(Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian thinkers — from Kautilya to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.)
Q1. Who among the following is known as the author of Arthashastra?
(A) Manu (B) Kautilya (C) Megasthenes (D) Kalidasa
✅ Answer: (B) Kautilya
🧠 Explanation:
Arthashastra by Kautilya (Chanakya) is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economics, and military strategy. It outlines duties of kings and principles of administration based on realism.
Q2. Kautilya’s philosophy in Arthashastra is considered —
(A) Idealist (B) Realist (C) Spiritualist (D) Romantic
✅ Answer: (B) Realist
🧠 Explanation:
Kautilya viewed politics as the science of power and survival, similar to Machiavelli. He emphasized diplomacy, espionage, and pragmatic governance — reflecting early realism in political thought.
Q3. The concept of Swaraj as self-rule was most prominently advocated by —
(A) Nehru (B) Gandhi (C) Tilak (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (B) Mahatma Gandhi
🧠 Explanation:
For Gandhi, Swaraj meant not just political independence but moral self-control and community autonomy, achievable through non-violence and truth.
Q4. Who propounded the idea of Satyagraha?
(A) Tilak (B) Gandhi (C) Nehru (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (B) Mahatma Gandhi
🧠 Explanation:
Satyagraha means truth-force — Gandhi’s method of non-violent resistance against injustice, rooted in moral courage and self-suffering rather than coercion.
Q5. Who started the Sarvodaya Movement?
(A) Nehru (B) Vinoba Bhave (C) Patel (D) Jayaprakash Narayan
✅ Answer: (B) Vinoba Bhave
🧠 Explanation:
Vinoba Bhave launched the Sarvodaya (Welfare of All) and Bhoodan (land-gift) movements, emphasizing Gandhian ideals of self-reliance and equality through peaceful social reform.
Q6. Who propounded the philosophy of Integral Humanism?
(A) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (B) Lohia (C) Gandhi (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (A) Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
🧠 Explanation:
Integral Humanism advocates harmony between body, mind, intellect, and soul, balancing material progress with moral and spiritual well-being — central to Indian philosophy.
Q7. Who said “Means and ends are convertible terms in my philosophy”?
(A) Gandhi (B) Nehru (C) Aurobindo (D) Lohia
✅ Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi
🧠 Explanation:
For Gandhi, moral means are inseparable from the desired end; unjust means cannot achieve a just goal. This underpins his ethical politics of non-violence.
Q8. Who among the following emphasized spiritual nationalism?
(A) Vivekananda (B) Gandhi (C) Tilak (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (A) Swami Vivekananda
🧠 Explanation:
Vivekananda’s idea of spiritual nationalism saw India’s strength in its spiritual unity and moral regeneration, not in material or territorial power.
Q9. Who propounded the concept of Total Revolution?
(A) Vinoba Bhave (B) Gandhi (C) Jayaprakash Narayan (D) Nehru
✅ Answer: (C) Jayaprakash Narayan
🧠 Explanation:
JP Narayan’s Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) called for comprehensive social, political, economic, and ethical transformation through peaceful change.
Q10. According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the key to social democracy lies in —
(A) Economic planning
(B) Liberty, equality, and fraternity
(C) Political decentralization
(D) Caste organization
✅ Answer: (B) Liberty, equality, and fraternity
🧠 Explanation:
Ambedkar emphasized these three ideals from the French Revolution as essential for social justice and true democracy in India.
Q11. Who wrote “Annihilation of Caste”?
(A) Gandhi (B) Ambedkar (C) Nehru (D) Lohia
✅ Answer: (B) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
🧠 Explanation:
In Annihilation of Caste (1936), Ambedkar critiqued the Hindu caste hierarchy and urged for social reform based on equality and human dignity.
Q12. Who among the following said that Religion is for man and not man for religion?
(A) Ambedkar (B) Gandhi (C) Vivekananda (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (A) Ambedkar
🧠 Explanation:
Ambedkar held that religion should serve human welfare, not enslave individuals — supporting rationalism, equality, and liberty as the basis for faith.
Q13. Who among the following said “The State is not the master but the servant of the people”?
(A) Gandhi (B) Nehru (C) Ambedkar (D) Lohia
✅ Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi
🧠 Explanation:
Gandhi envisioned a decentralized state (Swaraj) where power flows from below, making the government a trustee of people’s welfare.
Q14. Who emphasized Decentralization of power and Panchayati Raj?
(A) Gandhi (B) Nehru (C) Patel (D) Vinoba Bhave
✅ Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi
🧠 Explanation:
Gandhi advocated for Gram Swaraj, where each village acts as an independent self-governing unit — a model for participatory democracy.
Q15. Who gave the concept of “Practical Vedanta”?
(A) Gandhi (B) Vivekananda (C) Tilak (D) Aurobindo
✅ Answer: (B) Swami Vivekananda
🧠 Explanation:
Vivekananda’s Practical Vedanta encouraged individuals to apply spiritual values in everyday life, linking religion with social service and nation-building.