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Modern Literature, Culture & Renaissance: 35 previous year questions

UPSC has asked 35 questions on Modern Literature, Culture & Renaissance between 1985 and 2026: CSE 12 · CAPF 9 · CDS 8 · CISF (LDCE) 4 · Geo-Scientist 2. 26 of them came after 2015, so this is a live topic examiners keep returning to. 12 were set in Civil Services Prelims; the rest come from UPSC's other papers, which draw on the same question bank.

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CISF (LDCE)2026Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·1

Match the following Books with their respective Authors: List I (Book): A. Indulekha; B. Umrao Jan Ada; C. Saraswati Chandra; D. Chha Mana Atha Guntha List II (Author): 1. Fakir Mohan Senapati; 2. Mirza Mohammad Hadi Ruswa; 3. Govardhanram Tripathi; 4. Chandu Menon

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Answer A (official UPSC key)Indulekha : Chandu Menon; Umrao Jan Ada : Mirza Mohammad Hadi Ruswa; Saraswati Chandra : Govardhanram Tripathi; Chha Mana Atha Guntha : Fakir Mohan Senapati
CSE2021Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·1

With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct? [2021]

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Answer C (official UPSC key)Madanapalle → Tagore translated the National Anthem from Bengali to English
CAPF2018Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

Consider the following Statements Statement I : Towards the beginning of the 20th century, a new hybrid architectural style developed which combined the Indian with the European. Statement II : By integrating Indian and European styles in public architecture, the British wanted to prove that they were legitimate rulers of India. Codes

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Answer A (official UPSC key)Early 20th-century hybrid Indo-European architecture | British sought to prove legitimate rule | II explains I
CAPF2018Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

Binodini Dasi, a pioneering figure in Bengali theatre in the late 19th-early 20th century, is/are correct? 1. She was one of the prime movers behind the setting up of the Star Theatre (1883) in Calcutta. 2. She serialized her autobiography Amar Kat ha (My Story) between 1910 and 1913. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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Answer C (official UPSC key)Binodini Dasi → prime mover of the Star Theatre (1883); serialised Amar Katha (1910-1913)
CSE2018Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

With reference to the cultural history of India consider the following statements 1. Most of the Tyagaraja Kritis are devotional songs in praise of Lord Krishna 2. Tyagaraja created several new rages 3. Annamacharya and Tyagaraja are contemporaries 4. Annamacharya kirtanas are devotional songs in praise of Lord Venkateshwara Which of the statements given above are correct?

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Answer B (official UPSC key)Tyagaraja created several new ragas; Annamacharya kirtanas praise Lord Venkateshwara | NOT: Tyagaraja Kritis mostly praise Krishna | NOT: Annamacharya and Tyagaraja contemporaries
CAPF2016Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·1

Which of the following statements about the Bengali literary epic, Meghnad Badh Kabya (1861), is / are correct ? 1. It was written by Michael Madhusudan Dutta 2. It draws upon existing Hindu and Jain traditions of Ramayana 3. It was translated into Assamese and Hindi Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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Answer D (official UPSC key)Meghnad Badh Kabya (1861) → by Michael Madhusudan Dutta; translated into Assamese and Hindi (per key)
CDS2015 · 1Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

Which of the following statements about the musical culture in 18th and 19th century North India is/are Not correct. 1. The period was marked by the growing eminence of Sadarang Neamat Khan who introduced the khayal form. 2. A large number of musicians moved out of regional centres to Delhi where they hoped they would receive more employment and patronage. 3. The period was marked by the formation of specific region based gharanas. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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Answer C (official UPSC key)NOT correct → musicians moved from regional centres to Delhi | Sadarang Neamat Khan's khayal; region-based gharanas
CDS2015 · 1Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

Which of the following statements about the musical culture in 18th and 19th century South India is/are correct? 1. Musical developments were spearheaded by the Arcot court. 2. Tanjavur replaced Madras as the cultural capital of classical music in the second half of the nineteenth century. 3. Three great composers, Tyagaraja, Diksitar and Syama Sastri experimented with the kriti form to set the foundations for modern Carnatic music. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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Answer C (official UPSC key)South India → Tyagaraja, Diksitar and Syama Sastri's kriti founded modern Carnatic music | NOT: led by the Arcot court | NOT: Tanjavur replaced Madras
CDS2015 · 1Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·2

Which of the following statements about visual culture in 18th and early 19th century North India is/are correct ? 1. Painters from Patna and Murshidabad flocked to Calcutta and produced water colours in the English mode. 2. Landscape and portraiture became extremely important at this time. 3. The artists Zayan-al-Din, Bhawani Das and Ram Das were adopted by the English East India Company to produce albums of Indian birds and animals. 4. While Indians were influenced by European artistic styles, European artists did not visit regional courts. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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Answer A (official UPSC key)Patna and Murshidabad painters went to Calcutta for English-mode water colours; landscape and portraiture; Zayan-al-Din, Bhawani Das, Ram Das painted Company albums | NOT: no European artists at regional courts
CSE2008Modern Literature, Culture & RenaissanceOn card MOD 14·1

Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists: [2008] List-I (Author) List-II (Work) A. Bankimchandra 1. Shatranj ke Khilari B. Dinabandhu Mitra 2. Debi Chaudhurani C. Premchand 3. Nil-Darpan 4. Chandrakanta Codes

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Answer C (official UPSC key)Bankimchandra : Debi Chaudhurani; Dinabandhu Mitra : Nil-Darpan; Premchand : Shatranj ke Khilari

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