UGC NTA NET/JRF Exam, Social Work, June-2025

Correct Ascending Order of the Social Competence/Breakdown Model of Aging
(Kuypers & Bengtson, 1973):
C. Social competence or incompetence (Starting Point): Aging begins with the individual's existing level of social competence or perceived incompetence. This baseline reflects their past experiences, support systems, and confidence in managing life situations.

A. Role loss (loss of social contacts, immobility): External life changes-such as retirement, widowhood, declining health, or reduced mobility-result in loss of meaningful social roles and contacts. This disruption undermines the person's established sense of competence.

B. Self-labeling that reflects stereotypical images of elderly people as dependent, incapable, and incompetent: Following role loss, older adults may internalize society's negative stereotypes about aging. They begin to label themselves as dependent or incapable, which further weakens their selfimage.

D. Thinks negatively and becomes dependent: Finally, the individual accepts these negative perceptions, develops a pessimistic outlook, and increasingly relies on others, completing the breakdown cycle and potentially reinforcing social withdrawal.

Explanation: The Social Competence/Breakdown Model demonstrates how an initial competence level, when disrupted by role losses, can trigger internalized negative labels, ultimately producing dependency and reduced functioning. In ascending order from the earliest stage to the last, the sequence is C → A → B→ D.

A. Group Cohesiveness → III. Degree to which its members are attached to the group. Cohesiveness measures attraction and commitment among members.

B. Group Structure → I. Nature and characteristics of interrelationship among members. Structure describes patterns of roles, norms, and relationships.

C. Group Interaction → IV. Mutual response of people participating in an activity. Interaction is the communication and response flow among members.

D. Sub-Optimization → II. Small group objectives conflict with larger goals. Suboptimization occurs when a subgroup prioritizes its own goals over organizational objectives.

• Article 19: Right to Freedom - Correct.
• Article 14-18: Right to Equality - Correct.
Article 35: Right to Constitutional Remedies - Incorrect. Right to Constitutional Remedies is provided under Article 32, not Article 35. Article 35 relates to Parliament's power to make laws for Fundamental Rights.
Article 23-24: Right Against Exploitation - Correct.
Therefore, C only is incorrectly listed.

Talcott Parsons described processes of social change as functions in maintaining and adapting society:
A. Differentiation → III. Increasing complexity of social organization. Differentiation increases . societal complexity by dividing structures and functions.

B. Adaptive upgrading → IV. Social institutions become more specialized in their purpose. Institutions refine and specialize to meet new challenges.

C. Inclusion → I. Involving different groups. Inclusion incorporates previously excluded groups into societal participation.

D. Value generalization → II. Development of new values that tolerate a greater range of activities. Societies broaden values to accommodate diversity and innovation.

A. Integrated Rural Development Programme (1978): Poverty alleviation programme aimed at providing assets and self-employment opportunities to rural poor.

B. National Rural Livelihood Mission (2007): A poverty eradication mission promoting self-help groups and sustainable livelihoods.

C. PMSVaNidhi (2020): Supports street vendors impacted by COVID-19 with working capital-also aimed at livelihood support.

D. Draft Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (2023): Not a poverty alleviation scheme-it is an environmental and economic market mechanism for carbon trading.

Bruce W. Tuckman's phases of small group development:

B. Testing and dependence (Forming): Initial orientation and role testing.
D. Intragroup conflict (Storming): Conflicts emerge as members assert individuality.
C. Development of group cohesion (Norming): Relationships solidify and unity forms.
A. Functional role-relatedness (Performing): The group becomes productive and taskfocused.

Erik Erikson's psychosocial development stages relevant here in ascending order:
D. Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy, 0-1 yr): Building basic trust with caregivers.
B. Autonomy vs. Shame (Early childhood, 1-3 yrs): Developing independence and control.
A. Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool, 3-5 yrs): Initiating tasks and asserting power.
C. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young adulthood, 20s-40s): Forming intimate relationships versus social isolation.

PERT stands for Program Evaluation and Review Technique, a project management tool developed in the 1950s by the U.S. Navy for the Polaris missile program.

It helps plan, schedule, and control complex projects by analysing task sequences, durations, and dependencies using network diagrams and probabilistic time estimates.

Threats to external validity are factors that limit the generalizability of study findings.
A. Mortality and C. Maturation are threats to internal validity, as they affect changes within the experimental group rather than its applicability outside.

B. Interaction of history and treatment and D. Reactive effects of experimental arrangements are threats to external validity, since they influence whether results apply to other settings or populations.

Hence, A and C only are not external validitythreats.

As an advocate, a social worker's prime role is to confront and address injustice, representing and defending the rights of individuals or communities.

Advocacy involves raising awareness, influencing policies, and ensuring access to resources to correct unfair treatment or systemic inequities.

The other options (establishing means to achieve goals, providing research data, or dealing with unconscious forces) describe other roles or methods but not the primary advocacy function.