UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

When the goal is to ensure that nearly every eligible and interested person can enter higher education, the policy is striving for universal access. This stage goes beyond elite or mass participation and seeks very high coverage of the target group.

Option A:
Option A is correct because universal access describes the aspirational stage in which higher education opportunities are available to close to 100% of those who meet academic requirements.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect as “minimal” access would deliberately keep participation low, which is the opposite of the policy aim described.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because “selective” access restricts places to a chosen few, not to almost all eligible candidates.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since “random” access implies lack of planning or criteria and does not correspond to an explicit equity-oriented participation goal.

Universal access is the stage at which nearly every eligible and interested person can obtain a place in higher education. The stem describes this aspiration—to include almost all who are willing and prepared—so “universal” access is the appropriate term.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because minimal access would mean very limited opportunities, which conflicts with the expansionary aim described.

Option B:
Option B is correct as universal access captures the long-term policy goal of making higher education nearly fully inclusive for the target group.

Option C:
Option C is wrong since selective access deliberately restricts participation to a smaller chosen subset, not “almost all.”

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because random access suggests lack of planning or criteria, whereas policy aspirations are deliberate and equity-oriented.