Pramāṇas in Nyaya and other schools – UGC NET Question

Statements A, B, D and F are correct, whereas C and E are false. Nyaya recognises four independent pramāṇas and treats comparison as a distinct source of knowledge based on similarity linking a word to its object. Mīmāṃsā and some Vedānta schools add arthāpatti and anupalabdhi, so D is correct. Cārvāka famously restricts itself mainly to perception and is sceptical about other pramāṇas, so E is wrong, and Nyaya extends verbal testimony beyond scripture to reliable persons generally, making C false. UGC NET questions often ask candidates to identify which items belong to Nyaya’s list.

Option A:
Option A is incomplete because it omits F, failing to mention the exam-style use of pramāṇa lists. While A, B and D correctly state Nyaya and Mīmāṃsā positions, they do not capture how this knowledge is tested. Therefore A, B and D only is not a fully satisfactory answer.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it includes A, B, D and F, the statements that align with standard presentations of Nyaya and related schools and that reflect the structure of UGC NET questions. It excludes C and E, both of which misrepresent the scope of verbal testimony and the Cārvāka position. Thus this option accurately lists the correct statements.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it omits A, leaving out the basic statement of Nyaya’s four pramāṇas, and includes only B, D and F. Without A, the picture of Nyaya epistemology is incomplete. Hence B, D and F only cannot be the right combination.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it includes C, which wrongly restricts Nyaya śabda to scripture alone, and omits F’s contribution in other contexts. The presence of C introduces a clear error, making A, B, C, D and F only an unacceptable choice.