Previous Years UPSC Prelims Questions - Ancient Indian History [2013-2023]

The UPSC Prelims 2023 exam was held on 28th May 2023.  Candidates can check their UPSC results from the official website of the Union Public Service Commission.

Ancient Indian history is an important segment of the IAS Exam. Aspirants should prepare thoroughly for this section as it aids in answering questions on Art and Culture.

Candidates who are preparing for the UPSC 2024 can refer to the Previous Years’ questions and get an idea of the type of questions asked in the exam. 

The Ancient Indian History Questions that were asked in the IAS Prelims Paper-I are provided to you in this article for the years 2013–2023. Candidates can download the questions and their answers PDF given in this article for the IAS Exam preparation.

Get previous years’ subject-wise questions of UPSC Prelims from the links provided below:

Table of Content:

• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2022 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2021 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2020 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2019 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2018 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2017 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2016 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2015 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2014 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History 2013 Questions
• UPSC Prelims Ancient History Solutions 2013-2020

Below we will present Ancient Indian History Questions through the years.

Ancient Indian History UPSC Prelims Questions (Year-Wise)

Candidates can download the UPSC Prelims 2022 Answer Keys for GS I and GS II from the linked page.

Ancient History Prelims Questions of UPSC 2021 are provided below for your UPSC 2022 preparation.

1. Which one of the following ancient towns is well known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelising water into connected reservoirs?

(a) Dholavira

(b) Kalibangan

(c) Rakhigarhi

(d) Ropar

2. From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India?

(1) The Guptas of Magadha 

(2) The Paramaras of Malwa

(3) The Pushyabhutis of Thanesar

(4) The Maukharis of Kanauj

(5) The Yadavas of Devagiri

(6) The Maitrakas of Valabhi

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 5

(b) 1, 3, 4 and 6

(c) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 5 and 6

3. With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

(1) Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes. 

(2) In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim the right to the property during the lifetime of the father, whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim the right to the property. 

(3) The Mitakshara system deals with matters related to the property held by male members only of a family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male and female members of a family. 

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 3 only

4. With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous

(a) Jain monks

(b) playwrights

(c) temple architects

(d) philosophers

1. Which of the following phrases defines the nature of the ‘Hundi’ generally referred to in the sources of the post-Harsha period?

(a) An advisory issued by the king to his subordinates

(b) A diary to be maintained for daily accounts

(c) A bill of exchange

(d) An order from the feudal lord to his subordinates

2. Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

“Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely.”

(a) Ashoka

(b) Samudragupta

(c) Harshavardhana

(a) Krishnadeva Raya

3. With reference to the period of the Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were well known as

(a) ports handling foreign trade

(b) capitals of powerful kingdoms

(c) places of exquisite stone art and architecture

(d) important Buddhist pilgrimage centres

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2020:

1. Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

(a) Chanhudaro

(b) Kot Diji

(c) Sohgaura

(d) Desalpur

2. With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct?

(a) It was considered a source of income for the State, a sort of tax paid by the people.

(b) It was totally absent in the Madhya Pradesh and Kathiawar regions of the Gupta Empire.

(c) The forced labourer was entitled to weekly wages.

(d) The eldest son of the labourer was sent as the forced labourer.

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2019:

1. With reference to Indian history, who among the following is a future Buddha, yet to come to save the world?

(a) Avalokiteshvara

(b) Lokesvara

(c) Maitreya

(d) Padmapani

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2018:

1. With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct?

(1) Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them.

(2) Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron.

(3) Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2017:

1. Which one of the following books of Ancient India has the love story of the son of the founder of the Sunga Dynasty?

(a) Swapnavasavadatta

(b) Malavikagnimitra

(c) Meghadoota

(d) Ratnavali

2. In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs:

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2016:

1. Which of the following kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?

1. Avanti
2. Gandhara
3. Kosala
4. Magadha

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4

(d) 3 and 4 only

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2015:

1. Which of the following kingdoms were associated with the life of the Buddha?

1. Avanti
2. Gandhara
3. Kosala
4. Magadha

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

a. 1, 2 and 3

b. 2 and 4

c. 3 and 4 only

d. 1, 3 and 4

Candidates can get the notes on the relevant articles from where the ancient history questions were asked in IAS Prelims 2014:

1. Which of the following characterizes/characterize the people of the Indus Valley Civilization?

1. They possessed great palaces and temples
2. They worshipped both male and female deities
3. They employed horse-drawn chariots

Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below:

a. 1 and 2 only

b. 2 only

c. 1, 2 and 3

d. None of the statements given above is correct

The answers to UPSC Ancient History Questions asked in Prelims from the year 2013 to 2020 is given in the table below:

Aspirants can find the complete UPSC Syllabus through the linked article. More exam-related preparation materials will be found through the links given below