UPSC Mains 2026 Philosophy Optional Paper II questions

28 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Philosophy Optional PYQs

1. Why does Rawls consider it necessary that the two principles of justice be applied in lexical order? Explain.

2. Is Plato's vision of an ideal state compatible with the rights and liberties of individual citizens? Discuss.

   10 marks

3. Anarchism is not an independent political ideology in itself, rather it is inspired by liberalism on the one hand and socialism on the other. Analyze.

   10 marks

4. On what grounds does Marxism criticize pure democracy?

   10 marks

5. How does value based education address the problem of corruption?

6. Eyaluate the importance of Kautilya's theory of Rajamandala in the context of sovereignty.

   20 marks

7. Does providing land and property rights to women constitute a necessary condition; or a sufficient condition or both for ensuring social equality among the genders? Discuss.

   15 marks

8. Examine the challenges faced by a multicultural society in creating a harmonious balance between group rights and individual rights.

   15 marks

9. Retributivism presents a deontological justification for capital punishment, whereas deterrence presents a consequential justification for it. Explain.

   20 marks

10. "The two antagonistic state structures - monarchy and democracy, both share some common features with dictatorship". Do you agree with this view? Give reasons and justifications for your answer.

    15 marks

11. Negative liberty seems to embody the idea of ultimate personal freedom, whereas positive liberty enables individuals to achieve their full potential. Discuss.

    5 marks

12. How has Ambedkar applied the concept of 'Social Endosmosis' for annihilation of castes. Evaluate its relevance for contemporary debates on identity and the politics of difference.

    20 marks

13. Explain the contrast between the monistic and pluralistic approaches to sovereignty.

    15 marks

14. Examine the relationship between democracy and development. Does democracy promote or hinder development?

    15 marks

15. On what grounds does William James characterize mystical states as a genuine expression of religious experience? Elaborate.

    10 marks

16. Discuss Aquinas' argument from the contingency of the world to prove the existence of God.

    10 marks

17. How does Paul Tillich's idea of faith as ultimate concern address the relation between faith, doubt and reason? Evaluate.

    10 marks

18. Critically discuss the views of R. B. Braithwaite on the nature of religious language.

19. "If religion were a subject of reason alone, it would have lacked an experiential account." Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons in support of your answer.

    10 marks

20. In what sense does St. Augustine's identification of all evil as either sin or as the punishment of sin succeed or fail in providing a coherent account of both moral and natural evil? Evaluate.

    20 marks

21. How does the issue of moral autonomy conflict with conception of religion as a source of morality? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

22. Does the idea of Religious Pluralism necessarily entail moral relativism? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

23. Analyse R. M. Hare's concept of 'blik' and assess whether it successfully defends the meaningfulness of religious language.

    20 marks

24. Discuss the difference between personalistic and impersonalistic notions of God in the context of devotion.

    15 marks

25. Can conflicting truth claims among religions be reconciled within the framework of religious pluralism? Critically discuss.

    15 marks

26. Critically evaluate the shift in Gandhi's view from 'God is Truth' to 'Truth is God', in the context of interrelation between religion and morality.

    20 marks

27. Explain and examine Madhvacharya's arguments for the existence of God.

28. Present an account of criticisms against omniscience and omnipotence as attributes of God.

    15 marks