CTET 2026 Paper I — AI Predicted (Set 1)

Q1. Which of the following best describes Piaget's concept of 'accommodation'?

1. (A) Rejecting new information that contradicts a schema
2. (B) Modifying an existing schema to fit new information
3. (C) Fitting new information into an existing schema without changing it
4. (D) Achieving a balance between assimilation and prior knowledge

Explanation: Accommodation is the process by which a child modifies an existing schema (or creates a new one) to incorporate new information that does not fit existing schemas. It works alongside assimilation (fitting new information into existing schemas) to achieve equilibration.

Q2. According to Piaget, a child in the preoperational stage typically fails tasks of conservation because of:

1. (A) Absence of symbolic thought
2. (B) Inability to use language
3. (C) Centration — focusing on only one dimension at a time
4. (D) Lack of object permanence

Explanation: Centration is the tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation (e.g. height of a liquid column) while ignoring others (e.g. width), which prevents preoperational children (roughly age 2-7) from understanding that quantity remains constant despite changes in appearance.

Q3. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to:

1. (A) The stage at which formal operational thinking begins
2. (B) The age range during which language develops fastest
3. (C) The gap between what a child can do alone and what they can do with guidance
4. (D) The distance between a child's home and school environment

Explanation: ZPD is the difference between a learner's actual developmental level (independent problem-solving) and their potential level (problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers). It is the space where effective teaching and scaffolding occurs.