History of Mauryan Age: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Ancient History)
3 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on History of Mauryan Age (Ancient History). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–3 of 3 questions
UPSC 2000Ancient History · History of Mauryan Age
Q1. Assertion (A): Ashoka annexed Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire. Reason (R): Kalinga controlled the land and sea routes to South India.
Explanation
Assertion (A) is true: Ashoka annexed Kalinga after the brutal Kalinga War (261 BCE), which deeply impacted him and led to his adoption of Dhamma (Buddhist principles). Reason (R) is true: Kalinga held a strategic position with control over important land and sea routes to South India, which made it economically and militarily significant. He retained Kalinga after its conquest and incorporated it into his empire over its sheer importance with respect to land and sea trade connectivity. Thus, R explains A. Hence, Option (a) is correct.
UPSC 2000Ancient History · History of Mauryan Age
Q2. The practice of military governorship was first introduced in India by the:
Explanation
Military governorship in ancient India, particularly during the periods of the Mauryan, Gupta, and Kushana empires, was a key feature of the administrative structure. Amongst the given options, Greeks were the first who introduced military governorship in India. They appointed their Governors called Strategos. These military governors had both military and administrative authority and were responsible for maintaining control and collecting taxes. The practice was further continued by subsequent foreign invaders and Indian rulers as well such as Sakas, Parthians and later Mughals.
UPSC 2000Ancient History · History of Mauryan Age
Q3. Which one of the following dynasties was ruling over North India at the time of Alexander’s invasion?
Explanation
The Alexander’s invasion of India in 326 B.C is a pivotal moment in ancient history, marking the encounter between Greek and Indian civilizations. At the time of Alexander’s invasion in 326 B.C., the northern part of India was under the rule of the Nanda dynasty (343 - 321 BCE). The king of the Nanda dynasty at the time of Alexander’s invasion of India was Dhanananda.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2000
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
2
2000
(a) Greeks
3
2000
(a) Nanda
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on History of Mauryan Age?
This page covers 3 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on History of Mauryan Age (Ancient History), asked from 1997 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for History of Mauryan Age?
Questions on History of Mauryan Age (Ancient History) are available for 10 years, from 1997 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
