Process spine
Source → message → channel → receiver → feedback, with noise and context acting throughout.
NTA UGC NET · Subject Code 63 · Paper II
Mass Communication Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Revise all ten syllabus units through topic-wise question banks, answers, brief explanations, visual concept cards and connected learning aids.
2,125Previous Year Questions
50Focused topic pages
2006–2025Question-paper coverage
How to use this hub
Pass 1 · MapScan the question-frequency bars and comparison table.
Pass 2 · RecallClose the note and answer every card aloud.
Pass 3 · RepairReturn only to weak topics and classic traps.
Question library map · Previous Year Questions by unit
632
116
217
168
79
208
168
128
183
226
Counts come from a question-level archive classification. They describe this supplied archive, not an official future-paper blueprint. Broad/interdisciplinary items were assigned to their best revision home.
Paper timeline
2006Paper II2007Paper II2008Paper II2009Paper II2010Paper II2011Paper II2012Paper III2013Paper III2014Paper III2015Paper III2016Paper III2017Paper III2018Paper II2020Paper II2022Paper II2023Paper II2024Paper II2025Paper II
Thirty distinct papers were retained after duplicate-file checks. Paper formats changed over time; counts are normalized at question level in the audit.
1
UNIT 1 · 632 Previous Year Questions · 29.7% of archive
Journalism & Mass Communication
Start with the process, then connect models, theories, audiences and institutions.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Models and process
- 2Media theories/effects
- 3Media history and institutions
- 4Culture, ideology and audience
Highest-concentration session examples
- June 2020 cycle - 24 September 2020, Shift II (31)
- December 2023 - 13 December 2023, Shift II (31)
- June 2024 - 3 September 2024, Shift II (30)
Must-know concept cards
Model logic
Lasswell maps functions; Shannon–Weaver maps transmission/noise; Schramm adds fields of experience and feedback; Newcomb explains balance; Westley–MacLean adds gatekeeping.
Effects ladder
Move from powerful-effects assumptions to limited effects, then to long-term and negotiated effects.
Audience lens
Uses and gratifications treats the audience as goal-directed; reception approaches emphasize interpretation and social position.
Theory cluster
Agenda-setting = salience; framing = selection/emphasis; cultivation = long-term worldview; spiral of silence = perceived opinion climate; knowledge gap = unequal information gain.
Indian media map
Revise press milestones, commissions, public-service broadcasting, news agencies and landmark institutions as linked timelines—not isolated dates.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Agenda-setting | What to think about | Issue salience |
| Framing | How to interpret | Selection and emphasis |
| Priming | What standard to judge by | Evaluation criteria |
| Cultivation | What the world seems like | Cumulative exposure |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
Which model foregrounds noise?
Shannon–Weaver.
Which theory predicts salience transfer?
Agenda-setting.
What does ABX represent?
Newcomb’s co-orientation/balance model.
Why is feedback important?
It converts one-way transmission into responsive communication.
Two-step flow adds what?
Opinion leaders between media and wider audiences.
2
UNIT 2 · 116 Previous Year Questions · 5.5% of archive
Development & Social Change
Read development communication as a debate about who defines change and who participates.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Development paradigms
- 2Thinkers and models
- 3Participation/community media
- 4Campaign planning
Highest-concentration session examples
- December 2022 cycle - 3 March 2023, Shift I (10)
- June 2020 cycle - 24 September 2020, Shift II (9)
- June 2025 - 25 June 2025, 3-6 p.m. (9)
Must-know concept cards
Modernization
Mass media diffuse innovations, aspirations and modern attitudes; remember Lerner, Schramm and Rogers.
Dependency critique
Underdevelopment is related to unequal structures and flows, not simply lack of information.
Multiplicity
Servaes emphasizes context-specific paths instead of one universal model of progress.
Participation
Freirean dialogue treats communities as subjects who name problems and act, not passive targets.
Campaign chain
Situation analysis → audience segmentation → behavioural objective → message/channel mix → pretest → implementation → monitoring → evaluation.
Community media
Local control, access, representation and feedback matter more than reach alone.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Modernization | Top-down diffusion | Adoption and growth |
| Dependency | Structural critique | Unequal power/flows |
| Participation | Dialogue and co-creation | Empowerment |
| Multiplicity | Many context paths | Locally defined change |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
Who is linked with dialogic pedagogy?
Paulo Freire.
What is the first campaign step?
Situation/problem analysis.
What does participatory communication redistribute?
Voice, decision power and ownership.
What follows persuasion in diffusion?
Decision, then implementation and confirmation.
Why use community radio?
Local access, relevance, participation and feedback.
3
UNIT 3 · 217 Previous Year Questions · 10.2% of archive
Reporting & Editing
Turn every news question into a workflow: discover, verify, write, edit, present.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Editorial genres/practice
- 2News values and sources
- 3Reporting forms
- 4Leads and copy editing
Highest-concentration session examples
- September 2016 Paper III (15)
- December 2013 Paper III (14)
- December 2011 Paper II (12)
Must-know concept cards
News judgement
Timeliness, impact, proximity, prominence, conflict, novelty and human interest are cues—not a rigid formula.
Source discipline
Identify source type, test motive, corroborate, attribute precisely, protect when ethically justified, and document verification.
Lead choice
Summary lead prioritizes key facts; delayed/anecdotal leads create interest but require a clear nut graph.
Story structures
Inverted pyramid supports fast scanning; chronological order follows time; hourglass combines summary with narrative.
Editing pass
Accuracy → meaning → structure → language → style → headline/display → legal/ethical check.
Editorial forms
News reports facts; features deepen context; editorials express institutional view; columns carry an identifiable voice.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Hard news | Immediate public relevance | Direct summary lead |
| Feature | Depth and texture | Flexible structure |
| Editorial | Institutional opinion | Argument |
| Column | Named voice | Interpretation/style |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
What answers ‘why this story matters’?
The nut graph.
Best structure for breaking news?
The inverted pyramid.
What is attribution for?
Transparency about the source of a claim.
First editing priority?
Accuracy and meaning.
What distinguishes an editorial?
It states the publication’s institutional opinion.
4
UNIT 4 · 168 Previous Year Questions · 7.9% of archive
Advertising & Marketing
Link strategy, creative work and media mathematics in one campaign chain.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Advertising concepts/types
- 2Creative strategy
- 3Media planning/buying
- 4Agencies and research
Highest-concentration session examples
- June 2020 cycle - 24 September 2020, Shift II (13)
- December 2022 cycle - 3 March 2023, Shift I (11)
- November 2017 Paper III (10)
Must-know concept cards
Campaign spine
Market/context → audience → objective → positioning → creative promise → media plan → execution → evaluation.
AIDA
Attention → Interest → Desire → Action: a response hierarchy, not a complete media plan.
DAGMAR
Set specific, measurable communication objectives and evaluate movement through awareness/comprehension/conviction/action.
Creative strategy
USP names a defensible promise; positioning defines the brand’s mental location relative to alternatives.
Media metrics
Reach = unduplicated audience; frequency = average exposures; GRP = reach% × frequency; CPM = cost ÷ impressions × 1,000.
Research loop
Pretest concepts/copy, track delivery and response, then post-test recall, attitude or behaviour against objective.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | Different people exposed | Unduplicated %/count |
| Frequency | Average exposures | Exposure intensity |
| GRP | Gross campaign weight | Reach% × frequency |
| CPM | Cost efficiency | Cost per 1,000 impressions |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
60% reach × 3 frequency equals?
180 GRPs.
What does CPM compare?
Media cost per thousand impressions.
DAGMAR stresses what?
Measurable communication objectives.
What is positioning?
The intended place a brand occupies in the audience’s mind.
When is a pretest used?
Before or during finalization of an advertisement/campaign.
5
UNIT 5 · 79 Previous Year Questions · 3.7% of archive
Public Relations
Treat PR as researched relationship management—not merely publicity.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1PR foundations/models
- 2Stakeholders/corporate communication
- 3PR tools/media relations
- 4Crisis, CSR and evaluation
Highest-concentration session examples
- July 2018 Paper II (8)
- June 2015 Paper III (7)
- June 2020 cycle - 24 September 2020, Shift II (7)
Must-know concept cards
RACE cycle
Research → Action planning → Communication → Evaluation.
Grunig models
Press agentry; public information; two-way asymmetric; two-way symmetric.
Public mapping
Classify stakeholders by power, legitimacy, urgency, issue involvement and relationship—not by a generic ‘public’.
Tools
News release, media kit, briefing, press conference, house journal, speech, event, social channel and direct stakeholder communication.
Crisis sequence
Prepare → verify facts → acknowledge → designate spokesperson → communicate actions → update → learn.
Evaluation
Outputs count activity; outtakes assess attention/understanding; outcomes assess attitude/behaviour/relationship change.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Publicity | Earn attention | One-way visibility |
| Public information | Disseminate accurate facts | One-way information |
| Asymmetric PR | Research to persuade | Unequal two-way |
| Symmetric PR | Dialogue and adjustment | Mutual two-way |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
What begins RACE?
Research.
Which Grunig model seeks mutual adjustment?
Two-way symmetric.
Outputs versus outcomes?
Activity/delivery versus change/effect.
First crisis communication need?
Verified facts and a clear response structure.
Who is a stakeholder?
A person/group that affects or is affected by the organization or issue.
6
UNIT 6 · 208 Previous Year Questions · 9.8% of archive
Media Laws & Ethics
Build a legal ladder: constitutional principle → statute → regulator/code → ethical decision.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Ethics/self-regulation
- 2Constitution/speech
- 3Press laws
- 4Copyright, privacy and information rights
Highest-concentration session examples
- June 2020 cycle - 24 September 2020, Shift II (12)
- July 2016 Paper III (11)
- June 2013 Paper III (11)
Must-know concept cards
Constitutional base
Article 19(1)(a) protects freedom of speech and expression; Article 19(2) permits specified reasonable restrictions.
Reputation and courts
Separate civil/criminal defamation concepts from contempt of court, and test publication, identification, harm, defence and context.
Information rights
RTI advances access to public-authority information subject to exemptions; privacy/data protection requires purpose, necessity and lawful handling.
Intellectual property
Copyright protects original expression, not bare facts or ideas; examine ownership, term, licensing, permitted uses and attribution.
Regulation map
Press Council norms guide journalistic conduct; film, broadcasting and digital publishing operate under distinct statutory/rule-based frameworks.
Ethics test
Accuracy, independence, fairness, minimization of harm, accountability, transparency and public interest should be reasoned together.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Enforceable rule | Statute/court/regulator |
| Ethics | Professional judgement | Codes and reasoning |
| Privacy | Control/dignity in personal life | Necessity and public interest |
| Copyright | Rights in original expression | Permission and exceptions |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
Which clause lists speech restrictions?
Article 19(2).
Does copyright protect facts themselves?
No; it protects original expression/selection where requirements are met.
RTI applies principally to what?
Information held by or under the control of public authorities, subject to the Act.
What is prior restraint?
Restriction imposed before publication/exhibition.
Ethical public-interest test?
Show necessity, proportionality, verification and harm reduction.
7
UNIT 7 · 168 Previous Year Questions · 7.9% of archive
Media Management & Production
Combine the business of media with the grammar of production.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Audio-video/studio production
- 2Ownership/economics
- 3Programming/ratings
- 4Management and personnel
Highest-concentration session examples
- December 2023 - 13 December 2023, Shift II (14)
- January 2017 Paper III (10)
- December 2012 Paper III (9)
Must-know concept cards
Management cycle
Plan → organize → staff → direct/lead → coordinate → control/evaluate.
Media economics
High first-copy cost, low marginal reproduction cost, attention markets, advertising dependence and economies of scale shape strategy.
Ownership
Horizontal, vertical and cross-media integration affect control, distribution, risk and diversity.
Production chain
Pre-production (concept/script/budget/schedule) → production (capture) → post-production (edit, sound, graphics, mastering).
Studio roles
Producer manages purpose/resources; director controls realization; floor manager coordinates studio; technical roles manage camera, sound, light and switching.
Programming
Scheduling, format, audience flow, ratings, cost, rights and distribution jointly shape a channel/service strategy.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-production | Plan | Script, budget, schedule |
| Production | Capture | Performance, camera, sound |
| Post-production | Construct | Edit, mix, graphics |
| Distribution | Deliver | Platform, rights, promotion |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
What comes before shooting?
Pre-production.
Why are media goods unusual?
First-copy costs are high while reproduction/distribution costs can be low.
Vertical integration links what?
Different stages such as production, distribution and exhibition/platform.
Who coordinates activity on a TV studio floor?
The floor manager.
Continuity editing seeks what?
Clear, spatially coherent, unobtrusive progression.
8
UNIT 8 · 128 Previous Year Questions · 6.0% of archive
ICT & Digital Media
Learn the stack: data → device → network → protocol → platform → user risk.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Digital/social/mobile media
- 2Networks/internet/web
- 3Telecom/satellite
- 4Computer basics and security
Highest-concentration session examples
- December 2023 - 13 December 2023, Shift II (15)
- December 2022 cycle - 3 March 2023, Shift I (13)
- June 2025 - 25 June 2025, 3-6 p.m. (13)
Must-know concept cards
Computer base
Hardware executes operations; software supplies instructions; operating systems manage resources; data becomes information through processing/context.
Network scale
LAN covers a local area; MAN a metropolitan region; WAN a large geographic area. Topology describes connection structure.
Internet vs Web
The Internet is the network infrastructure; the Web is a service using HTTP/HTTPS, URLs and browsers on that infrastructure.
Protocol cues
TCP/IP underpins networking; DNS resolves names; HTTP transfers web resources; SMTP sends email; secure layers protect data in transit.
Digital journalism
Hypertext, multimedia, interactivity, immediacy, personalization, metrics and participatory distribution reshape production and verification.
Security/AI
Use authentication, authorization, encryption, backups and verification; evaluate AI outputs for provenance, bias, fabrication and disclosure.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | Network of networks | Infrastructure |
| Web | Linked resources | HTTP/URLs/browser |
| Intranet | Private organizational network | Controlled access |
| Extranet | Limited external access | Partners/stakeholders |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
What does DNS do?
Maps domain names to network addresses.
Which protocol is associated with web transfer?
HTTP/HTTPS.
LAN versus WAN?
Local-area scope versus wide geographic scope.
What is hypertext?
Linked, non-linear text/resources navigated through references.
Best defence against a single-password compromise?
Multi-factor authentication plus sound account hygiene.
9
UNIT 9 · 183 Previous Year Questions · 8.6% of archive
Film & Visual Communication
See the moving image as a system of mise-en-scène, camera, editing and sound.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Film history/movements
- 2Cinematography
- 3Indian cinema
- 4Photography, editing and sound
Highest-concentration session examples
- June 2024 - 3 September 2024, Shift II (23)
- December 2011 Paper II (11)
- July 2018 Paper II (11)
Must-know concept cards
Film form
Narrative and style organize viewer expectations through patterns, contrasts, repetition and variation.
Mise-en-scène
Setting, costume/makeup, lighting and staging within the frame.
Cinematography
Framing, lens, angle, movement, focus, exposure and shot scale determine what and how we see.
Exposure triangle
Aperture controls light and depth of field; shutter controls duration/motion rendering; ISO/sensitivity affects exposure and noise/grain.
Editing
Continuity maintains spatial/temporal clarity; montage can generate meaning through juxtaposition; match, cutaway, cross-cut and jump cut have different functions.
Sound
Dialogue, music, effects and ambience may be diegetic/non-diegetic, synchronous/asynchronous, on-screen/off-screen.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Mise-en-scène | Inside the shot | Setting/light/staging |
| Cinematography | How shot is recorded | Lens/frame/movement |
| Editing | Relations between shots | Order/duration/transition |
| Sound | Aural space and time | Voice/music/effects |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
What are the four mise-en-scène areas?
Setting, costume/makeup, lighting and staging.
180-degree rule supports what?
Consistent screen direction and spatial continuity.
What does aperture influence besides light?
Depth of field.
Cross-cutting usually implies what?
Alternating actions, often occurring in parallel.
Sound whose source exists in the story world?
Diegetic sound.
10
UNIT 10 · 226 Previous Year Questions · 10.6% of archive
Communication Research
Translate the research question into design, sample, measurement, analysis and inference.
Previous Year Question Library
Fastest revision order
- 1Research foundations/design
- 2Measurement/reliability/validity
- 3Statistics
- 4Methods and sampling
Highest-concentration session examples
- December 2015 Paper III (15)
- June 2025 - 25 June 2025, 3-6 p.m. (14)
- June 2015 Paper III (13)
Must-know concept cards
Research chain
Problem → literature → question/hypothesis → concepts/operational definitions → design → sample → data → analysis → interpretation/report.
Design choice
Exploratory clarifies; descriptive maps what exists; explanatory tests relationships; experiments strengthen causal inference through control and manipulation.
Methods
Survey asks; interview probes; focus group uses interaction; observation watches; content analysis codes communication; experiment manipulates conditions.
Sampling
Probability methods support known selection chances; non-probability methods trade generalizability for access, purpose or exploration.
Measurement
Nominal labels, ordinal ranks, interval equal distances, ratio equal distances plus true zero. Reliability = consistency; validity = fit/accuracy of inference.
Statistics
Mean/median/mode describe center; range/variance/SD describe spread; correlation describes association, not causation; significance is not practical importance.
Do not mix these up
| Term | Core idea | Exam cue |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal | Categories | Mode |
| Ordinal | Rank order | Median/rank tests |
| Interval | Equal intervals | Mean/SD often used |
| Ratio | Equal intervals + true zero | Full arithmetic |
QUICK RECALL
Active-recall cards
Which scale has a true zero?
Ratio.
Consistency of a measure is called?
Reliability.
Randomly select clusters, then sample within them?
Multistage/cluster sampling design.
What does standard deviation describe?
Dispersion around the mean.
What is operationalization?
Turning an abstract concept into observable/measurable indicators.
30-day retrieval sprint
Days 1–10
One unit per day: concept cards, comparisons, then all recall prompts.
Days 11–20
Second pass by question frequency: begin with the highest bar inside each unit.
Days 21–26
Mixed retrieval: theories, laws, metrics, chronology, methods and production grammar.
Days 27–30
Timed mocks, error log, legal updates and final one-page memory hooks.
References
- Stanley J. Baran and Dennis K. Davis. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future, 6th ed.. Used in Unit(s) 1 for mass communication theory; normative theory; media effects.
- Deepak Nayyar. Modern Mass Communication: Concepts and Processes. Used in Unit(s) 1;3;6 for communication concepts; journalism processes; media law overview.
- Jan Servaes (ed.). Communication for Development and Social Change. Used in Unit(s) 2 for development paradigms; participation; social change.
- Christopher H. Sterling (general ed.). Encyclopedia of Journalism. Used in Unit(s) 1;3;6 for journalism history; reporting and editing; press institutions.
- David Ogilvy. Ogilvy on Advertising. Used in Unit(s) 4 for advertising copy; positioning; campaign craft.
- Ronald D. Geskey Sr.. Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century: Integrating Traditional & Digital Media. Used in Unit(s) 4 for reach and frequency; media planning; media buying.
- John V. Vilanilam. Public Relations in India. Used in Unit(s) 5 for PR history in India; publics; PR practice.
- Peter K. Pringle and Michael F. Starr. Electronic Media Management, 5th ed.. Used in Unit(s) 7 for broadcast management; programming; sales and ratings.
- Andrej Vizjak and Max Ringlstetter (eds.). Media Management: Leveraging Content for Profitable Growth. Used in Unit(s) 7 for media strategy; content value; media business models.
- Alison Alexander, James Owers, Rod Carveth, C. Ann Hollifield and Albert N. Greco (eds.). Media Economics: Theory and Practice, 3rd ed.. Used in Unit(s) 7 for market structure; ownership; media economics.
- Alessandra Rebecchi, Elisa Cavalli et al.. ICT: Information Communication Technology. Used in Unit(s) 8 for computer fundamentals; networking; internet and security.
- Michael Langford. Basic Photography, 7th ed.. Used in Unit(s) 9 for exposure; lenses; depth of field; composition.
- David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. Film Art: An Introduction. Used in Unit(s) 9 for mise-en-scene; cinematography; continuity editing; sound.
- Renu Saran. History of Indian Cinema. Used in Unit(s) 9 for Indian cinema history; milestones; institutions.
- Roy Thompson and Christopher J. Bowen. Grammar of the Edit, 2nd ed.. Used in Unit(s) 7;9 for editing grammar; continuity; transitions.
- Roger D. Wimmer and Joseph R. Dominick. Mass Media Research: An Introduction, 9th ed.. Used in Unit(s) 10 for research process; sampling; measurement; statistics.
- Klaus Bruhn Jensen and Nicholas W. Jankowski (eds.). A Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research. Used in Unit(s) 10 for qualitative traditions; textual analysis; ethnography.
- David K. Perry. Theory and Research in Mass Communication: Contexts and Consequences. Used in Unit(s) 1;10 for theory construction; research logic; media effects.
- UGC. Updated UGC NET syllabus listing; subject 63: Mass Communication and Journalism. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- Legislative Department. Constitution of India (current official edition page). Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Right to Information Act, 2005. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Copyright Act, 1957 (consolidated text). Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Information Technology Act, 2000. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- MeitY. Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021—official updated page. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- Press Council of India. Norms of Journalistic Conduct, 2022. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Cinematograph Act, 1952 (consolidated text). Accessed 8 August 2026.
- India Code. Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023. Accessed 8 August 2026.