UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Vairamuthu becomes third Tamil writer to get Jnanpith Award

Q1. The Jnanpith Award was instituted in which year and by which body?

  • A. 1961, by the Bharatiya Jnanpith
  • B. 1954, by the Sahitya Akademi
  • C. 1965, by the Union Ministry of Culture
  • D. 1944, by the Government of India

Q2. In which year was the Jnanpith Award first conferred?

  • A. 1965
  • B. 1961
  • C. 1944
  • D. 1955

Q3. With reference to the Tamil recipients of the Jnanpith Award, consider the following statements: 1. Akilan, the first Tamil laureate (1975), was honoured for the novel Chitra Pavai. 2. Vairamuthu, the third Tamil laureate, is the first among the three to be recognised primarily for poetry rather than for the novel. 3. The second Tamil laureate received the award in the same decade as the first. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Akilan, the first Tamil laureate (1975), was honoured for the novel Chitra Pavai.
  2. Vairamuthu, the third Tamil laureate, is the first among the three to be recognised primarily for poetry rather than for the novel.
  3. The second Tamil laureate received the award in the same decade as the first.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Before Vairamuthu, the most recent Tamil writer to receive the Jnanpith Award did so in which year?

  • A. 2002
  • B. 1975
  • C. 1995
  • D. 2013

Q5. The honour conferred on Vairamuthu is described as the '60th Jnanpith Award (for 2025)'. In this designation, what does the phrase 'for 2025' precisely denote?

  • A. The literary year for which the award is conferred, with the selection announced subsequently in 2026
  • B. The calendar year in which Vairamuthu published his award-winning collection of poems
  • C. The year in which the Jnanpith cash prize was most recently revised
  • D. The 2,025th conferral of the award since its institution

Q6. Who has been selected as the recipient of the 60th Jnanpith Award (for 2025), becoming the third Tamil writer ever to receive the honour?

  • A. Vairamuthu
  • B. Vinod Kumar Shukla
  • C. Gulzar
  • D. Jayakanthan

Q7. With reference to honours conferred on Vairamuthu, consider the following: 1. Sahitya Akademi Award (2003) for Kallikattu Ithikasam 2. Padma Bhushan (2014) 3. Padma Shri (2003) 4. Bharat Ratna (2020) Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Sahitya Akademi Award (2003) for Kallikattu Ithikasam
  2. Padma Bhushan (2014)
  3. Padma Shri (2003)
  4. Bharat Ratna (2020)
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. Among the three Tamil recipients of the Jnanpith Award, who is the first to be honoured primarily as a poet and lyricist rather than as a novelist?

  • A. Vairamuthu
  • B. Akilan
  • C. Jayakanthan
  • D. Subramania Bharati

Q9. Counting the Eighth Schedule languages together with English, how many languages are currently eligible for consideration for the Jnanpith Award?

  • A. 23
  • B. 22
  • C. 24
  • D. 18

Q10. With reference to the language eligibility for the Jnanpith Award, consider the following statements: 1. Before 2013, only Eighth Schedule languages were within the award's ambit, with English excluded. 2. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution currently lists 18 languages. 3. From 2013, English was brought within the eligibility for the award. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Before 2013, only Eighth Schedule languages were within the award's ambit, with English excluded.
  2. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution currently lists 18 languages.
  3. From 2013, English was brought within the eligibility for the award.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q11. Who was the first recipient of the Jnanpith Award?

  • A. G. Sankara Kurup
  • B. Kuvempu
  • C. Akilan
  • D. Mahasweta Devi

Q12. With reference to Indian literary awards, consider the following statements: 1. The Jnanpith Award is administered by the Sahitya Akademi. 2. The Sahitya Akademi Award is conferred by the Sahitya Akademi, a government-funded national academy of letters. 3. The Jnanpith Award was first conferred in 1965. 4. Since 1982, the Jnanpith Award recognises a writer's overall contribution to literature rather than a single work. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The Jnanpith Award is administered by the Sahitya Akademi.
  2. The Sahitya Akademi Award is conferred by the Sahitya Akademi, a government-funded national academy of letters.
  3. The Jnanpith Award was first conferred in 1965.
  4. Since 1982, the Jnanpith Award recognises a writer's overall contribution to literature rather than a single work.
  • A. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
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