UPSC CSE Prelims
Languages & Literature in India Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Showing solved Previous Year Questions for Chapter: Languages & Literature in India
Topic Breakdown: Scroll →
With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs:
Literary work: Author
- Devichandragupta: Bilhana
- Hammira-Mahakavya: Nayachandra Suri
- Milinda-panha: Nagarjuna
- Nitivakyamrita: Somadeva Suri
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Only two
This question tests the correct pairing of ancient Indian literary works with their respective authors. Out of the four given pairs, only two are correctly matched—Hammira-Mahakavya with Nayachandra Suri and Nitivakyamrita with Somadeva Suri.
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Devichandraguptam was authored by Vishakhadatta, a renowned Sanskrit playwright, not by Bilhana who was a later Kashmiri poet famous for Vikramankadevacharita.
✅ Pair 2 – Correct: Hammira-Mahakavya was indeed composed by Nayachandra Suri, a Jain scholar and poet, celebrating the valor of Chauhan ruler Hammiradeva.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Milinda-Panha (Questions of King Milinda) records dialogues between Buddhist monk Nagasena and Indo-Greek King Menander (Milinda), not Nagarjuna who was a later Mahayana philosopher.
✅ Pair 4 – Correct: Nitivakyamrita, a work on political ethics and wisdom, was written by Somadeva Suri, a Jain scholar.
📝 Short Notes: Ancient Indian Literary Works and Authors
| Literary Work | Actual Author | Period/Tradition | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devichandraguptam | Vishakhadatta | 5th-6th century CE | Sanskrit drama about Chandragupta II and Dhruvadevi |
| Hammira-Mahakavya | Nayachandra Suri | 15th century CE, Jain | Epic poem on Chauhan ruler Hammiradeva's heroism |
| Milinda-Panha | Anonymous (records Nagasena's dialogues) | 2nd century BCE-1st century CE, Theravada Buddhism | Philosophical dialogue on Buddhist concepts |
| Nitivakyamrita | Somadeva Suri | 10th century CE, Jain | Ethical maxims and political wisdom |
- Bilhana: 11th-century Kashmiri poet, authored Vikramankadevacharita and Caurapancasika
- Nagarjuna: 2nd-century CE Mahayana Buddhist philosopher, founder of Madhyamaka school; authored Mulamadhyamakakarika
- Nagasena vs Nagarjuna: Often confused—Nagasena was a Theravada monk (2nd century BCE), while Nagarjuna was a Mahayana philosopher (2nd century CE)
- Vishakhadatta: Also authored Mudrarakshasa, a political drama about Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya
- Jain Literary Contributions: Both Nayachandra Suri and Somadeva Suri represent the rich tradition of Jain scholarship in ethics, politics, and literature
With reference to India, the terms ‘Halbi, Ho and Kui’ pertain to
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Tribal languages
Halbi, Ho, and Kui are tribal languages spoken by indigenous communities in different regions of India. Halbi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Halba tribe in Chhattisgarh and neighboring states, Ho is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Ho people in Jharkhand and Odisha, and Kui is a Dravidian language spoken by the Kondh tribe primarily in Odisha.
📝 Short Notes: Major Tribal Languages of India
| Language | Language Family | Primary Speakers | Main Regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halbi | Indo-Aryan | Halba tribe | Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Ho | Austroasiatic (Munda) | Ho people | Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal |
| Kui | Dravidian | Kandha/Khond tribe | Odisha, Andhra Pradesh |
| Gondi | Dravidian | Gond tribe | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Telangana |
| Santali | Austroasiatic (Munda) | Santal people | Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar (Included in 8th Schedule) |
| Bodo | Tibeto-Burman | Bodo people | Assam (Included in 8th Schedule) |
Which one of the following books of ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of Sunga dynasty?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Malavikagnimitra
Malavikagnimitra is a classical Sanskrit play written by the renowned poet Kalidasa. It narrates the romantic love story of King Agnimitra, who was the son of Pushyamitra Shunga, the founder of the Sunga dynasty (circa 185 BCE). The play revolves around Agnimitra's love for Malavika, a beautiful maiden in the royal household. Swapnavasavadatta by Bhasa tells the story of King Udayana and Queen Vasavadatta, unrelated to the Sunga dynasty. Meghadoota is Kalidasa's lyrical poem about a Yaksha sending messages through a cloud to his beloved wife. Ratnavali by Harsha is a romantic comedy about King Udayana and Princess Ratnavali, with no connection to the Sungas.
🧐 Not Sure What to Study Next?
Get a personalised study plan based on your goals, time and revision needs.
Which one of the following was given classical language status recently?
Detailed Explanation:
Odia was granted Classical Language status in February 2014, making it the 6th classical language of India and the most recent addition at the time this question was asked.
Classical Languages of India (up to 2014): Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). Konkani, Bhojpuri, and Assamese did not have classical status in 2014-15.
Note: In October 2024, five more languages—Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, and Assamese—were added to the list.
Consider the following languages:
- Gujarati
- Kannada
- Telugu
Which of the above has/have been declared as ‘Classical Language / Languages’ by the Government?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Gujarati has not been declared a Classical Language by the Government of India.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Kannada was accorded Classical Language status in 2008, recognizing its antiquity of over 2000 years and rich literary tradition.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Telugu was declared a Classical Language in 2008, meeting criteria of early texts dating to 1st millennium CE and independent literary heritage.