1. Which of the following Vedas deals with magic spells and witchcraft?
(a) Rigveda
(b) Samaveda
(c) Yajurveda
(d) Atharvaveda
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Atharvaveda
2. The later Vedic Age means the age of the compilation of
(a) Samhitas
(b) Brahmanas
(c) Aranyakas
(d) All the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) All the above
3. The Vedic religion along with its Later (Vedic) developments is actually known as
(a) Hinduism
(b) Brahmanism
(c) Bhagavatism
(d) Vedic Dharma
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Brahmanism
4. The Vedic Aryans first settled in the region of
(a) Central India
(b) Gangetic Doab
(c) Saptasindhu
(d) Kashmir and Punjab
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Saptasindhu
5. Which of the following contains the famous Gayatrimantra?
(a) Rigveda
(b) Samaveda
(c) Kathopanishad
(d) Aitareya Brahmana
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Rigveda
6. The famous Gayatrimantra is addressed to
(a) Indra
(b) Varuna
(c) Pashupati
(d) Savita
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Savita
7. Two highest ,gods in the Vedic religion were
(a) Agni and Savitri
(b) Vishnu and Mitra
(c) Indra and Varuna
(d) Surya and Pushan
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Indra and Varuna
8. Division of the Vedic society into four classes is clearly mentioned in the
(a) Yajurveda
(b) Purusa-sukta of Rigveda
(c) Upanishads
(d) Shatapatha Brahmana
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Purusa-sukta of Rigveda
9. This Vedic God was 'a breaker of the forts' and also a 'war god'
(a) Indra
(b) Yama
(c) Marut
(d) Varuna
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Indra
10. The Harappan or Indus Valley Civilisation flourished during the ____ age.
(a) Megalithic
(b) Paleolithic
(c) Neolithic
(d) Chalcolithic
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Chalcolithic
11. The first metal to be extensively used by the people in India was
(a) Bronze
(b) Copper
(c) Iron
(d) Tin
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Copper
12. Which of the following civilisations is net associated with the Harappan Civilisation?
(a) Mesopotamian
(b) Egyptian
(c) Sumerian
(d) Chinese
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Chinese
13. Of the following scholars who was the first to discover the traces of the Harappan Civilisation?
(a) Sir John Marshall
(b) RD Banerji
(c) A Cunningham
(d) Daya Ram Sahani
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Daya Ram Sahani
14. The Harappan Civilisation achieved far greater advancement than Sumer, Elam etc. on account of its
(a) town planning
(b) metal working
(c) weights and measures
(d) seals and figures
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) town planning
15. The town planning in the Harappan Civilisation was inspired by a regard for
(a) beauty and utility
(b) uniformity
(c) sanitation and public health
(d) demographic factor
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) sanitation and public health
16. The Indus or Harappan Civilisation is distinguished from the other contemporary civilisations by its
(a) town planning
(b) underground drainage system
(c) uniformity of weights and measures
(d) large agricultural surplus
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) underground drainage system
17. Match the location of the following Harappan sites:
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a)
18. The date of the Harappan Civilisation (2300-1750 BC) has been fixed based on
(a) Pottery design
(b) Stratification
(c) Aryan invasion
(d) Radio Carbon-14 dating
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Radio Carbon-14 dating
19. Most of the large Harappan towns had for fortifications which served the purpose of
(a) safety from robbers
(b) protection against cattle raiders
(c) protection against floods
(d) All the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) All the above
20. Cereal(s) grown by the people of the Harappan Civilisation was/were
(a) Wheat
(b) Rice
(c) Millet
(d) All the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) All the above
21. The utensils of the Indus Valley people were mainly made of
(a) clay
(b) copper
(c) bronze
(d) bras
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) clay
22. Which of the following metals was not known to the Indus valley people?
(a) gold
(b) silver
(c) copper
(d) iron
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) iron
23. Which of the following objects was not worshipped by the Indus valley people
(a) Mother Goddess
(b) Pashupati Shiva
(c) Trees such as Peepal and Acacia
(d) Trimurti
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Trimurti
24. At which of the following Harappan sites has a supposed dockyard been found?
(a) Kalibangan
(b) Lothal
(c) Suktagendor
(d) Sotka Koli
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Lothal
25. The economy of the Indus Valley people was based on?
(a) Agriculture
(b) Trade and Commerce
(c) Crafts
(d) All the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) All the above
26. The Harappan Civilisation declined as a result of
(a) Aryan invasion
(b) Decline in foreign trade
(c) Ecological factors
(d) Not definitely known factors
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Not definitely known factors
27. The most common animal figure found at all the Harappan sites is
(a) unihorn bull
(b) cow
(c) bull
(d) tiger
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) unihorn bull
28. The term Aryan, Indo-Aryan or Indo-European denotes a _____concept?
(a) Linguistic
(b) Racial
(c) Religious
(d) Cultural
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Linguistic
29. According to the most widely accepted view, the Aryans originally came from
(a) India
(b) Central Asia
(c) Central Europe
(d) Steppes of Russia
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Central Asia
30. Which of the following Vedas was compiled first?
(a) Rigveda
(b) Samaveda
(c) Yajurveda
(d) Atharvaveda
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Rigveda
31. The Vedic economy was based on
(a) trade and commerce
(b) crafts and industries
(c) agriculture and cattle rearing
(d) all the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) agriculture and cattle rearing
32. The normal form of government during the Vedic period was
(a) democracy
(b) republics
(c) oligarchy
(d) monarchy
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) monarchy
33. Two popular Assemblies of the Vedic period were
(a) Sabha and Mahasabha
(b) Mahasabha and Ganasabha
(c) Sabha and Samiti
(d) Ur and Kula
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Sabha and Samiti
34. The Indo-Greek Kingdom set up in north Afghanistan in the beginning of the second century BC was
(a) Scythia
(b) Zedrasia
(c) Bactria
(d) Aria
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Scythia
35. The beat specimens of Mauryan art are represented by their
(a) Stupas
(b) Pillars
(c) Chaityas
(d) Caves
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Pillars
36. Which of the following does not represent an important source material for the Mauryan period?
(a) Literary works
(b) Foreign accounts
(c) Numismatic evidence
(d) Epigraphic sources
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Numismatic evidence
37. According to Strabo, the Tamil kingdom to first send emissaries to meet Augustin in Athens in 20 BC, was
(a) Pallava
(b) Chola
(c) Pandya
(d) Chera
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Pandya
38. Who among the following was the founder of the Nanda dynasty?
(a) Mahapadma Nanda
(b) Ashoka Nanda
(c) Dhana Nanda
(d) None of the above
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Mahapadma Nanda
39. The word 'Veda' has been derived from the root word 'Vid' which means
(a) Divinity
(b) Sacredness
(c) Doctrine
(d) Knowledge
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Knowledge
40. The Kushan rule was brought to an end by
(a) The Nagas
(b) The Britishers
(c) Samudragupta
(d) The Hindu Shahi Dynasty
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) The Hindu Shahi Dynasty
41. Ashoka has been particularly Influenced by the Buddhist monk
(a) Ambhi
(b) Upagupta
(c) Asvaghosha
(d) Vasubandhu
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Upagupta
42. During Kanishka's reign, the centre of political activity shifted from Magadha to
(a) Delhi
(b) Ayodhya
(c) Kannauj
(d) Purushapura (Peshawar)
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Purushapura (Peshawar)
43. Which of the following Sanskrit language?
(a) Kushanas
(b) Mauryas
(c) Guptas
(d) Indo-Greeks
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Guptas
44. Who had got the Konark Sun Temple constructed?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Ashoka
(c) Narasimha Deva II
(d) Rajendra Chola
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Narasimha Deva II
45. Which one of the following sculptures invariably used green schist as the medium?
(a) Maurya sculptures
(b) Mathura sculptures
(c) Bharhut sculptures
(d) Gandhara sculptures
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Bharhut sculptures
46. Who among the following is known for his work on medicine during the Gupta period?
(a) Saumilla
(b) Sudraka
(c) Shaunaka
(d) Susrutha
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Susrutha
47. In the context of ancient Indian society, which one of the following terms does not belong to the category of the other three?
(a) Kula
(b) Vamsa
(c) Kosa
(d) Gotra
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Kosa
48. Who wrote Mrichchhakatika (Clay Cart)?
(a) Akbar
(b) Kalidas
(c) Sudraka
(d) Dandin
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Sudraka
49. After the partition of India, the largest number of Harappan towns and settlements have been found In
(a) Punjab
(b) Haryana
(c) Gujarat
(d) Uttar Pradesh
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Gujarat
50. The Indus Valley civilisation can be said to belong to the
(a) Paleolithic age
(b) Primitive age
(c) Neolithic age
(d) Bronze age
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Bronze age
51. Who among the following used to hold a religious assembly at Prayag every five year?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Harshvardhana
(c) Kanishka
(d) Chandragupta Vikramaditya
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Harshvardhana
52. Gautam Buddha as a prince was known as
(a) Gautam
(b) Siddhartha
(c) Rahul
(d) Suddhodhana
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Siddhartha
53. The Jatakas are a collection of stories
(a) Meant for children
(b) Based on pet Hindu myths
(c) About Jains saints
(d) Pertaining to several different earlier births of the Buddha
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Pertaining to several different earlier births of the Buddha
54. Architectural developments In India manifested themselves In their full glory during the period of the
(a) Guptas
(b) Nandas
(c) Mauryas
(d) Cholas
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Guptas
55. The deep transforming effect that the Kalinga War had on Ashoka has been described in
(a) Archaeological excavations
(b) Rock edicts
(c) Coins
(d) Pillar edicts
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Rock edicts
56. The proud title of 'Vikramaditya' had been assumed by
(a) Harsha
(b) Chandragupta II
(c) Kanishka
(d) Samudragupta
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Chandragupta II
57. In which region was the first metallic coin used In India?
(a) The Indo-Gangetic plain of central India
(b) The Himalayas
(c) Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh
(d) The Deccan Plateau
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) The Indo-Gangetic plain of central India
58. Which of the following was the first metal to be discovered and used as tools by humans?
(a) Iron
(b) Gold
(c) Tin
(d) Copper
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Copper
59. The philosophy propounded in the Upanishads is known as
(a) Advaita
(b) Vedanta
(c) Yoga
(d) Samkhya
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Vedanta
60. After the growth of the Vedic religion the most important development in the history of the so-called Hinduism was the development of
(a) Shaivism
(b) Saktism
(c) Bhagavatism
(d) Tantricism
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Bhagavatism
61. Bhagavatiam refers to worship of
(a) Vasudeva Krishna
(b) Brahma
(c) Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva
(d) Durga as Shakti
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Vasudeva Krishna
62. Vaishnavism, a later development of Bhagavatism, advocates the worship of
(a) Vishnu
(b) Ram and Krishna
(c) Vishnu and his incarnations
(d) Vishnu and Lakshmi
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Vishnu and his incarnations
63. The Hindu social sacraments such as marriage etc. are performed on the basis of the rituals described in the
(a) Rigveda
(b) Yajurveda
(c) Grihyasutras
(d) Upanishad
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Grihyasutras
64. The founder of Jainism was
(a) Rishbha
(b) Neminath
(c) Parsvanatha
(d) Vardhaman Mahavira
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Parsvanatha
65. Vardhamana Mahavira the 24th Tirthankar of Jainism was born at ____ and died at ____.
(a) Vaishali and Rajagriha
(b) Kusinara and Pava
(c) Kundagrama and Pava
(d) Kashi and Champa
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Kundagrama and Pava
66. The 'Three Jewels' (Triratnas) of Jainism are
(a) right faith or intentions, right knowledge and right conduct
(b) right action, right livelihood and right effort
(c) right thoughts, non-violence and non-attachment
(d) right speech, right thinking and right behaviour
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) right faith or intentions, right knowledge and right conduct
67. Of the five vows (Panch Anuvratas) of Jainism, four existed before Mahavira. The one which he added was
(a) not to kill (non-injury)
(b) not to steal
(c) non-attachment to worldly things
(d) celibacy
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) celibacy
68. In Jainism the aim of life is to attain Nirvana or Moksha for which one has to
(a) follow three jewels and five vows
(b) practice, non-violence and non-injury to all living beings
(c) renounce the world and attain right knowledge
(d) believe in the Jains and absolute non-violence
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) follow three jewels and five vows
69. Jainism was divided into two sects - Swetambaras (White-clad) and Digambaras (Sky clad or naked) - During the reign of the
(a) Nandas
(b) Mauryas
(c) Kusanas
(d) Shungas
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Mauryas
70. The name Buddha means
(a) enlightened
(b) learned
(c) divine
(d) sacred
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) enlightened
71. Match the events of the Buddha's life with the place a of their occurrence:
List-1 List-2
A. Birth (i) Kusinagar
B. Attainment of knowledge (ii) Sarnath
C. First Sermon (iii) Bodh-Gaya
D. Death (iv) Lumbini
d) iv iii ii i
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d)
72. Buddhism was divided into Mahayana and Hinayana during the reign of
(a) Asoka
(b) Kanishka
(c) Menander
(d) Harsha
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Kanishka
73. The great exponent of Mahayana Buddhism was
(a) Ashvaghosa
(b) Vasubandhu
(c) Nagarjuna
(d) Nagasena
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Nagarjuna
74. Jatakas are the stories of
(a) Buddha's life
(b) Buddha's previous lives
(c) The lives of the future Buddhas
(d) Great saints of Buddhism
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Buddha's previous lives
75. Outside India, Buddhism was first accepted in
(a) China
(b) Japan
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) Tibet
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Sri Lanka
76. In the sixth century BC northern India was divided into
(a) sixteen great states
(b) eight republican states
(c) both (a) and (b) above
(d) Anga and Magadha
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) both (a) and (b) above
77. Of all the states in northern India in 6th century BC which of the following states emerged as the most powerful?
(a) Anga
(b) Magadha
(c) Kashi
(d) Kosala
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Magadha
78. When Alexander invaded India, Magadha was being ruled by the
(a) Haryankas
(b) Sisunagas
(c) Nandas
(d) Mauryas
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Nandas
79. Chandragupta Maurya with the help of Chanakya decided to overthrow the Nandas because
(a) Chanakya had been humiliated by the Nandas
(b) the Nandas were low-born
(c) the Nandas had accumulated a great deal of wealth by extortion and oppression of the people
(d) Chanakya wanted to restore the ideal of Kshatriya rule
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) the Nandas had accumulated a great deal of wealth by extortion and oppression of the
people
80. The decline of the Nandas at the hands of Kautilya and Chandragupta Maurya has been vividly portrayed in the Sanakrit play written by Kalidasa
(a) Mudrarakshas
(b) Devichandragupta
(c) Malavikagnimitram
(d) Mrichhakatika
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Malavikagnimitram
81. Kautilya (also known as Vishnugupta and Chanakya) is the author of Arthasastra which has been compared with
(a) Plato's State
(b) Machiavelli's Prince
(c) Karl Marx's Das Kapital
(d) Hitler's Mein Kampf
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Machiavelli's Prince
82. Megasthanes, the ambassador of Selucus at the Mauryan court in Pataliputra, wrote an account of the period in his book
(a) Travels of Megasthanes
(b) Indika
(c) Indicoplecusts
(d) Both (b) and (c)
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Indika
83. Which of the following is the single most important source of the history of Ashoka?
(a) Sri Lankan chronicles Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa
(b) Buddhist works Divyavadana and Ashokavadana
(c) Inscriptions of Ashoka
(d) Archaeological Sources and the Puranas
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Inscriptions of Ashoka
84. After the Kalinga War, Ashoka decided never to wage any war because?
(a) After the conquest of Kalinga the political unity of Mauryan India had been achieved
(b) Ashoka felt apologetic about the destruction of men and material on both sides in the war
(c) He was moved by the violence, slaughter and sufferings to the combatants and non combatants in the war
(d) Shortly after the war he adopted Buddhism which was opposed to violence
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) He was moved by the violence, slaughter and sufferings to the combatants and non
combatants in the war
85. In his inscriptions Ashoka called himself
(a) Devanampriya Priyadarshi King
(b) Ashoka Priyadarshi
(c) Dhammasoka (Dharmasoka)
(d) Daivaputra
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Devanampriya Priyadarshi King
86. Ashoka’s claim to be one of the greatest rulers in world history life in the fact that
(a) his aims covered both the religious and secular aspects of life
(b) he worked for the material moral and spiritual uplift of the people
(c) after a single conquest he dedicated himself completely to the cause of peace
(d) he attempted to unify the people of different castes and communities into a bound of common moral ideal
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) after a single conquest he dedicated himself completely to the cause of peace
87. The moat important official post with vast responsibilities created by Asoka was
(a) Rajuka
(b) Yukta
(c) Dharamamahamatya
(d) Prativedaka
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Dharamamahamatya
88. The Mauryan sculptors had attained the highest perfection in the carving of
(a) floral designs
(b) pillars
(c) animal figures
(d) yaksha figures
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) animal figures
89. The most striking feature of the Ashokan pillars is their
(a) monolithic structure
(b) carving
(c) polish
(d) uniformity of workmanship
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) polish
90. Which of the following was not one of the actual cause for the decline of the Mauryan empire?
(a) Ashoka's pacifist policies
(b) Division of the empire after Ashoka
(c) Foreign aggressions particularly Greek
(d) Economic and financial crisis
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Ashoka's pacifist policies
91. Who usurped power from the Mauryas after killing the last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha?
(a) Pushyamitra Sunga
(b) Agnimitra
(c) Vasumitra
(d) Jyesthamitra
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Pushyamitra Sunga
92. The most famous Indo-Greek ruler of India, famous for his sense of Justice and dialogues with a Buddhist monk Nagasena (as described in the Buddhist work Milinda Panho) was
(a) Demetrius
(b) Menander
(c) Eukratises
(d) Heliocles
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Menander
93. The first great empire to the south of the Vindhayas was of the
(a) Cholas
(b) Cheras
(c) Pandyas
(d) Satavahanas
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Satavahanas
94. The greatest claim to fame of the Satavahanas is on account of
(a) Pursuing a tolerant religious policy and giving common patronage to Buddhism and Brahmanism
(b) Adoption of Prakrit as their court language in preference to Sanskrit
(c) Great economic prosperity and brisk inland and foreign trade
(d) Great contribution to Indian art as evident from the art of Amravati and Nagarjunakonda
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (c) Great economic prosperity and brisk inland and foreign trade
95. Mohenjo-Daro is situated in
(a) Montgomery district
(b) Larkana district
(c) Chandigarh area
(d) Gujarat
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Larkana district
96. Which of the following is the oldest of the Vedas?
(a) Sama Veda
(b) Atharva Veda
(c) Yajur Veda
(d) Rig Veda
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) Rig Veda
97. The family of the Rig Vedic Aryans was
(a) Patrilineal
(b) Patriarchal
(c) Matriarchal
(d) Matrilineal
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (b) Patriarchal
98. Gautama Buddha was brought up by
(a) Mahaprajapati
(b) Mayadevi
(c) Kundavi
(d) Sangamitra
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (a) Mahaprajapati
99. Mahavira was
(a) the 20th Tirthankara
(b) the 21st Tirthankara
(c) the 23rd Tirthankara
(d) the 24th Tirthankara
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) the 24th Tirthankara
100. The Phrsae the 'Light of Asia' is applied to
(a) Alexander
(b) Chandragupta Maurya
(c) Mahavira
(d) The Buddha
👁Answer
Correct Answer: (d) The Buddha
