UGC NET Paper 1 is common and compulsory for every candidate. Paper 1 will have 50 questions worth 100 marks. Paper 1 syllabus has 10 units and exactly 5 questions will be asked from each unit. The detailed syllabus for Paper 1 is described below. 

Unit-I Teaching Aptitude Syllabus

  • Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of Teaching (Memory, Understanding, and Reflective), Characteristics, and Basic Requirements.
  • Learner’s Characteristics: Characteristics of Adolescent and Adult Learners (Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual Differences.
  • Factors Affecting Teaching Related to Teacher: Learner, Support Material, Instructional Facilities, Learning Environment, and Institution.
  • Methods of Teaching in Institutions of Higher Learning: Teacher-centered vs. Learner-centered Methods; Offline vs. Online Methods (Swayam, Swayamprabha, MOOCs, etc.).
  • Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern, and ICT-based.
  • Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of Evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer-based Testing, Innovations in Evaluation Systems.

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Unit-II Research Aptitude Syllabus

  • Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism, and Postpositivistic Approach to Research.
  • Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods, and Steps of Research.  
  • Thesis and Article Writing: Format and Styles of Referencing,  Application of ICT in Research, Research Ethics.

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Unit-III Comprehension 

  • A passage of text is given.
  • Questions related to the passage are asked.

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Unit-IV Communication

  • Communication: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics of Communication.
  • Effective Communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and Group Communications, Classroom Communication, Barriers to Effective Communication, Mass-Media, and Society.

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Unit-V Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude 

  • Types of Reasoning: Number series, Letter series, Codes, and Relationships.
  • Mathematical Aptitude: Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages, etc. 


Unit-VI Logical Reasoning 

  • Understanding the Structure of Arguments: Argument Forms, Structure of Categorical Propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal Fallacies, Uses of Language, Connotations and Denotations of Terms, Classical Square of Opposition, Evaluating and Distinguishing Deductive and Inductive Reasoning, and Analogies. 
  • Venn Diagram: Simple and multiple uses for establishing the validity of arguments.  
  • Indian Logic: Means of Knowledge, Pramanas- Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension), Structure and Kinds of Anumana (Inference), Vyapti (Invariable Relation), Hetvabhasas (Fallacies of Inference).

Unit-VII Data Interpretation 

  • Sources, Acquisition, and Classification of Data.
  • Quantitative and Qualitative Data. 
  • Graphical Representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart, and Line-chart) 
  • Mapping of Data, Data Interpretation. Data and Governance.


Unit-VIII Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 

  • General Abbreviations and Terminology, Basics of the Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing, Digital initiatives in Higher Education, ICT and Governance. 

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Unit-IX People, Development and Environment 

  • Development and Environment: Millennium Development and Sustainable Development Goals. 
  • Human and Environment Interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on the environment. 
  • Environmental Issues: Local, Regional and Global issues; Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Soil Pollution, Noise Pollution, Waste (Solid, Liquid, Biomedical, Hazardous, Electronic), Climate Change, and its Socio-Economic and Political Dimensions, Impacts of Pollutants on Human Health.
  • Natural and Energy Resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear, and Forests.
  • Natural Hazards and Disasters: Mitigation Strategies, Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate Change, International Agreements/ Efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance.

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Unit-X Higher Education System 

  • Institutions of Higher Learning and Education in Ancient India.
  • Evolution of Higher Learning and Research in Post Independence India. 
  • Oriental, Conventional, and Non-conventional Learning Programs in India. 
  • Professional, Technical, and Skill-Based Education.
  • Value Education and Environmental Education.
  • Policies, Governance, and Administration.