PhD Research Methodology mock tests
3 free PhD Research Methodology practice sets with answers, for the research-methodology part of PhD entrance tests. Each has 50 multiple-choice questions of 1 mark, 50 marks in all, no negative marking and a 60-minute timer of our choice. When you submit, you see every answer explained and your score by topic group.
Your answers and exact score stay in this browser. We count page views, papers started and submitted (with a score band and the time used), unit practice sets and the Daily 10 opened and finished (with a score band), printed scorecards, papers that failed to load and the speed of the page you landed on; the privacy page lists every field.
Papers
Paper 1
60 min, 50 questions, 50 marks
Paper 2
60 min, 50 questions, 50 marks
Paper 3
60 min, 50 questions, 50 marks
Nothing of yours is saved in this browser.
What each paper contains
- Practice paper 1: units, question types and difficulty
- Practice paper 2: units, question types and difficulty
- Practice paper 3: units, question types and difficulty
Practise one topic group at a time
Sets of 10 questions from one topic group, taken from every paper here: no timer, and the answer and explanation right after each question.
- Topic group 1: Research: concepts and types (15 questions)
- Topic group 2: Research problem and hypothesis (15 questions)
- Topic group 3: Research design (15 questions)
- Topic group 4: Sampling (15 questions)
- Topic group 5: Data collection and measurement (15 questions)
- Topic group 6: Descriptive and inferential statistics (15 questions)
- Topic group 7: Qualitative methods (15 questions)
- Topic group 8: Research ethics, plagiarism and referencing (15 questions)
- Topic group 9: Report writing (15 questions)
- Topic group 10: Computer applications in research (15 questions)
Daily 10
One item from each unit, the same for everyone each day and new at midnight India time, with the answer after each question and a daily streak. Open today's Daily 10
The pattern
| Questions | 50 multiple-choice |
|---|---|
| Options | 4 per question, one correct |
| Marks | 1 per correct answer, 50 in all |
| Negative marking | None: a wrong or skipped answer scores 0 |
| Practice time | 60 minutes per paper (our choice; real tests differ); the test submits itself when the time is up |
| Topic groups (ours) | 10: Research: concepts and types; Research problem and hypothesis; Research design; Sampling; Data collection and measurement; Descriptive and inferential statistics; Qualitative methods; Research ethics, plagiarism and referencing; Report writing; Computer applications in research |
Each practice paper here takes 5 questions from each of our 10 topic groups (our own grouping, not a university syllabus).
UGC NET Paper 1
The UGC-NET December 2026 bulletin says a NET result in categories 2 and 3 can be used as an entrance test for PhD admission in place of the entrance tests of universities and institutions. UGC NET Paper 1 has a Research Aptitude unit: UGC NET Paper 1 practice papers.
Before you start
- PhD Research Methodology exam pattern and FAQ
- Our 10 topic groups and their practice sets
- How the mock tests work
Practice in the research-methodology part of PhD entrance tests as described in the UGC 2022 regulations. Not affiliated with UGC or any university.