BPSC 112 Solved Question Paper for the June 2026 TEE gives you complete answers to all 8 questions IGNOU set in Indian Political Thought-I, from the Vedas and Kabir to Kautilya, Manu, Barani and the Akbar-nama. Two answers are open on this page, and the full file comes on WhatsApp 9899436384.
BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I key facts, June 2026
- Course code: BPSC 112
- Subject: Indian Political Thought-I
- Programme: IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Political Science (BAPSH), Semester 5
- Credits: 6 (core course)
- Blocks / units: 2 blocks, 13 units (Block 1: 4 units, Block 2: 9 units)
- Maximum marks: 100
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 8 (Q7 and Q8 have two parts each)
- Samples shown on this page: 2 (Q1 and Q3)
- Questions in the paid file: All 8, including 6 not shown on this page
What the BPSC 112 Solved Question Paper June 2026 covers
BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I is a six-credit core course of IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Political Science (BAPSH), placed in Semester 5, that studies political ideas in India from the Vedic age to the Mughal court.
The June 2026 paper tests that whole span. Section I asks about the Vedas as a source of knowledge, social and religious harmony in Kabir, Kautilya on Sandhi and Dandniti in the Mahabharata. Section II moves to Manu and the divine theory of the state, Barani's just rule, and short notes on Moksha, the Akbar-nama and the Lingayat tradition.
Our file answers every one of these at exam length. If you want the bare paper to practise against first, it sits with the other BAPSH Question Paper sets, so you can time yourself before checking our answers.
BPSC 112 sample answers: the Vedas and Kautilya's Sandhi
Two questions from the June 2026 Indian Political Thought-I paper are answered in full below; the other 6 are answered only in the full file.
Question 1 (Section I, 20 marks)
1. Analyse the Vedas as a source of knowledge.
Answer
The Vedas are the oldest body of sacred literature in India and the starting point of the Brahmanic tradition. The word Veda comes from the root vid, meaning to know, so the texts present themselves as knowledge itself. Tradition calls them shruti, that which was heard, and treats them as apaurusheya, not composed by any human author.
There are four Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. Each has layers. The Samhitas hold hymns and formulas, the Brahmanas explain rituals, the Aranyakas reflect on their meaning and the Upanishads turn to philosophy. The Rig Veda, the oldest, is usually dated to roughly 1500 to 1000 BCE.
Knowledge of order and duty. The Rig Veda speaks of rta, a cosmic and moral order that even the gods uphold. Later thinkers built on this idea to develop dharma, the duty that binds ruler and subject alike. In this sense the Vedas supplied the moral vocabulary of Indian political thought.
Knowledge of early institutions. The Rig Veda mentions the sabha, the samiti and the vidatha, assemblies that advised the rajan. The Atharva Veda calls the sabha and samiti the two daughters of Prajapati, a sign of respect for collective counsel. The Purusha Sukta in the tenth mandala of the Rig Veda gives the first account of the four varnas.
Authority as a means of knowing. Later schools gave the Vedas formal standing. Mimamsa thinkers treated the Vedic word (shabda) as a valid means of knowledge, especially about dharma, which perception alone cannot reveal. Smriti texts such as the Manusmriti claimed legitimacy by saying they followed the Vedas.
Critical view. This authority was not accepted by everyone. The Charvakas rejected Vedic claims outright, and the Buddhist and Jain (Sramanic) traditions denied that the Vedas or Brahmin priests held special access to truth. Modern scholars add that the texts mainly reflect a priestly, ritual outlook and say little about women, ordinary people or groups outside the varna order.
Conclusion. The Vedas are best read as the foundation of one major stream of Indian thought. They gave Indian political theory its ideas of order, duty and counsel, and their authority was both built upon and challenged by later traditions. A strong answer shows both sides, as this one does.
Question 3 (Section I, 20 marks)
3. Explain Kautilya's views on 'Sandhi' or peace.
Answer
Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, is traditionally credited with the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft linked to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. The text was rediscovered and translated by R. Shamasastry in the early twentieth century. Sandhi, meaning peace or treaty, is the first of the six measures of foreign policy discussed in Book VII.
The six-fold policy. Kautilya's shadgunya lists sandhi (peace), vigraha (war), asana (staying quiet), yana (marching), samshraya (seeking shelter with a stronger king) and dvaidhibhava (peace with one king and war with another). Sandhi is not set apart as a moral ideal; it is one tool among six.
The mandala setting. Sandhi only makes sense inside the mandala theory. The vijigishu, the king who seeks to conquer, stands at the centre of a circle of states. His immediate neighbour is treated as the natural enemy (ari) and the state beyond that as a natural friend (mitra). The madhyama (middle king) and udasina (neutral king) also shape his choices.
When to choose peace. Kautilya's basic rule is that a king who is weaker than his enemy, or declining, should make peace, while a stronger king may go to war. Where peace and war promise equal gain, peace is preferred, because war costs men, money and time. Peace is chosen on calculation, not sentiment.
Kinds of treaty. The Arthashastra discusses peace bought by giving troops, treasure or a part of territory, and treaties secured with hostages. These show that sandhi can be unequal and temporary. The king is expected to use the breathing space to build strength and to set the treaty aside once it no longer serves him.
Assessment. For this reason Kautilya is often compared with Machiavelli as a realist. Critics say his idea of peace is purely instrumental and leaves little room for trust. Supporters reply that the aim of the Arthashastra is yogakshema, the security and welfare of the people, and that avoiding needless war serves that end.
Conclusion. For Kautilya, sandhi is peace as strategy. It rests on a sober reading of power, and its logic of alliances, timing and self-interest still echoes in modern diplomacy. The same idea appeared as a short note in June 2025, so it rewards careful preparation.
Questions answered only in the full file
These are printed exactly as they appear on the June 2026 paper. Their answers, including both parts of the short-note questions, are in the WhatsApp file only.
- Critically examine social and religious harmony in Kabir's philosophy.
- Analyse the term 'Dandniti' used in Mahabharata as the Science of Coercion.
- Critically analyse the divine theory of the state and its significance for Manu.
- Analyse Barani's idea of Justice and Just rule.
- Write short notes on the following in about 200 words each : (a) Moksha or Salvation (b) Divine theory of State
- Write short notes on the following in about 200 words each : (a) Akbar-Nama (b) Lingayat Tradition
Indian Political Thought-I syllabus, block and unit wise
BPSC 112 has 2 blocks and 13 units: Block 1 covers four pre-colonial traditions and Block 2 covers nine thinkers and texts, from Ved Vyasa to Kabir.
The table maps every unit to the angles IGNOU has actually asked. Keep it beside your printed BPSC 112 Study Material: Block 2 carries nine of the thirteen units, and six of the eight June 2026 questions come from it.
| Block | Unit | Unit title | Topics IGNOU has asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1 | Unit 1 | Brahmanic | Vedas as a source of knowledge; four pursuits of life; principle of taxation |
| Block 1 | Unit 2 | Sramanic | Theory of karma; the Buddha's Dhamma; monastic governance |
| Block 1 | Unit 3 | Islamic | Islamic universalism; sovereignty; methods of studying the tradition |
| Block 1 | Unit 4 | Bhakti | Means of reform; Bhakti in the North and in Maharashtra; Guru Nanak |
| Block 2 | Unit 5 | Ved Vyasa: Rajdharma (Shantiparva) | Origin of the state; Dandaniti; the three sub-parvas |
| Block 2 | Unit 6 | Manu: Social Order and Laws | Social laws; mixed castes; whose interests the laws serve |
| Block 2 | Unit 7 | Kautilya: State and Duties of Kingship | Pragmatic vision of state and king; the Amatya (minister) |
| Block 2 | Unit 8 | Kautilya: Mandala Theory | Circle of states; Sandhi and the six-fold policy |
| Block 2 | Unit 9 | Digha Nikaya: The Idea of Chakravartin | Rise of the monarchical state; seven symbols of sovereignty |
| Block 2 | Unit 10 | Zia-ul-Barani: Royal Authority and Just Rule | Royal authority; justice and just rule; political expediency |
| Block 2 | Unit 11 | Abul Fazal: Monarchical Authority and Popular Well-being | Sovereignty and social contract; the Akbar-nama; contrast with Barani |
| Block 2 | Unit 12 | Akka Mahadevi: Critique of Social Order | Critique of social order; feminist epistemology; Lingayat tradition |
| Block 2 | Unit 13 | Kabir: Religious Boundaries and the Quest for Social Harmony | Social and religious harmony; views on women; inequality |
IGNOU publishes the course list for the programme on its official BAPSH programme page, which places BPSC 112 in Semester 5.
BPSC 112 exam pattern and marks split
The BPSC 112 question paper has 8 questions in two sections; you attempt five, at least two from each, for 100 marks in three hours.
| Part | Questions | Expected length | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I | Q1 to Q4 | About 400 words | 20 marks each |
| Section II, long answers | Q5 and Q6 | About 400 words | 20 marks each |
| Section II, short notes | Q7 and Q8 (two parts each) | About 200 words per part | 20 marks per question |
| Rule for choice | Five questions in all | At least two from each section | 100 marks in 3 hours |
The two short-note questions are the scoring chance most students miss. Each splits 20 marks across two 200-word notes, so a tight note on Moksha or the Lingayat tradition earns as much as half a long answer.
The same layout has held since June 2023, which you can confirm in any IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper for this course.
Most repeated BPSC 112 topics across six IGNOU papers
Across six official IGNOU BPSC 112 Question Paper sets, the three traditions appear five times each, and Manu, Kabir and Kautilya four times each.
We counted topics in the papers for June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 and June 2026, downloaded from ignou.ac.in and webservices.ignou.ac.in. The June 2024 paper was not readable as text, so it is not counted.
| Topic | Sessions asked | Papers (of 6) | In June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmanic tradition and the Vedas | June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, December 2025, June 2026 | 5 | Q1 (answered on this page) |
| Sramanic tradition, karma and Dhamma | June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 | 5 | Not set directly |
| Islamic tradition and the Sultanate | June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 | 5 | Not set directly |
| Kabir | December 2024, June 2025, December 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q2 (full file only) |
| Block 2, Unit 8: Kautilya, Mandala Theory | June 2023, December 2024, June 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q3 (answered on this page) |
| Ved Vyas, Shantiparva and Dandaniti | June 2023, December 2024, December 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q4 (full file only) |
| Block 2, Unit 6: Manu | December 2024, June 2025, December 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q5 (full file only) |
| Ziauddin Barani | June 2023, December 2023, June 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q6 (full file only) |
| Abul Fazl and the Mughal tradition | December 2023, December 2024, June 2025, June 2026 | 4 | Q8(a) (full file only) |
| Bhakti tradition | June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, December 2025 | 4 | Linked to Q8(b) |
| Akka Mahadevi and the Lingayats | December 2024, December 2025, June 2026 | 3 | Q8(b) (full file only) |
| Moksha and the pursuits of life | June 2025, June 2026 | 2 | Q7(a) (full file only) |
| Divine theory of the state | June 2026 | 1 | Q5 and Q7(b) (full file only) |
Two direct repeats stand out: the Vedas as a source of knowledge (December 2024 and June 2026) and Kautilya on Sandhi (June 2025 and June 2026). Our wider IGNOU Important Questions lists are built from the same kind of count.
How our Indian Political Thought-I answers are written and checked
Each Indian Political Thought-I answer is drafted to IGNOU's printed word length, then checked line by line for texts, thinkers and dates.
Prateek Talwar writes the answers and Sheetal Kirola reviews them. Every long answer follows the same build: an introduction that places the thinker, three or four points tied to the actual text, a critical view and a short conclusion.
Terms that confuse students are glossed where they appear, such as rta, shadgunya, danda, jahandari and the Mughal idea of farr-i-izadi. Names of texts are given the way IGNOU's own papers spell them, so you can match them in your booklets.
The IGNOU BPSC 112 Solved Question Paper is also mapped to the repeat table above, so answers on Manu, Kabir and Kautilya flag the angles IGNOU has used before. That way one answer prepares you for two or three wordings of the same topic.
BPSC 112 solved file index, question by question
The full file answers all 8 questions; 2 are on this page and 6 are in the full file only.
| Question | Section | Course unit | Where to find the answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Section I | Block 1, Unit 1: Brahmanic | On this page |
| Q2 | Section I | Block 2, Unit 13: Kabir | Full file only |
| Q3 | Section I | Block 2, Unit 8: Kautilya, Mandala Theory | On this page |
| Q4 | Section I | Block 2, Unit 5: Ved Vyasa, Rajdharma | Full file only |
| Q5 | Section II | Block 2, Unit 6: Manu | Full file only |
| Q6 | Section II | Block 2, Unit 10: Zia-ul-Barani | Full file only |
| Q7 | Section II | Block 1, Units 1 and 2; Block 2, Units 5 and 6 | Full file only |
| Q8 | Section II | Block 2, Units 11 and 12 | Full file only |
Q7 and Q8 each carry two short notes, so those 6 hidden questions hold 8 separately written answers, from Kabir's harmony to the Lingayat tradition.
Programmes that include BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I
BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I is a core course of the IGNOU BAPSH programme, studied in Semester 5.
It is compulsory for every learner in the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Political Science programme, and it pairs with Indian Political Thought-II, which carries the story into modern India.
If you are in a different IGNOU programme and BPSC 112 appears on your hall ticket, message us with your programme code and we will confirm that this June 2026 file matches your paper.
Get the full BPSC 112 Solved Question Paper on WhatsApp
Message BPSC 112 June 2026 to WhatsApp 9899436384 to get answers to all 8 questions, including the 6 not shown here.
Our team replies with the file details on the same chat. You get the full set: Kabir, Dandniti, Manu, Barani, and the four short notes, written at the length IGNOU prints on the paper.
BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I FAQs
Quick answers to what BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I students ask us most.
What does the BPSC 112 Solved Question Paper for June 2026 contain?
It contains complete answers to all 8 questions of the June 2026 Indian Political Thought-I paper. That covers the Vedas, Kabir, Kautilya on Sandhi, Dandniti in the Mahabharata, Manu and the divine theory of the state, Barani on just rule, and short notes on Moksha, the Akbar-nama and the Lingayat tradition. Answers follow the 400-word and 200-word lengths printed on the paper.
How do I get the full BPSC 112 file on WhatsApp?
Send a message saying BPSC 112 June 2026 to WhatsApp 9899436384 and our team replies with the details. The full file holds answers to all 8 questions of the paper. Two of them, Q1 on the Vedas and Q3 on Kautilya's Sandhi, are shown on this page, so the file adds the other 6 answers, including both parts of Q7 and Q8.
Is this the official IGNOU BPSC 112 June 2026 question paper?
Yes. The questions on this page are copied from the official IGNOU Term-End Examination paper for June 2026, printed for the BAPSH programme, with the paper's own question numbers. Only the answers are ours. They were written by our subject team after studying earlier BPSC 112 papers from June 2023 onwards, so you can see which topics IGNOU keeps returning to.
How long should BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I answers be?
The June 2026 paper asks for about 400 words for each long question and about 200 words for each short note. Every question carries 20 marks, so a short-note question is split into two parts of roughly 10 marks each. You attempt five questions in three hours, with at least two from each section, so plan around 35 minutes per answer.
Which BPSC 112 topics are asked most often?
Across the six official papers we checked, from June 2023 to June 2026, the Brahmanic tradition, the Islamic tradition and the Sramanic tradition each appeared in five papers. Manu, Kabir, Kautilya, Barani, Ved Vyas and Abul Fazl each appeared in four. Kautilya's Sandhi came as a short note in June 2025 and as a full question in June 2026.
How many credits does BPSC 112 Indian Political Thought-I carry?
BPSC 112 is a six-credit core course of the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Political Science programme, as stated on IGNOU's own 2025-26 assignment for the course. IGNOU lists it in Semester 5 of BAPSH. The term-end examination is worth 100 marks and lasts three hours, with assignments counted separately as continuous assessment by the university.
Who writes and checks the BPSC 112 answers?
Prateek Talwar writes the answers and Sheetal Kirola reviews them before the file is shared. Each answer is checked against the themes of the BPSC 112 course, the word length IGNOU prints on the paper and the facts it uses, such as texts, thinkers and dates. Sanskrit and Persian terms are explained in plain English so the answers stay easy to revise.
Are the two BPSC 112 sample answers on this page complete?
Yes. The answers to Q1 on the Vedas and Q3 on Kautilya's Sandhi are given in full, at about the 400 words the paper asks for, with an introduction, main points, a critical view and a conclusion. They show the exact standard of the paid file. The remaining 6 questions are listed as text only, and their answers are shared through WhatsApp.