PAPER II

HISTORY OF INDIA UPTO POST-MAURYA PERIOD

MCQ for UNIVERSITY Question Bank 2020
UNIT I :
1. Literary sources include
a. architectural remains
b. material remains
c. coins and oral tradition
d. texts - written and oral

2. Pre-history is the term used for the past

a. before the advent of writing
b. before the advent of painting
c. during the time of the cavemen
d. before history

3. Proto-history refers to people or civilization

a. that were not familiar with the art of writing
b. whose script has remained undeciphered so far
c. who used sign language instead of script
d. with developed stone tools

4. There are
a. 3 Vedas
b. 4 Vedas
c. 5 Vedas
d. 7 Vedas

5. The oldest surviving texts in India are

a. the Puranas
b. the Dharmashastras
c. the Vedas
d. the Tipitakas/Tripitakas

6. What are the two Sanskrit epics?

a. the Mahabharata and Ramayana
b. the Puranas and Dharmashastra
c. the Vedas and Smritis
d. the Aryankas and Upanishads

7. The Tipitaka/Tripitaka was written in

a. Pali
b. Sanskrit
c. Prakrit
d. Persian

8. Early Jaina literature were written in

a. Sanskrit
b. Pali
c. Tamil
d. Prakrit

9. The accounts of foreign writers

a. are not important as they are not written by Indians
b. are important as they give the true picture of ancient India
c. are important as they fill up the gaps in ancient Indian history, not found in Indian writings
d. are not important as they are not written in Indian languages

10. The most common language used in ancient literary sources is

a. Sanskrit
b. Pali
c. Tamil
 d. Persian

11. The earliest deciphered epigraphy in India is

a. Brahmi script
b. Indus script
c. Kharosthi script
d. Tamil script

12. Archaeological sources which have writing on them are

a. literary sources
b. archaeological sources
c. both literary and archaeological sources
d. none of the above

13. Archaeology is the study of human past through

a. remains of dead organism
b. skeletal remains
c. ancient texts
d. material remains

14. Archaeology is often described as

a. the brother of history
b. the mother of history
c. the handmaid of history
d. the sister of history

15. Which of the following is not included as part of archaeology?

a. marine archaeology
b. assemblage
c. pot sherd
d. painting

16. Numismatic is the study of

a. inscriptions
b. coins
c. archaeological remains
d. artifacts

17. The study of inscription is called

a. palaeography
b. historiography
c. epigraphy
d. numismatic

18. The study of scripts is called

a. palaeography
b. historiography
c. epigraphy
d. numismatic

19. Field archaeology deals with

a. the exploration and excavation of sites
b. the study of ancient games
c. radiocarbon dating
d. the preservation of artefact

20. The study of behaviour and practices of living communities to interpret past communities is called
a. Palaeo-pathology
b. New Archaeology
c. Ethno-archaeology
d. Archaeometry
21. In 1920, the excavation of Harappa was started by
a. Daya Ram Sahni
b. Mortimer Wheeler
c. Sir John Marshall
d. R. D. Banerji

22. The excavation of Mohenjodaro was started by

a. Daya Ram Sahni
b. Mortimer Wheeler
c. Sir John Marshall
d. R. D. Banerji

23. The formal announcement of the discovery of Harappan civilization was made in 1924 by the Director General of the
Archaeology Survey of India
a. Alexander Cunningham
b. Mortimer Wheeler
c. Sir John Marshall
d. Vincent A. Smith

24. The Harappan Civilization belongs to the

a. Mesolithic Age
b. Paleolithic Age
c. Chalcolithic Age
d. Neolithic Age

25. Most scholars date Mature Harappa

a. c.3000 – 2500 BCE
b. c 2600 – 1900 BCE
c. c.2500 – 1500 BCE
d. c.2300 – 1500 BCE

26. The most important animal worshipped by the Indus Valley people was
a. tiger
b. cow
c. humped bull
d. deer

27. The least depicted animal on Harappan seals is

a. horse
b. bull
c. rhinoceros
d. humped bull

28. The Great Bath was found in

a. Mohenjodaro
b. Harrapa
c. Lothal
d. Kalibangan

29. Harappan dockyard was discovered at

a. Ropar
b. Kalibangan
c. Lothal
d. Harappa

30. The metal which was not used by the Harrapan people was
a. gold
b. silver
c. iron
d. bronze
31. Harappans built their houses using
a. sandstone
b. wood
c. marble
d. baked and unbaked bricks

32. The Harappans knew many industries except

a. dyeing
b. iron smelting
c. pottery
d. weaving

33. Choose the correct statement

a. ‘Fire altars’ have been found only at a few Harappan sites.
b. In all the excavated Harappan sites ‘Fire altars’ have been found.
c. Not a single ‘fire altar’ have been discovered so far.
d. ‘Fire altars’ have been found only at Harappa.

34. Which of the following was not true of the drainage system?
a. Every house had its own courtyard and bathroom
b. All the houses in all the cities had wells
c. Water flowed from the house to the streets which had drains
d. Drains were covered with bricks and sometimes with stone slabs

35. Which of the following was the common feature of town planning of all Harappan sites?
a. Arrangement of the houses in the cities followed grid system, roads cut across one another at right angles, and city
was divided into so many blocks
b. They all had great bath
c. Some houses were made of quality burnt bricks while others were made of marble and unbaked bricks
d. Granaries formed important part of all Harappan sites

36. Which of the following was not one of the tools and implements of the Harappan people?
a. needles
b. axes
c. sickles
d. fork and spoons

37. One of the following traditions of present-day Hinduism has no basis in Harappan cult
a. Sakti worship
b. Dedication of temples to a particular deity
c. Worship of Siva and Pashupati
d. Worship of Siva-linga in the form of conical and cylindrical stones

38. Late Harappan phase witnessed

a. regional variations in the culture
b. urban phase of the culture
c. declining phase of the culture
d. use of iron by the people

39. Late Harappa saw the shift of people

a. to the east and the south
b. to the west
c. to the north
d. to the west and the north

40. Which of the following were the causes for the decline of the Harappan civilization?
a. Aryan invasion
b. religious differences among the priests
c. natural calamities such as deforestation, floods, earthquakes and famines
d. all of the above
UNIT II:
41. Which one among the following is most widely accepted as the homeland of Indo-Aryans?
a. India
b. Artic region
c. Eastern Europe (north of the Black Sea)
d. Central Europe

42. Who was the first to suggest the similarity between Sanskrit language and Greek and Latin?
a. Sir William Jones
b. Monier Williams
c. Max Mueller
d. A. C. Das

43. Which among the following facts prove greater affinity of Aryans with Indo-European?
a. racial concept
b. ethnological concept
c. cultural concept
d. linguistic concept

44. Before coming to India, the Aryans had remained for some time in
a. Asia Minor
b. Northern Iranian plateau
c. Afghanistan
d. They came straight to India

45. What is Avesta?

a. name of a Vedic god
b. a place in Iran
c. religious book of ancient Iranians
d. a place in Harappa

46. What is the importance of Avesta for Vedic period?

a. The words, phrases, stanzas, myths and legends in it suggest the similarity between Rig Veda and Avesta and that
their ancestors had lived together for a long time
b. It has no importance for the understanding of Vedic culture
c. It shows the cultural exchange between ancient Iranians and Rig Vedic people
d. It shows close similarity between the physical features of the Iranian Aryans and the Vedic Aryans

47. Which is not true about the early Aryan movement?

a. From their original homeland tribe after tribe of Aryans began to migrate in different directions
b. A large section of them gradually found their way into India through the north-western passes in the Hindu Kush
Mountains
c. Some of the earlier migrations were absorbed in the cultural life of the Harappans
d. Aryans came in one swift movement to invade the people of north west India

48. The reason for the victory of the Aryans over the indigenous people of non-Aryan origin was
a. lack of unity among the indigenous people
b. better organization among the Aryans
c. superior military technology and the use of the horse and chariot
d. cultural conflict

49. The date of the Rig (early) Vedic period is

a. c.1500 - 1000 BCE
b. c.1400 - 1200 BCE
c. c.1000 - 500 BCE
d. c.700 - 200 BCE

50. The only source for the early Vedic age is

a. excavation
b. the Epics
c. the Dharmasashtras
d. the Rig Veda
51. The main cause of wars among the early Aryans, especially in the battle of the ten kings in the Rig Veda was
a. intrigues of the purohitas
b. exhibition of prowess
c. foreign invasions
d. cattle and land disputes

52. The term ‘Jana’ in the Rig Veda stood for

a. clan
b. tribe
c. nation
d. tribal

53. The basic unit of the early Vedic age was

a. kula
b. grama
c. vis
d. jana

54. The most important god of the Rig Vedic period

a. Indra
b. Krishna
c. Shiva
d. Rudra

55. The Rig-Vedic period saw the absence of

a. gold
b. iron
c. copper
d. bronze

56. Of the 10 Books of the Rig Veda, the Rig Vedic period covers
a. all 10 Books
b. Books 1 – 5
c. Books 2 – 7
d. Books 1 - 8

57. The main occupation of the Rig-Vedic society was

a. pastoral and agriculture
b. hunting and gathering
c. trade and commerce
d. none of the above

58. The form of wealth of the Rig Vedic people was

a. cattle
b. gold
c. land
d. silver

59. During the early Vedic period, words like Panchalas or Kurus or Bharat referred to
a. people or tribe
b. territories
c. kingdoms
d. state

60. The Purasha-Sukta (Purusha Hymn) of the Rig Veda refers to

a. two social groups
b. three social groups
c. four social groups
d. five social groups
61. What was the most common mode of conduct during the Vedic period?
a. money
b. cow
c. barter system
d. gold coins

62. Later Vedic period is also known as

a. Ochre- Coloured pottery (OCP) culture
b. Painted grey ware (PGW) culture
c. Northern Black Polished Ware (NBP/NBPW) culture
d. Painted Black Ware (PBW) culture

63. Society came to be divided into four varnas during

a. Rig-Vedic period
b. Later-Vedic Period
c. Post-Vedic Period
d. Aryan period

64. The date of Later Vedic period is

a. 1100-500 BCE
b. 1000-500 BCE
c. 1200-500 BCE
d. 1300-500 BCE

65. Which of the following crime is not mentioned in the Vedic sources?
a. theft
b. cattle-stealing
c. kidnapping for ransom
d. homicide and incest

66. Which game was regarded prestigious and was part of the ritual of certain royal ceremonies in the later Vedic period?
a. chariot race
b. singing
c. dancing
d. gambling

67. Dvija literally means

a. twice born
b. salvation
c. liberation
d. brahmanas

68. Bhagaduga was the

a. tax collector
b. commander of the army
c. chief priest
d. charioteer

69. The most prestigious amusement of the Vedic period was

a. dice
b. music
c. chariot race
d. dance

70. Which played the most important part in later Vedic economy?
a. agriculture
b. cattle-breeding
c. trade and commerce
d. industry
71. As compared to early-Vedic age, the condition of women during the later-Vedic age had
a. improved
b. remained the same
c. deteriorated
d. became the same as men

72. Which statement is not correct about learning in Vedic age?

a. during the earlier Vedic period instruction remained entirely oral
b. they had developed system of writing
c. in the later Vedic period, the institution of brahmacharyn had become regularized
d. education was restricted to the upper castes and the teaching of the Vedas generally to the brahmanas, although in theory
it was open to all dvija castes

73. Which of the following statements about later Vedic is not correct?
a. unit of society was family which was patriarchal
b. joint family was prevalent
c. a daughter was a source of pride and joy
d. the birth of a son was especially welcome

74. What is the implication of upanayana?

a. the final benediction by the teacher at the time of departure of student
b. initiation ceremony marking the transition from the stage of young adolescent boy to that of a brahmacharya
c. the arrangement of conferences for discussion and argument
d. a royal ceremony raising the status of a raja to a maharaja

75. Which of the following is not true about sabha and samiti?
a. among tribes which had no elected chief, these assemblies exercised the function of governance and authority
b. they acted as check on the chief’s authority
c. in later Vedic times they lost importance while royal power increased
d. women were permitted to sit and preside over the meetings

76. A major concern of Upanishadic thought is to explore and explain the meaning and relationship between
a. brahman and samsara
b. atman and moksha
c. brahman and atman
d. samsara and moksha

77. The eternal, imperishable reality in the universe is known as

a. ahimsa
b. karma
c. brahman
d. samsara

78. The idea of the soul or inner reality of an individual is called

a. atman
b. karma
c. samsara
d. brahman

79. The transition of the four-fold order of the varna to that of the caste system took place in
a. Early Vedic period
b. Later Vedic period
c. Post Vedic period
d. Mauryan period

80. The Upanishads does not reject ritual but emphasised on the attainment of
a. enlightenment
b. knowledge
c. liberation
d. salvation
UNIT III:
81. Janapada meant
a. a region consisting of urban and rural settlements
b. a region consisting of only tribal settlements
c. a region consisting of big towns and cities
d. a region consisting of only dvijas

82. The term ‘janapada’ literally means

a. the foorprint of a tribe
b. the foothold of a tribe
c. the home of a tribe
d. the foothold of the kshatriyas

83. How many mahajanapadas were there?

a. 13
b. 15
c. 16
d. 17

84. How many kinds of state are included in the list of mahajanapadas?
a. three
b. seven
c. two
d. five

85. The two kinds of state were

a. padas and rajyas
b. ganas and rajyas
c. sanghas and padas
d. ganas and sanghas

86. Among the 16 Mahajanapadas, the emerged as the most powerful was
a. Maghadha
b. Kosala
c. Kashi
d. Anga

87. The rise of Maghada to political supremacy began with

a. Ajatashatru
b. Bimbisara
c. Siddhartha
d. Chandragupta

88. The first rulers of Magadha were the

a. Nandas
b. Shishunagas
c. Haryankas
d. Mauryans

89. Bimbisara strengthened Magadha’s position

a. by having an able commander for his army
b. because he had a strong navy
c. because he was cruel and people were afraid of him
d. by making a number of matrimonial alliances with other ruling families

90. The early capital of Magadha was

a. Rajagriha
b. Pataliputra
c. Vaishali
d. Kosala
91. Which was not the cause for the rise of religious sects?
a. complex rituals and supremacy of the brahmanas
b. rise of untouchability and rigidity of the caste system
c. power struggle between the brahmanas and the kshatriyas
d. spread of Buddhism and Jainism

92. One of the main reasons for the rise of heterodox sects was
a. the introduction of a new agricultural economy based on iron ploughshare
b. the new teachers gave importance to meditation
c. the new teachers preached equality of all under the guidance of the kshatriyas
d. the importance given Brahmanical rituals

93. The heterodox sects were known as

a. varna
b. sapinda
c. shramana
d. pratiloma

94. The four stages of man’s life is known as

a. ashramas
b. brahmachrya
c. grihasta
e. vanaprastha

95. The four ashramas are

a. brahmachrya, shudra, vanaprastha and sannyasa
b. brahmachrya, grihasta, vanaprastha and sannyasa
c. brahmachrya, grihasta, pashu and sannyasa
d. brahmachrya, grihasta, vanaprastha and stri-dhana

96. Dhamma is
a. a principle of righteousness
b. a religious sect
c. the universal law of righteousness
d. social code of conduct

97. The Buddha attained enlightenment at

a. Gaya
b. Patilaputra
c. Patna
d. Sarnath

98. Gautama Buddha preached his first sermon at

a. Lumbini
b. Sarnath
c. Kapilvastu
d. Kosala

99. The core of Buddha’s doctrine is

a. Four Noble Truth
b. Eightfold Path
c. dhamma
d. three Universal truth

100. The ultimate goal of the Buddha’s teaching was the attainment of
a. brahman
b. moksha
c. nirvana or nibbana
d. samsara
101. Jatakas is one of the 15 books of
a. Khuddaka Nikaya
b. Arthasatra
c. Mahabharata
d. Puranas

102. The language that was mostly used to propagate Buddhism was
a. Sanskrit
b. Pali
c. Prakrit
d. Persian

103. Which of the following statement is not correct about the Buddhist sangha
a. it was not open to pregnant women
b. it was open to all mothers
c. it was not open to mothers of unweaned children
d. it was open to women who had the permission of their parents or husband

104. According to the Jain beliefs Mahavira was the

a. 1st Trithankara
b. 23rd Trithankara
c. 24th Trithankara
d. 25th Trithankara

105. Mahavira means

a. the brave heart
b. the enlightened one
c. the wise man
d. the great hero

106. Which statement about the word Jaina is correct?

a. It refers to one who leads an ascetic life
b. It comes from the word jina (victor) which refers to the tirthankaras
c. It refers to person who is free from all passions and desires
d. It refers to non-violent life

107. According to Jaina doctrine, everything that exists has

a. three aspects
b. four aspects
c. five aspects
d. seven aspects

108. For the Jaina monks and nuns, there are

a. three great vows
b. five great vows
c. six great vows
d. seven great vows

109. The Digambaras sect of Jains

a. wore white garments
b. wore orange colour garments
c. wore all kind of clothes
remained naked

110. The following statement is incorrect

a. The teachings of the Buddha and Mahavira was to establish new religions
b. The Buddha and Mahavira criticised sacrificial rituals
c. Both, the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to princely families
d. The Buddha and Mahavira taught in the language of the common people
111. Which of the following was not the common feature of Buddhism and Jainism?
a. Both denied the authority of the Vedas
b. Both preached against the practice of sacrifice
c. Both condemned the varna system
d. Both recognized that the world is full of sorrow and salvation is possible through the chain of birth and death

112. The Ajivikas were

a. religious sect
b. Buddhist scriptures
c. Jaina monks
d. Untouchables

113. The central idea of the Ajivikas is

a. ahimsa (non-injury)
b. moksha (salvation)
c. niyati (fate)
d. karma (action)

114. The most important leader of the Ajivikas was

a. Purana Kassapa
b. Makkhali Gosala
c. Pakudha Kachchayana
d. Prasenajit

115. The foreigners who extended into India in the 4th century BCE were the
a. Romans
b. Greeks
c. Persians
d. Sumerians

116. The most direct and apparent impact of Persian invasion in India was the introduction of
a. kharosthi script
b. brahmi script
c. Roman script
d. Latin script

117. Alexander invaded India in

a. 326 BCE
b. 236 BCE
c. 426 BCE
d. 526 BCE

118. The Indian king who opposed Alexander was

a. Bimbisara
b. Chandragupta Maurya
c. Ashoka
d. Porus

119. Alexander’s movement beyond the Beas was prevented by

a. Chandragupta Maurya
b. his soldiers
c. the joint force of Indian rulers
d. Porus

120. One of the results of Alexander’s invasion was

a. the establishment of the Gandhara school of art
b. the rise of Muslims in India
c. the creation of a Seleucid principality along with several Greek settlements
d. the establishment of Alexander as the new ruler of India
UNIT IV:
121. Manu Smriti is a book of
a. law
b. poetry
c. history
d. science

122. Who was the author of Indika?

a. Kautilya
b. Megasthenese
c. Vishakadutta
d. Kalhana

123. Arthasastra belongs to which period

a. Maurya
b. Gupta
c. Marathas
d. Mughal

124. Which is the first Indian test to define a state?

a. Rajatarangini
b. Arthasatra
c. Manu Smriti
d. Mahabharata

125. Who is the author of Arthasastra?

a. Milanda
b. Megasthenes
c. Kalidasa
d. Kautilya

126. The saptanga rajya lists important

a. 3 elements of State
b. 5 elements of State
c. 7 elements of State
d. 9 elements of State

127. Which factor probably did not facilitate the rise of the Mauryas?
a. Death of Alexander and growing difficulties of the Greeks in holding to the Punjab
b. Decline of the prestige of the republican states of the North-West and the Punjab
c. Unpopularity and tyranny of the last Nanda king
d. Shudra origin of the Nandas

128. According to Romila Thapar, the Mauryan State was

a. highly centralized
b. decentralized
c. loose confederation
d. segmentary

129. The Mauryas had many firsts to their credits, but did not include
a. centralized bureaucracy
b. selection of officials on merit
c. regulation and control of economy
d. a large and efficient army

130. The bride-price or arsa-vivaha mentioned in the Arthasastra consisted of

a. three cows or the equivalent in value
b. two cows or the equivalent in value
c. jewelry consisting of gold and silver
d. none of the above
131. Who was the founder of the Mauryan Empire?
a. Ashoka
b. Kautilya
c. Chandragupta Maurya
d. Bindusara

132. Chandragupta Maurya ascended the throne in

a. 524 BCE
b. 424/421 BCE
c. 324/321 BCE
d. 421 BCE

133. Chandragupta Maurya liberated which part of India from Seleucus?

a. North-western
b. South-western
c. South-eastern
d. Western

134. The territory which was not conquered by Chandragupta Maurya was
a. Karnataka
b. Maharasthra
c. Kalinga
d. Andhra

135. Name the inscription which shows Chandragupta Maurya’s rule over western India
a. Junagadh Rock Edict of Rudradaman
b. Girnar Rock Edict of Ashoka
c. Sopara Rock Edict of Ashoka
d. Bahapur Edict of New Delhi

136. Ashokan script was deciphered in 1837 by

a. William Jones
b. James Princep
c. Lord Macaulay
d. Sir John Marshall

137. The Ashokan inscriptions were written in

a. Devanagari script
b. Brahmi script
c. Telegu
d. Pali

138. The Ashokan inscriptions were generally located near

a. highways
b. offices
c. pot towns
d. public places

139. The Sanchi Stupa was built by

a. Ashoka
b. Kanishka
c. Chandragupta Maurya
d. Bindusara

140. Ashoka adopted the title ‘devanampiya’ which means

a. sovereign
b. beloved of the gods
c. father of his subjects
d. above everyone
141. Kalinga war took place in
a. 326 BCE
b. 261 BCE
c. 78 CE
d. 87 CE

142. Ashoka converted to Buddhism

a. when he became king
b. before the Kalinga war
c. after the Kalinga war
d. just before he died

143. An important aspect of Ashoka’s Dhamma is

a. nirvana
b. ahimsa
c. yajna
d. jana

144. How many Ashokan major rock edicts are there?

a. 14
b. 12
c. 21
d. 20

145. Dhamma is Prakrit equivalent of dharma in

a. Pali
b. Hindi
c. Sanskrit
d. Magadhi

146. Ashoka’s concept of dhamma-mahamatas found expression for the first time in the
a. 2nd Rock Edict
b. 3rd Rock Edict
c. 4th Rock Edict
d. 5th Rock Edict

147. Identify the quarry which supplied stone for Ashokan Pillars
a. Rajagrha
b. Kausambi
c. Chunar
d. Pataliputra

148. During the Mauryan period, punch marked coins are made of
a. silver
b. bronze
c. copper
d. gold

149. The Mauryan state brought new land under cultivation with the help of
a. rich peasants
b. guilds
c. shudras
d. brahmanas

150. In times of emergency peasants were

a. compelled to raise more crops
b. join the army
c. pay mor tax
d. none of the above
151. The most important feature of the Mauryan economy was
a. trade and commerce
b. mining and metallurgy
c. agriculture
d. state control over economic activities

152. which factor might not have been responsible for the development of trade and commerce in the Mauryan period?
a. Mauryan contact with Hellenistic kingdoms
b. Roman demand for spices and other luxuries
c. Popularity of Buddhism
d. Mauryas built roads opening the sub-continent for trade

153. Which of the following statement is incorrect?

a. Fish generally are prohibited from being caught on certain days
b. Fish was not part of the important commodity in Mauryan period
c. One-tenth of the catch of fish had to be paid as toll
d. Poisoning of fish in streams running into enemy territory was common

154. Fire is listed as the

a. 1st of the national calamities
b. 2nd of the national calamities
c. 3rd of the national calamities
d. 4th of the national calamities

155. Rock-cut architecture was first found in

a. the Mauryan period
b. the post-Mauryan period
c. the Sangam period
d. the Gupta period

156. The intriguing feature of Mauryan art is

a. how the art of wood carving was transformed to stones
b. the perfect style of Mauryan art in the later period
c. Persian influence
d. the frescoes of the Mauryan period

157. Which statement on the Mauryan art and architecture is incorrect?

a. The pillars of Ashoka bear a striking resemblance to those of Darius
b. The polish of the pillars is unique
c. The wording on pillars, particularly referring to the king, is the same as that of Darius
d. They testimony of wood-cutter’s art being transformed into that of stone-cutter

158. Which of the following statement is incorrect about the Mauryan women?
a. The unchastity of Indian women is commented upon
b. Wives prostitute themselves unless they are compelled to be chaste
c. The state collected tax from prostitution
d. Women remained faithful to their husbands throughout their marriage

159. Who was the last Mauryan king?

a. Kunala
b. Chandragupta Maurya
c. Bindusara
d. Brihadratha

160. Which of the following is not correct about the historical importance of the Mauryan period?
a. The state controlled many activities and was sustained by systems of revenue collection
b. The relationship between the state and the peasants was without effective intermediaries, other than the bureaucracy
c. The effectiveness of the administration lies in the fact that a Chinese-type examination system was used for the
selection of officials
d. The absence to varna in the edicts of Ashoka suggests that other social categories were more significant, such as family,
clan and sect
UNIT V:
161. The Kushanas were
a. descendance of Yueh-chi who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
b. descendance of Huing-nu who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
c. descendance of Timur who ruled part of Central Asia and norther Indian subcontinent
d. one of the tribes of India who came to power after the fall of the Mauryas

162. The Kushana Empire reached its zenith during

a. Kanishka
b. Kanishka II
c. Huvishka
d. Huvishka II

163. The Kushanas were the first rulers to issue

a. copper-plate inscriptions
b. gold coins on a large scale
c. land grants
d. paper currency

164. Kanishka was a great patron of

a. Brahmanical Hinduism
b. Mahayana Buddhism
c. Hinayana Buddhism
d. Sufism

165. The most powerful king of the Kushana Kanishka was a follower of
a. Jainism
b. Buddhism
c. Saivism
d. Ajivikas

166. The Kushana kings used the title

a. devanampiya
b. vijigishu
c. devaputra
d. kshatrapa

167. Who is the founder of the Satavahana dynasty?

a. Simuka
b. Kanha
c. Satakarni
d. Vasishthiputra Pulumayi

168. Who is the greatest of the Satavahana rulers?

a. Chanda Satakarni
b. Gautamipuyra Satakarni
c. Pulumavi
d. Vasishthiputra Pulumayi

169. The Satavahanas claimed their descent from

a. the Brahmanas
b. the Kshatriyas
c. Brahma
d. Surya

170. Who were the first to begin feudalism in India?

a. The Mauryas
b. The Kushanas
c. The Shungas
d. The Satavahanas
171. The Satavahanas were also known as
a. Cheras
b. Andhras
c. Pandhyas
d. Cholas

172. The Satavahana empire was divided into a number of administrative divisions known as
a. mansabdaris
b. iqtas
c. aharas
d. nadus

173. Historians are divided on whether the Satavahanas initially came from
a. eastern or western Deccan
b. eastern or central Deccan
c. central or western Deccan
d. eastern or southern Deccan

174. The Satavahanas are credited for the

a. spread of Buddhism in the Deccan
b. spread of Jainism in the Deccan
c. the earliest inscription recording royal land grants
d. introduction of coin in India

175. The Ghandhara School of Art was influenced by

a. Jainism
b. Buddhism
c. Saivism
d. Ajivikas

176. The Ghandharian school of art adopted the art of

a. Latin-American
b. Greeco-Roman
c. Indo-Asia
d. Japan-Chinese

177. The Ghandhara School of Art developed during the reign of

a. Kadphises I
b. Bimbisara
c. Kanishka
d. Ashoka

178. Ghandhara school of art flourished during the age of

a. Mauryas
b. Kushanas
c. Guptas
d. Satavahanas

179. The Indo-Greek king who was converted to Buddhism after his discussion with Nagasena was
a. Menander/Milinda
b. Magesthenes
c. Porus
d. Selucus

180. In the Post Mauryan period, which people are portrayed as despised people living in separate settlements, whose sight and
touch were considered polluting others?
a. sudras
b. chandalas
c. vaishyas
d. kshatryas
181. The period c. 200 BCE to 300 CE witnessed some striking developments. One of the most important was the
a. emergence of Brahmanical religion
b. development of varna into caste system
c. emergence of Sufism
d. emergence of early Hinduism

182. The post Mauryan period witnessed

a. the distancing of Buddhism from Brahminical religion
b. the clubbing of Buddhism and Jainism into one cult
c. the emergence of multiple interlocking religious practices
d. the replacing of goddesses for gods

183. The stupa represented many things in the

a. Buddhist tradition
b. Jaina tradition
c. Hindu tradition
d. Puranic tradition

184. Rock-cut Buddhist monasteries in the Western Ghats dated between

a. c. 100 BCE and 100 CE
b. c. 100 BCE and 200 CE
c. c. 100 BCE and 300 CE
d. c. 100 CE and 200 CE

185. The Silk Route facilitated the first Buddhist missionaries to reach China during the
a. 1st century BCE
b. 1st century CE
c. 2nd century CE
d. 3rd century CE

186. The Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills in Puri district, Orissa is the home of the oldest
a. group of Hindu rock-cut caves
b. group of Jaina rock-cut caves
c. group of Buddhist rock-cut caves
d. none of the above

187. The shrenis were

a. organized guilds of traders
b. traders
c. money-lenders
d. landlords

188. The head of a guild was known as

a. jethhaka
b. shreni
c. nikama
d. smriti

189. Yavana in ancient Indian texts and Sangam poems refer to

a. Greeks and Romans
b. all foreigners
c. Greeks and foreigners
d. Roman and Indian traders of spices

190. Valuable information regarding Indo-Mediterranean trade come from the findings of
a. coins and fishing nets
b. pottery and knives
c. fishing nets and pottery
d. coins and pottery
191. The Indian trade with the Roman flourished under
a. Satavahanas
b. Pallavas
c. Cholas
d. Kushanas

192. One of the most important site for India’s maritime trade was
a. Patan
b. Nagara
c. Arikamedu
d. Surat

193. The Sangam literature was written in the language of

a. Sanskrit
b. Tamil
c. Telugu
d. Kannada

194. The Sangam corpus includes

a. six of the eight anthologies of poems
b. four of the eight anthologies of poems
c. six of the nine anthologies of poems
d. four of the nine anthologies of poems

195. Which of the following is essentially a work of grammar along with other discussions?
a. Ettutokai
b. Pattupattu
c. Tolkappiyam
d. Tirukkural

196. How many kinds of Sangam poems are there?

a. four
b. two
c. three
d. five

197. Sangam poems offer

a. a good idea of everyday life in the time when they were composed
b. a good idea of the Deccan India of the past
c. a good idea of everyday life of the poet
d. a good idea of everyday life of the monarch

198. The two best known Tamil epics are

a. Ettutokai and Pattupattu
b. Pattupattu and Tolkappiyam
c. Tolkappiyam and Silappadiram
d. Silappadiram and Manimekalai

199. Manimekalai deals with

a. a parable of the love of a mother
b. a historical event
c. a parable of the love of a king for Manimekalai
d. a collection of poems written by Manimekalai

200. The Sangam corpus includes devotional poetry of the Vaishnava and Shaiva saints respectively known as
a. Alvars and Nayanars
b. Alvars and Lokayata
c. Nayanars and Mahayana
d. Nayanars and Lokayata
 History: Paper II: Fill in the blanks.
UNIT I:
1. __________________ is the study of the remains of dead organisms.

2. The ancient Indian texts that contain genealogies are called ___________.

3. ____________ refers to the ideal and proper conduct of a person which leads to the fulfillment of goals of
human life.

4. Sangam literature was written in ancient Tamil under the patronage of ____________ kings.

5. Artifacts help to understand the ______________ development in a more specific and technical way.

6. All the industries found at a site form its _______________ in archaeological study.

7. ___________________ studies the behavior and practices of living communities.

8. The ___________________ coins are the earliest coins in India.

9. The oldest coins found in India were made mostly of __________ and copper.

10. The discovery of Indus civilization was formally announced in 1924 by ________________________.

11. The ______________ found in Mohenjodaro was probably used for ceremonial bathing.

12. The drains in Harappan civilization were covered with bricks and _________________.

13. The worship of female goddess associated with ___________ is one of the major features of Harappan
civilization.

14. According to _____________________, the Harappan state was a highly centralized empire.

15. Mortimer Wheeler argued that the Harappan civilization was destroyed by ___________ invaders.

16. The male god represented on a Harappan seal is referred to as _____________ seal.

17. The Harappans carried out foreign trade with _________________ and areas around Persian Gulf.

18. _____________ were the fortified settlements on high mounds in Harrapan cities.

19. The only Harappan site with a dockyard is ____________.

20. The Harappan civilization was an urban culture of the ___________ age.

UNIT II:
21. The ___________ was the royal priest of the early Vedic political organization.

22. The function of the purohita was to accompany the __________ to battle, recite prayers and supervise the
performance of rituals.

23. The _________ and samiti are the assemblies in the Rig Vedic times.

24. Samiti was a larger assembly than the sabha which is presided over by the __________.

25. The Rig Veda mentions two varnas - the arya varna and __________ varna.
 26. Varna literally means _________.

27. Women were allowed to attend the ___________ assembly.

28. In the Vedic literature, ____________ means the head of the household.

29. The ___________ of the Pali canon was a high-level businessman associated with trade and money lending.

30. The gahapati was also a wealthy property owner and producer of ___________.

31. Stri-dhana means ____________ property.

32. In the Post-Vedic period Bali became a ____________ tax.

33. The performance of Upanayana ceremony was considered a __________ birth in the Brahmanical religion.

34. _____________ ceremony was a sacred thread ceremony.

35. Asvamedha was a sacrifice associated with claims to ____________ paramountcy.

36. ___________ sacrifice was the royal consecration ceremony.

37. ____________ sacrifice was connected with the attainment of power and prosperity.

38. The goal of the Upanishadic thought is the realization of _____________.

39. The word Brahman means something that grants ______________.

40. Later Upanishads speaks of Brahman as of a ________.

UNIT III:
41. Magadha’s gradual rise to political supremacy began with ______________.

42. The first capital of Magadha was ______________.

43. It was ______________ which first used elephant in wars.

44. The _____________________ literally means great realms.

45. The Buddhist and Jaina texts listed _______ powerful states called the mahajanapadas which flourished in
the early 6th century BCE.

46. The new capital of Magadha was ___________________.

47. According to the Buddhist text, the term _________ meant a hamlet consisting of a large house and smaller
houses.

48. The Buddhist texts were written in ___________ language.

49. Gautam Buddha preached his first sermon at ______________.

50. The ultimate goal of Buddha’s teaching was the attainment of ______________.

51. Bhikkhuni Sangha was a monastic order for _____________.

 52. Mahavira was believed to the _________ Jaina Tirthankara.

53. There are ________ occupations which are approved for the Jainas

54. According to Jainism ____________ is the first vow for renunciants as well as the laity

55. During the ruled of Shishunagas dynasty, the 2nd Buddhist Council was convened at ______________.

56. Right belief, Right knowledge and Right conduct formed the ____________________ of Jainism.

57. The central idea of Ajivika was that of __________.

58. Aramaic was the official script of the ___________ empire.

59. The Greek historian ______________ tells India was the 20th and most prosperous province of the Persian
empire.

60. The most apparent and direct impact of Persian invasion on India was the introduction of the __________
script.

UNIT IV:
61. Kautilya was also known as Chanakya or ______________.

62. Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya was _______________.

63. The author of Mudrarakshasa is ________________.

64. The Mauryan water tax called udaka bhaga was collected where the state provided assistance in
_____________.

65. Fortified capital, the fourth of the seven elements of state (saptanga rajya) is __________.

66. The court art of Mauryan empire exhibits foreign influence, especially of ___________.

67. Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the last king of __________ dynasty.

68. The religion of Chandragupta was ___________.

69. Chandragupta Maurya was guided by ___________ in acquiring the throne and keeping it.

70. Bindusara was known as patronizing __________ sect.

71. Father of Ashoka was ____________.

72. Ashoka started system of royal tours (dhamma-yatra) after visiting ____________.

73. _________________ on Ashoka’s capitals is considered to represent Buddha’s first sermon.

74. The last ruler of Mauryan empire was assassinated by ______________________.

75. Har Prasad Sastri suggested ____________________ as the main cause for the downfall of the Mauryan
empire.

76. The oldest Indian written script which has been deciphered is that of the Inscriptions of ___________.
 77. Rock cut architecture began in India in the ___________ period.

78. The centre of northern province of Mauryan empire was ____________.

79. The capital of Mauryan empire during Ashoka was _____________.

80. The national emblem of India, Ashoka Pillar is found in Sarnath ____________.

UNIT V:
81. One of the most important Indo-Greek rulers was _____________.

82. The Indo-Greek rule in India was primarily destroyed by the _________.

83. ________ established Shaka power in Gandhara and ruled around 80-60 BCE.

84. The most famous ruler of the Kushanas was ______________.

85. The most popular king of the Satavahanas was ____________________.

86. Guilds appear to have had a close relationship with __________.

87. The great Chinese Silk Route connected _________ and central Asia, West Asia and Europe.

88. Apart from the export of Indian goods to the Mediterranean, India also played an important role in the trade of
________.

89. Indian and _____________ features coalesced in the Gandhara art.

90. The two famous schools of art in the post-Mauryan period were the _____________ and Mathura schools.

91. The period __________ to _________ reflects the beginning of new devotional practices within Buddhism
and Jainism and the emergence of what can be termed as early Hinduism.

92. The English word ‘Hinduism’ was first used by __________________ in 1816-1817.

93. A major schism in the Buddhist sangha led to the emergence of ____________ and Hinayana.

94. In around c. 300 CE, the Jaina sangha came to be divided into two sects such as ____________ and
_______________.

95. Shiva is most popularly worshipped in temples in his _______ form which represents male procreative energy
and power.

96. The term ‘Vaishnava as an epithet of a worshipper of Vishnu occurs in the later portions of the
_______________.

97. _________ is the consort of Shiva and is considered the personification of material energy (Mother Nature or
Prakriti).

98. Sangam literature refers to the literary texts in ___________.

99. The main themes of the Akam poems were ________.

100. Puram poems were mostly about ________.

 KEY ANSWERS
36. Rajasuya 68. Jainism
UNIT I:
69. Kautilya
1. Palaeontology
37. Vajapeya
2. Puranas
38. Brahman 70. Ajivika
3. Dharma
39. Prosperity
71. Bindusara
4. Pandyan
40. God
5. cultural 72. Bodh Gaya.

6. assemblage UNIT III: 73. Dharmachakra

7. Ethno-archaeology 41. Bimbisara 74. Pushyamitra Sunga

8. punch-marked 42. Rajagriha 75. Brahmanical reaction
9. silver 43. Magadha 76. Ashoka
10. Sir John Marshal 44. mahajanapadas 77. Mauryan
11. Great bath 45. 16 78. Taxila
12. stone slabs
46. Pataliputra 79. Pataliputra
13. fertility
47. kuti 80. capital
14. Stuart Piggot
48. Pali
15. Aryan UNIT V:
49. Sarnath
16. Pashupati 81. Menander
50. nirvana
17. Mesopotamia 82. Sakas
18. citadels 51. women
83. Moga (Maues or Moa)
th
19. Lothal 52. 24
84. Kanishka
20. bronze 53. six (6)
85. Gautamiputra
54. ahimsa
UNIT II: Satakarni
55. Vaishali
21. purohita 86. kings
56. Three jewels
22. chief 87. India
23. sabha 57. fate
88. silk
24. rajan 58. Persian
89. Hellenistic
25. dasa 59. Herodotus
90. Gandhara
26. colour 60. Kharoshthi
91. c. 200 BCE to 300 CE
27. samiti
UNIT IV: 92. Raja Ram Mohun
28. gahapati
61. Vishnugupa Roy
29. setthis
62. Megasthenes 93. Mahayana
30. wealth
31. women’s 63. Vishakhadatta 94. Digambara.,Shvetam

32. regular 64. irrigation bara

33. second 65. durga 95. linga
34. Upanayana 66. Persian 96. Mahabharatta
35. political 67. Nanda 97. Shakti
 98. old Tamil
99. love
100. war