NET Practice Questions
Prepare for NET with more than an answer.
- Level
- National Eligibility Test
- Valid for
- Lifetime for Assistant Professor eligibility; JRF valid for initial 2 years (extendable to 5 years for PhD completion)
Domains covered on the exam 10
- Unit I: Teaching Aptitude10%
- Unit II: Research Aptitude10%
- Unit III: Comprehension10%
- Unit IV: Communication10%
- Unit V: Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude10%
- Unit VI: Logical Reasoning10%
- Unit VII: Data Interpretation10%
- Unit VIII: Information and Communication Technology (ICT)10%
- Unit IX: People, Development and Environment10%
- Unit X: Higher Education System10%
- 1
A researcher administers a new self-esteem questionnaire to a group of students. A week later, the same researcher administers the exact same questionnaire to the same group of students under identical conditions. The researcher then calculates the correlation between the scores from the first and second administration. What is this process assessing?
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Correct answer: C
This procedure is assessing test-retest reliability, which is a measure of the consistency of a research instrument over time. By administering the same test to the same subjects on two different occasions, the researcher can determine how stable the results are. A high correlation between the two sets of scores indicates high test-retest reliability, meaning the questionnaire yields consistent results. Validity refers to whether the test measures what it claims to measure. Inter-rater reliability involves multiple observers.
- 2
In a college survey, it was found that 70% of students participate in sports, and 55% participate in cultural activities. Every student participates in at least one of the two activities. What percentage of students participates in both sports and cultural activities?
graph TD A((Total Students: 100%)) --> B{Sports: 70%} A --> C{Cultural: 55%} B --> D{Intersection: ?} C --> DShow answer details
Correct answer: C
This problem can be solved using the principle of inclusion-exclusion for two sets:
P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A ∩ B)
Here, A is the set of students in sports, and B is the set of students in cultural activities.
We are given:
P(A) = 70% = 0.70
P(B) = 55% = 0.55
Since every student participates in at least one activity, the union of the two sets is 100%.
P(A ∪ B) = 100% = 1.0
We need to find the percentage of students in both, which is P(A ∩ B).1.0 = 0.70 + 0.55 - P(A ∩ B)
1.0 = 1.25 - P(A ∩ B)
P(A ∩ B) = 1.25 - 1.0
P(A ∩ B) = 0.25Therefore, 25% of students participate in both activities.
- 3
Under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 of India, which term is used to denote any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to the environment?
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Correct answer: C
According to Section 2(b) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, an 'environmental pollutant' is defined as 'any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment'. This is the precise legal term used in the Act for such substances. 'Hazardous substance' has a more specific definition related to chemical or physico-chemical properties causing harm, while 'contaminant' is a more general term.
- 4
The 'Digital Divide' refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don't. Which of the following are primary dimensions of the Digital Divide in the context of higher education in India? (Select THREE)
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Correct answer: B, C, D
This is a fundamental aspect of the digital divide, often referred to as the access divide, which is particularly pronounced between urban and rural areas in India.
Beyond mere access, the ability to use technology effectively constitutes the 'skills divide'. Many students may have access but lack the necessary digital literacy to benefit from e-learning.
This represents a linguistic or content-based dimension of the digital divide, where the availability of high-quality digital educational content in vernacular languages is limited, creating a barrier for non-English speaking students.
- 5
What is the next number in the series: 3, 7, 16, 32, 57, ___?
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Correct answer: B
This is a two-level series. First, find the difference between consecutive terms:
7 - 3 = 4
16 - 7 = 9
32 - 16 = 16
57 - 32 = 25The differences are 4, 9, 16, 25. These are the squares of consecutive numbers: 2^2, 3^2, 4^2, 5^2.
The next difference in the series should be 6^2 = 36.So, the next number in the original series is 57 + 36 = 93.
- 6
The establishment of the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a statutory body in 1956 was a direct recommendation of which post-independence education commission?
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Correct answer: D
The University Education Commission of 1948-49, popularly known as the Radhakrishnan Commission, was the first major commission on education after India's independence. It recommended the reconstitution of the University Grants Committee (which existed since 1945) into a statutory body, the University Grants Commission, on the general model of the University Grants Committee of Great Britain. This recommendation led to the UGC being formally established in 1953 and becoming a statutory body by an Act of Parliament in 1956.
- 7
True or False: In a classroom setting, a teacher's use of culturally specific idioms that are unfamiliar to students from diverse backgrounds is an example of a semantic barrier to communication.
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Correct answer: A
True. Semantic barriers arise from problems with the meaning of words, symbols, or language. When a teacher uses idioms, jargon, or culturally specific phrases, the intended meaning may not be understood by students who do not share that specific cultural or linguistic background. This leads to a misunderstanding of the message itself, which is the definition of a semantic barrier.
- 8
A university is implementing a new digital feedback system for student assignments. During the pilot phase, it was observed that while faculty provided detailed text-based feedback, students' engagement with it was minimal, and their subsequent performance did not improve. Which communication model best explains this breakdown, highlighting the missing element in the university's approach?
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Correct answer: C
The Transactional Model of communication best explains this scenario. Unlike linear models (like Lasswell's or Shannon-Weaver's) that see communication as a one-way process, the Transactional Model views it as a simultaneous exchange where both parties are senders and receivers. The problem described is not just about the message's effect or channel noise, but the absence of a dynamic feedback loop and shared meaning creation. Students are not just passive receivers; their lack of engagement is a form of non-verbal feedback that the system isn't capturing, indicating a failed transaction.
- 9
A researcher is studying the efficacy of a new teaching method. They test a group of students before the intervention (pre-test), implement the new method, and then test the same group again (post-test). Which of the following threats to internal validity is most inherent in this single-group pre-test-post-test research design?
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Correct answer: C
Maturation is a significant threat to internal validity in a single-group pre-test-post-test design. This threat refers to changes in the participants over time that are independent of the intervention, such as growing older, becoming more experienced, or simply getting tired. Without a control group for comparison, it is difficult to determine whether the observed changes in the post-test are due to the teaching method or to the natural development (maturation) of the students over the course of the study. Selection bias is not relevant as there is only one group. Instrumentation would be a threat if the pre-test and post-test were different in difficulty.
- 10
Consider the following argument:
Premise 1: All courses listed in the university's prospectus are offered for the current academic year.
Premise 2: 'Ancient Indian Epistemology' is not offered for the current academic year.
Conclusion: Therefore, 'Ancient Indian Epistemology' is not a course listed in the university's prospectus.This argument is an example of which form of valid deductive reasoning?
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Correct answer: B
This argument follows the structure of Modus Tollens (denying the consequent). The logical form is: If P, then Q. Not Q. Therefore, not P. In this case, P is 'A course is listed in the prospectus' and Q is 'It is offered for the current academic year'. The premises state 'If P, then Q' (Premise 1) and 'Not Q' (Premise 2). The conclusion correctly deduces 'Not P'. Modus Ponens affirms the antecedent (If P, then Q. P. Therefore, Q). Disjunctive Syllogism involves an 'or' statement.
