Model Answers Indian Heritage & Culture and Indian Society
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MODEL ANSWERS for TEST – 6 INDIAN HERITAGE & CULTURE AND INDIAN SOCIETY (*Only for INSIGHT TEST SERIES STUDENTS) INSIGHT GS MAINS TEST SERIES GENERAL STUDIES TEST - VI INDIAN HERITAGE & CULTURE AND INDIAN SOCIETY Time Allowed: Three Hours Maximum Marks: 250 QUESTION PAPER SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS (Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions) There are TWENTY questions printed in ENGLISH. All the questions are compulsory. The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it. Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet in the space provided. No marks will be given for answers written in medium other than the authorized one. Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to. Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck off. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Answer all the following questions. Each question is to be answered in not more than 200 words. Each question carries equal marks. 1. “The continuity of the Indus Civilization into later ages was not confined to the religious and spiritual fields alone.” 12½ 2. Explain the social aspects of Jainism and assess the importance and relevance of Jain tenets to humanity. 12½ 3. Critically review the evolution of different schools of art in the Indian Sub-continent during post-Mauryan period and evaluate the socio-cultural factors responsible for it. 12½ 4. How the Sangam literary texts enlighten us about the characteristics of the culture and society of South India? 12½ 5. Trace the development of Indian cultural contacts in the South-east Asian countries during ancient and early medieval periods. 12½ 6. Evaluate the impact of the Sufi and Bhakti Movements on vernacular languages and life & thought of the common people. 12½ 7. Assess the educational system in early India and identify the important educational institutions of the period. 12½ Central Delhi: 60/17, Above Subway, Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi-110060 North Delhi: B-18, Satija House, Main Road, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi -110009 Ph: 011 - 45090051, 9818333201, 9871216382 INSIGHT GS MAINS TEST SERIES 8. Bring out the regional variations in the Indian temple’s architectural styles that developed in India. 12½ 9. Caste and Class are the two main forms of stratification in Indian society. Highlight the differences between both the forms of social stratification. Analyse the change in trend of stratification in Indian society. 12½ 10. What are the characteristic features of urban poverty and how do they differ from rural poverty, especially in terms of the implications for women’s lives? Is urban poverty a spillover of rural poor? 12½ 11. Explain the factors which have been responsible in maintaining joint Family system in India. What are the disintegrating trends taking place in this system? 12½ 12. “With the advent of women’s education in India and the influence of the west, the status of women in Indian society has changed”. Elucidate 12½ 13. Do you agree with the view that the entire development of towns in the Indian context is due to industrialization? Discuss briefly the factors which were responsible for the development of towns in India. 12½ 14. Describe the process of emergence of the middle class in India. What role has the middle class played in national development? 12½ 15. Highlight the ways in which Indian society can be strengthened as multi-cultural society. Is the dominance of single culture a hindrance to multiculturalism in India? 12½ 16. Critically examine the socio-economic consequences of the changing age-structure of India’s population. 12½ 17. Discuss the major problems of religious fundamentalism in contemporary India. Give suggestions to tackle these problems. 12½ 18. The demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland has brought back the issue of regionalism over nationalism. In this background, analyze the factors of regionalism in India. Suggest some measures to combat regionalism in India. 12½ 19. Critically comment upon the impact of globalization on the farmers in India. 12½ 20. Despite the decades of special status accorded to the tribal population in India, the social group has not made significant socio-economic progress. Elucidate. Highlight the approaches which have been employed so far for the welfare of tribals in India. 12½ Central Delhi: 60/17, Above Subway, Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi-110060 North Delhi: B-18, Satija House, Main Road, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi -110009 Ph: 011 - 45090051, 9818333201, 9871216382 INSIGHT GS MAINS TEST SERIES GS TEST – 6 MODEL ANSWERS 1. "The continuity of the Indus Civilization into later ages was not confined to the religious and spiritual fields alone." Analyse the statement. 12½ Approach of an Answer Give an introduction about the decline of Indus Civilization. Give a brief explanation about the continuity of religious and spiritual elements. Explain about the elements of continuity in other fields. Conclude with the significance of Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC). Introduction The decline of the physical aspects of the Indus civilization after 1800 BC did not lead to the total eclipse of all the traits of this civilization. Many of its features were observed in the later cultural developments. Though many of its features were seen in religious and spiritual fields, this continuity, however, is not confined to only those fields alone. Religious and Spiritual Field In the field of religion and spiritual, it may be suggested that the worship of Pashupati Shiva in his actual form as well as in the representative form as linga, the female deity interpreted as mother goddess, sacred tree, animals, serpent, religious symbols,etc. which were prevelant in the Harappan religion, were adopted in later Hinduism. Continuity in other fields Punch-marked coins, with their symbols reminiscent of the Indus valley script and weights, constitute an important survival of the Indus valley dating from before 400 BC. Some of the motifs, designs, shapes and forms found the pottery and terracotta objects at Mohenjodaro and Harappa find their counterpart in the objects discovered in Punjab and north-west belonging to the early centuries before Christian era. In the field of Science and Technology, the Harappan civilization greatly contributed to the similar future developments. It was the womb of mathematics. The numerical and decimal systems evolved there, which must have helped in the development of vedic Mathematics. The Harappan way of making baked pottery, bricks, beads, jewellery, textiles, etc. was adopted in the later civilization. It is to be remembered that one of the most remarkable achievements of this people was the cultivation of cotton. The foundation of brisk maritime trade with Central and West Asia was laid by the Harappan people. Central Delhi: 60/17, Above Subway, Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi-110060 North Delhi: B-18, Satija House, Main Road, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi -110009 Ph: 011 - 45090051, 9818333201, 9871216382 INSIGHT GS MAINS TEST SERIES Conclusion Thus, the Harappan Civilization remained a source of the ‘civilization process’ and many of its features were amalgamated in the later Indian Civilization. 2. Explain the social aspects of Jainism and assess the importance and relevance of Jain tenets to humanity. 12½ Approach of an Answer Give an introduction about the emergence of new ideas in 6th century BC. Explain about the social aspects of Jainism. Highlight the Importance and relevance of Jain tenets to humanity. Conclude by supporting the given argument. Introduction Numerous religious sects arouse in the middle of Gangetic plains in the second half of the sixth century B.C. Of these sects, Jainism was one of the most important and it emerged as the most potent religious reform movement. Social aspects of Jainism Many social aspects are ingrained in the tenets of Jainism. These are: It taught moral and peaceful ideas like not to commit violence, not to speak a lie not to steal, not to acquire property with greed or observance of brahmacharya. Jainism attached the utmost importance to non-injury or ahimsa to living beings. Jainism believed that through pure and meritorious life members of lower caste can attain salvation. It aims mainly at the attainment of freedom from worldly bonds. No ritual is required for such liberation. It can be obtained through right knowledge, right faith and right action. These three are considered to be the three jewels or triratna of Jainism. Such ideas influenced the trading class and eventually the Jainas mainly confined themselves to trade and mercantile activities. Importance and Relevance of Jain tenets to humanity These ideas have tremendous impact on humanity. Jainism made the first serious attempt to mitigate the evils of the varna order. Jainism prohibited war because it involves the killing of living beings. They adopted local language not the elite language so that common people could benefit from the progressive ideas. Central Delhi: 60/17, Above Subway, Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi-110060 North Delhi: B-18, Satija House, Main Road, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi -110009 Ph: 011 - 45090051, 9818333201, 9871216382 INSIGHT GS MAINS TEST SERIES In the age of terrorism, greedy capitalism, cut throat competition in almost all spheres of life, the tenets of Jainism helps in maintaining peaceful and equitable and just global order. Conclusion Thus, Jainism has many social aspects along with religious aspects and these 6th BC tenets and ideas are relevant for the humanity even in 21st Century AD. 3. Critically review the evolution of different schools of art in the Indian sub-continent during post-Mauryan period and evaluate the socio-cultural factors responsible for it. 12½ Approach of an Answer Introduce with the causes behind the emergence of different schools of art. Explain about the evolution of different schools of art in the Indian sub-continent.