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Q1History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2025
Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the 'Pradesika', 'Rajuka' and 'Yukta' were important officers at the:
- AVillage-level administration
- BDistrict-level administrationCorrect
- CProvincial administration
- DLevel of the central administration
Explanation
Correct. Ashokan inscriptions (especially Rock Edict III) mention these officers in connection with district-level administration. Rajukas handled revenue assessment and judicial functions, Pradesikas supervised district affairs, and Yuktas served as subordinate officials assisting in record-keeping.
Q2History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2022
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?
- A1 and 2
- B2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Correct. The Arthashastra provides that a female slave who bears a child to her master gains her freedom along with the child (statement 2), and such a son is entitled to the legal status of the master's son (statement 3). Judicial punishment leading directly to slavery (statement 1) is not supported in the relevant passages.
Q3History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2022
Consider the following pairs:
Site of Ashoka's major rock edicts : Location
1. Dhauli : Odisha
2. Erragudi : Andhra Pradesh
3. Jaugada : Madhya Pradesh
4. Kalsi : Karnataka
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
- AOnly one pair
- BOnly two pairsCorrect
- COnly three pairs
- DAll four pairs
Explanation
Correct. Dhauli is in Odisha and Erragudi is in Andhra Pradesh, so pairs 1 and 2 are correct. Jaugada is actually in Odisha (not Madhya Pradesh), and Kalsi is in Uttarakhand (not Karnataka), so pairs 3 and 4 are incorrect.
Q4History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2020
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."
- AAshokaCorrect
- BSamudragupta
- CHarshavardhana
- DKrishnadeva Raya
Explanation
Correct. This passage is from Ashoka's Rock Edict XII, which advocates religious tolerance and warns that denigrating other sects ultimately harms one's own. This reflects his dhamma policy of mutual respect among all religious traditions.
Q5History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2019
In which of the following relief sculpture inscriptions is 'Ranyo Ashoka' (King Ashoka) mentioned along with the stone portrait of Ashoka?
- AKanganahalliCorrect
- BSanchi
- CShahbazgarhi
- DSohgaura
Explanation
Correct. The Buddhist site of Kanganahalli in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district yielded a unique sculptural panel with the Prakrit inscription 'Ranyo Ashoka' alongside a carved portrait of the emperor, the only known contemporaneous portrait of Ashoka.
Q6History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2016
Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?
- AGeorg Buhler
- BJames PrinsepCorrect
- CMax Muller
- DWilliam Jones
Explanation
Correct. James Prinsep, a British antiquary and officer of the East India Company, successfully deciphered the Brahmi script in 1837, which enabled the reading of Ashoka's rock and pillar edicts for the first time.
Q7History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2015
With reference to art and archaeological history of India, which one among the following was made earliest?
- ALingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar
- BRock-cut Elephant at DhauliCorrect
- CRock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram
- DVaraha Image at Udayagiri
Explanation
Correct. The rock-cut elephant at Dhauli in Odisha dates to the Mauryan period (3rd century BCE) and is associated with Ashoka's Kalinga edicts, making it the earliest monument among the options by several centuries.
Q8History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2012
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.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
- A1 and 2 only
- B3 only
- C2 and 3 onlyCorrect
- D1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Correct. Ancient Indian guilds (shreni) autonomously regulated production norms, wages, standards and prices (statement 2), and exercised quasi-judicial authority and disciplinary powers over their members (statement 3). Statement 1 is incorrect because guilds were self-governing and not state-registered bodies under royal administrative control.
Q9History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2003
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?
- A1 and 2 only
- B2 only
- C3 only
- D1, 2 and 3Correct
Explanation
Correct. Pushyamitra Sunga killed Brihadratha (the last Mauryan) during a military review around 185 BCE. Vasudeva Kanva assassinated Devabhuti (the last Sunga) around 73 BCE. The Satavahanas (Andhras) overthrew the last Kanva ruler Susharman around 30 BCE.
Q10History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2000
Which one of the following dynasties was ruling over North India at the time of Alexander's invasion?
- ANandaCorrect
- BMaurya
- CSunga
- DKanva
Explanation
Correct. When Alexander invaded India in 326 BCE, the Nanda dynasty under Dhana Nanda was ruling the Magadha region and much of North India. Greek sources refer to the powerful 'Gangaridai' and 'Prasii' whose large army deterred Alexander's troops.
Q11History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 2000
Assertion (A): Ashoka annexed Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire.
Reason (R): Kalinga controlled the land and sea routes to South India.
- ABoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- BBoth A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
- CA is true, but R is false
- DA is false, but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Ashoka fought the bloody Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE) and annexed it. Kalinga's strategic location along the eastern coast gave it control over vital land and maritime trade routes to South India, which was a key motivation for the conquest.
Q12History & Culture·Mauryas and Post-Mauryan IndiaPYQ 1998
Assertion (A): According to Ashoka'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.
- ABoth A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of ACorrect
- BBoth A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
- CA is true, but R is false
- DA is false, but R is true
Explanation
Correct. Ashoka's edicts consistently emphasise social harmony, tolerance and ethical conduct over sectarian religious practice. His dhamma focused on equity and moral living rather than promoting any single religion, so R correctly explains A.