Questions & explanations
1. Which of the following statements about Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of 'Sarvodaya' is/are correct? 1. It means the welfare of all, especially the weakest. 2. It was inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and Tolstoy. 3. It was central to Gandhi’s vision of a decentralized, self-sufficient society. Select the correct answer using the code below:
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
All three statements are correct. (1) Sarvodaya means the welfare of all, especially the weakest and the poorest. (2) The idea came from John Ruskin's book 'Unto This Last', which Gandhi summarised in Gujarati and named 'Sarvodaya'; Ruskin's book itself draws on Christ's parable of the workers in the vineyard, and Gandhi was also deeply moved by Tolstoy. So Sarvodaya was indeed inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and Tolstoy. (3) Sarvodaya was central to Gandhi's vision of a village-based, self-reliant and decentralised society. Since all three are right, the answer is (d). Wrong options: (a) leaves out statement 3, (b) leaves out statement 1, and (c) wrongly drops statement 2.
2. With reference to the philosophical differences between the Bhagavad Gita and Buddhism, consider the following:
1. The Gita affirms the existence of Atman, while Buddhism denies it.
2. The Gita promotes action as a means to liberation, whereas Buddhism emphasizes renunciation.
3. Both traditions accept the concept of karma as a moral law.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is correct: the Gita affirms an eternal Atman ('na jayate mriyate va kadacin' — Gita 2.20), while Buddhism teaches Anatta (no permanent self). Statement 2 is incorrect: Buddhism does not simply emphasise 'renunciation'; it prescribes the Middle Way and the Eightfold Path, which includes right action (not inaction). The Gita promotes action with detachment, not action for its own sake. The contrast drawn in Statement 2 is an oversimplification. Statement 3 is correct: both the Gita (Ch. 3, 18) and Buddhism (Anguttara Nikaya) accept karma as a moral law governing the consequences of intentional actions. Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
3. Which of the following movements was led by Mahatma Gandhi to protest against the salt tax in British India?
- (a) Quit India Movement
- (b) Non-Cooperation Movement
- (c) Dandi March
- (d) Civil Disobedience Movement
Answer: (c) Dandi March
The Dandi March, also called the Salt Satyagraha, was Gandhi's famous act of civil disobedience in 1930 against the British salt tax. He walked from Sabarmati to Dandi and made salt from seawater, breaking the law. Wrong options: (a) The Quit India Movement came in 1942 and was about ending British rule, not salt. (b) The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) grew out of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat issue, not the salt tax (it was the Rowlatt Satyagraha of 1919 that opposed the Rowlatt Act). (d) The Civil Disobedience Movement was the wider campaign, and the Dandi March was its first and most famous event.
4. With reference to the philosophical differences between the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads, consider the following statements:
1. The Upanishads emphasize the knowledge of Brahman as the sole means to liberation, while the Gita integrates action and knowledge.
2. The Gita accepts the role of dharma in social duties, whereas the Upanishads advocate renunciation as the only path to moksha.
3. The concept of Bhakti is absent in the Upanishads but central in the Bhagavad Gita.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is broadly correct: many Upanishads treat Brahman-knowledge as the path to liberation, while the Gita integrates knowledge with action and devotion. Statement 2 is incorrect: the Upanishads do not uniformly prescribe renunciation as the only path; the Isha Upanishad explicitly combines active life with non-attachment. Statement 3 is correct for exam purposes: Bhakti as a systematic path is a distinctive contribution of the Gita, while the Upanishads focus on jnana; the Shvetashvatara Upanishad has bhakti elements but they are not central or systematised. Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
5. Which of the following statements about the Upanishads is/are correct?
1. The Upanishads were composed during the Vedic period and are considered the foundation of Vedanta.
2. The Mundaka Upanishad uses the metaphor of a bow and arrow to describe the method of attaining Brahman.
3. The Chandogya Upanishad introduces the concept of 'Tat Tvam Asi' (That Thou Art).
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
All three statements are correct. Statement 1: The Upanishads are indeed part of the later Vedic corpus and form the philosophical foundation of Vedanta. Statement 2: The Mundaka Upanishad famously uses the metaphor of a bow and arrow to illustrate the process of meditation and attaining Brahman (Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.3-4). Statement 3: The Mahavakya 'Tat Tvam Asi' (That Thou Art), signifying the identity of Atman and Brahman, is prominently taught in the Chandogya Upanishad, particularly in the dialogue between Uddalaka Aruni and Svetaketu (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 and subsequent sections).
6. Which of the following books was written by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to critique the caste system and advocate for Dalit rights?
- (a) The Discovery of India
- (b) Annihilation of Caste
- (c) My Experiments with Truth
- (d) The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
Answer: (b) Annihilation of Caste
'Annihilation of Caste' is a famous work by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. In it he closely examines the caste system and calls for its complete removal. Wrong options: (a) 'The Discovery of India' was written by Jawaharlal Nehru and deals with Indian history and culture. (c) 'My Experiments with Truth' is the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi. (d) 'The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna' records the talks of Sri Ramakrishna and was written by his disciple Mahendranath Gupta, who signed himself as 'M'. It was later translated into English by Swami Nikhilananda. It was not written by Christopher Isherwood.
7. With reference to Mahatma Gandhi's concept of 'Swaraj', which of the following statements is/are correct?1. Swaraj, for Gandhi, meant political independence from British rule.2. Swaraj also included moral and spiritual self-rule.3. Swaraj was achievable only through non-violent resistance and self-reliance.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
For Gandhi, Swaraj meant much more than just political freedom from British rule, but it did include that freedom. Statement 1 is correct: Swaraj covered political independence. Statement 2 is correct: Swaraj also meant moral and spiritual self-rule, ruling oneself. Statement 3 is correct: Gandhi held that Swaraj could come only through non-violence and self-reliance (swadeshi). So all three statements are true. Option (d) is the answer. Options (a), (b) and (c) are wrong because each one leaves out a true statement.
8. Consider the following statements about the ethical framework in the Bhagavad Gita:
1. The Gita justifies war by asserting that fulfilling one's dharma may require violence.
2. The concept of 'Nishkama Karma' implies that one should perform actions with desire for results, but without attachment.
3. The Gita presents a synthesis of Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga as paths to liberation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is correct: the Gita justifies Arjuna fighting by asserting that fulfilling his dharma as a Kshatriya may require violence. Statement 2 is false: 'Nishkama Karma' means performing action WITHOUT desire for results — the stem defines it as 'with desire for results, but without attachment', which contradicts the concept ('Nishkama' = desireless). Statement 3 is correct: the Gita does present a synthesis of Karma, Jnana, and Bhakti Yoga. Therefore only Statements 1 and 3 are correct — option (b).
9. Which of the following concepts, coined by Mahatma Gandhi, refers specifically to his method of non-violent resistance?
- (a) Satyagraha
- (b) Swaraj
- (c) Swadeshi
- (d) Ahimsa
Answer: (a) Satyagraha
Satyagraha — meaning 'truth-force' or 'soul-force' — is Gandhi's own philosophical concept and method of non-violent resistance, uniquely developed by him. Ahimsa (non-violence) is the ancient Jain/Hindu principle Gandhi adopted as the moral foundation, but Satyagraha is the philosophy he created. The question asks for 'Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence' — the concept uniquely his is Satyagraha (a). UPSC standard questions identify Satyagraha as Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance.
10. Which of the following statements about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s contribution to Indian constitutionalism is/are correct?1. He emphasized the importance of a strong judiciary to protect fundamental rights.2. He advocated for a federal structure with strong central powers.3. He believed that social justice could be achieved through constitutional mechanisms alone.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar strongly emphasized the importance of a strong judiciary to protect fundamental rights. He was also a strong proponent of a federal structure with a strong central authority, explicitly defending this in the Constituent Assembly debates. Statement 3 is incorrect; Ambedkar believed that social justice required both constitutional mechanisms and significant social reform, not constitutional mechanisms alone.
11. Which of the following is NOT a principle of Buddhist ethics as outlined in the Dhammapada?
- (a) Harmlessness (Ahimsa)
- (b) Truthfulness (Satya)
- (c) Non-attachment (Anicca)
- (d) Non-stealing (Asteya)
Answer: (c) Non-attachment (Anicca)
Anicca means impermanence. It is one of the three marks of existence in Buddhism, along with suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta). It describes the nature of reality, not how a person should behave. So it is not an ethical principle. The other options name moral rules that Buddhism teaches: not harming others, telling the truth, and not stealing. These appear among the five precepts and in the Dhammapada. So (c) is the one that does not belong.
12. Consider the following statements about the Upanishads:
1. They are part of the Vedas and are known as Vedanta.
2. They primarily focus on metaphysical questions like the nature of Atman and Brahman.
3. The Upanishads were composed during the Vedic period and are entirely in Sanskrit.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
The Upanishads are the concluding parts of the Vedas, so they are known as Vedanta (statement 1 is true). They mainly deal with deep questions about the nature of Atman, the self, and Brahman, the ultimate reality (statement 2 is true). They were written over a very long span of time, with the early ones from the late Vedic age and many others composed much later, well after the Vedic period. So only statements 1 and 2 are correct.