1. Which Seleucid king’s name appears on Ashoka’s edicts?
[A] Antiochus I Soter
[B] Seleucus IV Philopator
[C] Antiochus II Theos
[D] Seleucus II
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Antiochus II Theos]
Notes:
Antiochus II Theos, ruler of Syria, is mentioned in Ashoka’s edicts among Hellenistic contemporaries: Ptolemy II (Egypt), Magas (Cyrene), Antigonus Gonatas (Macedonia), and Alexander (Epirus).
2. With reference to the Maurya Empire, which among the following statements is / are correct?
- In Maurya period ring wells come into prevalence for the first time
- The rulers of Maurya dynasty were characterized by their metronymics
- The government of Mauryas was highly centralised in character
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
[A] Only 1 & 2
[B] Only 2 & 3
[C] Only 1 & 3
[D] Only 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ Only 3 ]
Notes:
Ring wells come into prevalence for the first time in Gupta period, so first statement is not correct. Metronymics means a name derived from the name of a mother or female ancestor. The Satavahana rulers had the names of their mothers with their names such as Gautamiputra Satkarni,he adopted ‘Gautami’ on the name of her mother ‘Gautami . Thus second statement is also not correct. Third statement is correct.
3. The Mesolithic era is known for many first-time activities by humans. Which among the following started during the Mesolithic era:
- Domestication of Plants and Animals
- Intentional disposal of the dead
- Painting and arts on rocks
Select the correct option from codes given below:
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 1 & 2
[C] Only 2 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 1 & 2]
Notes:
The Mesolithic era marked major cultural developments including the beginning of domestication of plants and animals, indicating a shift towards settled lifestyles. Intentional disposal of the dead appeared, reflecting advancing social and ritual practices. While Mesolithic humans were prolific artists and developed new styles (moving from large animal figures to smaller, more active human scenes like dancing and group hunting), rock art itself is not a “first-time” activity of this era. Artistic expression on rocks, including cave paintings and engravings, originated earlier during the Upper Paleolithic.
4. The Indus Valley Civilization has not been deciphered yet. Consider the following reasons:
- No knowledge about their language
- Small length of inscriptions
- Absence of bilingual texts
Which among the above is/ are correct reasons?
[A] Only 1
[B] 1 & 2
[C] 1, 2 & 3
[D] 1 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [1, 2 & 3]
Notes:
All of them are the correct reasons. The first reason is that we don’t know what language they used. Then the inscriptions are so small that average inscription has only 4.6 signs. Longest single inscription at Indus Valley is 17 signs long. Then there are no bilingual texts available.
5. Consider the following statements about Aryan Civilization:
- Aryans preferred to live in rural areas
- Aryans used weapons made from Iron
- They did not believe in image worship
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
[A] 1 & 2 Only
[B] 2 Only
[C] 2 & 3 Only
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ 1, 2 & 3 ]
Notes:
All given statements are correct
Animal sacrifice, cremation of the death, and male dominated society were other features of Aryan society. Pastoralism and agriculture were the principal sources of livelihood of the Aryans. The knowledge about the Aryans comes mostly from the Rig-Veda-Samhita.
6. Consider the following pairs of Mesolithic sites with states where they are located:
- Adamgarh – Madhya Pradesh
- Paisra – Bihar
- Bagor – Rajasthan
Which of the above is/are correct?
[A] 1 & 2 Only
[B] 3 Only
[C] 2 & 3 Only
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ 1, 2 & 3 ]
Notes:All of the above given pairs are correct.
- Adamgarh Hills is located in the Hoshangabad town of the Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh. These rock shelters are situated on the south of Narmada river. These contain paintings of Prehistoric period.
- PAISRA was one of the major discoveries of the last century , where evidence for the construction of huts and temporary shelters. It is located in Bihar.
- Bagor is a town with Sub-Tehsil in Mandal tehsil of Bhilwara district of Rajasthan State, India.Bagor is the largest mesolithic habitation site discovered in India, and it is the only one to have been horizontally excavated so as to expose extensive living.
7. Which was the first metal used by humans? (UPSC Prelims General Studies 1979)
[A] Iron
[B] Copper
[C] Aluminium
[D] Gold
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Copper]
Notes:
Copper was first used by humans as early as 9000 BCE. Ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamians and Egyptians used copper for tools, ornaments, and medical purposes. Copper is denoted by the symbol Cu and has an atomic number of 29. Evidence of copper usage has been found in archaeological sites dating back several millennia. Copper is a reddish-brown metal and an excellent conductor of electricity.
8. Earliest Indian coins belonged to which period? (UPSC Prelims General Studies 1981)
[A] 5th century B.C.
[B] Ashoka’s reign
[C] 1st century A.D.
[D] 3rd century A.D.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [5th century B.C.]
Notes:
The earliest Indian coins, known as punch-marked coins, belonged to the period between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Emerging during the late Mahajanapada era, these were primarily silver and copper pieces struck with symbols (sun, animals, trees), often called karshapana.
9. Waht was the main theme of the preachings of Buddha? (UPSC Prelims 1984)
[A] Right faith and conduct
[B] Love of God
[C] Practice of rituals
[D] Idol worship
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Right faith and conduct]
Notes:
The Basic Teachings of Buddha which are core to Buddhism are:
• The Three Universal Truths
• The Four Noble Truths
• The Noble Eightfold Path: The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.
10. What was the original name of Mahabharata? (UPSC Prelims 1989)
[A] Brihit Katha
[B] Sahastra Samhita
[C] Jaya Samhita
[D] Rajatarangini
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Jaya Samhita]
Notes:
The original text authored by Vyasa was called Jaya-Saṃhita, which mentioned only the core invents of Mahabharata and consisted of 8,800 verses.
