Theme T8 · Heritage, Art & Culture

Patronage, learning centres & medieval technology

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What UPSC asks

Questions ask about royal patronage of learning (Krishnadeva Raya), ancient universities (Taxila vs Nalanda), and technology introduced in the Sultanate period.

Prepare these

• Krishnadeva Raya: Amuktamalyada, Ashtadiggajas, Telugu and Sanskrit literature
• Taxila vs Nalanda: subjects, scholars, why Nalanda fits the 'university' idea
• Sultanate technology: paper, spinning wheel, arch and dome, Persian wheel, and their social effects

Answer writing

• Link each technology to the social change it caused
• For Taxila, explain why it was a centre of learning rather than an organised university

Directive words in these PYQs: Discuss (2).

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Syllabus lines covered

• GS1-L1 — Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

All 3 PYQs, newest first

1. GS1202315 marks · 250 wordsGS1-CUL-07-M2023-Q12

   What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence the Indian society?

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2. GS12016GS1-CUL-06-M2016-S01

   Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss.

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3. GS12014GS1-CUL-07-M2014-S01

   Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense. Discuss.

   Also needs: T111 Education policy: NEP, RTE, higher education, examsCopyReport a typo