Heterodox Systems - Classical Indian Philosophy - Philosophy Previous Year Questions

1

2022 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2022

The Cārvāka system rejects inference (anumāna) as a pramāṇa because it does not accept:

A

Invariable concomitance (vyāpti)

B

Comparison (upamāna) as a pramāṇa

C

The theory of pramāṇa altogether

D

Śabda as a pramāṇa

Open complete paper

2

2022 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2022

Jīva and Ajīva are the Categories (padārtha) in Jainism. Which of the following are included in Ajīva?

A

Matter (pudgala)

B

Space (ākāśa)

C

Motion (dharma)

D

Cause (hetu)

Open complete paper

3

2022 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2022

Which of the following is/are part of the six pāramitās (ṣaḍpāramitā) in Buddhism?

A

Charity or giving (dāna)

B

Virtuous conduct (śīla)

C

Forbearance or patience (kṣānti)

D

Non-violence (ahiṃsā)

Check answer

Open complete paper

4

2023 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2023

The Cārvāka system accepts the following puruṣārthas:

A

Artha and Kāma

B

Dharma, Kāma and Mokṣa

C

Mokṣa and Dharma

D

Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa

Open complete paper

5

2023 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2023

According to Jaina philosophy, all substances (dravya) but one have extension in space (astikāya). That one substance which has no extension in space (anastikāya) is ____.

A

Time (kāla)

B

Space (ākāśa)

C

Rest (adharma)

D

Motion (dharma)

Open complete paper

6

2023 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2023

In the Buddhist theory of elements (dharmas), dharmas are the ultimate momentary elements of existence. The number of elements varies in different schools of Buddhism. Of the following alternatives, which pair[s] does/do NOT give us the respective number of dharmas accepted in Sautrāntika and Sarvāstivāda (Vaibhāṣika) schools?

A

75 and 43

B

43 and 75

C

43 and 0

D

0 and 43

Check answer

Open complete paper

7

2024 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2024

According to Cārvāka philosophy, what is liberation (apavargah)?

A

Death (maraṇa)

B

Pleasure (sukha)

C

Freedom or Release (mukti)

D

Wealth (artha)

Open complete paper

8

2024 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2024

The concept of Pudgala in Jaina philosophy stands for

A

Self or soul

B

Space

C

Motion

D

Matter

Open complete paper

9

2024 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2024

Identify the CORRECT combinations of the Buddhist philosophical schools in Group I with their respective thinkers in Group II.

A

and (ii)

B

and (i)

C

and (iv)

D

and (iii)

Check answer

Open complete paper

10

2025 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2025

Cārvāka school of thought admits the existence of four elements: earth, water, fire and air. Why is the fifth element, ether (ākāśa), rejected?

A

It is not perceived, but inferred

B

It is not mentioned in the Scriptures

C

It is nothing but air itself

D

It is not made up of atoms

Open complete paper

11

2025 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2025

In Jain ethical discipline, Mahāvratas (great vows) are given prominence. Which one of the following options contains the Mahāvratas of Jainism?

A

Ahimsā (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacarya (abstinence), and Aparigraha (detachment from possessions)

B

Ahimsā (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Brahmacarya (abstinence), Karuṇā (compassion), and Maitrī (friendliness)

C

Ahimsā (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacarya (abstinence), and Maitrī (friendliness)

D

Ahimsā (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Aparigraha (detachment from possessions), and Maitrī (friendliness)

Open complete paper

12

2025 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences-Philosophy (XH-C4) 2025

Which of the following school(s) belong(s) to Mahāyāna Buddhism?

A

Mādhyamika

B

Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda

C

Sarvāstivāda

D

Sautrāntika

Check answer

Open complete paper

13

2026 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences - Philosophy (XH-C4) 2026

Which school of classical Indian philosophy asserts the following?
1. It is fallacious to take any knowledge claim (jñāna) as absolute.
2. To recognize that all knowledge claims are contextually and partially true does not lead to skepticism.

A

Jainism

B

Buddhism

C

Cārvāka

D

Nyāya

Open complete paper

14

2026 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences - Philosophy (XH-C4) 2026

“When somebody utters the word ‘table’, we understand its meaning through a process of exclusion of everything else in the universe of discourse except ‘table’.” Who among the following classical Indian philosophers could be credited with such reasoning?

A

Mallisena (Jainism)

B

Dinnāga (Buddhism)

C

Kaṇāda (Vaiśeṣika)

D

Jayarāśi (Cārvāka)

Open complete paper

15

2026 · Philosophy · Classical Indian Philosophy · Heterodox Systems

Humanities & Social Sciences - Philosophy (XH-C4) 2026

Which of the following thinkers is/are associated with Skepticism?

A

Nāgārjuna

B

Śrīharṣa

C

Jayarāśi

D

Udayana

Check answer

Open complete paper