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GATE 2026 Question Paper Humanities and Social Sciences - Philosophy (XH-C4)

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GATE 2026 Question Paper Humanities and Social Sciences - Philosophy (XH-C4) – Text

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Page 1

FOR GATE EXAM PREPARATION

GATE 2026
Question Paper ·
Humanities Social
Sciences Philosophy
(XH C4)
EXAM YEAR TYPE

GATE 2026 Question Paper
SUBJECT

Humanities Social Sciences Philosophy (XH C4)

Notes · Sample Papers · Previous Year Papers · Mock Tests

Page 2

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Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

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General Aptitude (GA)
Q.1 – Q.5 Carry ONE mark Each

Q.1 “He often _____ the numbers. False claims are not going to help. Honesty _____
trust”, said the manager.
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Choose the option with the correct order of words to fill the blanks.

.co s e m
s em l a
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(A) a exaggerates; engenders

(B) excels; encourages

(C) aggravates; alleviates

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(D) diminishes; eliminates

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Page 3

Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

Q.2 In the sequence of tiles shown below, the missing tile indicated by the question
mark should be

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

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Page 4

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Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

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Q.3 A school has 100 students distributed among 1st to 10th standards.

Based on this, which one of the following statements is always correct?

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(A)
s em
There are at least 10 students who belong to the same standard.
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(B) a There is at least one student in each standard.

(C) There are at most 10 students in 10th standard.

(D) The total number of students from 1st to 5th standards is at least 50.

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s e
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Q.4 How many 3-digit numbers can be formed using three distinct single digit prime
numbers?
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(A) 64

(B) 24
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12
s e
s e g l a
g la (D) 4 a
a

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Page 5

Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

Q.5 In a group of students, 10 students like Mathematics, 12 students like English,
4 students like both Mathematics and English, and 6 students like neither
Mathematics nor English. The number of students in the group is ____

(A) 18

(B) 20

(C) 24

(D) 32

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Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

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Q.6 – Q.10 Carry TWO marks Each

Q.6 Charity : P :: Retaliation : Q

Choose the appropriate pair of words P and Q that fit the analogy.

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(A)
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P = Parsimonious; Q = Vengeful
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(B) a P = Altruistic; Q = Amicable

(C) P = Resentful; Q = Spiteful

(D) P = Magnanimous; Q = Vindictive

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a

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Page 7

Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

Q.7 A paper shown in Panel I is folded along the dashed lines (- - -) to construct a
cube. The shaded regions shown in Panel I appear on the outer surface of the cube.
Referring to cubes shown in Panel II, which one of the options is correct?

(A) Only (i) can correspond to the unfolded cube in Panel I.

(B) Only (ii) can correspond to the unfolded cube in Panel I.

(C) Both (i) and (ii) can correspond to the unfolded cube in Panel I.

(D) Neither (i) nor (ii) can correspond to the unfolded cube in Panel I.

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Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

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Q.8 Consider the cube shown below with its 8 corners labelled a, b, c, d, e, f, g,
and h. The figure is representative. All corners are to be colored such that any two
corners that are connected by an edge must be of different colors. The minimum
number of colors required to achieve this is ________

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s e l a
g l a ag
a

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s e
(A) 8
g la
a
(B) 4

(C) 3

(D) 2
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a

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Page 9

Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

Q.9 Four hills H1, H2, H3, and H4 are present in an area. The following observations
are made about them:

i. Neither H2 nor H3 is the easternmost hill.
ii. Neither H2 nor H3 is the westernmost hill.
iii. Neither the easternmost hill nor the westernmost hill is the southernmost
hill.
iv. Two hills are located to the west of H2.
v. The southernmost hill has at least two hills to its east.

The southernmost hill is ________.

(A) H1

(B) H2

(C) H3

(D) H4

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Humanities & Social Sciences (XH)

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Q.10 As shown in the figure, circle 𝐶1 with center 𝑂1 and radius 𝑟1 touches the square
𝑉𝑊𝑋𝑌 at points 𝑃 and 𝑄 while circle 𝐶2 with center 𝑂2 and radius 𝑟2 touches the
square 𝑉𝑊𝑋𝑌 at points 𝑅 and 𝑆. The two circles touch each other at 𝑇.

̅̅̅̅ = 𝑉𝑊
Given 𝑟1 = 1 cm and 𝑉𝑌 ̅̅̅̅̅ = 4 cm, 𝑟2 = _____ cm.

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a

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s e
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a

m
m 4 − 3√2
.co
(A)

m .co s e m
s e (B) 1 + 2√2
g l a
g la a
a (C) 7 − 4√2

(D) 5 + 3√2

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Page 11

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.11 – Q.17 Carry ONE mark Each

Aman, Beena, Chiranjeevi and Dhiman are four siblings. Each of them is an
Q.11
expert in one of the performing arts, namely, dance, theatre, guitar and percussion,
not necessarily in that order.
The dancer is taller than the theatre expert. Aman is taller than Chiranjeevi. The
percussionist is taller than Beena but shorter than Aman. Beena is shorter than the
dancer. The guitarist is not the tallest. Dhiman is shorter than both, guitarist and
Chiranjeevi.

What is the expertise of Aman?

(A) Dance

(B) Theatre

(C) Guitar

(D) Percussion

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.12 Let ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶 be an isosceles triangle with the base 𝐴𝐵 of length 8 units. Let 𝐶𝐷 be a
perpendicular of length 4 units drawn from the vertex 𝐶 onto the base
𝐴𝐵 and 𝐴𝐶 = 𝐵𝐶.

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.co
Then, which of the following is the set of values of the angles (in degrees)
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𝐶𝐴𝐵, 𝐴𝐵𝐶, 𝐵𝐶𝐴 respectively?
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(A) 45,45,90

(B) 100,40,40

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(C) 90,45,45

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(D) 40,40,100
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ag

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Page 13

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.13 In the given passage, fill in the blanks with most suitable set of given words:

The future must no longer be___ by the past. While, the effects of the past are still
with us, each day is a new___. Therefore, one should ___from solely believing in
destiny and crave towards charting their own path of success with grit and labour.
Positive_______ is imperative.

(A) Determined, beginning, refrain, anticipation

(B) Fascinated, one, include, physiology

(C) Explored, suffering, content, psychiatry

(D) Marred, life, hinder, labyrinth

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.14
Indian society is experiencing a boom in pet culture, where people are becoming
responsible caretakers of pets rather than merely providing food and shelter. They
no longer like to identify themselves as ‘pet-owners’ but rather as ‘pet-parents’.
This means that there is an emotional transaction rather than a utilitarian one.
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Which of the following weaken(s) the argument presented in the given passage?
s e m
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a
(A) Some social media influencers are using their pets only for popularity.

(B) Food, medicines and clothes for pets are becoming easily available.

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(C) Pet owners are expecting some provision for tax rebate.

s em
(D)
g a emotional support.
In today’s stressful times, pets lprovide
a

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a

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Page 15

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.15
Three statements, S1, S2 and S3 are given, followed with 4 conclusions, C1, C2,
C3 and C4.
S1: Hostel authorities organised a special lunch on 01-02-26 during 12 noon to
3 pm, for those residents of the Hostel, who paid hostel mess fees on time.
S2: Hostel authorities issued a notice that, since elections for Mess Council is held
during 4-5 pm of 01-02-26, residents of the Hostel who are contesting the
elections need to stay away from the hostel since morning till 5 pm.
S3: Hostel residents who were eligible to have special lunch, had it on 01-02-26.
C1: Residents who did not have special lunch on 01-02-26, either did not pay
hostel mess fees on time or were contesting elections.
C2: Residents having special lunch on 01-02-26, were either not contesting
elections or had paid hostel mess fees on time.
C3: Residents who are contesting elections need not care about paying mess fees.
C4: Residents who have paid hostel mess fees on time could join special lunch
only if they are not contesting elections.
Which of the conclusion(s) is/are incorrect?

(A) Only one among C1, C2, C3 and C4 is incorrect.

(B) C1 and C2 are incorrect.

(C) C2 and C3 are incorrect.

(D) C3 and C4 are incorrect.

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.16
Six statements, S1 to S6, are given.
S1: All GATE candidates are engineers.
S2: Some GATE candidates are CAT candidates.
S3: All GRE candidates are GATE candidates.
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S4: All engineers are GRE candidates.
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S5: Some CAT candidates are GRE candidates.
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S6: Some CAT candidates are engineers.
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a Based on S1-S6, following options provide a set of three statements, followed by a
fourth statement. Identify the option(s) where the fourth statement can be
necessarily inferred from the set of three statements.

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(A) {S1, S2, S3} => S5
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(B) {S4, S1, S2} => S5 a
(C) {S6, S1, S3} => S5

(D) {S4, S3, S1} => S6

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Page 17

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.17 Four couples M-N, O-P, R-L, S-E meet to have a dinner together on an eight-
seater rectangular dining table with four seats each on opposite sides. The men are
named as M, O, R, S. Two of the men, O, R, sit on the two corners of one side of
the table and M sits beside R. Further, none of the couples occupy seats opposite
to each other. However, a person sits adjacent to the seat opposite to his/her
spouse.

Based on the information, which of the following conclusions can be drawn?

(A) R sits opposite to N and S sits opposite to P.

(B) R sits opposite to P and O sits opposite to N.

(C) S sits opposite to N and O sits opposite to L.

(D) M sits opposite to L and O sits opposite to E.

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.18 – Q.26 Carry TWO marks Each

Q.18
Me and my spouse have a big family, comprising 8 females and 6 males. We have
two sons and two daughters, of whom the eldest is unmarried. Out of my two
grandsons and three granddaughters, only one grandson is a single child. His
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mother is my younger daughter.
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Which of my children necessarily has two daughters?
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(A) None of my sons

(B) One of my sons
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(C) One of my daughters
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(D) Elder daughter
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Page 19

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.19
Given the first four terms 30, 105, 385, 1001 in a sequence, which amongst the
following is the fifth term of the sequence?

(A) 2341

(B) 2431

(C) 2571

(D) 2751

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.20
Three players named Arun, Babita and Chandu play a game by tossing an
unbiased coin in turn whose rules are as follows:

Initially each player has 100 candies. If the tossing of this coin results in a ‘head’
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then the player who tosses receives 10 candies from each of the other two players,
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whereas, if the toss results in a ‘tail’ then the player who tosses has to give away
e m
em to each of the other two players. A player with the highest number of glas
20 candies
s
g la at the end will be the winner. The game is started by Arun, followed bya
candies
a Babita and finally stopped after Chandu’s turn. Given that Arun is the only
winner, which of the following hold(s) true?

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(A) Arun has 90 candies more than Chandu

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(B) Both Babita and Chandu have the s
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(C) Arun has 90 candies more than Babita

(D) Babita and Chandu together have 120 candies

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Page 21

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.21
Choose the correct sequence of sentences so that they form a coherent paragraph:
P. However, in the context of texts dealing with science or engineering, this
condition may not be applicable.
Q. One can infer, that there is something called discipline fidelity and within
this aspect, content, language, structure and scope of a text may vary.
R. In the meaning-making process of a text, it is not always logic that is central.
S. Most of the times, it is the expression of the experience that supersedes the
structure and argument.
Which of the following options is/are correct and giving the most appropriate order
and meaning to the sentence?

(A) RSPQ

(B) QRSP

(C) RSQP

(D) SPRQ

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.22
Mental health is a global concern, especially among the youth. During the Covid-
19 pandemic, when schools and colleges were operating online, students were left
with no option but to stay at home leading to negligible social interaction. Several
studies indicate that even when offline classes have now resumed post Covid-19
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pandemic, these students are finding it difficult to establish social connect leading
e m
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to mental health issues. To deal with this situation, schools and colleges are trying
hardstoe implement different strategies to combat their student’s mental health l as
l a ag
agdepending on their unique culture, overall strength, and resources.
Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the above passage?

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(A) India is a young nation.

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(B)
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Different schools and colleges will have their own way to tackle the issue of
mental health.
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(C) A combination of online and offline class is good for students.

(D) Social connect is important for mental health.

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Page 23

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.23 On the basis of syntax and grammar, identify the incorrect sentence(s).
I. Doctors have found high levels of cerebrospinal fluid in certain cases of
cerebral palsy around the world. They also suggested its abnormal impact
on speech and muscle movement.
II. Doctors have found high levels of cerebrospinal fluid in certain cases of
cerebral palsy around the world which suggests the abnormal impact on
speech and muscle movement.
III. Having found high levels of cerebrospinal fluid in certain cases of cerebral
palsy around the world, doctors are suggesting abnormal impact on speech
and muscle movement.
IV. Having found high levels of cerebrospinal fluid in certain cases of cerebral
palsy around the world, doctors suggested its abnormal impact on speech
and muscle movement.

(A) I

(B) II

(C) III

(D) IV

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Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

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Q.24
In a cricket match amongst 7 friends, named P1 – P7, P1 scored maximum
individual runs of 25 and P7 scored minimum individual run of 0. No two friends
had the same score. The median and average runs scored were 15 and 12.57, not
necessarily in that order. Two players, P2 and P3, who scored more than median
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but less than maximum, scored less than 40 runs together. One player scored
e m
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double the sum of non-zero scores of two players.
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What could be the possible value(s) of the second highest score?
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ag

(A) 18

(B) 20
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(C) 21
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(D) 22 a

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Page 25

Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1)

Q.25
A police station has six personnel comprising an inspector (I) and five constables
(𝐶1 , 𝐶2 , 𝐶3 , 𝐶4 , 𝐶5). Normally, a ‘raid team’ of two, three, or four members is formed
depending upon the nature of the raid. As per rule, it is mandatory that the inspector
is part of raid team.
Number of distinct raid teams that can be formed is __________________.
(Answer in integer)

Q.26
A man visits four relatives on a day. He purchases some sweets and gives a part of
it to the first relative. Next, he purchases the same number of sweets he is left with
after he visited his first relative. He repeats this process while visiting his other
relatives. Finally, he gives all the sweets to his fourth relative. It is known that he
gives equal number of sweets to all the relatives and is left with no sweets after
the fourth relative. Assuming that he initially purchased more than 20 sweets, the
minimum number of sweets he gave to each relative is _______________.
(Answer in integer)

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Page 26

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m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
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Q.27 – Q.44 Carry ONE mark Each

Q.27 According to Marx, “Religion is the heart of a heartless world”. Which one of the
following concepts helps most in explicating this statement?

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(A) Atheism

s l a
g la ag
(B)
a Alienation

(C) Surplus value

(D) Secularism

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Q.28
s e
What according to Kant is unconditionally good?

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a
(A) Pleasure

(B) Beauty

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(C) Good Will
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c. o(D) s e m
e m Charity towards others
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ag

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Page 27

Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.29 Which school of classical Indian philosophy asserts the following?

1. It is fallacious to take any knowledge claim (jñāna) as absolute.
2. To recognize that all knowledge claims are contextually and partially true
does not lead to skepticism.

(A) Jainism

(B) Buddhism

(C) Cārvāka

(D) Nyāya

Q.30 Which one of the following classical Indian schools of thought do the philosophical
texts Spandakārikā and Pratyabhijñāsūtra belong to?

(A) Śuddha Advaita

(B) Bhāṭṭa Mīmāṃsā

(C) Prābhākara

(D) Śaivism

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m .co

m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
se g la
a
Q.31 Match the Name of philosopher with their Core concept.

Name of the philosopher Core concept

m
.co
(P) Thales (i) fire

o m m
. c s e
e m
(Q) Anaximander (ii) air
l a
a s
l(R) Anaximenes ag
ag (iii) water

(S) Heraclitus (iv) apeiron

Select the correct option.

m
m .co
(A) P-ii; Q-iv; R-iii; S-i
s e
g la
(B) P-iii; Q-iv; R-ii; S-i a
(C) P-i; Q-iii; R-ii; S-iv

(D) P-iv; Q-i; R-ii; S-iii

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.32 Which one of the following does cultural relativism in ethics entail ?

(A) One should never lie.

(B) It is a universal truth that all values are relative to culture.

(C) Cultural consensus on values is impossible.

(D) All cultures should follow some common norms.

Q.33 According to the Advaitic text Vedāntaparibhāṣā, “Those means of knowledge are
six in number (tāni ca pramāṇāni ṣaṭ)”. These are:

(A) Perception (pratyakṣa), Inference (anumāna), Doubt (saṃśaya), Comparison
(upamāna), Verbal Testimony (āgama), and Presumption (arthāpatti).

(B) Inference (anumāna), Comparison (upamāna), Verbal Testimony (āgama),
Presumption (arthāpatti), Non-apprehension (anupalabdhi), and Doubt (saṃśaya).

(C) Perception (pratyakṣa), Inference (anumāna), Comparison (upamāna), Verbal
Testimony (āgama), Presumption (arthāpatti), and Non-apprehension
(anupalabdhi).

(D) Perception (pratyakṣa), Memory (smṛti), Inference (anumāna), Comparison
(upamāna), Presumption (arthāpatti), and Verbal Testimony (āgama).

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Q.34 “The necessary connection between cause and effect is the foundation of our
inference from one to the other. The foundation of our inference is the transition
arising from accustomed union.” – David Hume

Which one of the following claims is an accurate expression of Hume’s view on
causal necessity?
m
m .co
.co s e m
s em l a
(A)
g la idea of causal necessity is innate.
The ag
a
(B) The essence of causal necessity lies in the human propensity to pass from an object
to the idea of its cause.

(C) Causal necessity exists in the object.

m
.co
(D) Causal efficacy lies in the causes themselves.

e m
las
ag

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.35 Jean Paul Sartre ontologically distinguishes a knife from a human being. This
distinction depends upon which one of the following theses?

(A) Mind can be reduced to matter.

(B) Existence precedes essence.

(C) To exist is to be the value of a variable.

(D) God creates this distinction.

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Q.36 Rohit is a 25-year old software engineer with a happy family and a stable job.

One day Rohit realises that this may all be an illusion – he could simply be a “brain
in a vat” hooked up to electrodes which simulate an external reality. Whether or not
he is actually a brain in a vat, his sensory experiences would be the same. Therefore,
he does not know that he is a 25-year old software engineer with a happy family and
m
m .co
a stable job.

Which m
.co
one of the following philosophers is most closely associated with an as
e m
s e g l
g l a
argument of this kind?
a
a

(A) Rene Descartes

(B) Bertrand Russell

m
(C) David Hume
m .co
s e
(D) Gottlob Frege
g la
a

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.37 Kant provides a famous refutation of an ontological argument for the existence of
God of the kind provided by St. Anselm.

Which one of the following statements appears as a premise in this refutation?

(A) God’s non-existence is impossible.

(B) Existence is not a real predicate.

(C) Existence precedes essence.

(D) Suicide is immoral.

Q.38 “Desire, cognition etc. are qualities that necessarily require a substance and
therefore individually constitute the necessary mark or sign of substance, which
could then be identified as soul.”

Which one of the following classical Indian thinkers has made this argument?

(A) Īśvarakṛṣṇa

(B) Nāgārjuna

(C) Umāsvāmī

(D) Gotama

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Q.39 Which of the following options is/are included among the four states of Ātman as
delineated in the Mānḍukya Upaniṣad?

m
m .co
(A) Waking
m .co s e m
s e l a
g l a ag
(B)
a Dream

(C) Dreamless sleep

(D) Doubt

m
m .co
Q.40
s e
Which of the following options is/are NOT correct according to Śaiva-siddhānta?

g la
a
(A) God is of the nature of pure consciousness.

(B) God is a conceptual construct.

m
.co
(C) God is a non-eternal entity.
m
c. o(D) s e m
e m God does not exist.
l a
las ag
ag

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.41 Which of the following options is/are mentioned in the list of the objects of
cognition (prameya) in the Nyāya-sūtra?

(A) Soul (ātman)

(B) Mind (manas)

(C) Pain (duḥkha)

(D) Testimony (śabda)

Q.42 Which of the following claims is/are endorsed by Iqbal in The Secrets of the Self?

(A) Life is not purposive.

(B) The aim of science is to produce objective knowledge.

(C) Time will continue to exist, even if the sun were to be destroyed.

(D) Existence is an effect of the self.

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m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
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a

Which of the following options do/does NOT figure centrally in Rudolf Carnap’s
Q.43
rejection of metaphysics?

m
m .co
Bayes’ theorem
.co e m
(A)

e m l as
(B)
l as
Austin’s speech-act theory
ag
ag
(C) Frege’s logicism

(D) The verifiability criterion of meaning

m
Q.44
m .co
Which of the following philosophers do/does NOT take the primary aim of the state

s e
to be the production of eudaimonia among its citizens?

g la
a
(A) Locke

(B) Aristotle

m
.co
(C) Hobbes
m
c. o(D) s e m
e m Bentham
l a
las ag
ag

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.45 – Q.65 Carry TWO marks Each

Q.45 Consider the sentence ‘there is no cat on the mat’. Which one of the following
schools of classical Indian philosophy would regard this as tantamount to saying
‘this is a bare mat’?

(A) Vaiśeṣika

(B) Prābhākara Mīmāṃsā

(C) Nyāya

(D) Sāṅkhya

Q.46 “When somebody utters the word ‘table’, we understand its meaning through a
process of exclusion of everything else in the universe of discourse except ‘table’.”

Who among the following classical Indian philosophers could be credited with such
reasoning?

(A) Mallisena (Jainism)

(B) Diṅnāga (Buddhism)

(C) Kaṇāda (Vaiśeṣika)

(D) Jayarāśi (Cārvāka)

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Q.47 Gita pursues her desires but feels unhappy because she does not feel that she loves
herself. What would be Levinas’ advice to her?

m
(A)
m
Gita needs to increase her focus on her desires.
.co
.co s e m
s em l a
ag
(B) Gita should seek recognition from others.

g la
(C) a Gita should find love for herself, by acknowledging and fulfilling responsibility
towards others.

(D) Gita should respect others as selves like herself.

m
m .co
s e
g la
a

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.48 According to Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, “Those who do not know the distinction
between the two truths cannot understand the profound nature of the Buddha’s
teaching”.

Which combination of the following claims is correct in this connection?

(i) The teachings of the Buddha can be subsumed into the two truths.
(ii) The two truths are wisdom and compassion.
(iii) The two truths are the ultimate truth and the conventional truth.
(iv) The conceptual knowledge of the two truths is enough for Enlightenment.

(A) (i), (iii) and (iv)

(B) (i), (ii) and (iii)

(C) only (i) and (iii)

(D) only (i) and (iv)

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Q.49 “The consumption of alcohol is a purely private matter. As long as it doesn’t have
adverse effects on third parties, and it is consumed by competent adults, the State
should not prohibit it”.

Which one of the following principles does this argument illustrate most closely?

m
m .co
.co s e m
s em
Mill’s Harm Principle l a
ag
(A)

g la
(B) a Aristotle’s Golden Mean

(C) Kant’s Categorical Imperative

(D) Gandhi’s Principle of Non-violence

m
m .co
s e
Q.50
g la
Which one of the following options presents an aspect of Gandhi’s idea of
trusteeship?
a

(A) Wealth belongs to the rich, but as a matter of charity they should help the poor.

(B) We should do away with the rich classes.
m
m
c. o(C) m.co
m
The wealthy man is less an owner of his wealth than the labourer. The labourer
s e
s e owns his wealth, which consists in his power to work.
g l a
g la a
a (D) Wealthy people could not have their wealth without doing wrong. Hence, they
should share their wealth with the poor.

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.51 “From the torment by threefold misery arises the enquiry into the means of
terminating it, if it be said that it is fruitless, the means being obvious to us, we reply
no, since in such means there is no certainty or finality”.

Which one of the following texts of Classical Indian Philosophy contains this verse?

(A) Mūlamadhyamakakārikā

(B) Nyāyasūtra

(C) Sāṅkhyakārikā

(D) Tattvopaplavasiṃha

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m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
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Q.52 Match the Texts with the corresponding School of Classical Indian Philosophy.

Texts School of Classical Indian
Philosophy

m
(P) Arthasaṃgraha
m (i) Buddhism
.co
.co s e m
em
(Q) Nyāyabindu
s (ii) Mīmāṃsā
l a
g la ag
a (R) Bhāṣāpariccheda (iii) Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika

(S) Tattvārthasūtra (iv) Jainism

Select the correct option.
m
m .co
s e
g la
(A) P-ii; Q-i; R-iii; S-iv
a
(B) P-ii; Q-i; R-iv; S-iii

(C) P-i; Q-ii; R-iii; S-iv

(D) P-iii; Q-i; R-ii; S-iv
m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.53 John Locke distinguished between primary qualities and secondary qualities.

Which one of the following options correctly exemplifies this distinction?

(A) Primary qualities: colour, number, extension

Secondary qualities: shape, mobility, hardness

(B) Primary qualities: number, extension, mobility

Secondary qualities: smell, colour, smoothness

(C) Primary qualities: roughness, extension, colour

Secondary qualities: smell, impenetrability, shape

(D) Primary qualities: sound, number, extension

Secondary qualities: impenetrability, smell, shape

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m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
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Q.54 Match Column I with the Column II.

Column I Column II

m
.co
(P) Gilbert Ryle (i) Speculative proposition

o m m
c
(Q) G. W.. F. Hegel s e
em a
(ii) Naturalist fallacy
s l
g l(R)a G. E. Moore ag
a (iii) Resoluteness

(S) Martin Heidegger (iv) Category mistake

Select the correct option.

m
m .co
s e
la
(A) P-ii; Q-iii; R-i; S-iv

ag
(B) P-i; Q-iv; R-iii; S-ii

(C) P-iv; Q-i; R-ii; S-iii

(D) P-iv; Q-iii; R-ii; S-i

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.55 Which one of the following options accurately captures Martha Nussbaum’s
account of capabilities?

(A) Resources to acquire pleasure

(B) Functionings as the real achievements of a person

(C) Good things desired by the majority

(D) Real opportunities to choose a life that one has reasons to value

Utilitarianism is the view that right actions are those which produce the greatest
Q.56 overall good. Which one of the following objections to utilitarianism is made by
John Rawls in A Theory of Justice?

(A) Utilitarianism makes it difficult to account for the moral force of promises.

(B) Utilitarianism demands too much from its followers.

(C) Utilitarianism ignores the separateness of persons.

(D) Utilitarianism cannot account for the suffering of animals.

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Q.57 Which one of the following considerations leads Socrates, in Plato’s Republic, to
introduce the analogy between the city and the individual?

m
m .co
(A)
m .co
To understand the nature of justice in the individual, it is helpful to first understand
s e m
s e l a
ag
the nature of justice in the city, since justice in the city will be easier to recognize

g l a
because of its larger scale.
a
(B) To understand the nature of justice in the city, it is helpful to first understand the
nature of justice in the individual, since justice in the individual will be easier to
recognize because of its smaller scale.

(C) Justice in individuals is only possible if they live in a city.

m
.co
(D) Justice involves a social contract between individuals and a city.

e m
las
ag
Q.58 Which of the following thinkers is/are associated with Skepticism?

(A) Nāgārjuna

m
m .co
.co
Śrīharṣa
m
(B)

m s e
s e g l a
la a
(C) Jayarāśi

ag
(D) Udayana

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Q.59 Which one or more of the following options, according to Sāṅkhya, enable(s) us to
infer the existence of puruṣa?

(A) There is some experiencer (bhoktṛbhāvāt).

(B) There is some controller (adhiṣṭhānāt).

(C) Prakṛti depends on puruṣa.

(D) Activities tend towards the final liberation (kaivalyārtham pravṛtteḥ).

Q.60 Which of the following options is/are correct according to Vīra-śaivism?

(A) Śiva is the supreme Brahman.

(B) Śiva is called ‘sthala’.

(C) The world arises from and dissolves in Śiva.

(D) The world exists independently of Śiva.

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Q.61 A person has a plan to climb a hill to reach the hilltop. She observes that there is a
sudden rise in the water level in the stream coming down from the hill. From this
she concludes that it must be raining heavily on the hilltop. Therefore, she should
postpone her expedition to some later time.
m
m
Which one or more of the following kinds of inference does this person’s reasoning
.co
m .co
involve as per the Nyāya view?
s e m
s e l a
g l a ag
a
(A) Svārtha Anumāna

(B) Sāmānyatodṛṣṭa Anumāna

(C) Śeṣavat Anumāna
m
(D) Pūrvavat Anumāna
m .co
s e
g la
a
Q.62 Which one or more of the following views on caste can be attributed to B. R.
Ambedkar following Annihilation of Caste?

m
m .co
(A) Caste has grown by preserving the purity of blood.

c. o(B) s e m
e m The caste system was eugenic in nature.
l a
las ag
ag (C) Caste makes public opinion impossible.

(D) How to abolish caste is a question of supreme importance.

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Philosophy (XH-C4)

Robert Nozick proposes an ‘entitlement’ theory of justice in Anarchy, State, and
Q.63
Utopia.
Which of the following principles is/are part of Nozick’s entitlement theory?

(A) A principle of justice in acquisition of holdings

(B) A principle against epistemic injustice

(C) A principle of justice in transfer of holdings

(D) A principle of justice in legal representation

Q.64 Identify the instance(s) of inductive reasoning from the following options.

(A) Socrates is human; all humans are mammals; so Socrates is a mammal.

(B) Socrates was alive yesterday; so he will be alive today.

(C) Socrates is a philosopher; all philosophers observed so far are fools; so Socrates is
a fool.

(D) Socrates has just drunk hemlock; all those who have just drunk hemlock will die
soon; so Socrates will die soon.

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m .co s emPhilosophy (XH-C4)
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Q.65 Which of the following statements about ‘Ṛta’ is/are correct?

Ṛta is the natural order.
m
.co
(A)

o m m
c
. entails materialism.
Ṛta logically
s e
(B)
e m l a
a s
l ideas of Ṛta and Ṛṇa are not completely incompatible. ag
(C)
agThe

(D) Ṛta necessarily negates the existence of God.

m
m .co
s e
g la
a

m
m .co
m .co s e m
s e g l a
g la a
a

m .
.co s e m
s em l a
la
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Document Details

Board / OrgIIT
ExamGraduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
TypeQuestion Paper
Pages50
Languageenglish
Updated24 Sep 2026