History of the Vedic Period: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Ancient History)
1 previous year UPSC Prelims question on History of the Vedic Period (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.
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UPSC 2025Ancient History · History of the Vedic Period
Q1. With reference to ancient India (600-322 BC), consider the following pairs:
Territorial region
River flowing in the region
I. Asmaka
Godavari
II. Kamboja
Vipas
III. Avanti
Mahanadi
IV. Kosala
Sarayu
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Explanation
Pair 1 is correct: Asmaka (or Assaka) was one of the 16 Mahajanapadas, located in the Deccan region, corresponding to parts of present-day Maharashtra and Telangana. It was located on the banks of the Godavari River, particularly near Paithan.
Pair 2 is incorrect: Kamboja was located in the northwestern region (possibly near modern Afghanistan or parts of Tajikistan). The Vipas (modern Beas River) is located in present-day Punjab. It flows much further east than where Kamboja is believed to have been. Therefore, this river does not flow through Kamboja.
Pair 3 is incorrect: Avanti was one of the 16 Mahajanapadas, located in western Madhya Pradesh, with its capital at Ujjain or Mahishmati. The main river flowing in this region is the Chambal or Shipra, not Mahanadi. Mahanadi flows through Chhattisgarh and Odisha, far to the east of Avanti.
Pair 4 is correct: Kosala was located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, with capitals at Ayodhya and Shravasti. The Sarayu River (a tributary of the Ghaghara) flows through Ayodhya, so this match is correct
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2025
(b) Only two
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on History of the Vedic Period?
This page covers 1 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on History of the Vedic Period (Ancient History), asked from 1995 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 the Vedic Period?
Questions on History of the Vedic Period (Ancient History) are available for 8 years, from 1995 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
