UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

NEP 2020 encourages the creation and use of high-quality OER to widen access, reduce costs and allow teachers to adapt materials to local contexts, provided quality and licensing norms are respected.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because banning OER would limit access to affordable, adaptable learning resources and goes against the policy’s equity and openness goals.

Option B:
Option B is correct since it matches NEP’s positive stance on encouraging freely shareable, high-quality educational resources across subjects and levels.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because NEP promotes the use of OER throughout the education system, not only in private universities.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect as OER are meant for a wide range of curricular areas, not just for a narrow use such as sports coaching videos.

NEP 2020 calls for strengthening NIOS and state open schools so that children and youth who missed regular schooling can still complete their education. Open schooling offers flexible entry, pacing and modes, making it a key strategy for universalising school education.

Option A:
Abolishing open schooling would remove an important second-chance mechanism and go directly against NEP’s recommendation to expand and improve it.

Option B:
This option is correct because it directly states the inclusion-oriented purpose of open schooling: flexible pathways for those who dropped out or never enrolled.

Option C:
Reserving open schooling only for foreign nationals ignores its primary purpose of serving Indian learners who are out of school.

Option D:
Replacing all regular schools with open schooling is not suggested; NEP sees open schooling as complementary to, not a substitute for, regular schools.

NEP 2020 supports integrating scholarship schemes on the National Scholarship Portal to simplify applications, improve transparency and ensure that socio economically disadvantaged groups can more easily access financial aid.

Option A:
Offline only processing at district offices makes scholarship access slower and less transparent, which the policy wants to improve.

Option B:
This option reflects the digital unified portal approach that NEP recommends for scholarship administration.

Option C:
Restricting scholarships to urban private school students would violate the equity and inclusion goals of the policy.

Option D:
Removing scholarships altogether would harm disadvantaged learners and is contrary to NEP emphasis on financial support.

The policy restructures HEIs into three types based on their functions. Type 1 focuses on research and teaching, Type 2 primarily on high-quality teaching with some research and Type 3 on degree-granting colleges that may evolve into universities. Affiliation is to be phased out over time.

Option A:
This option summarises the three-category model exactly as NEP frames it.

Option B:
Schools and coaching centres fall outside the HEI types described for higher education.

Option C:
Affiliated colleges as a separate category are to be transformed into autonomous degree-granting institutions.

Option D:
Distance centres may exist within these types but are not themselves the basic institutional categories.

A common convention in CBCS-based regulations is that one credit for practical or laboratory work corresponds to about two hours of lab engagement per week. This recognises that practical classes often require more time for set-up and hands-on work than lecture hours. The stem refers specifically to credit equivalence for practical work, and “two” hours is the widely used norm in many universities. Hence, Option C is the best answer.

Option A:
Half an hour per week would be far too little to justify one full credit of practical learning and does not reflect actual practice. Therefore, Option A is not reasonable in the context of higher education norms.

Option B:
One and a half hours might be used in some alternative schemes, but the commonly cited CBCS norm for practicals is two hours per credit. Thus, Option B is less accurate than Option C.

Option C:
Option C is correct because (in many CBCS implementations) 1 practical credit is conventionally mapped to around 2 laboratory contact hours per week.

Option D:
Allocating five hours of laboratory work to a single credit would distort the balance between practical and theory courses in students’ overall workload and is rarely used in CBCS norms. Therefore, Option D is incorrect.

Statements A, C and D correctly indicate how ICT supports higher education. Statement A is true because ICT tools allow blending classroom instruction with online components. Statement C is correct since Learning Management Systems help deliver content, monitor learner progress and enable communication between teachers and students. Statement D is also true as ICT facilitates flexible and lifelong learning through online courses and open educational resources, while statement B is false because digital divides and resource constraints prevent automatic equal access.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only A and C and omits D. Flexible and lifelong learning opportunities are a major advantage of ICT in higher education, and excluding D leaves out this important dimension.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it combines A, C and D, presenting a rounded view of ICT’s role in blended learning, course management and lifelong learning. By excluding B, it recognises that structural inequalities limit equal access despite ICT’s potential. This makes it the only fully accurate option.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes statement B along with C and D. While C and D are true, B wrongly asserts automatic equality of access through ICT, ignoring disparities in connectivity and devices. Hence this combination cannot be accepted.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it selects A, B and D and drops C. Leaving out the central role of Learning Management Systems weakens the description, and including B imports the incorrect assumption of automatic equal access.

Accreditation is the process through which an external quality assurance agency evaluates an institution or programme against predefined criteria and standards. When the institution meets these standards, it receives an accreditation status or grade. The stem describes exactly this type of external evaluation and formal certification, which is correctly called accreditation. Thus, Option B is the appropriate answer.

Option A:
Affiliation is a relationship between a university and its colleges, where the university governs examinations and awards degrees. While important administratively, it is not the same as a quality certification process, so Option A is not correct.

Option B:
“Accreditation” is the recognised term for external evaluation and formal recognition of quality standards, so it matches the stem exactly.

Option C:
Adjudication usually refers to legal decision-making by a court or tribunal rather than to educational quality assurance processes. Therefore, Option C does not match the context of the question.

Option D:
A birth certificate confirms an individual’s existence and identity, not the quality of an educational institution. It is issued by civil administration authorities rather than by academic quality bodies. Consequently, “certification of birth” is conceptually misplaced and does not describe the process in the stem.

Mode 2 knowledge refers to research conducted in the context of application, involving multiple disciplines and various social actors. It emphasises problem solving and practical relevance beyond traditional academic boundaries. The stem lists these characteristics, so the correct number is “2.”

Option A:
Mode 0 is not a recognised category in discussions of knowledge production and has no established meaning. Therefore, this option cannot complete the term.

Option B:
Mode 1 denotes traditional disciplinary, curiosity-driven research carried out mainly within universities. It does not highlight the transdisciplinary and socially distributed nature mentioned in the question, making this option unsuitable.

Option C:
Mode 2 captures the shift towards context-driven, application-oriented and collaborative knowledge production outlined in the stem, confirming that this option is correct.

Option D:
Mode 4 is not part of the classic Mode 1–Mode 2 typology and does not refer to the described pattern of research. Hence, this option is incorrect.

NEP 2020 envisages IITI as an institute to build capacity in translation and interpretation across Indian and foreign languages and to support materials and expertise for multilingual education.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because engineering skills are addressed by technical institutions, not by IITI.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it directly states the translation and interpretation functions linked to language policy that NEP assigns to IITI.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since sports coaching is unrelated to IITI’s language and translation mandate.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because a film acting school does not correspond to the academic and linguistic role described for IITI in the policy.

NEP 2020 identifies the four-year integrated B.Ed. as the standard preparation route for school teachers. It combines content studies with professional courses and practicum. The programme is to be offered in multidisciplinary universities and colleges. This model replaces fragmented and shorter programmes over time.

Option A:
A one-year programme is considered too short for comprehensive teacher preparation in the NEP framework.

Option B:
Two-year B.Ed. programmes will exist only as a transitional arrangement and not as the long-term main route.

Option C:
Three-year models are not emphasised in the policy; the key emphasis is on a robust four-year integrated course.

Option D:
Four years provide enough time to integrate disciplinary knowledge, pedagogy and practicum, which is why NEP recommends this duration.

Statements A, B and D correctly indicate the value of NSS and NCC. A is true because NSS involves students in community-oriented work and social campaigns. B is true as NCC builds discipline, leadership and civic responsibility through drill, camps and training. D is true since certificates, credits and awards for participation can motivate more students to join. Statement C is false; these activities significantly contribute to holistic development by fostering social sensitivity and leadership traits. Therefore, A, B and D only are correct.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes A and B but omits D, overlooking the motivational role of institutional recognition in expanding participation.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it includes A and D but leaves out B, thus not explicitly acknowledging NCC’s contribution to discipline and leadership, which is a core part of its mandate.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it selects B and D only and omits A, failing to mention the community service and social development aspects that NSS emphasises.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it combines A, B and D, capturing community service, leadership development and recognition, while excluding C, which wrongly denies the developmental benefits of these programmes.

Statements B, C and D correctly describe key features of Institutes of National Importance. Statement B is true because such institutions are normally created through Acts of Parliament conferring a special status. Statement C is correct as they are mandated to offer high-quality teaching and research in specialised and strategic areas. Statement D is also true since IITs and NITs are classic examples, whereas statement A is false because ordinary affiliated colleges do not automatically acquire this status.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only B and C and omits D. Although B and C are correct, ignoring the concrete examples of IITs and NITs leaves out an important clarifying statement. A fully correct combination should include all three true statements.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it takes C and D as the only correct statements and excludes B. Without mentioning their establishment through Acts of Parliament, the description of Institutes of National Importance is incomplete. Therefore this option does not reflect the full legal and functional picture.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it combines B and D but leaves out C. Statement C explains the high-quality education and research mandate of these institutions, which is central to their special status. Excluding this purpose-related statement makes the option partial and therefore wrong.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it includes B, C and D together, capturing the legal basis, mission and examples of Institutes of National Importance. By excluding statement A, it also avoids the mistaken claim that any affiliated college automatically gets this designation. This makes it the only option consistent with the statutory and functional characteristics of such institutions.

NEP 2020 argues that regulators should set high but clear quality norms and then allow institutions autonomy in how to meet them. This is described as “light but tight” regulation. The system should be tight on basic requirements and transparency, but light on day-to-day interference. Therefore this option reflects the core idea.

Option A:
This option describes heavy micromanagement of institutions by regulators, which is the opposite of the “light” approach to day-to-day control that NEP recommends.

Option B:
This option explains that regulation should focus on outcomes and essential conditions, not on controlling every detail. It supports institutional creativity while ensuring accountability, and therefore reflects NEP’s idea of “light but tight”.

Option C:
Total absence of regulation would risk poor quality and exploitation; NEP does not support this.

Option D:
Fee issues are important but only one part of regulation; NEP insists that academic quality, transparency and governance must also be regulated.

ABC is conceived as a national-level digital credit repository. Students earn credits from recognised HEIs, and these are recorded in their ABC account. When they move institutions or re-enter after a break, credits can be transferred and counted towards a qualification. This enables genuine portability and lifelong learning.

Option A:
Storing money is the role of financial institutions, not ABC.

Option B:
This option correctly describes ABC as a credit, not financial, bank.

Option C:
Question-setting for exams is handled by universities and testing agencies, not ABC.

Option D:
Accreditation is done by NAC and related regulators, not by the credit bank.

NEP 2020 recommends using school complexes and data-driven planning to rationalise teacher deployment so that all schools, especially in rural and remote areas, have the required subject teachers and fewer vacancies.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because continuing ad-hoc arrangements without planning has created long-term shortages and inequities, which the policy aims to correct.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it reflects the structural approach of using complexes and planning tools to distribute teachers more evenly and reduce vacancies.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since posting teachers only in urban schools would worsen rural educational disadvantage.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because ignoring subject-wise requirements leads to mismatches between curriculum needs and teacher expertise.