PRELIM BITS

NDA Ancient History PYQs (2019 – 2025)

Question WITH Answer
Also Important for All other UPSC and State PSC Exams
By Roman
5/6/2025

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2019 (1) ....................................................................................................................... 2

2019 (2) ....................................................................................................................... 3
2020 (1 & 2) ................................................................................................................ 3
2021 (1) ....................................................................................................................... 4
2021 (2) ....................................................................................................................... 5
2022 (1) ....................................................................................................................... 5
2022 (2) ....................................................................................................................... 9
2023 (1) ..................................................................................................................... 14
2023 (2) ..................................................................................................................... 17
2024 (1) ..................................................................................................................... 22
2024 (2) ..................................................................................................................... 25
2025 (1) ..................................................................................................................... 29

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2019 (1)
1. In the Manusmriti which form of marriage results from the “Voluntary union of a maiden
and her lover” ?
A. Eighth form
B. Fifth form
C. Seventh form
D. Sixth form

Ans. D

Eight Types of Marriage in Dharmashastras (Including Manusmrti)

Brahma Marriage (Highest Form)
 After completing his Gurukulavasa, a student‘s parents seek a bride from a respectable
family.
 Kanyadana (gift of the daughter) is performed with no dowry or jewelry.
 No commercial transaction; marriage is for dharma (spiritual advancement).
 Considered the highest and most ideal form.

Daiva Marriage
 The bride is married to a Ritvik (priest) during a sacrifice.
 Parents, unable to find a groom, seek one at a yajna (sacrifice).
 Considered inferior to Brahma because the bride’s family actively seeks a groom.

Arsha Marriage
 The bride is given in exchange for two cows.
 Groom lacks remarkable qualities, and the family cannot afford a Brahma marriage.
 Not a sale but an exchange to fulfill customary law.

Prajapatya Marriage
 Bride’s father actively seeks a groom, unlike in Brahma marriage.
 Kanyadana occurs, but childbearing is emphasized (bride near menarche).
 Inferior to Brahma marriage.
 Father addressed the couple with the text, “May both of you perform your duties
together”, and has shown honour to the bridegroom.

Asura Marriage
 The groom pays a large sum (bride-price) to the girl‘s family.
 Groom is not a suitable match, but the family accepts due to financial incentives.
 Often used by wealthy men taking a second wife.

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Gandharva Marriage
 Love marriage based on mutual attraction. (The voluntary union of a maiden and her
lover … which springs from desire)
 Famous example: Shakuntala and Dushyanta.
 Allowed for Kshatriyas (warrior class).

Rakshasa Marriage
 Groom forcibly abducts the bride after defeating her family.
 Example: Krishna abducting Rukmini.
 Bride‘s consent is usually present.

Paishacha Marriage (Lowest Form)

 Man assaults an unconscious, intoxicated, or mentally incapacitated woman.
 No consent, no compensation to the family.
 Considered the worst and most sinful form.

Social Hierarchy and Justifications

 Brahma is the highest, Paishacha is the lowest.
 Different forms existed due to variations in temperament and social needs.
 Rakshasa and Paishacha were sometimes allowed for tribal communities.
 Kshatriyas were allowed Gandharva marriage and Svayamvara (bride chooses groom).
 Brahmins were restricted to Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, and Prajapatya marriages.

Marriage and Puberty in Dharmashastras

 Brahma marriage required pre-puberty marriage.
 Mantras in all forms of marriage refer to post-puberty rituals, leading to
misinterpretations.
 Reformists argued for post-puberty marriage, citing select scriptures out of context.
 Example: Chakrayana Usasti (Chandogya Upanishad) married a pre-puberty girl.

2019 (2)
No Qs Was Asked

2020 (1 & 2)
No Qs Was Asked

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2021 (1)
2. Which one of the following Harappan sites was a specialised centre for making shell
objects ?
A. Lothal
B. Balakot
C. Amri
D. Kot Diji

Ans. B

Harappan Crafts and Techniques : Shell Work

 Craft Items: Beads, bracelets, and decorative inlay work crafted from shell.
 Bangles: Often made from conch shell.
 Specialized Centers:
o Chanhudaro and Balakot prominent for shell work.
o Nageshwar (Jamnagar district, Gujarat) specialized exclusively in shell-working
and bangle production.
 Additional Evidence: Shell work also identified at Kuntasi, Dholavira, Rangpur, Lothal,
Nagwada, and Bagasra.

3. Which one of the following was not a part of the dhamma of King Ashoka ?
A. Honouring the king
B. Tolerance of religions other than one‘s own
C. Respecting Brahmanas
D. Promoting the welfare of his subjects

Ans. A

Ashoka's Policy Of Dhamma

 The word dhamma is the Pali form of the Sanskrit word dharma
 The word Dharma has multiple meanings in the literature and thought of ancient India.
The best way to understand what Ashoka the great means by Dharma is to read his
edicts, which were written to explain the principles of Dharma to the people of that
time throughout the empire.
 Dharma was not a particular religious faith or practice, or an arbitrary formulated royal
policy. Dharma related to generalized norms of social behavior and activities;
 The principles of Dhamma were formulated to be acceptable to people belonging to
different communities and following any religion.
 Dhamma was not given any formal definition or structure. It emphasized tolerance of

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and other as a marketplace.

o Nine gates with unique designs.
o Funerary architecture featuring tumulus —
hemispherical structures like the Buddhist
Stupas.
o Multi-layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in
construction and special burial structures.
o Longest inscription comprising ten large-sized signs of the
Harappan script. It was embedded on a three-meter-long board

Surkotada  Only site with HORSE REMAINS, Oval grave, Pot burials, Soldiers sign on
potsherd
(Gujrat)
 Surkotada also has the citadel and the lower town. Both of them are
joined (and not separated as in Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Kalibangan).

Kalibangan  Bangle factory, Ploughed field surface, Camel bones, Fire altars.
(Ghaggar)
Raj

11.Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists
:
List-I (Mahamatta) List-II (Function)

A. Anta-mahamatta 1. Women‘s welfare

B. Ithijhakha-mahamatta 2. Spread of Dhamma
C. Dhamma-mahamatta 3. Associated with city administration
D. Nagalauiyohalaka- mahamatta 4. In-charge of frontier areas

Ans. C

 Anta-mahamatta → Officials responsible for governing frontier areas of the empire.

 Ithijhakha-mahamatta → Dealt with women’s welfare and related social issues.

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 Dhamma-mahamatta → Spread and enforced Dhamma (Buddhist teachings and ethics).

 Nagalauiyohalaka-mahamatta → Connected to city administration and governance.

This classification is based on inscriptions from Ashoka’s reign (Maurya Empire).

12.Who among the following is the author of the Hastyayurveda ?

A. Palakapya
B. Vagbhata
C. Sushruta
D. Charaka

Ans. A

 The Hastyayurveda of Palakapya is a work consisting of 160 chapters.

 It deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the major diseases of elephants through
medication and surgery.

2023 (1)
13.Who among the following composed the „Prayag Prashasti‟ of Samudragupta ?
A. Harishena
B. Chand Bardai
C. Vishakhadatta
D. Kalidasa

Ans. A

Harisena (4th-century) [Q. 8]

 4th-century Sanskrit poet & government minister.
 Patron: Samudragupta
 Work:
o Allahabad Pillar inscription (Prayagya-Prashasti). Samudragupta achievements
are recorded in this inscription
o It also contains inscriptions of Ashoka and later, the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

14.Which one of the following statements about Rabatak inscription is not correct ?
A. It throws important light on Kushana genealogy.
B. It refers to Kanishka as ‗a king of kings and a son of God‘.
C. The 23-line inscription is written in Gandhari language.
D. It mentions names of States which were part of Kanishka‘s empire.

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Sangam Literature (c. 3rd century BCE – 3rd century CE)

 This corpus of Tamil literature was produced during the Sangam Age in South India.
 It primarily consists of poems and heroic ballads, compiled over several centuries.

Charak Samhita (c. 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE)

 Written by Charaka, it is a significant text on Ayurveda (Indian medicine).
 It was compiled during the Mauryan or early post-Mauryan period.

Bharat‟s Natyashastra (c. 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE or later)

 Composed by Bharata, it is an ancient text on drama, dance, and music.
 It was likely completed in the early Common Era.

23.„Sengol‟, installed in the new Parliament building of India, was seen as a symbol of the
path of service, duty and nation in which Empire of the past ?
A. Gupta Empire
B. Shunga Empire
C. Pandyan Empire
D. Chola Empire

Ans. D

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2025 (1)
31.Which among the following materials was used in making the Harappan seals?
A. Sandstone
B. Lapis lazuli
C. Jasper
D. Steatite

Ans. D

IVC : Seal Making

 Shape & Size
o Most seals are square/rectangular; average size ~2.54 cm, with some over 6.35 cm.
o Some seals feature a perforated boss at the back for handling or suspension.
o Other shapes: Cylindrical and round seals.
 Materials
o Primarily made from steatite; some examples in silver, faience, and calcite.
o Notable finds: Fine silver unicorn seals at Mohenjodaro; copper and soapstone
seals at Lothal.
 Manufacturing Process
o Stone was sawed and shaped with knives.
o Carving done with fine chisels and drills.
o Seals coated with alkali and heated for a white, lustrous finish.
o Carvings are in intaglio (sunken engraving with raised impressions).
 Motifs & Inscriptions
o Common motifs: Elephant, tiger, antelope, crocodile, hare, humped bull,
buffalo, rhinoceros, and the one-horned "unicorn."
o Additional designs: Composite animals, human figures, and plants.
o Most seals include a short inscription; some rectangular ones have writing without
motifs.

32.Which one among the following mahajanapadas in ancient India was an oligarchy?
A. Vajji
B. Kosala
C. Gandhara
D. Magadha

Ans. A

 The Vajji Mahajanapada was known for its oligarchic form of government, specifically a
ganasangha (a republic or confederacy), where power was shared among a group of nobles

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Early Buddhist sculptors avoided depicting Buddha in human form. Instead, they used aniconic symbols to
represent his presence and teachings. These symbols included
 Empty Seat – Representing the Buddha‘s meditation and enlightenment.
 Wheel (Dharmachakra) – Symbolizing Buddha‘s teachings and the turning of the Wheel of
Dharma.
 Tree (Bodhi Tree) – Representing the place of Buddha‘s enlightenment.
 Stupa – Symbolizing the Buddha‘s presence and his Mahaparinirvana (final passing).

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