditional, disciplinary, university-centred knowledge production, not the socially distributed and application-focused model described. Thus, Option B is incorrect.

Option C:
Option C is correct because “Mode 2” specifically denotes transdisciplinary, application-oriented, socially distributed knowledge production.

Option D:
Mode 4 is not a conventional label in this framework; the widely used distinction is between Mode 1 and Mode 2. Hence, Option D is incorrect.

The Academic Bank of Credits is designed as a digital system where students’ earned credits from recognised courses and institutions are stored. These credits can later be transferred and combined to obtain certificates, diplomas or degrees, enabling flexible and modular learning pathways.

Option A:
Salary data are handled by HR and financial systems and are unrelated to the academic credit functions of ABC.

Option B:
This option correctly describes ABC as a credit repository that allows students to accumulate and transfer credits across institutions and over time.

Option C:
Sports achievements may be tracked elsewhere but are not the core data ABC is meant to store.

Option D:
Information on infrastructure requirements is part of planning and administration, not the purpose of an academic credit bank.

Statements A, B and D correctly characterise community colleges and vocation-oriented programmes. A is true because these institutions typically emphasise job-oriented skills aligned with regional labour markets. B is true as flexible admission and exit policies help cater to school leavers, working adults and other non-traditional learners. D is also true since partnerships with local industry and community bodies ensure that training remains relevant and demand-driven. Statement C is false; community colleges can operate within the higher education system and award credits that may stack toward qualifications, subject to regulations. Thus, A, B and D only form the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it combines A and B only and omits D, failing to mention the crucial role of external linkages in keeping programmes aligned with local economic realities.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it selects B and D only and leaves out A, thereby not explicitly recognising the skill-based and vocation-oriented nature of these institutions.

Option C:
Option C is correct because it retains all three true statements about skills, flexibility and linkages, while excluding C, which wrongly separates community colleges from the higher education framework.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct, endorsing C’s claim that credits cannot be awarded, which conflicts with the notion of stackable and recognised learning.

In the Mode 1–Mode 2 framework, Mode 1 denotes traditional, discipline-based research carried out largely in universities and guided by academic norms of peer review and scholarly communities. The stem clearly describes this type of research, so the correct number is “1.”

Option A:
Option A is correct because Mode 1 is the established label for conventional academic knowledge production, as opposed to Mode 2’s more transdisciplinary, application-oriented research.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since Mode 2 refers to problem-oriented, socially distributed research, not to the traditional university-centred model given in the question.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “0” is not part of the Mode 1–Mode 2 terminology in this framework.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as “4” likewise has no recognised meaning in this classification of knowledge production modes.

Cost-sharing refers to shifting part of the financial burden of higher education from the state to students and their families through mechanisms such as tuition fees and user charges. Public universities that charge fees in addition to receiving government grants are implementing a cost-sharing model. The stem describes exactly this combination of public grants and student fees, making “cost-sharing” the correct term. Thus, Option B is appropriate.

Option A:
Cost-sharing is often justified on grounds of limited public funds and the private benefits students gain from higher education. However, it raises important questions about affordability and equity, which are widely discussed in the higher education system, matching the context of the question.

Option B:
Complete privatisation would involve reliance mainly on private funding with minimal or no government grants, which is not what the stem describes. Therefore, Option A is not correct here.

Option C:
Zero-budgeting is a budgeting technique where each expense must be justified from scratch in each period and does not directly refer to the mix of grants and fees, so Option C is inappropriate.

Option D:
A barter system involves exchange of goods and services without money and is unrelated to modern mechanisms of higher education finance. Thus, Option D clearly does not fit the stem.

The question asks for wrong statements about value education and professional ethics. Statement A is wrong because value education remains crucial at the higher education level, where students refine and critically examine their values. Statement D is also wrong since professional ethics extends beyond technical competence to integrity, accountability and respect for stakeholders. Statements B and C are correct, as they highlight sensitisation to social responsibility and integration of values across different institutional activities.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes A and B as wrong statements. While A is indeed wrong, B correctly describes the role of value and ethics courses in promoting social responsibility among students. Treating B as wrong undermines a widely accepted purpose of such courses.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it labels B and D as wrong. Statement B is actually correct, and only D is wrong in that pair. By misclassifying B, this option fails to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate descriptions.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it considers C and D as wrong statements. Statement C is correct; institutions often integrate value concerns through curriculum, co-curricular involvement and community engagement. Including it among the wrong statements makes this combination invalid.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it singles out A and D, which both diminish or distort the importance of values and ethics. It recognises that higher education must still address value formation and that ethics is fundamentally tied to integrity and accountability. By excluding B and C, it preserves the statements that accurately reflect the role of value education and ethics in higher education.

NEP 2020 allows small colleges to join together as clusters that can collectively satisfy requirements for becoming a university. The idea is to pool resources, governance and academic programmes to create viable multidisciplinary institutions rather than many weak single colleges.

Option A:
A lone college with no partners is not a cluster by definition. NEP explicitly uses clustering as a consolidation strategy, so this option is incorrect.

Option B:
This option clearly states that several geographically proximate colleges function as one unit in the path toward university status. It mirrors the NEP explanation and is therefore correct.

Option C:
Virtual teacher groups can be useful for CPD but do not correspond to the structural notion of cluster universities described in the policy.

Option D:
School complexes apply to school education, not higher education. Cluster universities are about HEIs, so equating them with primary level complexes is inaccurate.

NEP 2020 emphasises structured induction and mentoring programmes so that experienced teachers and leaders support novices in developing effective classroom practice.

Option A:
This option is incorrect because leaving new teachers entirely on their own increases stress and can lead to weak instructional practices.

Option B:
This option is correct; it captures NEP’s recommendation that senior teachers and school leaders mentor early-career teachers through planned induction.

Option C:
This option is wrong because excluding colleagues from mentoring overlooks the value of school-based professional communities.

Option D:
This option is incorrect since assigning only administrative work to novices prevents them from growing as classroom teachers and misuses their training.

NEP 2020 clearly states that India should aim for a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education by 2035. This target reflects a major planned expansion of access beyond the current participation levels. It is seen as necessary to utilise the demographic dividend and support a knowledge-based economy. Therefore, 50% is the only option that correctly represents the official policy target.

Option A:
A GER of 25% is closer to older participation levels and does not represent the ambitious expansion envisioned by NEP 2020. Choosing this value would underestimate the policy’s future goal. Hence, 25% cannot complete the statement correctly.

Option B:
A GER of 35% would imply some growth but still falls short of the 50% target clearly mentioned in NEP 2020. It does not capture the scale of expansion the policy aspires to. Therefore, 35% is not the correct answer.

Option C:
A GER of 50% matches the numerical target written in NEP 2020 for 2035. It signals that roughly half of the relevant age cohort should be in higher education. This value alone is consistent with the policy text, which is why it is the correct choice.

Option D:
A GER of 75% would represent an even more ambitious scenario than what NEP 2020 proposes. While desirable in the very long term, it is not the official 2035 benchmark. Therefore, 75% does not correctly complete the statement.

Statements A, B, C and D together correctly describe the roles of regulatory bodies. UGC coordinates and maintains standards in general higher education, while professional councils oversee particular professional domains. These bodies do frame regulations on academic standards, infrastructure and quality and sometimes need to coordinate on approvals in overlapping fields. Statements E and F are false because coaching centres do not become universities automatically and regulators can prescribe teacher qualification norms.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it includes exactly the four true statements A, B, C and D and excludes the clearly false E and F. This combination captures coordination, sectoral regulation and standard-setting functions accurately.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since it omits D and therefore ignores the need for coordination between UGC and professional councils in overlapping jurisdictions. It presents an incomplete picture of how programmes are actually approved.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it introduces E, which wrongly treats private coaching centres as universities, and it omits A, so UGC’s coordinating role is not fully represented.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it includes F, which wrongly claims regulators cannot set teacher qualification guidelines, and omits B, thus underplaying the role of professional councils.

Statements A and B correctly summarise the constitutional framework for higher education. Entry 66 gives the Union power over coordination and standards, while the Concurrent List allows both levels of government to legislate on education. Statements C and D are incorrect because higher education is not exclusively a state subject and constitutional provisions clearly shape the governance structures and powers of universities. Therefore, the set of correct statements is A and B only.

Option A:
Option A is correct because it selects A and B, the two statements that accurately describe the Union’s coordinating role and the concurrent nature of education. By excluding C and D, it avoids the false claims that higher education is purely a state matter and that constitutional provisions are irrelevant to university governance.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it adds C to the otherwise correct A and B. Including C wrongly suggests that higher education is exclusively a State List item, which contradicts Entry 66 and the concurrent status of education. This mixture of true and false statements makes the option invalid.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it treats all four statements as correct. Doing so would accept both the true statements about coordination and concurrency and the false claims that the Union has no role and that constitutional provisions are irrelevant, which is logically inconsistent.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it combines B and C while omitting A. It accepts the concurrent status in B but also accepts C’s wrong assertion that higher education is exclusively a state subject, producing a contradictory and inaccurate combination.

NEP 2020 proposes Balavatika as a one-year class before Grade 1 for children around age 5. It is part of the foundational stage and continues play-based, activity-based learning. The idea is to ensure a smooth transition from Anganwadi or home-based ECCE to formal schooling. It is therefore closely linked to early childhood education and school readiness.

Option A:
This option correctly identifies Balavatika as a bridge year focused on play, stories and early pre-literacy and numeracy. It emphasises developmentally appropriate learning rather than formal textbook teaching.

Option B:
A remedial coaching centre is not what NEP describes; Balavatika is for all children, not just those who have failed.

Option C:
An elite sports academy is unrelated to the early childhood focus of Balavatika.

Option D:
A hostel facility for teachers has nothing to do with ECCE provisions.

NEP 2020 recognises Anganwadi and pre primary teachers as central to foundational learning. It calls for systematic training in early childhood care and education and for pathways to earn higher qualifications. Professionalisation of this workforce is key to improving ECCE quality.

Option A:
Denying the need for child development training ignores research and NEP recommendations. This option is therefore clearly incorrect.

Option B:
This option summarises the expectation that ECCE workers have both initial training and ongoing opportunities to learn. It reflects the policy’s child-centred approach and is correct.

Option C:
Replacing staff with untrained volunteers would likely reduce quality and is not suggested in the policy.

Option D:
Overemphasising administrative record keeping misses the primary role of supporting children’s development through play and interaction.