Q140. According to Census 2011 patterns, which religious community was predominantly concentrated in urban areas?
[SSC GD Constable – 2026]
A. Jains only
B. Christians only
C. Both Jains and Christians equally
D. Neither Jains nor Christians
Answer: A. Jains only
Explanation: Census data show a particularly high proportion of India’s Jain population residing in urban areas, reflecting the community’s historical concentration in commerce, towns and major trading centres.
Q139. Which language was adopted by Jainism as a sacred and preaching language in ancient India?
[SSC GD Constable – 2026]
A. Urdu
B. Prakrit
C. Telugu
D. Bengali
Answer: B. Prakrit
Explanation: Early Jain teachers used popular Prakrits rather than restricting instruction to Sanskrit. Much of the Śvetāmbara canonical literature survives in Ardhamagadhi and related Prakrit languages.
Q138. Which statement about Mount Parsvanatha or Sammed Shikhar in Jharkhand is correct?
[OSSSC Forester/Forest Guard/Excise Constable – 2026]
A. Mahavira was born there
B. It housed India’s largest Jain university
C. Jain scriptures were first written there
D. Twenty Tirthankaras are believed to have attained moksha there
Answer: D. Twenty Tirthankaras are believed to have attained moksha there
Explanation: Sammed Shikharji in Jharkhand is one of Jainism’s holiest pilgrimage centres because Jain tradition holds that twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained liberation there.
Q137. Which Indian cave complex contains monuments associated with Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism?
[DSSSB MTS – 2026]
A. Bhaja
B. Kanheri
C. Ajanta
D. Ellora
Answer: D. Ellora
Explanation: Ellora in Maharashtra contains Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jain caves created over several centuries. Its later caves include important Digambara Jain monuments with elaborate sculptures and shrines.
Q136. Which religious community recorded the lowest population growth rate during 2001–2011 according to Census 2011 data?
[DSSSB MTS – 2026]
A. Buddhist
B. Christian
C. Jain
D. Sikh
Answer: C. Jain
Explanation: Census data recorded the Jain community’s decadal population growth at about 5.4%, the lowest among the major religious communities compared in the relevant official demographic statistics.
Q135. Which ancient language, associated with scholars such as Vararuchi and Samantabhadra, was used to communicate religious teachings to ordinary people?
[DSSSB MTS – 2026]
A. Persian
B. Pali
C. Classical Sanskrit
D. Prakrit
Answer: D. Prakrit
Explanation: Prakrit comprised several Middle Indo-Aryan vernaculars. Jain teachers extensively employed Prakrit varieties because they were more accessible to ordinary people than learned Vedic or classical Sanskrit.
Q134. Chota Hati Gumpha, associated with the Kharavela-period cave tradition, is located in which Odisha cave complex?
[OSSC CGL – 2026]
A. Lalitgiri
B. Ratnagiri
C. Udayagiri
D. Dhauli
Answer: C. Udayagiri
Explanation: Chota Hati Gumpha is situated at Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar. Udayagiri-Khandagiri preserves numerous ancient caves connected with Jain ascetics and the patronage of Kharavela.
Q133. If you wish to visit famous Jain pilgrimage centres, which of the following towns would be appropriate? Sonagiri
[UPSC NDA – 2026]
- Moodabidri
- Madurai
- Sonagiri
[UPSC NDA – 2026]
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B. 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Moodabidri in Karnataka and Sonagiri in Madhya Pradesh are renowned Jain pilgrimage centres. Moodabidri is famous for Jain basadis, while Sonagiri contains numerous Digambara Jain temples.
Q132. King Kharavela belonged to which dynasty?
[RRB NTPC Graduate – 2026]
A. Chedi dynasty
B. Satavahana dynasty
C. Kanva dynasty
D. Shunga dynasty
Answer: A. Chedi dynasty
Explanation: Kharavela was the prominent ruler of the Chedi or Mahameghavahana line of Kalinga. His reign is principally reconstructed through the famous Hathigumpha inscription in Odisha.
Q131. According to Census 2011, which minority religious community recorded the highest literacy rate?
[DSSSB MTS – 2026]
A. Christians
B. Jains
C. Sikhs
D. Buddhists
Answer: B. Jains
Explanation: Census 2011 recorded Jains as having the highest literacy rate among India’s major religious communities, reflecting historically high educational attainment within the relatively small Jain population.
