UGC NET Buddhist Jaina Gandhian and Peace Studies Syllabus 2025: Download PDF Now!

Exam Name

UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test)

Conducting Body

National Testing Agency (NTA)

Subject

Buddhist Jaina Gandhian and Peace Studies

Mode of Exam

Online - CBT (Computer-Based Test)

Exam Duration

180 minutes

No. of Papers and Total Marks

• Paper 1: Teaching & Research Aptitude
• Paper 2: Buddhist Jaina Gandhian and Peace Studies 

Total Marks

• Paper 1 – 100 marks
• Paper 2 – 200 marks

Total Questions

• 50 MCQs in Paper 1
• 100 MCQs in Paper 2

Marking Scheme

• +2 for each correct answer
• No negative marking for incorrect answer

Unit Number

Unit Details

Unit I

• Life of Gautama the Buddha and the Origin of Buddhism (From the birth to Mahāparinirvāṇa and the events happened thereafter) 
• Buddhist Councils (From first to fourth) and the contribution of great emperor Aśoka and Kanișka to the spread of Buddhism in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, China and Tibet. 
• Schools of Buddhism: Theravāda and four Philosophical Schools (Vaibhāșika, Sautrāntika, Vijňānavāda and Mādhyamika) 
• Pali and Sanskrit Canonical Buddhist Literature (Pāli Tipiṭaka and Sanskrit Vaipulya Sūtras) 
• Life and Works of Buddhaghosa, Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu and Dharmakīrti.

Unit II

• Three modes of Teachings of the Buddha: Sīla, Samādhi and Prajňā 
• (i) Philosophical Concepts: Trilakṣaṇas : Anitya, Duḥkha and Anātma

(ii) Noble Truths 

(iii) Pratītya-samutpāda 

(iv) Citta-santati and Ᾱlaya-vijňāna 

(v) Śūnyatā and Nirvāṇa 

• Budddhist Meditation: Samatha and Vipassanā 
• Six heretical thinkers, contemporary to the Buddha and their Philosophy

Unit III

• Ancient Buddhist Educational Institutions (Mahāvihāras): Nālandā, Valabhi, Vikramaśilā, Udantapurī, Somapurī and Jagaddala. 
• Buddhist sculpture and Architecture: Nālandā, Bodhagayā Temple, Ajantā Caves, Sāncī Stūpa, Sāranātha 
• Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage: Lumbinī, Bodhagayā, Sāranātha and Kuśīnārā 
• Revival of Buddhism and Contribution of Anāgarika Dharmapāla, Mahāthera, Kṛpāśaraṇa, Candramaṇi Mahāthera and Bhikṣhu Jagadīśa Kāśyapa. 
• Impact of Buddhism on Social and Economic life

Unit IV

• History of Jainism: Kālacakra (cycle of time) and the tradition of Tīrthaṅkaras - Life-sketch of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, Pārśvanātha and Mahāvīra 
• Jain Sects and their sub-division: Digambara and Śvetāmbara and their subsects. 
• Ṇamokāra Mahāmantra, Five Preceptor (Pañca Parameṣṭhi), Prayer, Bhakti, Upāsanā; Three Jewels : Samyakdarśana-Jñāna-Cāritra. 
• Prakrit Canonical (Āgama) Literature and their VĀCANĀS (councils). 
• Prominent Ācāryas of Jainism : Life and works of Ācārya Kundakunda, Ācārya Umāsvāmi(ti), Ācārya Siddhasena, Ācārya Akalaṅka svāmi, Ācārya Haribhadra Sūri, Ācārya Vīrasena Svāmi, Ācārya Jinasena, Ācārya Hemchandra Sūri and Ācārya Yaśovijay.

Unit V

• Vows: vows of Householders- Aṇuvratas, Guṇavratas and Śikṣāvratas; Great Vows (Mahāvratas) of Monks- Ahiṃsā (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Braḥmacarya (celibacy) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
• Seven elements and six substances; Theory of Karma and its classification, Puruṣārtha.
• The concept of Knowledge and its classification.
•  Anekāntavāda and Syādvāda; Jain Yoga and Dhyāna. 
• The concept of Liberation in Jainism.

Unit VI

• Jain Art (Śilpa) and Architecture: Jain caves and temples of Southern India, Jain Temples of Khajurāho, Devagarḥa, Pālitānā and Mount-Ābu. 
• Jain Sculptures, Paintings and Jain Iconography: important Jain Sculptures available in India, Idols received from Śravaṇabelagolā and Mathurā.
• Impact of Jain Religion on Society: Vegetarianism (Śakāhāra) and Charity (Dāna); Status of women in Jain Religion. 
• Environmental and Ecological thoughts in Jainism; Jainism and Science. 
• Main Centres of Jaina Learning: Śravaṇabelagolā, Jesalamera, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Vaishali, Koba, Ladnun, Jaipur, Delhi; Jainism in abroad. 

Unit VII

• Mahatma Gandhi: 

(i) Family background 

(ii) Early life and education in India and England 

(iii) Impact of various Religions and their Scriptures

• Gandhi in South Africa: 

(i) The origin of Satyagraha 

(ii) Struggle against Racial discrimination, injustice and exploitation 

(iii) Impact of Leo Tolstoy, John Ruskin, Henry David Thoreau, Raichandra Bhai etc.

Unit VIII

• Foundations of Gandhi’s Social, Political, Economic and Religious Thought: 

(i) Views on Social Justice, Social inequalities, Caste System and Untouchability. 

(ii) Women’s Problems and Empowerment 

(iii) Gandhi’s views on Truth, Non-Violence, Satyagraha and the Theory of ends and means 

• State and Democracy: 

(i) Panchayat Raj 

(ii) Parliamentary Democracy, Sovereignty, Freedom, Spiritualization of politics 

(iii) Human Rights and Duties.

• Fundamentals of Gandhian Economics: 

(i) Critique of Modern Western Civilization, Labour – Capital Relations 

(ii) Small-Scale Cottage Industries 

(iii) Constructive Programme and Sustainable Development. 

Unit IX

• Gandhi’s Role in Freedom Movement: 

(i) Champaran 

(ii) Non-Cooperation 

(iii) Ahmedabad Mill Strike, Dandi March 

(iv) Bardoli and Kheda Satyagrahas 

(v) His Role in Vykom Satyagraha and Quit India Movement. 

• Gandhi and Partition of India.

Unit X

• Peace Studies: 

(i) Understanding Peace – Coercive and Non-Coercive Approaches, Culture of Peace. 

(ii) The problem of War: Causes, Types, Attributes and Theories of War. 

• Major Peace Movements: 

(i) Pacifism, Civil Rights Movement in U.S.A. Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament by various Agencies. 

(ii) Green Peace Movement. 

(iii) The contemporary Global Issues regarding World War and Quest for Peace. 

(iv) Legacy of Peace Builders: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King (Jr.), Daisaku Ikeda and Nelson Mandela. 

• Conflicts: 

(i) Concept, Nature and Causes, Methods of Conflict Resolution. 

(ii) Agencies of Conflict Resolution, UN Peace Keeping, Peace Building, Peace Education, Adjudication, Role of Shanti Sena, Track–II Diplomacy, etc. 

• Human Security and Terrorism: 

(i) The problem of Terrorism 

(ii) Structural and State Violence

Paper-I Teaching & Research Aptitude

50

100

Paper-II Buddhist Jaina Gandhian and Peace Studies

100

200

Total Weightage 

150

300