1.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
Panini’s
Ashtadhyayi was written in the fifth century B.C.
2.
Nirukta’s
Yaska is a work that seeks to give etymological explanation to Vedic Sanskrit
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a)
1
only
(b)
2
only
(c)
Both
1 and 2
(d)
Neither
1 nor 2
2.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
Megasthenes,
in 4th century B.C. felt that the Indian society as a whole was
divided into seven different classes.
2.
He
says that out of the seven classes, philosophers were the most respected
3.
Brahmanas
were included in the group of philosophers
4.
Shramanas
were included in the group of philosophers
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
and 2 only
(b)
1,
2 and 3
(c)
1,
2 and 4
(d)
All of them
3.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
The
Indus civilization was the most extensive of the ancient riverine civilizations
2.
The
reference to the “land of the Meluhha” comes from Mesopotamian sources
3.
Sothi-Siswal
cultures in Rajasthan/Haryana, Kayastha culture in Central India pre-dated
Harappan civilization
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
1 and 2 only
(c)
2 and 3 only
(d)
1 and 3 only
4.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
The
city-plan of Dholavira differed from that of the other cities of Harappan
civilization
2.
A
short inscription in large-sized letters was unearthed at Dholavira and has
been described as a signboard
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
2
only
(c)
Both
1 and 2
(d)
Neither
1 nor 2
5.
Consider
the following statements concerning gana-sanghas in Ancient India.
1.
Gana-sanghas
were an alternative polity to the kingdoms of the second urbanization
2.
These
were systems where the heads of families belonging to a clan or several clans
governed the territory occupied by them through an assembly, of which they
alone were members
3.
While
the kingdoms of the second urbanization concentrated in the Ganges plain, the
gana-sanghas were located in the periphery of these kingdoms
4.
Brahmanical
sources approved the gana-sangha system of polity as they performed the
required rituals and observed the rules of varna
Which of the above statements is/are
true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
1
and 2 only
(c)
1,
2 and 3 only
(d)
All
of them
6.
Who
among the following was not a contemporary of Emperor Ashoka?
(a)
Phillip
II of Macedon
(b)
Antiochus
II Theos of Syria
(c)
Ptolemy
II Philadelphus of Egypt
(d)
Alexander
of Epirus
7.
Consider
the following statements concerning trade in Ancient India.
1.
The
discovery of Hippalus introduced a radical change in navigation as ships could
use the monsoon winds for mid-ocean crossing
2.
Periplus,
a Greek maritime geography belonged to the first century AD
3.
Broach,
was among the largest entrepots on the western coast and handled the bulk of
the maritime trade with West Asia
4.
Most
of the Roman coins found on excavations in Peninsular India belong to the
period of Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius
Which of the above statements is/are
true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
1
and 2 only
(c)
1,2 and 3 only
(d)
All
of them
8.
Consider
the following statements concerning Buddhist stupas.
1.
Stupas
should be built, strictly, only on top of a relic of Buddha himself
2.
Stupas
were objects of respect only, but not of worship
3.
As
with the case in Hindu temples, size was a pointer to power and prestige and
this was demonstrated in the huge sizes of certain stupas
4.
Stupas,
generally, do not offer much scope to an architect
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
and 2 only
(b)
2
and 3 only
(c)
3
and 4 only
(d)
1
and 4only
9.
Consider
the following statements concerning Gandhara art.
1.
The
mother of the Buddha resembled an Athenian matron in Gandhara depictions
2.
The
emergence of Gandhara art coincided with the introduction of multiple celestial
beings and heavens in Buddhist theology
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
2
only
(c)
Both
1 and 2
(d)
Neither
1 nor 2
10.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
The
Greek botanist Theophrastus gave details of the medicinal use of various Indian
plants and herbs in his “History of Plants”
2.
“Natural
History” was the work of Ptolemy
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
only
(b)
2
only
(c)
Both
1 and 2
(d)
Neither
1 nor 2
11.
Consider
the following statements concerning Varahamihira, the astronomer.
1.
His
works discussed cultivation of new crops such as indigo and methods of
water-divining
2.
Varahamihira’s
emphasis was on astronomy rather than astrology
3.
His
work “Panchasiddhantika” (Five schools of Astronomy) reflected a close
knowledge of Hellenistic astronomy
Which of the above statements is/are true?
(a)
1
and 2 only
(b)
2
and 3 only
(c)
1
and 3 only
(d)
None
of them
12.
Which
of the following is wrongly matched?
(a)
50
BC to 50 AD – Peak period of Roman trade with India
(b)
125
AD – Gautamiputra ruling the Satavahana kingdom
(c)
150-166
AD – Menander, the best known Indo-Green ruler
(d)
50
AD – Kharavela, King of Kalinga
13.
Which
of the following is wrongly matched?
(a)
Rasa
– a mood or an emotion evoked in creative literature, music and dance
(b)
Samsara
– cycle of transmigration
(c)
Bodhisattva
– voluntarily postpones release from rebirth
(d)
Rajasuya
– associated with the worship of Vishnu
14.
Who
among the following is NOT regarded as a Scholar-King?
a)
Amoghavarsha
I of Malkhed
b)
Somesvara
III of Kalyana
c)
Bhoja
of Dhara
d)
Narasimhavarma
I of Kanchi
15.
Which
of the following Chinese compared the two places of learning, Nalanda and
Valabhi, to the most famous educational institutions in China?
a)
Hieun
Tsang
b)
I-tsing
c)
Fa-Hsien
d)
Wang-hiuen-tse
16.
Which
of the following is wrongly matched?
a)
Political
treatise – Visakhadatta
b)
Lyric
poetry – Jayadeva
c)
Prose
romance – Dandin
d)
Historical
literature – Kalhana
17.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
The
term “jana” occurs at about 275 places in the Rig veda
2.
The
term “vis” finds no mention in the Rig veda
3.
The
term for family (kula) is mentioned rarely in the Rig veda
Which of the above statements is/are true?
a)
1
only
b)
1
and 2 only
c)
1
and 3 only
d)
2
and 3 only
18.
Consider
the following statements concerning Mauryan Administration.
1.
The
State enjoyed a monopoly in mining
2.
Irrigation
facilities was provided to the people, by the state, free of charge
3.
The
administration of Pataliputra was carried on by six committees of five members
each
Which of the above statements are true?
a)
1
only
b)
1
and 2 only
c)
2
and 3 only
d)
1
and 3 only
19.
Which
of the following places received a tribute (bali) exemption from Emperor Ashoka
on account of its association with Buddha?
a)
Saranath
b)
Lumbini
c)
Sanchi
d)
Gaya
20.
Who
among the following Greeks set up a pillar in honour of Vasudeva near Vidisa in
Madhya Pradesh around the middle of the second century B.C.?
a)
Apollodorus
b)
Diodorus
c)
Dionysius
d)
Heliodorus
21.
Which
one of the following is correctly matched?
a)
Strabo - Geography
b)
Diodorus - Periplus of Erythrean Sea
c)
Arrian - Library of History
d)
Pliny
the Elder - Indika
22.
Consider
the following statements.
1.
The
court language of the Guptas undoubtedly was Sanskrit
2.
Gupta
period saw development of Sanskrit grammar
3.
Amarakosha,
a Sanskrit work, belonged to the Gupta period
Which of the above statements are true?
a)
1
and 2 only
b)
2
and 3 only
c)
1
and 3 only
d)
All
of them
23.
Papanatha and Virupaksha are temples situated
in which of the following places?
a)
Khajuraho
b)
Pattadakal
c)
Kanchipuram
d)
Varanasi
24.
The
spread of which of the following is regarded as the most remarkable development
in the religious field in India from about the sixth century A.D.
a)
Sufism
b)
Bhakti
c)
Tantricism
d)
Agnosticism
25.
Which
among the following philosophical sects of ancient India argued that what is
not experienced by man through his sensual organs does not really exist?
a)
Samkhya
b)
Vaisesika
c)
Vedanta
d)
Lokayata
