UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Academic corruption refers to unethical and illegal practices in education, including bribery for admissions, manipulation of marks and awarding degrees without meeting academic standards. These actions undermine the integrity of higher education systems. The stem lists precisely such irregularities, so “corruption” is the correct term to describe them, making Option B appropriate.

Option A:
Corruption in higher education erodes public trust, damages the reputation of institutions and disadvantages honest students and staff. It is a serious governance challenge highlighted in discussions of the Higher Education System, aligning with the context of the question.

Option B:
Excellence refers to high quality and ethical behaviour, which is the opposite of what is being described. Hence, Option A is clearly incorrect.

Option C:
Innovation involves creative improvements or new practices, not the unethical shortcuts listed in the stem, so Option C is not suitable.

Option D:
Service suggests positive contribution to students and society, whereas the stem describes harmful practices, making Option D inappropriate.

Statements A, B, D and E are correct, whereas C and F are incorrect. Counsellors actively listen by paraphrasing and summarising, keep information confidential within ethical limits, and use empathic responses to build trust. They also attend to non-verbal signals that reveal emotional states. Interrupting frequently or using judgemental language tends to shut down communication, so statements C and F do not reflect good counselling practice. Therefore A, B, D and E make up the correct set of statements.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it omits E, ignoring the importance of non-verbal observation in counselling. While A, B and D highlight listening, confidentiality and empathy, they do not capture how body language informs understanding. This omission means A, B and D only cannot be the correct answer.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it includes the four statements that match accepted counselling communication principles and excludes the two that conflict with them. It presents a coherent picture of respectful, empathic and observant practice. Consequently A, B, D and E only is the right answer.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since it adds C, which wrongly promotes frequent interruption, to an otherwise sound group. Interruptions can break students’ flow of thought and reduce trust. Including C undermines the accuracy of the option.

Option D:
Option D is wrong because it includes F, which mistakenly claims that judgemental language encourages openness. In reality, students may feel shamed or silenced by such language. For that reason B, D, E and F only cannot be chosen as correct.