UGC NET English Dec 2024 Question Paper Analysis of Questions on Indian Writing in English
- Nerd's Table
- May 3
- 3 min read
The UGC NET English Dec 2024 Question Paper has once again affirmed the centrality of Indian Writing in English within the NTA’s evaluative framework. A total of 24 questions were dedicated to this area, covering a diverse range of authors, texts, theoretical contributions, and publication chronology. This underscores the need for aspirants to adopt a methodical and content-specific revision strategy.
In what follows, we present a categorized overview of the exact content areas featured in the paper — a reliable guide for targeted revision. These observations are based strictly on the questions that appeared, ensuring a high degree of relevance and utility for candidates preparing for future cycles of the exam.
📌 Colonial Education and Cultural Policy
The question paper engaged with British colonial education discourse, prominently featuring:
Thomas B. Macaulay’s "Minutes on Indian Education"Examined for its role in advocating English education and its long-term implications on Indian academia.
Gandhian Perspective from Hind SwarajQuoted line: “The introduction of foreigners does not necessarily destroy the nation, they merge in.”
📘 Canonical Works and Chronologies
Chandalika by Rabindranath TagoreFeatured as a culturally significant dramatic text.
Chronological Ordering of Mulk Raj Anand’s Works (1905–2004)Tested students' familiarity with major publications and the timeline of Anand’s literary career.
Raja Rao’s KanthapuraAsked in the context of its year of publication.
R. K. NarayanFocus on identifying works published post-Independence.
🔄 Author-Text Matching (8 Questions)
The paper presented a series of "Match the Following" items. Representative examples include:
Autobiography of an Unknown Indian → Nirad C. Chaudhuri
My Son’s Father → Dom Moraes
All Through the Gandhian Era → A. S. Iyengar
My God Died Young → Sasthi Brata
The Viziers of Bassora → Sri Aurobindo
Neighbour’s Wife and Other Stories → Ruskin Bond
Possession → Kamala Markandeya
Karukku → Bama
Joothan → Om Prakash Valmiki
The Grip of Change → P. Sivakami
Cry, the Peacock → Anita Desai
Weave of My Life → Urmila Pawar
This pattern highlighted both canonical and marginal voices within Indian English literature.
📚 Identification and True Statement Questions
Additional questions tested knowledge of:
Author of Jejuri
Correct statements regarding A. K. Ramanujan
Statements pertaining to Joothan by Valmiki
🖋️ Lesser-Known Poets and Their Works
A nuanced set of match-the-following questions required pairing of texts and authors:
The Hunt and Other Poems → Ira De
The Spring and the Spectacle → Margaret Chatterjee
The Golden Road to Samarkand → Tapati Mookerji
🗓️ Chronological Order of Literary Publications
A dedicated question addressed the sequencing of publications:
Men and Rivers – 1945
The Vermillion Boat – 1953
The House at Adampur
The Wound of Spring – 1960
Delinquent Chacha – 1966
This reflects the exam’s emphasis on temporal awareness and bibliographical precision.
🧠 Indian Literary Criticism and Culture Studies (5 Questions)
The UGC NET English Dec 2024 paper included several theoretical and culture-oriented questions from Indian-origin thinkers:
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak – Can the Subaltern Speak? (1988)
Gauri Viswanathan – Masks of Conquest (1989)
Meenakshi Mukherjee – The Twice Born Fiction
G. N. Devy – After Amnesia
M. K. Naik – A History of Indian English Literature
Harish Trivedi – Colonial Transactions
Author of The Politics of Translation
Author of English in India: Its Present and Future
This section reaffirmed the growing importance of postcolonial and critical theory frameworks in literary studies.
🌍 Intercultural Literary Reference
A single question tested knowledge of Indian references in world literature:
From T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land:“Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves...”Candidates were asked to identify the poet using Indian imagery.
✅ Conclusion
The UGC NET English Dec 2024 Question Paper: 24 Must Know Questions on Indian Writing in English leaves little doubt regarding the prominence of this section. From colonial policy to modern Dalit narratives, and from canonical texts to theoretical frameworks, the questions demanded deep familiarity and specific knowledge.
Candidates aiming to perform well in future cycles are advised to:
Systematically compile and revise author-work mappings.
Memorize chronological sequences of key texts.
Engage with Indian literary criticism and culture theory.
Develop awareness of marginal voices and intercultural references.
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