Essence of Indian Traditional Knowledge (BNC502) AKTU previous year questions 2022–2026
Every Essence of Indian Traditional Knowledge question from 8 AKTU papers, tagged by unit, topic and marks. A few recent questions from each unit are listed below; open the page to filter by unit, topic or mark type.
Unit 1: Society, State and Polity in India – AKTU PYQs
- Explain the Purusārtha concept and discuss its role in shaping ancient Indian social life. (2 marks, 2026, Society in Ancient India)
- Discuss the role of slavery and four-class classification in ancient Indian society. (2 marks, 2026, Society in Ancient India)
- Describe the stages of state formation in Ancient India. (7 marks, 2026, State in Ancient India)
- Explain the major challenges faced by women in ancient Indian society. How did social customs and religious norms contribute to these challenges? (7 marks, 2026, Society in Ancient India)
- Explain the Seven Limbs of the State as described in ancient Indian political theory. How do these components collectively ensure effective governance? (7 marks, 2026, State in Ancient India)
Unit 2: Indian Literature, Culture, Tradition and Practices – AKTU PYQs
- Name any two major Upanishads. (2 marks, 2026, Vedas and Upanishads)
- State any two important features of the Harappan script. (2 marks, 2026, Evolution of Script and Languages)
- Explain the importance of Vedas and Upanishads in shaping the Indian Knowledge System. (7 marks, 2026, Vedas and Upanishads)
- Explain the significance of Sangam literature in understanding early South Indian culture. (7 marks, 2026, Regional Indian Literature)
- Discuss the contribution of Buddhist literature in Pali and Prakrit to Indian knowledge traditions. (7 marks, 2026, Vedas and Upanishads)
Unit 3: Indian Religion, Philosophy and Practices – AKTU PYQs
- Mention two reasons behind the rise of Buddhism. (2 marks, 2026, Pre-Vedic and Vedic Religion)
- Write an essay on Bhakti and Sufi movements. (7 marks, 2026, Bhakti and Sufi Movement)
- Explain the contributions of Shankaracharya to Vedantic philosophy. (7 marks, 2026, Six Systems Indian Philosophy)
- Discuss the influence of 19th-century reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Swami Dayananda on Indian society. (7 marks, 2026, Bhakti and Sufi Movement)
- Name two major heterodox schools of thought in India. (2 marks, 2025, Six Systems Indian Philosophy)
Unit 4: Science, Management and Indian Knowledge System – AKTU PYQs
- Write any two contributions of ancient India in metallurgy. (2 marks, 2026, Science in Ancient India)
- Explain India's contributions to ancient mathematics and astronomy. (7 marks, 2026, Science in Ancient India)
- Discuss the development of water management systems in ancient India. (7 marks, 2026, Harappan and Ancient Technologies)
- Explain India's dominance in science and technology up to pre-colonial times. (7 marks, 2026, India Pre-Colonial Dominance)
- How did the Harappan civilization contribute to early water management techniques? (2 marks, 2025, Harappan and Ancient Technologies)
Unit 5: Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts – AKTU PYQs
- State any two major forms of Indian classical dance. (2 marks, 2026, Performing Arts Traditions)
- Describe the importance of Indian puppetry, pottery and sculpture. (7 marks, 2026, Performing Arts Traditions)
- Discuss the importance of Indian fairs and festivals as an integral part of social and economic life. (7 marks, 2026, Fairs and Festivals)
- Discuss Indian cinema and its contribution to cultural development. (7 marks, 2026, Indian Cinema and Culture)
- Describe the significance of sculptures in ancient Indian culture. (2 marks, 2025, Indian Architecture and Engineering)