BSKG-178 Solved Question Paper June 2026 gives you complete, exam-length answers to every question IGNOU set in the June 2026 Term-End Examination of प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति (Ancient Indian Politics). The paper printed 18 questions across three sections, of which you attempt 12. Two full answers are open on this page; the other 16 come only in the full file, on WhatsApp 9899436384.
BSKG-178 प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति key facts for the June 2026 solved question paper
- Course code: BSKG-178
- Course title: प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति (Ancient Indian Politics)
- Programmes: Bachelor of Arts (General) with Sanskrit (BAG) and B.A. (Honours) Sanskrit (BASKH), School of Humanities — both printed on the June 2026 paper
- Credits: 6, a theory course under the Choice Based Credit System with no practical or lab component
- Blocks and units: 4 blocks, 22 units (Block 1 units 1–5, Block 2 units 6–9, Block 3 units 10–14, Block 4 units 15–22)
- Medium: the June 2026 paper and the official IGNOU self-learning material are in Hindi; earlier papers allowed Sanskrit, Hindi or English, with one medium throughout
- Maximum marks: 100 (Term-End Examination)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 18 printed in three sections; attempt 12 (five of 10 marks, five of 8 marks, two of 5 marks)
- Samples shown on this page: 2 — Q1 (vi) Shadgunya and Q2 (iii) Matsya Nyaya
- Questions in the paid file: all 18 answered; 16 of them are not shown on this page
What the BSKG-178 solved question paper June 2026 covers
BSKG-178 प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति is a Sanskrit-stream course of IGNOU, printed on the June 2026 paper for Bachelor of Arts (General) and BA (Honours) Sanskrit (BASKH) students. The course studies how ancient Indian texts thought about the state, the king and government. You meet Manu, Kautilya, Shukracharya and Kamandaka, read ideas from the Arthashastra, Manusmriti, Shukraniti and the Mahabharata, and learn theories such as Saptanga, Mandala and Shadgunya.
Our solved paper answers all 18 questions of the June 2026 paper in Hindi, the medium of both this paper and the official IGNOU study material. Each answer quotes the key Sanskrit definition, names the text it comes from and ends with a short conclusion, which is how BSKG-178 examiners like long answers framed.
One thing to notice before you start revising: this is a three-section paper with 18 printed questions and 12 answers to write — far more individual answers than the usual IGNOU format of five long essays. That changes how you prepare. Each answer is shorter, each topic is worth fewer marks, and breadth beats depth. Sections 5 and 6 below work out exactly how much breadth you need, and the answer is narrower than you would expect.
If you are still reading the course from scratch, pair this paper with our BSKG-178 study material so the textbook theory and the exam answers sit side by side.
BSKG-178 sample answers: Shadgunya and Matsya Nyaya solved in full
Two answers from the June 2026 paper are shown in full below — Q1 (vi) on Shadgunya for 10 marks and Q2 (iii) on Matsya Nyaya for 8 marks. We picked these two because both topics have appeared in every official BSKG-178 paper we could find from December 2024 to June 2026. Question text is reproduced exactly as printed, with IGNOU's own numbering, and the answers are in Hindi, as a student would write them.
प्रश्न 1 (vi) Any 5 of 7 Unit 20, Block 4 10 marks विस्तार से Set in all 3 earlier papers — alternates between a 5-mark note and a 10-mark answer
1. (vi) षड्गुण के सिद्धान्त का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन कीजिए। 10
भूमिका। प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीतिशास्त्र में पड़ोसी राज्यों के साथ सम्बन्ध चलाने की छह नीतियों को षड्गुण या षाड्गुण्य कहा गया है। आचार्य कौटिल्य ने अर्थशास्त्र के सातवें अधिकरण में, जिसका नाम ही 'षाड्गुण्य' है, इस सिद्धान्त का सबसे व्यवस्थित वर्णन किया है। मनुस्मृति के सातवें अध्याय और कामन्दकीय नीतिसार में भी इन छह गुणों का उल्लेख मिलता है।
षड्गुण का आधार। कौटिल्य के अनुसार राज्यों का प्रकृतिमण्डल ही षाड्गुण्य का आधार (योनि) है। राजा अपने और शत्रु के बल, देश और काल की तुलना करके तय करता है कि किस समय कौन-सी नीति अपनाई जाए। इन नीतियों का लक्ष्य राज्य को क्षय (अवनति) से बचाकर स्थान (स्थिरता) और फिर वृद्धि (उन्नति) की ओर ले जाना है।
छह गुण।
- सन्धि। अर्थशास्त्र की परिभाषा है 'पणबन्धः सन्धिः', अर्थात् शर्तों के साथ किया गया समझौता। जब राजा शत्रु की तुलना में कमज़ोर हो रहा हो, तब उसे सन्धि करके समय और सुरक्षा प्राप्त करनी चाहिए।
- विग्रह। 'अपकारो विग्रहः', अर्थात् शत्रु को हानि पहुँचाना या उससे शत्रुता का व्यवहार करना। जब राजा की शक्ति शत्रु से अधिक बढ़ रही हो, तब विग्रह उचित माना गया है।
- आसन। 'उपेक्षणमासनम्', अर्थात् उदासीन रहकर उचित अवसर की प्रतीक्षा करना। जब दोनों पक्ष एक-दूसरे को हानि पहुँचाने में समर्थ न हों, तब राजा आसन की नीति अपनाता है।
- यान। 'अभ्युच्चयो यानम्', अर्थात् शक्ति बढ़ाकर आक्रमण के लिए प्रस्थान करना। जब राजा के पास सेना, कोश और सहयोगी पर्याप्त हों, तब यान का आश्रय लिया जाता है।
- संश्रय। 'परार्पणं संश्रयः', अर्थात् स्वयं को किसी बलवान राजा के आश्रय में सौंप देना। अत्यन्त दुर्बल राजा अपनी और अपने राज्य की रक्षा के लिए यह नीति अपनाता है।
- द्वैधीभाव। 'सन्धिविग्रहोपादानं द्वैधीभावः', अर्थात् एक राज्य से सन्धि और दूसरे से विग्रह, दोनों को एक साथ अपनाना। जब कोई कार्य किसी सहायक की मदद से ही पूरा हो सकता हो, तब द्वैधीभाव उपयोगी होता है।
वातव्याधि और कौटिल्य का मत। अर्थशास्त्र में आचार्य वातव्याधि का मत दिया गया है कि वास्तव में गुण केवल दो हैं, सन्धि और विग्रह, क्योंकि शेष नीतियाँ इन्हीं से निकलती हैं। कौटिल्य इससे सहमत नहीं हैं। उनके अनुसार परिस्थितियों के भेद से ये छह अलग-अलग गुण ही हैं।
गुण चुनने का नियम। कौटिल्य का निर्देश है कि यदि सन्धि और विग्रह दोनों से समान लाभ मिलता हो, तो राजा को सन्धि को ही चुनना चाहिए, क्योंकि युद्ध में धन, सेना और समय की हानि होती है। इसी प्रकार यदि आसन और यान से समान लाभ हो, तो आसन को प्राथमिकता दी जाती है।
महत्त्व और मूल्यांकन।
- यह सिद्धान्त यथार्थवादी है, इसमें राजा की भावना नहीं बल्कि राज्य का हित निर्णायक है।
- दुर्बल, समान और बलवान, तीनों स्थितियों के राजा के लिए अलग मार्ग बताकर यह लचीली विदेश नीति का उदाहरण बनता है।
- आज की कूटनीति के शान्ति-समझौते, गठबन्धन, तटस्थता और दोहरी नीति इन्हीं गुणों से मेल खाते हैं।
- कुछ विद्वान इसकी आलोचना करते हैं कि इसमें नैतिकता की तुलना में राज्य के स्वार्थ को अधिक स्थान मिला है।
निष्कर्ष। षड्गुण सिद्धान्त प्राचीन भारत की विदेश नीति का सबसे परिपक्व रूप है। कौटिल्य ने इसे शक्ति, परिस्थिति और लाभ की गणना पर आधारित करके राजा को यह सिखाया कि युद्ध अन्तिम उपाय है और राज्य की वृद्धि ही हर नीति की कसौटी है।
प्रश्न 2 (iii) Any 5 of 7 Unit 9, Block 2 8 marks three texts cited Set in all 3 earlier papers
2. (iii) मत्स्य-न्याय पर प्रकाश डालिए। 8
भूमिका। 'मत्स्य-न्याय' का अर्थ है मछलियों का नियम, जिसमें बड़ी मछली छोटी मछली को निगल जाती है। प्राचीन भारतीय चिन्तकों ने इस उपमा से उस अराजक अवस्था का वर्णन किया है, जिसमें राजा और दण्ड के न होने पर बलवान व्यक्ति दुर्बल का शोषण करता है।
अर्थशास्त्र में। कौटिल्य अर्थशास्त्र के प्रथम अधिकरण में कहते हैं कि दण्ड का उचित प्रयोग न हो तो मात्स्यन्याय उत्पन्न हो जाता है, क्योंकि दण्डधर (राजा) के अभाव में बलवान निर्बल को ग्रस लेता है। इसी अधिकरण में आगे वर्णन है कि मात्स्यन्याय से पीड़ित प्रजा ने वैवस्वत मनु को अपना राजा बनाया और उसे अनाज का छठा भाग तथा व्यापार की वस्तुओं का दसवाँ भाग कर के रूप में देना स्वीकार किया। इस प्रकार राजा प्रजा की रक्षा के बदले कर का अधिकारी बना।
मनुस्मृति में। मनुस्मृति (7.20) के अनुसार यदि राजा दण्डनीय व्यक्तियों को सावधानी से दण्ड न दे, तो बलवान लोग दुर्बलों को उसी प्रकार भून डालें जैसे शूल पर मछलियाँ भूनी जाती हैं।
महाभारत में। शान्तिपर्व (अध्याय 67) में भीष्म युधिष्ठिर को बताते हैं कि राजा-विहीन अवस्था में लोग जल की मछलियों की तरह एक-दूसरे को खाने लगे। इस संकट से बचने के लिए ही राजा की आवश्यकता अनुभव हुई।
मत्स्य-न्याय की अवस्था की विशेषताएँ।
- शक्ति ही अधिकार बन जाती है और कोई नियम नहीं रहता।
- सम्पत्ति, परिवार और जीवन, तीनों असुरक्षित हो जाते हैं।
- दुर्बल वर्ग का शोषण होता है और सामाजिक मर्यादाएँ टूट जाती हैं।
राजनीतिक महत्त्व। मत्स्य-न्याय की धारणा राज्य की उत्पत्ति का तर्क देती है कि राज्य अराजकता को समाप्त करने के लिए बना। यह राजा के दण्ड-अधिकार को उचित ठहराती है। पाश्चात्य चिन्तक हॉब्स की 'प्राकृतिक अवस्था' से इसकी तुलना की जाती है, परन्तु भारतीय चिन्तन में राजा स्वयं भी धर्म से बँधा माना गया है।
निष्कर्ष। मत्स्य-न्याय प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति की वह आधारभूत धारणा है, जो बताती है कि व्यवस्था, सुरक्षा और न्याय के लिए राज्य अनिवार्य है।
Questions answered only in the full file
The remaining 16 questions of the June 2026 paper are listed below exactly as printed. Their answers are in the full solved file only.
1. निम्नलिखित में से किन्हीं पाँच प्रश्नों के उत्तर विस्तार से दीजिए: 5 × 10 = 50
(i) वैदिक राजनैतिक चिन्तक के रूप में मनु, कौटिल्य, शुक्राचार्य एवं कामन्दक के विचारों पर प्रकाश डालिए।
(ii) राज्य की अवधारणा को स्पष्ट करते हुए सभा एवं समिति का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन कीजिए।
(iii) प्राचीन संस्कृत ग्रन्थों में वर्णित राजधर्म का वर्णन कीजिए।
(iv) कौटिल्य अर्थशास्त्र में वर्णित न्याय-व्यवस्था का विस्तारपूर्वक वर्णन कीजिए।
(v) प्राचीन संस्कृत ग्रन्थों में वर्णित 'पंचायत' के स्वरूप पर प्रकाश डालिए।
(vii) प्राचीन राजनीतिक चिन्तन में वर्णित कर व्यवस्था का वर्णन कीजिए।2. निम्नलिखित में से किन्हीं पाँच प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए: 5 × 8 = 40
(i) दण्डनीति एवं नीतिशास्त्र पर प्रकाश डालिए।
(ii) राज्य के प्रकार का वर्णन कीजिए।
(iv) मन्त्रिपरिषद् का परिचय देते हुए मन्त्री की योग्यता एवं मन्त्रिपरिषद् के कर्त्तव्य का वर्णन कीजिए।
(v) अर्थशास्त्र में वर्णित राजकीय न्यायालय: धर्मस्थीय एवं कण्टकशोधन पर प्रकाश डालिए।
(vi) 'मनुस्मृति' के आधार पर राजा व दण्ड की उत्पत्ति का वर्णन कीजिए।
(vii) निक्षेप पर प्रकाश डालिए।3. निम्नलिखित में से किन्हीं दो पर टिप्पणियाँ कीजिए: 2 × 5 = 10
(क) रामायणकालीन नगरसभा
(ख) दण्ड का महत्त्व
(ग) सप्तांग सिद्धान्त
(घ) मण्डल सिद्धान्त
BSKG-178 block- and unit-wise syllabus
BSKG-178 has 4 blocks and 22 units, moving from the names and sources of ancient political science to the state, councils and assemblies, and finally justice, taxation and inter-state relations. IGNOU publishes the self-learning material for this course in Hindi; you can open the official block PDFs on the eGyanKosh BSKG-178 course page.
| Block | Block title (as listed) | Units | Topics examined from this block | June 2026 questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1 | प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति का विशेष-क्षेत्र और उद्भव [VERIFY: block title on eGyanKosh — our copy reads "राजनीतिक का विशेष-क्षेत्र और उत्पादित", which does not parse] | Units 1 to 5 | Dandaniti, Dharmashastra and Nitishastra as names; Vedic political thinkers; ancient republics in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta and Anguttara Nikaya | 2 — Q1 (i), Q2 (i) |
| Block 2 | राज्य के प्रकार और स्वरूप | Units 6 to 9 | Types of state; the Saptanga theory; Swami, the king's qualities and divine origin; Rajadharma and Matsya Nyaya | 4 — Q1 (iii), Q2 (ii), Q2 (iii), Q3 (ग) |
| Block 3 | राज्य, मन्त्रिपरिषद् और सभाएँ | Units 10 to 14 | Mantriparishad in Arthashastra 1.15 and Shukraniti 2; Ramayana and Mahabharata Paura-Janapada; Sabha, Panchakula and Panchayat; Dharmasthiya and Kantakashodhana courts | 6 — Q1 (ii), Q1 (iv), Q1 (v), Q2 (iv), Q2 (v), Q3 (क) |
| Block 4 | न्याय व्यवस्था, कर-प्रणाली और अन्तर्राज्यीय व्यवस्था | Units 15 to 22 | Sources of dharma; Danda and judges' qualities in Manusmriti 7.17 to 7.31; money disputes such as Nikshepa; Mandala, Shadgunya, taxation and Sama, Dana, Danda, Bheda | 5 — Q1 (vi), Q1 (vii), Q2 (vii), Q3 (ख), Q3 (घ) |
Q2 (vi), on the origin of the king and of Danda in the Manusmriti, draws on Unit 8 of Block 2 and Unit 17 of Block 4 together, which is why the four block counts above add to 17 rather than 18.
Block 4 is the largest, with eight units, but Block 3 is the one that pays. Block 3 has five units and supplied six of the eighteen questions — more than any other block and more than Block 4's eight units managed. Block 1, with five units, supplied only two. If you are rationing revision time, that ratio matters more than the number of units.
Two units did double duty. Unit 14 fed both Q1 (iv) on Kautilya's justice system for 10 marks and Q2 (v) on the Dharmasthiya and Kantakashodhana courts for 8 marks — 18 marks from one unit, the highest yield of any single unit on the paper. Unit 9 fed Q1 (iii) on Rajadharma and Q2 (iii) on Matsya Nyaya, another 18 marks. Read those two units properly and you have covered a third of what you need to write.
BSKG-178 question paper pattern and marks split
The June 2026 paper carries 100 marks for 3 hours, with 18 printed questions of which you attempt 12.
| Section | Type of question | Printed | Attempt | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Long answers asked "विस्तार से" — for example Shadgunya and Kautilya's justice system | 7 | 5 | 5 × 10 = 50 |
| Question 2 | Medium answers — for example Matsya Nyaya, Mantriparishad, Nikshepa | 7 | 5 | 5 × 8 = 40 |
| Question 3 | Short notes (टिप्पणियाँ) — Nagarsabha, Danda, Saptanga and Mandala | 4 | 2 | 2 × 5 = 10 |
| Total | All three sections compulsory, within the choice given | 18 | 12 | 100 |
18 questions printed · 7 × 10 + 7 × 8 + 4 × 5 = 146 marks available, 100 attempted · 12 answers in 180 minutes = 15 minutes an answer · split by marks: about 18 minutes for each 10-mark answer, 14 for each 8-mark answer and 9 for each 5-mark note
This paper's real constraint is the number of answers, not their length. Twelve answers is more than twice the usual IGNOU load of five, and the marks per answer are correspondingly small. The practical consequence is that you cannot afford a long introduction on any of them — with 15 minutes an answer, a भूमिका of two sentences and a निष्कर्ष of one is the right proportion, and the middle of the answer is where the marks sit.
The three-section 50 + 40 + 10 pattern has stayed identical in all four papers we checked, so you can plan your time before you ever see the question paper. The June 2026 paper asks you to answer in any one language unless stated otherwise and to keep one medium throughout; the December 2024 and June 2025 papers spelt this out as Sanskrit, Hindi or English.
You can compare older sessions yourself in our IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper collection before you start revising.
Most repeated BSKG-178 topics across the earlier official papers
We read the December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 and June 2026 papers from ignou.ac.in. The count column below covers the three earlier papers, with June 2026 shown separately — counting the current paper inside its own historical window hides the one thing you want from a repeat table, which is what the latest examiner left out. A topic counts once per session, whether it came as a long answer or a short note, and the cells show where it was asked.
| Topic | Dec 2024 | June 2025 | Dec 2025 | Papers (of 3) | In June 2026? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saptanga theory (सप्तांग सिद्धान्त) | Q2 (ii) | Q2 (v) | Q1 (iii) | 3 | Yes — Q3 (ग) |
| Mandala theory (मण्डल सिद्धान्त) | Q1 (vii) | Q3 (ii) | Q1 (vi) | 3 | Yes — Q3 (घ) |
| Shadgunya (षड्गुण) | Q3 (ग) | Q1 (vii) | Q3 (ग) | 3 | Yes — Q1 (vi) |
| Matsya Nyaya (मत्स्य-न्याय) | Q3 (ख) | Q1 (iii) | Q3 (क) | 3 | Yes — Q2 (iii) |
| Mantriparishad and minister's qualities | Q1 (v) | Q2 (iv) | Q1 (iv) | 3 | Yes — Q2 (iv) |
| Dandaniti and other names or sources of political science | Q1 (i), Q2 (i) | Q3 (i) | Q1 (i) | 3 | Yes — Q2 (i) |
| Manu, Kautilya, Shukracharya, Kamandaka as thinkers | Q1 (ii) | Q1 (ii) | Q3 (घ) | 3 | Yes — Q1 (i) |
| Village administration and Panchayat | Q1 (vi) | Q2 (i) | Q2 (v), Q3 (ख) | 3 | Yes — Q1 (v) |
| Sabha, Samiti, Nagarsabha and Paura-Janapada | Q2 (iii) | Q3 (iii) | Q2 (iv) | 3 | Yes — Q1 (ii), Q3 (क) |
| King's qualities and origin of kingship | Q2 (v), Q3 (क) | Q1 (iv) | Q2 (ii) | 3 | Yes — Q2 (vi) |
| Courts and judges (Dharmasthiya, Kantakashodhana) | Q3 (घ) | Q1 (v), Q2 (vii) | Q2 (vii) | 3 | Yes — Q1 (iv), Q2 (v) |
| Sources of dharma (धर्म के स्रोत) | Q2 (iv) | Q3 (iv) | Q2 (vi) | 3 | No |
| Ancient republics and Buddhist literature | Q1 (iii) | Q2 (vi) | Q2 (i) | 3 | No |
| Rajadharma (राजधर्म) | Not asked | Q1 (iii) | Q2 (iii) | 2 | Yes — Q1 (iii) |
| Types of state (राज्य के प्रकार) | Q1 (iv) | Not asked | Q1 (ii) | 2 | Yes — Q2 (ii) |
| Origin and importance of Danda | Not asked | Q1 (vi) | Q2 (vii) | 2 | Yes — Q2 (vi), Q3 (ख) |
| Nikshepa (निक्षेप) | Q2 (vii) | Q2 (iii) | Not asked | 2 | Yes — Q2 (vii) |
| Tax system (कर व्यवस्था) | Q2 (vi) | Not asked | Not asked | 1 | Yes — Q1 (vii) |
18 recurring topics tracked · 16 of the 18 appeared again in June 2026 · a reuse rate of 89 per cent · thirteen topics have a perfect 3-of-3 record in the earlier papers, and June 2026 carried eleven of those thirteen forward · every one of the 18 June 2026 questions maps to a topic that had already been set at least once
Two perfect-record topics were skipped, and they are the clearest December 2026 candidates on this page. Sources of dharma (धर्म के स्रोत) was set in all three earlier papers — Q2 (iv), then Q3 (iv), then Q2 (vi) — and vanished from June 2026. Ancient republics and Buddhist literature, drawn from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta and the Anguttara Nikaya, was likewise set in all three — Q1 (iii), Q2 (vi), Q2 (i) — and also vanished. These are the only two topics on the table with an unbroken earlier record that June 2026 left out. Both sit in parts of the course that fed almost nothing this session: sources of dharma in Block 4's opening units, and the republics in Block 1, which supplied only two of the eighteen questions.
Now the finding that is worth more than the rest of the table: Shadgunya and Mandala alternate, in opposite phase.
| Topic | Dec 2024 | June 2025 | Dec 2025 | June 2026 | What follows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadgunya | Q3 — 5-mark note | Q1 — 10-mark answer | Q3 — 5-mark note | Q1 — 10-mark answer | A 5-mark note |
| Mandala | Q1 — 10-mark answer | Q3 — 5-mark note | Q1 — 10-mark answer | Q3 — 5-mark note | A 10-mark answer |
In all four sessions, one of the two is in Section 1 as a long answer and the other is in Section 3 as a short note — never both in the same section, and never the same one twice running. Four sessions is a short run and nothing about an IGNOU paper is guaranteed, but the pattern is clean enough to prepare around: write out both theories at both lengths, roughly 250 to 300 words for the long version and 125 to 150 for the note, and you are covered whichever way December 2026 turns. On the evidence, expect Mandala long and Shadgunya short.
The broader lesson is the same one: Kautilya's theories of the state and of foreign policy never skip a session, so they deserve the most revision time. Our IGNOU Solved Guess Paper page shows how we turn repeats like these into a short revision list.
How our BSKG-178 answers are written and checked
Every BSKG-178 answer is written in Hindi by a subject writer, checked against the Sanskrit source text it cites, and reviewed before release. The answers are written by the team led by Prateek Talwar, Academic Head of Unnati Educations, and reviewed by Sheetal Kirola.
Each answer opens with a भूमिका, works through headed points and closes with a निष्कर्ष. Length follows the marks and the clock together: this paper gives you twelve answers in three hours, which works out to about 18 minutes for a 10-mark answer, 14 for an 8-mark answer and 9 for a 5-mark note. On that budget we write roughly 250 to 300 words for a 10-mark answer, 200 to 250 for an 8-mark answer and 125 to 150 for a 5-mark note. That is deliberately shorter than you may have seen advised elsewhere — a 600-word answer is simply not writable twelve times over in three hours, and examiners on this paper mark the Sanskrit definition, the named text and the structure, not the page count.
Where a theory has a classic Sanskrit definition — such as the six Shadgunya definitions from the seventh adhikarana of the Arthashastra — the answer quotes it and names the text. Verse references are given only where we have checked them, so you never memorise a wrong citation.
BSKG-178 solved file index: all 18 June 2026 questions
The solved file answers all 18 questions of the June 2026 paper; 2 are shown on this page and 16 are in the full file only. Each question is mapped to the course unit it comes from, so you can open the right block of the IGNOU material while revising.
| Q. no. | Question topic | Marks | Course unit | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (i) | Manu, Kautilya, Shukracharya and Kamandaka as thinkers | 10 | Unit 3, Block 1 | Full file only |
| 1 (ii) | Concept of state with Sabha and Samiti | 10 | Unit 11, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 1 (iii) | Rajadharma in ancient Sanskrit texts | 10 | Unit 9, Block 2 | Full file only |
| 1 (iv) | Justice system in Kautilya's Arthashastra | 10 | Unit 14, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 1 (v) | Nature of the Panchayat in Sanskrit texts | 10 | Unit 13, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 1 (vi) | Shadgunya theory in detail | 10 | Unit 20, Block 4 | On this page |
| 1 (vii) | Tax system in ancient political thought | 10 | Unit 21, Block 4 | Full file only |
| 2 (i) | Dandaniti and Nitishastra | 8 | Unit 1, Block 1 | Full file only |
| 2 (ii) | Types of state | 8 | Unit 6, Block 2 | Full file only |
| 2 (iii) | Matsya Nyaya | 8 | Unit 9, Block 2 | On this page |
| 2 (iv) | Mantriparishad, minister's qualifications and duties | 8 | Unit 10, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 2 (v) | Dharmasthiya and Kantakashodhana courts | 8 | Unit 14, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 2 (vi) | Origin of king and Danda in Manusmriti | 8 | Units 8 and 17 | Full file only |
| 2 (vii) | Nikshepa (deposits) | 8 | Unit 18, Block 4 | Full file only |
| 3 (क) | Ramayana-era Nagarsabha | 5 | Unit 12, Block 3 | Full file only |
| 3 (ख) | Importance of Danda | 5 | Unit 17, Block 4 | Full file only |
| 3 (ग) | Saptanga theory | 5 | Unit 7, Block 2 | Full file only |
| 3 (घ) | Mandala theory | 5 | Unit 19, Block 4 | Full file only |
Work the index backwards and it tells you how little of the course you actually had to read. Take Blocks 3 and 4 only. In Section 1 they cover Q1 (ii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) — exactly the five answers you need. In Section 3 they cover (क), (ख) and (घ) — you need two. In Section 2 they cover Q2 (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii) — four, where you need five. So Blocks 3 and 4 alone get you eleven of the required twelve answers, and the single gap is in Question 2. One topic from Block 1 or Block 2 closes it, and the cheapest choice is Block 2's Matsya Nyaya, a topic set in all three earlier papers. That is not a recommendation to skip two blocks — IGNOU could rearrange the choice next session — but it does tell you where to start when time is short.
Students who also sit other Sanskrit papers can find more sessions on our BAG question paper page.
Programmes that include BSKG-178 Ancient Indian Politics
BSKG-178 is a key elective under IGNOU's BAG (Bachelor of Arts General) and BASKH (B.A. Sanskrit Honours), and both programmes are printed on the June 2026 paper.
- BAG (Bachelor of Arts, General): the paper header reads "बी. ए. (सामान्य) संस्कृत", and the December 2024 paper names BAG directly.
- BASKH (BA Honours Sanskrit): printed on the December 2024, June 2025 and June 2026 papers.
If you are in the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) programme with Sanskrit, BSKG-178 is one of the papers where a well-structured Hindi answer can lift your score quickly — the marking rewards the Sanskrit definition and the named source text, both of which are short and memorisable.
How to get the full BSKG-178 Solved Question Paper
Message us on WhatsApp 9899436384 and we will share the full BSKG-178 Solved Question Paper with all 18 June 2026 answers.
The file covers the 16 answers not shown here, from the Rajadharma and tax-system essays to the Nagarsabha, Danda, Saptanga and Mandala short notes. Send the course code BSKG 178 and your exam session so we share the right file.
BSKG-178 FAQs
What is BSKG-178 Ancient Indian Politics in IGNOU?
BSKG-178 is IGNOU's course on प्राचीन भारतीय राजनीति, or Ancient Indian Politics, printed on the June 2026 paper for BAG Sanskrit and BASKH students. It is a 6-credit theory course with 4 blocks and 22 units, covering thinkers such as Manu, Kautilya, Shukracharya and Kamandaka, the Saptanga and Mandala theories, Shadgunya, Rajadharma, assemblies like Sabha and Samiti, courts, Danda and taxation as described in the Arthashastra, Manusmriti and Mahabharata.
How many questions are in the BSKG-178 June 2026 paper?
The paper prints 18 questions and you attempt 12 of them. Question 1 offers seven long answers worth 10 marks each, attempt five. Question 2 offers seven answers worth 8 marks each, attempt five. Question 3 offers four short notes worth 5 marks each, attempt two. The paper carries 100 marks and lasts 3 hours, so you have about 15 minutes per answer — plan for twelve compact answers rather than a few long ones.
How do I get the full BSKG-178 Solved Question Paper on WhatsApp?
Send a message to WhatsApp 9899436384 with the code BSKG 178 and the June 2026 session. We will share the full solved file, which answers all 18 questions of the paper. Two of those answers, Shadgunya and Matsya Nyaya, are on this page, and the remaining 16 are available only in the full file we send you.
In which language are the BSKG-178 answers written?
The answers are written in Hindi, because the June 2026 paper was printed in Hindi and most students answer this course in Hindi. Key Sanskrit definitions, such as the six Shadgunya terms from the Arthashastra, are quoted in Sanskrit and explained in simple Hindi. Earlier papers allowed answers in Sanskrit, Hindi or English, but one medium must be used throughout.
Which BSKG-178 topics repeat most often?
Thirteen topics appeared in every one of the three earlier papers we checked, December 2024 to December 2025, and eleven of those thirteen came back in June 2026. The strongest repeats are the Saptanga theory, the Mandala theory, Shadgunya, Matsya Nyaya and the Mantriparishad. Thinkers, Dandaniti, village administration, Sabha and Samiti, kingship and the courts also came up in every one of those sessions, so revise them before anything else.
Which BSKG-178 topics did June 2026 leave out?
Two, and both had an unbroken record before this session. Sources of dharma (धर्म के स्रोत) had been set in all three earlier papers and did not appear in June 2026. Ancient republics and Buddhist literature, from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta and the Anguttara Nikaya, had also been set in all three and did not appear either. They are the two topics on this page most worth adding to a December 2026 revision list.
Which two BSKG-178 answers can I read on this page?
This page shows two complete answers from the June 2026 paper. The first is Question 1 (vi) on the Shadgunya theory, a 10-mark long answer with all six policies, their Arthashastra definitions, the Vatavyadhi debate and Kautilya's rules for choosing between them. The second is Question 2 (iii) on Matsya Nyaya, an 8-mark answer built on the Arthashastra, Manusmriti 7.20 and the Mahabharata Shantiparva.
Will the BSKG-178 solved paper help for the December 2026 exam?
Yes. Every one of the 18 questions in the June 2026 paper touches a topic that had already been set in at least one earlier official paper, and 16 of the 18 topics we track reappeared this session — a reuse rate of about 89 per cent. No one can promise which questions IGNOU will set, so use the answers to learn the structure, revise the repeated topics thoroughly, and add the two topics June 2026 skipped.
About the authors
This page was prepared by the academic team at Unnati Educations, which has been helping IGNOU, NIOS, MDU Rohtak and GGSIPU students with solved papers and assignment support for over a decade.
Prateek Talwar, Academic Head, led the writing of the BSKG-178 answers, the unit mapping and the repeat-topic analysis on this page, including the session-by-session tracking of Shadgunya and Mandala. He has worked on IGNOU's Sanskrit and humanities courses across the BAG and BASKH programmes, and reads every official paper in a series before a single answer is drafted.
Sheetal Kirola reviewed this page and the solved file, checking each answer against the printed question wording and marks, and verifying the Sanskrit citations used — the six षाड्गुण्य definitions from the seventh adhikarana of the Arthashastra, the Vatavyadhi position and Kautilya's reply, the Vaivasvata Manu passage on taxation in the first adhikarana, and Manusmriti 7.20 on the fishes.