MCQ
upsc-p1-history-gupta-empire MCQ - Practice Questions with Answers
Solve 10 upsc-p1-history-gupta-empire questions for RAS/RPSC preparation.
Practice questions
Q1With reference to Gupta-age art and architecture, consider the following statements: 1. All paintings at Ajanta were directly commissioned by Gupta emperors. 2. The Vishnu temple at Deogarh is associated with a panchayatana plan and early Nagara features. 3. The brick temple at Bhitargaon displays the use of brick and terracotta panels. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Deogarh links a late Gupta Vishnu temple with the panchayatana plan and early Nagara features, while Bhitargaon demonstrates brick construction with terracotta panels. Ajanta includes pre-Gupta phases and a major Vakataka phase within the broader Gupta-age artistic world, so direct Gupta imperial patronage cannot be assigned to all its paintings.
Q2Consider the following statements regarding the decline of Gupta authority: Statement I: Huna pressure by itself provides a complete explanation for the decline of the Gupta Empire. Statement II: Political decline brought Sanskrit literature, temple architecture and Buddhist centres to an end. Which one of the following is correct?
Both statements are incorrect. Huna attacks were one major factor, but succession disputes, fiscal strain, land grants and regional powers also weakened Gupta authority. Political fragmentation did not produce cultural darkness: Sanskrit literature, temple architecture, Puranic religion, Buddhist centres and regional arts continued in new courts.
Q3With reference to the Gupta economy, consider the following statements: 1. Gupta gold dinars by themselves establish widespread prosperity and everyday monetisation at village level. 2. Chandragupta II issued silver coins after defeating the Western Kshatrapas. 3. Merchant and artisan guilds remained relevant in donations, temples and administration. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Statements 2 and 3 are correct. The silver issues reflect Chandragupta II's conquest of western India and adaptation to an existing regional coin tradition. Guilds and urban notables also appear in economic, donative and administrative contexts. Gold dinars mainly illuminate elite and political activity; they cannot alone prove broad village-level monetisation or universal prosperity.
Q4Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below. List I (Site) (a) Sarnath (b) Udayagiri (c) Deogarh (d) Bhitargaon List II (Feature) 1. Brick temple with terracotta panels 2. Varaha relief connecting royal power and Vaishnava mythology 3. Buddha images with subtle robe lines and meditative expression 4. Vishnu temple associated with panchayatana plan and early Nagara features
Sarnath is noted for refined Buddha images; Udayagiri for the Varaha relief; Deogarh for the Vishnu temple linked with a panchayatana plan and early Nagara features; and Bhitargaon for brick construction and terracotta panels. Hence option A is correct.
Q5Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below. List I (Ruler) (a) Chandragupta I (b) Samudragupta (c) Chandragupta II (d) Skandagupta List II (Associated feature) 1. Repair of the Sudarshana lake mentioned in the Junagadh inscription 2. Lichchhavi marriage alliance and the title Maharajadhiraja 3. Lyrist and Ashvamedha coin types 4. Defeat of the Western Kshatrapas and issue of silver coins
Chandragupta I is associated with the Lichchhavi alliance and the title Maharajadhiraja; Samudragupta with lyrist and Ashvamedha coin types; Chandragupta II with the Western Kshatrapa victory and silver issues; and Skandagupta with the Junagadh record of the Sudarshana lake repair. Thus option C gives the complete matching.
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6Arrange the following in chronological order, from the earliest to the latest: (a) Composition of the Brahmasphutasiddhanta in the 7th century (b) Beginning of the Gupta era in 319-320 CE (c) Composition of the Aryabhatiya in 499 CE (d) Varahamihira's intellectual activity, usually placed in the 6th century Select the correct answer using the code given below.
7Consider the following statements regarding religion under the Guptas: Statement I: Gupta rulers' use of Vaishnava symbols proves that other religious traditions disappeared from the empire. Statement II: Buddhist, Jain, Shaiva and local traditions remained visible alongside Vaishnava royal imagery. Which one of the following is correct?
8Arrange the following rulers from the earliest to the latest in the Gupta dynastic sequence: (a) Skandagupta (b) Chandragupta I (c) Kumaragupta I (d) Samudragupta Select the correct answer using the code given below.
9With reference to science in and around the Gupta age, consider the following statements: 1. The Aryabhatiya is a work on mathematics and astronomy dated to 499 CE. 2. Varahamihira and Brahmagupta both belonged to the same Gupta imperial court as Aryabhata. 3. The Brahmasphutasiddhanta belongs to the 7th century. Which of the statements given above are correct?
10With reference to the Prayaga Prashasti, consider the following statements: 1. It indicates that every ruler defeated by Samudragupta was directly annexed. 2. It records that southern rulers could be defeated and then reinstated. 3. It presents tribute, homage and acknowledgement as forms of Gupta superiority. Which of the statements given above are correct?