Indian Writing in English

Section Overview: This section focuses on Indian authors writing in English, covering major novelists (The Trio), poets (Nissim Ezekiel, Kamala Das), and contemporary diasporic and Dalit literature.

Q28. Assertion A: A dozen or more distinct languages and literatures flourish today on the Indian literary scene, and most of these are distributed on a broadly regional basis.
Reason R: The Aryans brought Sanskrit to India; the Muslim rule led to the rise of Urdu, as an expression of a composite culture; and the British rule made Indo-Anglian literature possible.
  • 1. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
  • 2. Both A and R are correct but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  • 3. A is correct but R is not correct
  • 4. A is not correct but R is correct
Correct Answer: 1. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • Analysis of Assertion (A): This accurately describes India's linguistic plurality. The 22 major languages (Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, etc.) have independent traditions rooted in specific regions.
  • Analysis of Reason (R): This traces the historical "three-fold" influence on Indian culture:
    • Sanskrit: Brought by Aryans, forming the classical foundation.
    • Urdu: Arose under Muslim rule as a "camp language" (blending Persian/Arabic with local Prakrits).
    • Indo-Anglian: Literature in English by Indians, made possible by British education (Macaulay's Minute).
Q29. Which of the following statements are correct about Mulk Raj Anand?

A. Anand had his education at Lahore, London and Cambridge, and took a Doctorate in Philosophy.
B. He was associated with the Progressive Writers' Movement in India; and after the War, he finally settled down in London.
C. In Coolie, the evil appears as greed, selfishness and inhumanity in their hundred different forms.
D. In The Barber’s Trade Union, Anand immortalizes Munoo the barber as he has immortalized Bakha.
E. Anand’s early novels come fresh from contact with the flesh and blood of everyday existence.
  • 1. A, B, and E Only
  • 2. B, C, and D Only
  • 3. A, C, and E Only
  • 4. B, D, and E Only
Correct Answer: 3. A, C, and E Only

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • A (Correct): Anand studied at Lahore, UCL, and Cambridge, earning a PhD in Philosophy (1929) on Bertrand Russell.
  • C (Correct): Coolie (1936) is a masterpiece of social realism. The "evil" is not a single villain but the systemic greed and capitalism oppressing the protagonist.
  • E (Correct): His early works (Untouchable, Coolie) revolutionized Indian fiction by focusing on the "flesh and blood" of the oppressed (sweepers, coolies) rather than the elite.
🎯 Exam Point: Mulk Raj Anand, R.K. Narayan, and Raja Rao are the "Big Three" (Trimurti) of the Indian English novel. You must know their biographies in detail.
Q30. Match the LIST-I (Theme) with LIST-II (R. K. Narayan's Novels):

LIST-I (Theme)
A. Disappointed lover becomes a Sadhu for a change
B. Discharged convict is taken for a Sadhu
C. True historical Mahatma
D. A scenario-writer imaginatively passes in review the possible history of Malgudi

LIST-II (Novels)
I. The Guide
II. Waiting for the Mahatma
III. Mr. Sampath
IV. Bachelor of Arts
  • 1. A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
  • 2. A-I, B-IV, C-III, D-II
  • 3. A-I, B-IV, C-II, D-III
  • 4. A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III
Correct Answer: 4. A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-III

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • A-IV: The Bachelor of Arts (1937): The protagonist, Chandran, is a "disappointed lover" (due to horoscope mismatches). He renounces the world and wanders as a Sanyasi for eight months before returning to domestic life.
  • B-I: The Guide (1958): Raju, a "discharged convict" (forgery), takes shelter in a temple. A villager mistakes him for a holy man, and he reluctantly accepts the role, leading to a fatal fast.
  • C-II: Waiting for the Mahatma (1955): Features the "True historical Mahatma" (Gandhi) as a character who visits Malgudi. The protagonist Sriram joins the movement to be near Bharati.
  • D-III: Mr. Sampath (1949): Srinivas, a "scenario-writer" and editor, reflects on the cyclic history of Malgudi while involved with a film company.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Malgudi Context: Narayan is the master of the regional novel. You must distinguish between the specific storylines of Malgudi's residents.
  • Irony and Renunciation: It tests the understanding of Narayan's recurring theme of the "Fake Sadhu" vs. the "Emotional Renunciate" (Raju vs. Chandran).
Q31. Which of the following books has an account of the ‘Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization’?
  • 1. A Passage to England
  • 2. A Passage to India
  • 3. Timeless India
  • 4. Defence of India
Correct Answer: 1. A Passage to England

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • The Text: A Passage to England (1959) is a travelogue by Nirad C. Chaudhuri. The phrase "Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization" describes his first visit to the UK at age 57.
  • The Theme: Known for his controversial Anglophilia, Chaudhuri contrasts the vitality of English life with what he saw as the stagnation of India.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Intertextuality: The title is a deliberate play on E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India. The exam tests if you can distinguish between the British novel about India and the Indian travelogue about Britain.
Q32. Match the LIST-I (Author) with LIST-II (Family Background):

LIST-I (Author)
A. A. K. Ramanujan
B. Sharat Chandra
C. Jimmy Avissa
D. Nissim Ezekiel

LIST-II (Family)
I. Zoroastrian
II. Jew
III. Hindu Srivaishnava
IV. Lingayat
  • 1. A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV
  • 2. A-IV, B-III, C-I, D-II
  • 3. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II
  • 4. A-I, B-III, C-II, D-IV
Correct Answer: 3. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II

Detailed Explanation & Research:

This question tests your knowledge of the multicultural identities that shape Indian English poetry.

  • A-III: A. K. Ramanujan — Hindu Srivaishnava: Born into a Tamil Brahmin family in Mysore. His work explores the tension between his classical Hindu upbringing and his life in America.
  • B-IV: Sharat Chandra — Lingayat: An Indian-American poet of Kannada origin belonging to the Lingayat community (a Shaivite sect). His poetry reflects the immigrant experience.
  • C-I: Jimmy Avissa — Zoroastrian: Categorized here as Zoroastrian (Parsi), reflecting the contribution of Parsi writers like Gieve Patel to Indian verse.
  • D-II: Nissim Ezekiel — Jew: Belonged to the Bene Israel Jewish community of Mumbai. His Jewish identity is central to poems like "Background, Casually".
Q33. In which novel of Anita Desai, the heroine, in her fifth pregnancy, leaves her husband in a mood of unease to seek peace in an island, Manori, off Bombay?
  • 1. Fire on the Mountain
  • 2. Clear Light of Day
  • 3. Where Shall We Go This Summer?
  • 4. Bye-bye, Blackbird
Correct Answer: 3. Where Shall We Go This Summer?

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • The Plot: Published in 1975, the novel follows Sita, a middle-aged woman in Mumbai. During her fifth pregnancy, she feels stifled by urban violence and flees to the island of Manori to protect her unborn child.
  • The Theme: It is a masterpiece of psychological realism, exploring the conflict between the "magic" of childhood and the "prose" of adult domesticity.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Feminist Perspective: Anita Desai pioneered the "psychological novel." The exam often asks about protagonists (Sita, Nanda Kaul, Maya) to test understanding of the "internal landscape" of Indian women.
  • Setting as Metaphor: Specific locations like Manori (or Kasauli in other works) are vital symbols.
Q34. Which of the following is not one of the conceptions of Dalit aesthetics given by Sharankumar Limbale?
  • 1. Human being are first and foremost human—this is Satyam.
  • 2. The liberation of human being is Shivam.
  • 3. The humanity of human being is Sundaram.
  • 4. The equality, liberty, justice and fraternity of human beings are Satyam and Sundaram.
Correct Answer: 4. The equality, liberty, justice and fraternity of human beings are Satyam and Sundaram.

Detailed Explanation & Research:

Sharankumar Limbale is a foundational critic, best known for Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature (2004). He critiques the traditional Indian triad (Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram) for ignoring the oppressed.

  • Limbale’s Redefinition:
    • Satyam (Truth): The recognition that humans are humans, regardless of caste.
    • Shivam (Goodness): The liberation of human beings from slavery.
    • Sundaram (Beauty): Found in humanity itself, not in elitist art standards.
  • Why Option 4 is Incorrect: While "equality, liberty, justice, and fraternity" are core Ambedkarite values, Limbale does not formally map this specific constitutional phrase onto his redefined Satyam and Sundaram triad in his critical theory.
Q35. Arrange the following universities in chronological order in terms of offering courses on Indian English Writing:
A. Central Institute of English, Hyderabad
B. University of Mysore
C. Karnataka University
D. Andhra University
E. Osmania University
  • 1. A, B, D, C, E
  • 2. C, D, B, B, A
  • 3. B, D, C, E, A
  • 4. D, B, A, C, E
Correct Answer: 3. B, D, C, E, A

Detailed Chronology & Explanation:

The institutionalization of Indian Writing in English (IWE) began in the mid-20th century as scholars fought for its recognition.

  1. B. University of Mysore: A pioneer under scholars like H.H. Anniah Gowda and C.D. Narasimhaiah.
  2. D. Andhra University: The site of K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar’s pioneering work in the 1940s.
  3. C. Karnataka University (Dharwad): Became a major hub shortly after independence, notably under Armando Menezes.
  4. E. Osmania University: Introduced regional and Indian English literature as part of its post-colonial expansion.
  5. A. Central Institute of English (CIEFL/EFLU): Founded in 1958, it became a specialized center much later than the established state universities.
Q36. Girish Karnad's Hayavadana and Thomas Mann's short novel, The Transposed Heads, are based on the tale of __________
  • 1. Hitopdesha
  • 2. Panchtantra
  • 3. Jataka Katha
  • 4. Katha-sarit-sagara
Correct Answer: 4. Katha-sarit-sagara

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • The Source Material: Hayavadana (1971) draws directly from Thomas Mann's The Transposed Heads.
  • The Ancient Origin: Mann drew his inspiration from the "Vetala Panchavimshati" found in the 11th-century Sanskrit collection Katha-sarit-sagara by Somadeva.
  • The Theme: Karnad uses this myth within the Yakshagana folk theatre style to explore the search for completeness and the duality of mind and body.
Q37. Whose poetry is redolent of the Orissa scene and the Jagannatha temple at Puri figures quite often in it?
  • 1. Jayanta Mahapatra
  • 2. Keki N. Daruwalla
  • 3. Shiv K. Kumar
  • 4. Arvind Krishna Mehrotra
Correct Answer: 1. Jayanta Mahapatra

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • The Poet of Odisha: Jayanta Mahapatra (1928–2023) was the first Indian English poet to win the Sahitya Akademi Award. His work is inseparable from the geography of Orissa.
  • Specific Imagery: His poetry frequently features the Jagannatha Temple at Puri, the Konark Sun Temple, and the Mahanadi river.
  • Key Work: In his long poem Relationship, he reconstructs the historical and mythical past of Orissa to understand his identity.
← Back to Dec 2025 Index