Literature-Assamese — UPSC Mains Optional PYQ (2024–2025)

(a) Discuss how the Assamese language emerged through geo-linguistic and phonological changes such as sound-shift, migration, etc. [10M]

(b) Give a concise account of the vocabulary and syntactic features of the Kamrupi dialect, treating it as an early form of Assamese. [10M]

(c) Prepare a brief note on the nature, sources and present usage of loan-words in Assamese. [10M]

(d) Write an analytical note on the supra-segmental features (tone, stress, intonation, etc.) of Assamese and their functional significance. [10M]

(e) Critically examine the evolution of the Assamese script from the Brahmi script through different historical stages. [10M]

(a) Discuss, with suitable illustrations, the literary significance of the references from the Mahabharata that appear in the poem “অধিয়াৰ কাঠ” by ‘যাযাবৰ’. [10M]

(b) “In the play ‘পাণিহাটি হৰ’, the character of Kamini has been portrayed as the epitome of womanhood.” Examine the validity of this statement. [10M]

(c) Explain the spiritual import of the following lines and relate it to the Krishna-lilā imagery in Śrīmanta Śaṅkaradeva’s kīrtan-ghoṣā: “মুমায় হ’লে মন আছে বতি / আছে ত্ৰি হেম নিৰ্বাণ বতি …”. [10M]

(d) “মাধৱদেৱ প্রেম মাধৱৰ দুখ জীৱনৰ পথ।” Expound the deeper meaning of this remark in the context of Mādhavadeva’s life and works. [10M]

(e) Analyse the major thematic concerns that make ‘কথা-গাভৰুৱ’ one of the most celebrated poems of Tezkumal Borbaruah. [10M]

(a) Discuss the course of development of the Assamese language during the period of religious movements and contemporary urban literary activities. [20M]

(b) Write an essay on the statement: "Incorrect usage is the chief enemy of the Assamese language." [15M]

(c) Critically evaluate the prose style of the Batrayan tradition as reflected in Katha-Gita and Katha-Bhagavata. [15M]

(a) “ফকৰাজুৰী-খাৰু” portrays the socio-religious life of the Assamese middle class centring round the Namghar. Elucidate this with special reference to the life and philosophy of Mahapurush Śaṅkaradeva. [20M]

(b) Critically evaluate the use of different dramatic devices employed by Kāntābarmā in his one-act play ‘বায়ুমূৰ’ to depict the power of destiny. [15M]

(c) How does the poet present the dilemma of youth in the poem “অসহায় বয়স”? Explain with suitable textual references. [15M]

(a) Enumerate and discuss, with suitable examples, the principal morphological features of the Assamese language. [20M]

(b) Write a comparative note on the historiographical prose style of the Buranjis. [15M]

(c) Assamese grammar has undergone several revisions. Illustrate this with reference to selected ancient and modern treatises and scholars. [15M]

(a) “স্বাধীনতাৰ আৰু জাতীয়তা আৰু আধুনিকতাৰ ভাষা পঢ়াপঢ়ি প্ৰতিষ্ঠিত।” Comment critically on the statement with reference to Assamese literary criticism. [20M]

(b) Assess the portrayal of women as freedom-fighters in different short stories of the collection ‘কথা-গাভৰু’. [15M]

(c) Evaluate the dramatic craftsmanship of the one-act play ‘কীৰ্তি-কমদ’ by Lachit Borphukan, with particular reference to the characterisation of Kanchani. [15M]

(a) Certain kinship terms have remained unchanged whereas words related to water, flora and fauna have changed their form and meaning in Assamese over time. Discuss this process of lexical change with suitable illustrations. [20M]

(b) Describe the deictic system of Assamese and its practical usage in everyday speech. [15M]

(c) Evaluate the authenticity of the statement that Assamese fiction has its roots in ancient narrative traditions while its expansion owes much to colonial influences. [15M]

(a) How does the symbolism employed in the play ‘পাণিহাটি হৰ’ enlarge its thematic canvas? Discuss in detail. [20M]

(b) ‘বায়ুমূর’ is often considered a landmark in Assamese fiction for the realistic depiction of post-Independence rural life. Discuss. [15M]

(c) Analyse the poet’s attitude to nature in the poem ‘লখিমী ভোলা প্ৰাণ’ with reference to various literary devices used. [15M]

(a) It is said that poetry occupies the central place in the evaluation of Assamese literature. Analyse this view with suitable contemporary illustrations. [10M]

(b) Write on the concept of social commitment in Assamese literary criticism. [10M]

(c) Compare and contrast regional drama with the traditional mask-plays (Mukha-drama) of Assam. [10M]

(d) Discuss the basic principles and challenges involved in translating poetry into Assamese, citing examples. [10M]

(e) When, where and by whom were the Charyapadas discovered and published? Discuss their main thematic features. [10M]

(a) Examine how nostalgia for the lost ‘home’ shapes the poetic universe of Hem Barua’s poem ‘ধৰ মাটি সোণার মাটিটো’. [10M]

(b) Critically appreciate the treatment of humanism in the poems of Nilmani Phukan with reference to any two poems of your choice. [10M]

(c) Discuss the romantic elements in Jyotiprasad Agarwala’s short story ‘কাকেত উধৰিবি গিৰি?’. [10M]

(d) How does the short story ‘দুশমণ্ড’ by Homen Borgohain mirror contemporary Assamese socio-cultural life? Explain. [10M]

(e) Illustrate the salient features of Bhupen Hazarika’s song ‘স্মৃতি’ that make it a document of humanism. [10M]

(a) Critically evaluate the role of the journal 'Arunodoi' in shaping various modern genres of Assamese literature such as the novel, poetry, essays and translation. [20M]

(b) Assess Sadananda Deva’s "Assamese Literary History" (or similar comprehensive work) as a pioneering treatise on Assamese literary historiography. [15M]

(c) Explain why Lakshminath Bezbaroa’s play 'Joymoti' is regarded as the fountainhead of modern Assamese drama, and discuss its contribution to Assamese theatre. [15M]

(a) In the novel ‘জীৱন বাট’, how does Bhabendra Nath Saikia project the impact of changing urban family life on the Assamese middle class? Discuss. [20M]

(b) Evaluate the pictorial quality and the narrative technique in Rasaraj Lakshminath Bezbaroa’s short story ‘গাঁঠিৰুপা’. [15M]

(c) Discuss the structural significance of the narrative frame in Navakanta Barua’s poem ‘কৃষ্ণৰ কাহিনী টোলপা’. [15M]

(a) Prepare an analytical essay on the main preoccupations of modern Assamese literary criticism. [20M]

(b) Write a critical note on Satyendranath Sarma as a historian of Assamese literature. [15M]

(c) Discuss the historical importance of the early plays (e.g., those by Maniram Dewan) in the evolution of Assamese theatre. [15M]

(a) Analyse the treatment of human values in the short stories of Jogesh Das with special reference to ‘মায়াচিঠি’. [20M]

(b) Discuss the importance of folklore elements in Phani Talukdar’s children’s literature with examples from two works. [15M]

(c) Do you find a scientific outlook in modern Assamese poetry of Navakanta Barua? Substantiate your answer with close textual reading. [15M]

(a) Write an essay on the topic: "The Post-Independence ('Bahar-Purba') phase of Assamese literature." [20M]

(b) Analyse the themes and narrative techniques of the representative short-story collections of the Abahon period. [15M]

(c) With suitable examples, discuss the portrayal of women characters in contemporary Assamese novels. [15M]

(a) “The first three novels of Navakanta Barua present Assam’s socio-cultural transformation through the lens of memory, myth and history.” Elucidate with reference to ‘মন্দাকিনী’, ‘অগ্নিগৰ্ভ’ and ‘মহাযাত্ৰা’. [20M]

(b) Critically evaluate the dramatic craftsmanship of Bhabananda Deka’s play ‘বাৰেৰ পৰা কিনিছা?’ with particular reference to the portrayal of the female protagonist. [15M]

(c) Write a critical note on the depiction of women’s liberation in Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya’s short story collection ‘মুকুটমণি’. [15M]

(a) What is the principal artistic merit of the play ‘Panisajya Haran’? Does the work reflect Srimanta Sankardeva’s original dramatic ideas and creative genius? [10M]

(b) Discuss Madhab Kandali’s Assamese translation of the ‘Ayodhyakanda’ (Book of Ayodhya) of the Ramayana. [10M]

(c) How is the life and personality of Srimanta Sankardeva portrayed in the book ‘Guha-Chitra-Katha’? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. [10M]

(d) Analyse the portrayal of Lord Krishna in the Borgeets attributed to Jamadeva’s ‘Nilagram’ collection. [10M]

(e) “In ‘Kalpa-Bhavana’ the predominance of Sanskrit vocabulary is unmistakable.” Examine the validity of this statement with arguments. [10M]

(a) Critically analyse the chief stylistic features of the Borgeets composed by Madhavdeva, supporting your answer with appropriate illustrations. [20M]

(b) How does the use of rhyme and metrical organisation enhance the poetic quality of Bhattadeva’s verses? Discuss with reference to chosen specimens. [15M]

(c) Evaluate the literary importance of the devotional songs related to the ‘Ayodhyakanda’ authored by Ananta Kandali. [15M]

(a) Explain how the salient features of classical Sanskrit drama are manifested in the Assamese play ‘Panisajya Haran’, citing illustrative references. [20M]

(b) Make a critical assessment of the plot-construction and character-organisation in the short narrative ‘Basanti’. [15M]

(c) Comment on the lucidity and elegance of diction in Madhavdeva’s ‘Namghosha’. [15M]

(a) Critically evaluate the textual and structural peculiarities found in the first part of ‘Kalpa-Bhavana’. [20M]

(b) Present a complete character-sketch of ‘Banali’ as portrayed in the novel ‘Banali’. [15M]

(c) Discuss the salient features of early Assamese prose with special reference to the chapter ‘Guha-Chitra-Katha’. [15M]

(a) Lakshminath Bezbaroa remarks in his autobiography ‘Mor Jibon Sowaran’ that he is “neither unhappy nor happy”. Discuss the personal problems he enumerates in this context. [10M]

(b) Chandra Kumar Agarwala’s poetry-collection ‘Podiya’ was described by Bezbaroa as “rich in talent but dim in lustre”. Examine the significance of this comment. [10M]

(c) Make a critical analysis of the central character of Banikanta Kakati’s novel ‘Monomati’. [10M]

(d) Write a critical note on Lakshminath Bezbaroa’s humorous sketch ‘Rangamati’r Chal-Chitra’. [10M]

(e) Discuss the major dramatic roles in Phulananda Gogoi-Phukan’s play ‘Giligutiya’. [10M]

(a) In the poem ‘Hati’ (The Elephant) what is meant by the phrase “blind vigilance of life”? How is this vigilance symbolically expressed in the poem? [20M]

(b) Discuss the principal characters and their dramatic functions in the play ‘Bhadra’r Niti’. [15M]

(c) Banikanta Kakati’s essay ‘Prithivi Asomiya Sahitya’ deals with various aspects of Assamese literary practice. Examine Kakati’s views on the writer’s responsibilities towards Assamese literature. [15M]

(a) The sentence “Ketia banore jokai gol na Sabitri bol” recurs in the novel ‘Yugadhara’. Who utters it and in what context? Discuss how this sentence reflects the socio-political environment of the novel. [20M]

(b) Analyse the quest for self-realisation attempted by Shila Bakori, the protagonist of the novel ‘Jeevanar Bat’. [15M]

(c) “Chandra Kumar Agarwala’s ‘Podiya’ and Navakanta Barua’s ‘Hati’ represent the intellectual and modernist streams of Assamese poetry.” Evaluate the statement through a comparative discussion. [15M]

(a) “Although Banikanta Kakati’s novel ‘Monomati’ is set against a historical backdrop, it vividly depicts contemporary social life.” Elucidate this observation. [20M]

(b) Prepare a critical appreciation of any one major character from the novel ‘Duratma’. [15M]

(c) In the short story ‘Gaidur Bani’ by Baikuntha Deka, the foul stench that lingers inside and outside the house symbolises a greater social malady. Explain the author’s depiction in your own words. [15M]