DU Ethics and Values in Ancient Indian Traditions (VAC): Most Repeated Questions

Ethics and Values in Ancient Indian Traditions (UPC 6967000007) is a Value Addition Course taken by students of every stream. It is a descriptive paper on Vedic, Shramanic (Buddhist, Jaina, Ajivika), epic and Puranic ideas, so the best preparation is to learn a short, clean answer on each recurring concept.

We collected every paper we have for this code, from the 2022-23 sittings to May-June 2026. After removing duplicate scans and unreadable copies, that is 16 distinct question papers, plus the short practical (Part B) paper that goes with six of them.

All of them are free on the Ethics and Values in Ancient Indian Traditions VAC PYQ page. Open a few alongside this post.

Two notes on the counts. "11 of 16" means 11 of the 16 distinct papers mention that topic somewhere (a short note or a 10-mark question), not 11 exam sittings. And the years are the labels on our paper pages: some college-library scans are labelled with the year they were scanned, so a paper marked 2024 may be from the sitting before.

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What the paper looks like

Part A (theory): 1 hour, 30 marks, four questions.

• Question 1 is compulsory: "Write short notes on any two" (5 marks each = 10). Three notes are given.

• Attempt any two of Questions 2 to 4, 10 marks each.

Part B (practical): 45 minutes, 20 marks, attempt one of two questions. These are reflective ("how has this paper changed your views?"), not factual. Details at the end.

What gets asked most

If you only have a week, revise Purushartha Chatushtaya, Right Conduct (Buddhist, Jaina, Shramanic), Danda and kingship, Rashtra and Sanskar, Aryavarta and Bharat, Rta, and the Epics' ethical dilemmas. Those seven cover almost every paper.

Questions that were repeated across papers

These are the same question (sometimes word for word), found in papers from different years.

• "Outline the concept of Right Conduct as interpreted in Buddhist traditions" is word for word in Nov-Dec 2024 and May-June 2025. The same idea comes back as "How does Buddhism define and emphasize Right Conduct?", "How does the Buddhist tradition discuss Right Conduct?" and "How did the idea of Right Conduct evolve across Buddhist, Jaina and Shramanic traditions?".

• "How did the ideas of 'Rashtra' and 'Sanskar' contribute to the socio-cultural milieu of ancient India?" is word for word in Nov-Dec 2024 and May-June 2025, and a near copy ("... the formation of socio-cultural norms") is in May-June 2024.

• "What does 'Aryavrata' refer to in ancient texts?" is word for word in Nov-Dec 2024 and in a paper labelled 2025; "Aryavarta in ancient texts" is a May-June 2025 short note; "Difference between India and Aryavarta" (a paper labelled 2024) and "Difference between Aryavarta and Bharatvarsha" (2023) are close cousins.

• "Concept of Purushartha Chatushtaya" as a short note is in both Nov-Dec 2024 papers, in a 2025 paper, in Nov-Dec 2023 and in a 2022-23 paper.

• "What is 'Rta' in Vedic Tradition? How did it regulate life in ancient philosophy?" is in two papers, both labelled 2024, with slightly different wording.

• "Importance of Danda for a king" is a short note in Nov-Dec 2023 and again in 2025.

• "How has the King been explained as an important figure for maintaining order in (ancient Indian) society?" is in May-June 2025 and in a 2023 paper.

• "What are the main Jaina and Buddhist teachings?" is in the 2023 and 2024 papers; "Main teachings of Jainism" is a short note in Nov-Dec 2024 and May-June 2025.

• "Discuss the continuity of epic and Puranic traditions in cultural life of contemporary India" is in a 2022-23 paper, and "Examine how epic and Puranic traditions continue to shape the cultural landscape of contemporary India" is in 2025.

• "Difference between Rashtra and State" is a short note in 2022-23 and again in 2025.

• The Epics' ethical dilemmas is asked in Nov-Dec 2024 ("What ethical dilemmas are explored in the Epics, and how are they resolved?"), May-June 2024 ("Analyse the ethical dilemmas presented in the Epics"), May-June 2026 (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and in a 2025 paper (the Mahabharata).

The pattern: a small pool of about 15 topics, rewritten each sitting. If you can write a clear answer on each, you can answer most of the paper.

Short notes that keep coming back

Short notes are 5 marks each and you do two, so they are the easiest marks to secure. These come up again and again:

• Purushartha Chatushtaya

• Rta in Vedic traditions

• Main teachings of Jainism and Ajivika

• Aryavarta / Aryavrata, Jambudvipa, Bharat

• Danda and Neeti / Rajdharma (duties and role of the king)

• Rashtra (and Rashtra vs State)

• Artha and Kama within the Purushartha framework

• The Epics: heroic virtue, ethical assertion, any one Epic and its teachings

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The key terms in one table

Most answers start with a one-line definition. Learn these.

Check each against your class notes before you rely on the wording.

Part B: the practical paper

Part B is a 45-minute, 20-mark paper where you attempt one of two reflective questions. The questions we found:

• "How have your views about the evolution of ancient ethical thought changed after studying this paper?" and "Highlight how discussions from the syllabus have impacted your moral and ethical conduct in day-to-day life."

• "Has the paper assisted you in understanding the evolution of the ancient Indian value system? Discuss with examples." (a near copy is in two papers)

• "Cite an example from your life where Epics play a role in instilling morals and values." and "Discuss any two practical experiences of teachings learnt in Ramayana/Mahabharat."

• "Create a formal conversation between a Shramanic thinker and a follower of Vedic traditions." and "Does the value of 'Satyamev Jayate' as discussed in the Upanishads help in building moral courage?"

• "Reflect on the role of geography in shaping your identity" and "Share your findings of any one practical activity undertaken in the course."

These are personal, so there is nothing to memorise. Do your classroom practical activities seriously, keep a few real examples ready, and write honestly with references to the syllabus.

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How to use this for your exam

1. Write one clean answer for each of the seven revision topics above (Purushartha, Right Conduct, Danda and kingship, Rashtra and Sanskar, Aryavarta and Bharat, Rta, the Epics). That covers most 10-mark questions.

2. Prepare short notes on the recurring terms in 5 or 6 lines each. Any two are asked in every paper.

3. Start each answer with the one-line meaning, then give the source (Vedic, Buddhist, Jaina, Epic), then an example.

4. For Part B, prepare two real personal examples now (one about the Epics, one about how a teaching affected you).

Past repetition does not guarantee what comes next. Use this list to decide what to revise first.

Get the papers: Ethics and Values in Ancient Indian Traditions VAC PYQs · all Value Addition Course papers

Also read: Swachh Bharat (VAC): most repeated questions · Best VAC courses in DU