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General & Miscellaneous — UPSC Prelims Ancient & Medieval previous year questions
20 free solved previous year questions on General & Miscellaneous, papers from 1996 to 2026, drawn from UPSC CSE Prelims, State PCS, UPSC CAPF, covering statement-based, direct, match and assertion questions. Every answer key has been checked again against published sources and solved independently, and each explanation is written fresh.
Read all 20 questions with answers
- #1UPSC CSE 2026Consider the following statements :I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g., kahapana, nikkha, kamsa, and kakanika.II. The literary evidence from Pali texts is corroborated by archaeological evidence of punch-marked coins from many sites, most of them made of silver.The above statements have been associated with which of the following ?1. Emergence of urban life2. Transition to money economySelect the answer using the code given below :
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2Explanation
Statement 1 and statement 2 describe early coinage. Pali texts name coins such as kahapana and nikkha. Punch-marked silver coins have been found at many sites.
Such coins show that trade was done through money and not only barter. So the statements relate to the transition to a money economy (2).
Coinage also grew with markets, craft guilds and towns in the age of the Mahajanapadas. This period is called the second urbanisation. So the statements also relate to the emergence of urban life (1).
Both 1 and 2 are therefore linked.
Remember: Punch-marked coins are called purana or karshapana; the Mauryan period saw their widest use.Source: NCERT Class XII Themes in Indian History Part I (Ch. 2)
- #2UPSC CSE 2026Consider the following statements relating to the use of the place-value system in India :1. The earliest epigraphic use of the place-value system in India is found in the Mankani plates from Gujarat (AD 595 – 596).2. In the ninth century, place-values become general in inscriptions all over India.3. The place-values have been found in Sanskrit inscriptions in South-east Asia as early as the seventh century.Which of the statements given above are correct ?
- A1 and 2 only
- B1 and 3 only
- C2 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3Explanation
Statement 1 is correct. The Mankani plates of Gujarat, dated AD 595-596, give the earliest known inscription use of place-value numerals in India.
Statement 2 is correct. By the ninth century, place-value numerals were common in inscriptions across India.
Statement 3 is correct. Sanskrit inscriptions in South-east Asia, for example in Cambodia and Sumatra, show place-values from the seventh century.
So 1, 2 and 3 are all correct.
Remember: the place-value system with zero is an Indian contribution that later reached the Arabs and Europe.Source: NCERT Class XI Themes in Indian History Part I; standard texts on history of Indian mathematics
- #3UPSC CSE 2025The irrigation device called 'Araghatta' was
- Aa water bag made of leather pulled over a pulley
- Ba large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes
- Ca larger earthen pot driven by bullocks
- Da large water bucket pulled up by rope directly by hand
Answer: (B) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokesExplanation
Araghatta was a Persian-wheel type of water lift. It was a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes.
Animals turned the wheel. The pots dipped into a well or stream and poured water into a channel as they rose.
Option (a) is wrong. A leather bag pulled over a pulley is the charsa or mot.
Option (c) is wrong. Araghatta was a wheel with many pots, not one large pot.
Option (d) is wrong. A bucket pulled by hand is not a mechanical lift.
Remember: The Persian wheel is called araghatta in Sanskrit and rahat in north India.Source: Satish Chandra, Medieval India (irrigation methods); NCERT Class VII Our Pasts II
- #4UPSC CSE 2025With reference to ancient India (600–322 BC), consider the following pairs:Territorial region – River flowing in the regionI. Asmaka : GodavariII. Kamboja : VipasIII. Avanti : MahanadiIV. Kosala : SarayuHow many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- AOnly one
- BOnly two
- COnly three
- DAll the four
Answer: (B) Only twoExplanation
Only pairs I and IV are correctly matched.
Pair I is correct. Asmaka lay on the Godavari.
Pair II is incorrect. Kamboja lay in the north-west, near the Hindu Kush. The Vipas (Beas) flows in the Punjab.
Pair III is incorrect. Avanti lay in Malwa, around the Narmada and Shipra. The Mahanadi flows through Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Pair IV is correct. Kosala lay along the Sarayu.
So only two pairs are correct.
Remember: Avanti had two capitals, Ujjain and Mahishmati.Source: NCERT Class VI Our Pasts I (Mahajanapadas); R. S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past
- #5UPSC CSE 2024Consider the following information:Archaeological Site – State – Description1. Chandraketugarh – Odisha – Trading Port town2. Inamgaon – Maharashtra – Chalcolithic site3. Mangadu – Kerala – Megalithic site4. Salihundam – Andhra Pradesh – Rock-cut cave shrinesIn which of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
- A1 and 2
- B2 and 3
- C3 and 4
- D1 and 4
Answer: (B) 2 and 3Explanation
Row 1 is wrong. Chandraketugarh is in West Bengal, not Odisha.
Row 2 is correct. Inamgaon in Maharashtra is a large Chalcolithic (Jorwe culture) settlement.
Row 3 is correct. Mangadu in Kerala is a megalithic site.
Row 4 is wrong. Salihundam is a Buddhist site with stupas and monasteries built of brick and stone. It is not known for rock-cut cave shrines.
So 2 and 3 are correct.
Remember: Chandraketugarh was a port town of ancient Bengal.Source: Archaeological Survey of India site notes (Chandraketugarh, Inamgaon, Mangadu, Salihundam)
- #6UPSC CSE 2022Consider the following pairs:1. Nanuka - Chandela2. Jayashakti - Parmara3. Nagabhata II - Gurjara-Pratihara4. Bhoja - RashtrakutaHow many pairs given above are correctly matched?
- AOnly one pair
- BOnly two pairs
- COnly three pairs
- DAll four pairs
Answer: (B) Only two pairsExplanation
Pair 1 is correct. Nannuka founded the Chandela dynasty in the 9th century.
Pair 2 is incorrect. Jayashakti was a Chandela ruler, not a Paramara.
Pair 3 is correct. Nagabhata II was a Gurjara-Pratihara ruler.
Pair 4 is incorrect. Bhoja was a Pratihara king, not a Rashtrakuta.
So only two pairs are correct.Source: Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India; UPSC CSE Prelims 2022
- #7UPSC CSE 2022In medieval India, the term "Fanam" referred to:
- AClothing
- BCoins
- COrnaments
- DWeapons
Answer: (B) CoinsExplanation
Fanam was a small gold or silver coin used in South India.
It was used in medieval Travancore, Kerala and the Tamil and Telugu regions.
It is not a type of clothing, ornament or weapon.
Remember: Pagoda and Varaha were larger South Indian gold coins.Source: Medieval Indian numismatics; NCERT Class XII, Themes in Indian History Part II
- #8UPSC CSE 2021With reference to the history of India, which of the following statements is/are correct?1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of Vijayanagara Empire.3. Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A1 and 2
- B2 only
- C2 and 3
- D3 only
Answer: (B) 2 onlyExplanation
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Nawab of Arcot (Carnatic) was nominally under the Nizam, but Arcot was not carved out of Hyderabad State.
Statement 2 is correct. The Wodeyars of Mysore began as feudatories of Vijayanagara and became independent after its decline.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Rohilkhand was formed by Rohilla Afghans under Ali Mohammad Khan, not from Durrani territory.
Remember: Mysore rose from Vijayanagara's decline.Source: Bipin Chandra, History of Modern India; UPSC CSE 2021 Prelims
- #9UPSC CSE 2021Consider the following statements:1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order.2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there.3. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year.Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A1 and 2 only
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 1 and 3 onlyExplanation
Statement 1 is correct. He was one of the seven men who founded the Society of Jesus in 1534 with Ignatius of Loyola.
Statement 2 is incorrect. He died in 1552 on Sancian Island near the Chinese coast. His body was later brought to Goa.
Statement 3 is correct. His feast is celebrated every year on 3 December in Goa. His remains are kept in the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
Remember: the body of St. Francis Xavier is in Old Goa, but he did not die there.Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Saint Francis Xavier; Archaeological Survey of India, Churches and Convents of Goa
- #10UPSC CSE 2021Consider the following statements:1. 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF.2. The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- A1 only
- B2 only
- CBoth 1 and 2
- DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer: (B) 2 onlyExplanation
Statement 1 is incorrect. International Mother Language Day is declared by UNESCO, not UNICEF. UNESCO proclaimed it in 1999 on Bangladesh's proposal.
Statement 2 is correct. In 1948 Dhirendranath Datta moved a demand in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to make Bangla one of its official languages.
Remember: 21 February marks the 1952 Language Movement deaths in Dhaka.Source: UNESCO, International Mother Language Day; Constituent Assembly of Pakistan debates, 1948
- #11UPSC CSE 2020Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the 'Hundi' generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period?
- AAn advisory issued by the king to his subordinates.
- BA diary to be maintained for daily accounts.
- CA bill of exchange.
- DAn order from the feudal lord to his subordinates.
Answer: (C) A bill of exchange.Explanation
A hundi was a bill of exchange. Merchants used it to move money without carrying coins.
The source for the post-Harsha period mentions such credit notes, which show growth of trade.
It was not an order from the king, a diary of accounts or a feudal order.
Remember: Hundi means bill of exchange.Source: UPSC CSE Prelims 2020 key; Medieval India texts on trade and credit
- #12UPSC CSE 2016Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were generally
- Aagriculturists
- Bwarriors
- Cweavers
- Dtraders
Answer: (D) tradersExplanation
Banjaras were nomadic trading groups.
They moved in large caravans with pack bullocks.
They carried grain and other goods between regions, and supplied armies.
They were not mainly farmers, soldiers or weavers.
Remember: Banjaras were the main grain carriers of medieval India.Source: NCERT Class XII, Themes in Indian History Part II; Satish Chandra, Medieval India Part II
- #13UPSC CSE 2016Consider the following pairs:1. Bodhgaya : Baghelkhand2. Khajuraho : Bundelkhand3. Shirdi : Vidarbha4. Nasik (Nashik) : Malwa5. Tirupati : RayalaseemaWhich of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- A1, 2 and 4 only
- B2, 3, 4 and 5 only
- C2 and 5 only
- D1, 3, 4 and 5 only
Answer: (C) 2 and 5 onlyExplanation
Pair 1 is incorrect. Bodhgaya is in Bihar, in the Magadh region. Baghelkhand lies in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Pair 2 is correct. Khajuraho is in the Bundelkhand region.
Pair 3 is incorrect. Shirdi is in Ahmednagar district, western Maharashtra, not Vidarbha.
Pair 4 is incorrect. Nashik is in north Maharashtra, not in Malwa.
Pair 5 is correct. Tirupati is in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.
So only 2 and 5 are correct.Source: Standard Indian geography and regions references; NCERT Class XI, India: Physical Environment
- #14UPSC CSE 2001Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
- ADewan-i-Bandagan: Tughluq
- BDewan-i-Mustakhraj: Balban
- CDewan -i-Kohi: Alauddin Khalji
- DDewan-i-Arz: Muhammad Tughluq
Answer: (A) Dewan-i-Bandagan: TughluqExplanation
Pair 1 is correct. Diwan-i-Bandagan was the department of slaves set up by Firuz Shah Tughluq.
Pair 2 is incorrect. Diwan-i-Mustakhraj, the department for recovering arrears, was started by Alauddin Khalji, not Balban.
Pair 3 is incorrect. Diwan-i-Kohi, the agriculture department, was started by Muhammad Tughluq, not Alauddin Khalji.
Pair 4 is incorrect. Diwan-i-Arz, the military department, was organised by Balban, not Muhammad Tughluq.
Remember: Diwan-i-Arz - Balban; Diwan-i-Kohi - Muhammad Tughluq.Source: NCERT Class XI/ Satish Chandra, Medieval India Part I (Delhi Sultanate)
- #15UPSC CSE 1999Consider the following statements:The striking features of the Jama Masjid in Kashmir completed by Zain-ul-Abidin include:1. Turret2. Similarity with Buddhist pagodas3. Persian styleWhich of the above statements is/are correct?
- A1 alone
- B1, 2 and 3
- C2 and 3
- D1 and 3
Answer: (B) 1, 2 and 3Explanation
Statement 1 is correct. The mosque has a quadrangular plan with turrets over its gateways.
Statement 2 is correct. Its tiered, pyramid-shaped roofs resemble Buddhist pagodas.
Statement 3 is correct. Persian style is seen in its arches and decoration.
So all three are correct.
The mosque was first built by Sikandar Butshikan and later restored and completed under Zain-ul-Abidin.
Remember: Kashmiri mosque architecture blends wood work with Persian and local forms.Source: Standard references on Kashmir's Sultanate-period architecture
- #16UPSC CAPF 2014Statement I: James Prinsep, an officer in the mint of the East India Company, deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts which were used in the earliest inscriptions and coins.Statement II: These scripts mentioned a king referred to as Piyadassi, meaning 'pleasant to behold'.Codes:
- ABoth the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
- BBoth the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
- CStatement I is true and Statement II is false
- DStatement I is false but Statement II is true
Answer: (B) Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement IExplanation
Statement I is true. Prinsep, a mint officer, deciphered Brahmi (1837) and also worked on Kharosthi.
Statement II is true. The inscriptions named a king Piyadassi, 'pleasant to behold'. Later he was identified as Ashoka.
Statement II does not explain how the scripts were read. It records what they said.
So II is not the explanation of I.
Remember: The Maski edict later linked Piyadassi with Ashoka.Source: NCERT Class VI Our Pasts-I / Class XII, Themes in Indian History Part I, Ch. 2
- #17UPPCS 2021Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):Assertion (A): We have much more information about Cholas than their predecessors.Reason (R): The Chola rulers adopted the practice of having inscriptions written on the walls of temples giving a historical narrative of their victories.Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
- C(A) is true but (R) is false.
- D(A) is false but (R) is true.
Answer: (A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).Explanation
Assertion (A) is true. Chola rule is far better documented than earlier South Indian dynasties.
Reason (R) is true. Chola kings had long prasastis (praise-texts) with historical narratives engraved on temple walls.
R explains A, because these inscriptions are the main source of Chola history.
They also record land grants, village administration and taxes.
Remember: Chola prasastis are called meykirtis.Source: K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, The Cholas; NCERT Class XI
- #18CGPSC 2020Statement I: Kapila is the earliest exponent of the Samkhya system.Statement II: Kapila teaches that a man's life is shaped by the forces of nature and not by any divine agency.
- AStatement I and Statement II both are true.
- BStatement I is false, but Statement II is true.
- CStatement I and Statement II both are false.
- DStatement I is true, but Statement II is false.
Answer: (A) Statement I and Statement II both are true.Explanation
Statement I is correct. Tradition names Kapila as the founder of Samkhya.
Statement II is correct. Samkhya explains the world through Purusha and Prakriti (nature).
It does not use a creator God to explain life.
So both statements are true.
Remember: Ishvarakrishna's Samkhya Karika is the main surviving text.Source: Samkhya Karika; standard texts on Indian philosophy
- #19UPPCS 2018Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R). Assertion (A): Turkish invasions on India were successful. Reason (R): There was no political unity in North India. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is correct explanation of (A).
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
- C(A) is true, but (R) is false.
- D(A) is false, but (R) is true.
Answer: (A) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is correct explanation of (A).Explanation
Assertion (A) is true. Turkish invasions under Muhammad Ghori succeeded and led to the Sultanate.
Reason (R) is true. North India was divided among rival Rajput kingdoms.
R explains A, because the Rajput states did not unite against the Turks.
Other factors were better cavalry and Turkish military tactics.
Remember: Disunity of Rajputs helped the Turkish conquest.Source: Satish Chandra, Medieval India Part I
- #20BPSC 1996Out of two statements below first is Assertion (A) and second is Reason (R), carefully read both statements.Assertion (A): Till the end of twelfth century Nalanda Mahavihara lost its glory.Reason (R): State protection ceased to be available to Mahavihara.With respect to the above-mentioned two statements, which of the following is true?
- A(A) and (R) both are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
- B(A) and (R) both are true, and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
- C(A) is true, but (R) is false.
- D(A) is false, but (R) is true.
Answer: (A) (A) and (R) both are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).Explanation
Assertion (A) is correct. Nalanda declined by about 1200 CE and was sacked around that time.
Reason (R) is correct. Nalanda depended on royal grants from the Guptas, Harsha and the Palas.
When Pala power collapsed, the royal support ended. Raids by Turkish forces then finished the decline.
So the loss of state protection explains the loss of glory.
Remember: Nalanda was sacked by Bakhtiyar Khalji's forces.Source: NCERT Class XI, Themes in Indian History; ASI Nalanda site notes
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