UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Alaukika pratyaksha groups together kinds of perception that do not arise simply from the ordinary functioning of the senses on external objects. It includes samanyalaksana, jnanalaksana and yogaja forms of awareness. These involve special connections, such as perceiving universals or yogic intuition, that transcend standard sensory operations. Thus the extraordinary perceptions mentioned in the stem are classified as alaukika pratyaksha.

Option A:
Option A, nirvikalpa, concerns the level of conceptual articulation rather than whether a perception is ordinary or extraordinary, so it cannot alone capture the special status of these experiences.

Option B:
Option B, savikalpa, again speaks to determinacy and can occur in both laukika and alaukika contexts; it is not the umbrella term for extraordinary perception.

Option C:
Option C, laukika, designates ordinary perceptions of everyday objects and explicitly contrasts with the non-worldly, special character signalled in the stem.

Option D:
Option D is correct because alaukika literally means "non-worldly" and is reserved in Nyaya for those perceptions that go beyond ordinary sensory contact, including yogic and universal-focused cognitions.

Statements A, B, C, D and E provide a correct overview of ordinary and extraordinary perception, while F is false. Ordinary perception uses the usual senses, whereas alaukika covers more refined or extraordinary modes such as universals, mediated perception and yogic awareness. These are treated as forms of pratyakṣa by schools like Nyaya and some Vedānta traditions. F is wrong because not all schools dismiss such perception as mere illusion; rather, they debate its scope and clarity. Therefore A, B, C, D and E only is the correct combination.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete since it omits E, failing to mention the yogaja form, which is an important part of alaukika perception. While A, B, C and D are true, they do not fully cover the extraordinary types. Thus this option is not fully satisfactory.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it gathers the chief categories and examples of laukika and alaukika perception without adopting the extreme sceptical view expressed in F. It matches the level of detail expected in UGC NET questions. Hence it is the appropriate answer.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it includes F and omits A, thereby accepting the claim that all schools reject alaukika perception and not stating what laukika perception is. This misrepresents the diversity of Indian epistemological positions. The combination is therefore incorrect.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it includes F and omits B, dropping explicit mention of the main extraordinary types while endorsing an overgeneralisation about their rejection. This option does not accurately reflect Indian epistemology.

Alaukika pratyaksha covers modes of perception that transcend ordinary sense contact, including samanyalaksana, jnanalaksana and yogaja forms. These deal with universals, previous cognitions and yogic insights respectively. Nyaya introduces this class to account for special kinds of awareness that cannot be reduced to straightforward sensory operations. Therefore the extraordinary perception mentioned in the stem is alaukika pratyaksha.

Option A:
Option A, laukika, refers to ordinary empirical perception through the external senses and does not include yogic or subtle perceptions.

Option B:
Option B, savikalpa, is determinate perception, which can be either ordinary or extraordinary and is not itself the category of extraordinary perception.

Option C:
Option C, nirvikalpa, is indeterminate awareness, again compatible with either ordinary or extraordinary modes, but not equivalent to them as a class.

Option D:
Option D is correct because alaukika literally means “non-worldly” and is used specifically to group special perceptions beyond everyday experiences.

Alaukika pratyaksha encompasses forms of perception that transcend ordinary sensory mechanisms, such as samanyalaksana, jnanalaksana and yogaja perception. These involve special kinds of connections or powers that allow awareness of universals, cross-modal properties or distant objects. Nyaya treats them as exceptional yet still perceptual in character. Thus the collective label for such extraordinary perceptions is alaukika pratyaksha.

Option A:
Option A, laukika, applies only to ordinary empirical perception and stands in contrast to the special cases mentioned in the stem. It is therefore the opposite class.

Option B:
Option B, nirvikalpa, focuses on the level of conceptual articulation and can occur in both ordinary and extraordinary perception, so it does not name the special group of perceptions as such.

Option C:
Option C, savikalpa, again concerns determinacy and may describe either laukika or alaukika perceptions, so it is not the correct classification term here.

Option D:
Option D is correct because alaukika literally means "non-worldly" and is explicitly used in Nyaya to designate these extraordinary perceptual experiences.