Question 1

Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradeshika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the:

Accepted Answer

district-level administration — Ashoka's inscriptions identify Pradeshika, Rajuka, and Yukta as district-level officers responsible for administration and welfare of the people.

Question 2

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct? 1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment. 2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free. 3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master's son. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only — Arthashastra prescribes that a female slave becomes free upon bearing her master a son (statement 2), and that son fathered by the master gains the master's legal status (statement 3); judicial punishment as a cause of slavery (statement 1) is not supported by the text.

Question 3

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription? "Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely."

Accepted Answer

Ashoka — This passage is from Ashoka's Rock Edict XII, which advocates religious tolerance and respect for all sects, a hallmark of his policy of Dhamma.

Question 4

In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is 'Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?

Accepted Answer

Kanganahalli — Kanganahalli in Karnataka has a relief sculpture with the inscription 'Ranyo Ashoka' and is the only known site with a stone portrait of Ashoka.

Question 5

Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?

Accepted Answer

James Prinsep — James Prinsep, a British scholar, first deciphered the Brahmi script of Ashoka's edicts in 1837.

Question 6

Consider the following statements: 1. The last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha was assassinated by his commander in chief, Pushyamitra Sunga. 2. The last Sunga king, Devabhuti was assassinated by his Brahmana minister Vasudeva Kanva who usurped the throne. 3. The last ruler of the Kanva dynasty was deposed by the Andhras. Which of these statements is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 — All three statements are historically accurate: Pushyamitra Sunga killed Brihadratha, Vasudeva Kanva assassinated Devabhuti, and the Satavahanas (Andhras) ended Kanva rule.

Question 7

The ancient Indian play Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadatta has its subject on:
a) A conflict between Gods and Demons of ancient Hindu lore
b) A romantic story of an Aryan prince and a tribal woman
c) The story of the power struggle between two Aryan tribes
d) The court intrigues at the time of Chandragupta Maurya

Accepted Answer

The court intrigues at the time of Chandragupta Maurya — Mudrarakshasa by Visakhadatta depicts the political intrigue surrounding Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power and the role of Chanakya.

Question 8

Assertion (A): Ashoka annexed Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire. Reason (R): Kalinga controlled the land and sea routes to South India.

Accepted Answer

Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A✓ Answer
Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
A is true, but R is false
A is false, but R is true

Why

Jain ahimsa is so rigorous that even unintentional killing of micro-organisms during tilling was considered sinful, which indeed discouraged farmers from adopting Jainism.

Question 9

Which one of the following dynasties was ruling over North India at the time of Alexander's invasion?

Accepted Answer

Nanda — The Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha and much of North India when Alexander invaded the northwest (326 BCE); the Mauryas came to power only after Alexander's withdrawal.

Question 10

Assertion (A): According to Asoka's edicts social harmony among the people was more important than religious devotion. Reason (R): He spread ideas of equity instead of promotion of religion.

Accepted Answer

Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A✓ Answer
Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
A is true, but R is false
A is false, but R is true

Why

Jain ahimsa is so rigorous that even unintentional killing of micro-organisms during tilling was considered sinful, which indeed discouraged farmers from adopting Jainism.

Question 11

The given map relates to:

Accepted Answer

Asoka towards close of his reign — The map depicting a vast empire spanning the subcontinent from Afghanistan to South India corresponds to the Mauryan Empire at its greatest extent under Ashoka.

Question 12

Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of:
a) Samudragupta
b) Chandragupta II
c) Kumaragupta I
d) Skandagupta

Accepted Answer

Chandragupta II — Fa-hien visited India around 399–414 CE during the reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) and left accounts of the prosperous Gupta kingdom.

Question 13

With reference to the history of India, the terms 'kulyavapa' and 'dronavapa' denote:

Accepted Answer

Measurement of land — Kulyavapa and dronavapa were land measurement units used during the Gupta period, referring to the amount of seed (kula and drona) needed to sow a given area.

Question 14

With reference to the period of Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were known as:

Accepted Answer

Ports handling foreign trade — Ghantasala, Kadura, and Chaul were important ports during the Gupta period that facilitated India's thriving maritime trade with Rome, South-East Asia, and Arabia.

Question 15

With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

It was considered a source of income for the State, a sort of tax paid by the people. — Vishti (forced labour) in the Gupta period was treated as a form of taxation, a compulsory service rendered to the state, equivalent to a tax payment.

Question 16

With reference to the guilds (Shreni) of ancient India that played a very important role in the country's economy, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Every guild was registered with the central authority of the State and the king was the chief administrative authority on them. 2. The wages, rules of work, standards and prices were fixed by the guild. 3. The guild had judicial powers over its own members. Choose the correct option:

Accepted Answer

2 & 3 Only — Guilds (shrenis) fixed their own wages, prices, and standards, and exercised judicial authority over members; they were not registered with or controlled by the king.

Question 17

The Allahabad Pillar inscription is associated with which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

Samudragupta — The Allahabad Pillar (originally an Ashokan pillar) bears the famous Prayag Prashasti inscription composed by Harishena, celebrating the conquests of Samudragupta.

Question 18

Consider the following statements: 1. The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien attended the fourth Great Buddhist Council held by Kanishka. 2. The Chinese pilgrim Huan-Tsang met Harsha and found him to be antagonistic to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Neither 1 nor 2 — Both statements are incorrect: Fa-Hien visited India during the Gupta period (not Kanishka's time), and Xuanzang (Huan-Tsang) found Harsha to be a patron of Buddhism, not antagonistic to it.

Question 19

Assertion (A): The origin of the feudal system in ancient India can be traced to military campaigns. Reason (R): There was considerable expansion of the feudal system during the Gupta period.

Accepted Answer

Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A — Both A (feudalism rooted in military grants) and R (Gupta period saw feudal expansion) are true, but R is a separate observation about timing and does not explain why military campaigns caused feudalism.

Question 20

Which one of the following ports handled the north Indian trade during the Gupta period?

Accepted Answer

Tamralipti — Tamralipti (modern Tamluk in West Bengal) was the principal port for north Indian trade during the Gupta period, handling exports to South-East Asia and China.

Question 21

Who among the following is known for his work on medicine during the Gupta period?

Accepted Answer

Susrutha — Sushruta, associated with the Gupta period, is the author of the Sushruta Samhita, the foundational text of Ayurvedic surgery.

Question 22

In Sanskrit plays written during the Gupta Period women and sudras speak:

Accepted Answer

Prakrit — In classical Sanskrit drama of the Gupta period, women and shudras conventionally spoke Prakrit dialects, while upper-caste male characters spoke Sanskrit.

Question 23

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of:

Accepted Answer

Bronze — The Dancing Girl figurine from Mohenjo-daro is a cast bronze statuette, one of the most iconic artefacts of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Question 24

Consider the following pairs: Historical Place – Well-known for. 1. Burzahom – Rock-cut shrines. 2. Chandraketugarh – Terracotta art. 3. Ganeshwar – Copper artefacts. Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 — Chandraketugarh is famous for its terracotta art and Ganeshwar is known for its large hoard of copper artefacts; Burzahom is associated with pit dwellings and megalithic burials, not rock-cut shrines.

Question 25

Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

Accepted Answer

Dholavira — Dholavira in Gujarat is renowned for its sophisticated Harappan water management system of dams and interconnected reservoirs.

Question 26

Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

Accepted Answer

Sohgaura — Sohgaura is an ancient site in Uttar Pradesh associated with a Mauryan-era copper plate inscription, not a Harappan site.

Question 27

Which of the following characterizes/characterize the people of Indus civilization? 1. They possessed great palaces and temples. 2. They worshipped both male and female deities. 3. They employed horse-drawn chariots in warfare. Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.

Accepted Answer

2 only — Indus Valley people worshipped both male (pashupati-type) and female (mother goddess) deities; there is no evidence of grand palaces, temples, or horse-drawn chariots in warfare.

Question 28

Regarding the Indus Valley civilization, consider the following statements:

It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element, though present, did not dominate the scene.
During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Both 1 and 2 — Both statements are correct: the Indus civilisation appears largely secular in material evidence, and cotton (among the earliest in the world) was cultivated and used for textiles.

Question 29

Match List I with List II: List I (Ancient Site) – List II (Archaeological Finding). A. Lothal –

Ploughed field. B. Kalibangan –
Dockyard. C. Dholavira –
Terracotta replica of plough. D. Banawali –
An inscription comprising ten large-sized signs of the Harappan script.

Select the correct answer using the codes (A B C D):

Accepted Answer

2  1  4  3 — Lothal has the famous dockyard (2), Kalibangan has the ploughed field (1), Dholavira has the large signboard inscription (4), and Banawali yielded a terracotta plough replica (3).

Question 30

Which one of the following animals was NOT represented on the seals and terracotta art of the Harappan culture?

Accepted Answer

Cow — The cow is notably absent from Harappan seals and terracotta art, whereas elephants, rhinoceroses, and tigers are all depicted.

Question 31

With reference to ancient India (600–322 BC), consider the following pairs: Territorial region – River flowing in the region. I. Asmaka : Godavari. II. Kamboja : Vipas. III. Avanti : Mahanadi. IV. Kosala : Sarayu. How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Only two — Asmaka (Godavari) and Kosala (Sarayu) are correctly matched; Kamboja was associated with the Kabul/Oxus region, not Vipas (Beas), and Avanti was on the Sipra/Narmada, not the Mahanadi.

Question 32

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs: Famous Place – Present State. 1. Bhilsa – Madhya Pradesh. 2. Dwarasamudra – Maharashtra. 3. Girinagar – Gujarat. 4. Sthanesvara – Uttar Pradesh. Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only — Bhilsa (modern Vidisha) is in Madhya Pradesh and Girinagar (near Junagadh) is in Gujarat; Dwarasamudra is in Karnataka and Sthanesvara (Thanesar) is in Haryana.

Question 33

Consider the following pairs: Famous place – Region. 1. Bodhgaya – Baghelkhand. 2. Khajuraho – Bundelkhand. 3. Shirdi – Vidarbha. 4. Nasik (Nashik) – Malwa. 5. Tirupati – Rayalaseema. Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

2 and 5 only — Only Khajuraho (Bundelkhand) and Tirupati (Rayalaseema) are correctly matched; Bodhgaya is in the Gangetic plain, Shirdi is in Ahmednagar district (not Vidarbha), and Nashik is in Nashik district (not Malwa).

Question 34

Which of the following Kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha? 1. Avanti 2. Gandhara 3. Kosala 4. Magadha. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Accepted Answer

3 and 4 only — The Buddha's life was closely associated with Kosala (Kapilavastu, Sravasti) and Magadha (Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Pataliputra); Avanti and Gandhara were not central to his life and travels.

Question 35

Between which of the following was the ancient town of Takshasila located?

Accepted Answer

Indus and Jhelum — Takshasila (Taxila) was situated between the Indus and Jhelum rivers in the region of ancient Gandhara, in modern-day Pakistan.

Question 36

Who among the following was not a contemporary of the other three?

Accepted Answer

Milinda — Milinda (Menander) was a Bactrian Greek king of the 2nd century BCE, well after the time of Bimbisara, Gautama Buddha, and Prasenjit, who were contemporaries in the 6th–5th century BCE.

Question 37

Which one of the following was initially the most powerful city-state of India in the 6th century B.C.?

Accepted Answer

Magadh — In the 6th century BCE, Magadha emerged as the most powerful Mahajanapada, eventually becoming the nucleus of the Mauryan Empire.

Question 38

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched? I. Lothal: Ancient dockyard. II. Sarnath: First Sermon of Buddha. III. Rajgir: Lion capital of Asoka. IV. Nalanda: Great seat of Buddhist learning. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

Accepted Answer

I, II and IV — Lothal (dockyard), Sarnath (first sermon), and Nalanda (Buddhist learning centre) are correctly matched; the Lion Capital of Ashoka is at Sarnath, not Rajgir.

Question 39

The following map shows four of the sixteen Mahajanapadas that existed in ancient India. The places marked A, B, C and D respectively are:

Accepted Answer

Matsya, Avanti, Vatsa, Anga — Based on the standard map of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the four marked positions correspond to Matsya (Rajasthan), Avanti (Malwa), Vatsa (Allahabad area), and Anga (Bengal-Bihar border).

Question 40

With reference to ancient India, Gautama Buddha was generally known by which of the following epithets?
1. Nayaputta
2. Shakyamuni
3. Tathagata
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only — Shakyamuni (sage of the Shakya clan) and Tathagata (one who has thus come/gone) are well-known epithets of the Buddha; Nayaputta was an epithet of Mahavira, not Buddha.

Question 41

Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk, who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on:
a) Prajnaparamita Sutra
b) Visuddhimagga
c) Sarvastivada Vinaya
d) Lalitavistara

Accepted Answer

Sarvastivada Vinaya — Sanghabhuti translated a commentary on the Sarvastivada Vinaya, a Vinaya text of the Sarvastivada school of Buddhism, into Chinese.

Question 42

In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a prominent Buddhist center under the Mahasanghikas, located?

Accepted Answer

Andhra — Dhanyakataka (modern Amaravati) was located in the Andhra region and was a major Mahasanghika Buddhist centre.

Question 43

"Souls are not only the property of animal and plant life, but also of rocks, running water and many other natural objects not looked on as living by other religious sects."
The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?

Accepted Answer

Jainism — Jainism holds that souls (jivas) exist in all matter including rocks and water, a doctrine of universal animism absent in Buddhism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism.

Question 44

With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts:
1. Nettipakarana
2. Parishishtaparvan
3. Avadanashataka
4. Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana
Which of the above are Jaina texts?

Accepted Answer

2 and 4 only — Parishishtaparvan (by Hemachandra) and Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana are Jaina texts; Nettipakarana and Avadanashataka are Buddhist works.

Question 45

With reference to the cultural history of India, consider the following pairs:
1. Parivrajaka — Renunciant and Wanderer
2. Shramana — Priest with a high status
3. Upasaka — Lay follower of Buddhism
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only — Parivrajaka correctly means a wandering renunciant and Upasaka is indeed a lay Buddhist devotee; Shramana means an ascetic/renunciant, not a high-status priest, so pair 2 is wrong.

Question 46

With reference to the cultural history of India, which one of the following is the correct description of the term 'paramitas'?

Accepted Answer

Perfections whose attainment led to the Bodhisattva path — Paramitas (perfections) are the ten virtues, such as generosity, morality, and wisdom, that a Bodhisattva must perfect on the path to Buddhahood in Mahayana Buddhism.

Question 47

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements:
1. Sthaviravadins belong to Mahayana Buddhism
2. Lokottaravadin sect was an offshoot of Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism
3. The deification of Buddha by Mahasanghikas fostered Mahayana Buddhism
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only — Sthaviravadins belong to Hinayana (Theravada), not Mahayana, making statement 1 wrong; statements 2 and 3 are correct, Lokottaravadin was a Mahasanghika offshoot and their deification of Buddha contributed to Mahayana development.

Question 48

Consider the following:
1) Deification of the Buddha
2) Treading the path of Bodhisattvas
3) Image worship and rituals
Which of the above is/are the feature/features of Mahayana Buddhism?

Accepted Answer

1, 2 and 3 — All three, deification of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva ideal, and image worship and rituals, are characteristic features of Mahayana Buddhism, distinguishing it from the earlier Theravada tradition.

Question 49

With reference to the religious practices in India, the 'Sthanakvasi' sect belongs to:

Accepted Answer

Jainism — Sthanakvasi is a sect of Shvetambara Jainism that rejects idol worship and conducts worship in plain halls (sthanakas) rather than temples.

Question 50

With reference to the Indian History, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

Accepted Answer

Maitreya — Maitreya is the future Buddha in Buddhist tradition, prophesied to appear on Earth and attain complete enlightenment when the dharma has been forgotten.

UPSC Ancient History — previous-year questions

The Mauryan Empire

The Gupta Empire

The Indus Valley Civilisation

Mahajanapadas and Early Republics

Buddhism and Jainism

The Vedic Age

Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States