Class NEET 2026 ALL Q #2076
COMPETENCY BASED
APPLY
4 Marks 2026 NTA-RE-NEET-2026 MCQ SINGLE
Natural selection can lead to
(a) stabilisation
(b) genetic drift
(c) directional change
(d) disruption
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(A) (a) and (c) only
(B) (a) only
(C) (a), (c) and (d) only
(D) (a), (b), (c) and (d)
Correct Answer: C

AI Tutor Explanation

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Detailed Solution

Step 1: Understanding Natural Selection Outcomes

Natural selection acts on populations in three primary ways based on the distribution of phenotypes. These are Stabilizing selection, Directional selection, and Disruptive selection.

Step 2: Evaluating the Options

(a) Stabilisation: This is a recognized outcome where natural selection favors intermediate phenotypes, reducing variation.

(b) Genetic Drift: This is a mechanism of evolution caused by random chance, not by natural selection. Therefore, it is excluded.

(c) Directional change: This is a recognized outcome where natural selection favors one extreme phenotype over the other, causing a shift in the population mean.

(d) Disruption: This is a recognized outcome (Disruptive selection) where natural selection favors both extreme phenotypes over intermediate ones.

Step 3: Conclusion

Since (a), (c), and (d) are all modes of natural selection, the correct combination is (a), (c), and (d).

Final Answer: (a), (c) and (d) only

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Pedagogical Audit
Bloom's Analysis: This is an APPLY question because the student must identify and categorize specific evolutionary mechanisms taught in the curriculum.
Knowledge Dimension: CONCEPTUAL
Justification: The question tests the understanding of the theoretical framework of population genetics and evolutionary biology.
Syllabus Audit: In the context of NEET, this is classified as COMPETENCY. It requires distinguishing between selective pressures and stochastic processes like genetic drift, which is a common point of confusion for students.
||KEY:C