UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Deemed-to-be universities are institutions that, while not universities in the conventional sense, are granted university-like status under Section 3 of the UGC Act by the central government. This status allows them to design their own courses and award degrees in their own name. The stem describes institutions declared by the central government with such academic status, which corresponds to deemed-to-be universities. Therefore, Option D is correct.

Option A:
Private universities are generally established through state legislation and are sponsored by private bodies, but the term does not automatically mean they are declared as universities under the specific section of the UGC Act mentioned. Thus, Option A is not precise enough to fit the stem.

Option B:
Open universities are created specifically for distance education and may be state or central institutions; they are not defined primarily by the special declaration mechanism under the UGC Act, so Option B is not the correct completion.

Option C:
Affiliating universities are those that grant affiliation to numerous colleges and conduct examinations for them, but this label does not capture the special declared status under the central government notification. Hence, Option C is not appropriate.

Option D:
Deemed-to-be universities acquire a high degree of academic autonomy and can innovate in curricular and research activities while still being subject to UGC regulations, which matches the detailed academic status described in the question and confirms Option D as correct.