Gupta Period is important part of Ancient Indian History and its syllabus. Previous Year Question (PYQ) papers are invaluable resources for aspirants preparing for competitive exams like the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. In this article we present important PYQ on Gupta Period.
UPSC PYQ on Gupta Period
Q- According to Kautilya’s Arthashastra, which of the following are correct? (2022)
- A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.
- If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
- If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to the legal status of the master’s son.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer- Option D
EXPLANATION
Statement 1 is correct. “Dandapranita,” states individuals could be enslaved as punishment for court fines, with various methods of enslavement including judicial punishment for criminal offenses.
Offspring born to a slave and their master were considered free individuals as per Arthashashastra. Thereby no longer subject to slavery.
Kautilya’s Arthashastra outline legal status regarding sons born to female slaves and their masters. Sons were entitled to the legal rights and status of the master’s own sons. So Statement 3 is correct.
Learn how to structure your answer properly, from here.
Q- With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs: (2022)
Historical person Known as
- Aryadeva : Jaina scholar
- Dignaga : Buddhist scholar
- Nathamuni – Vaishnava scholar
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) None of the pairs
(b) Only one pair
(c) Only two pairs
(d) All three pairs
Answer- Option C
EXPLANATION
Pair 1 is inaccurate: Āryadeva, a disciple of Nāgārjuna, played a pivotal role in the early development of Indian Madhyamaka philosophy during the 3rd century. The Madhyamaka school, adherents of which are known as Mādhyamikas, emerged as one of the primary branches of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
Pair 2 is accurate: Dignāga, who lived from around 480 CE to 540 CE, was a renowned Buddhist logician credited with writing the Pramāṇasamuccaya (“Compendium of the Means of True Knowledge”), a seminal work that established the groundwork for Buddhist logic.
Pair 3 is accurate: Nathamuni founded a Sanskrit-Tamil school in Srirangam, located in the Tamil Nadu state of India. This institution remains a significant Vaishnavite center in South India to this day.
Q- 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? (2021)
(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
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
After the decline of the Gupta Empire and before the rise of the Harshavardhana dynasty, several new ruling families emerged in different parts of Northern India. Among these, notable dynasties included the Pushyabhutis of Thaneshwar, the Maukharies of Kannauj, and the Maitrakas of Vallabhi.
The Maitrakas, once tributary chiefs under the Guptas, eventually established their own independent kingdom in western India.
The Maukharies held sway over Kanauj in western Uttar Pradesh, which gradually supplanted Pataliputra as a political hub in North India. Initially subordinate to the Guptas, they bore the title of samanta.
Another influential dynasty post-Gupta was the Pushyabhutis, with their capital at Thanesar. Prabhakarvardhana’s accession marked their ascendancy, as he managed to overcome the Hunas and solidify control over Punjab and Haryana.
Meanwhile, the Paramara dynasty held sway over Malwa and adjacent areas in west-central India from the 9th to the 14th centuries AD.
Q- With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2021)
(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
Answer- Option B
EXPLANATION
Statement 1 is incorrect. Mitakshara is the oldest school of Hindu law practiced widely in India except in West Bengal and Assam. Dayabhaga school of Hindu law primarily practiced in Assam and West Bengal. Both schools address inheritance issues among various caste groups.
Statement 2 is correct. Mitakshara school of inheritance, property is passed on to successors (coparceners) upon their birth into the family of the property holder, granting them inheritance rights during the father’s lifetime. Whereas, in the Dayabhaga school, property is inherited by successors only upon the death of the property holder.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Both Mitakshara and Dayabhaga address property rights for both males and females. Mitakshara is known for its orthodox stance it historically favored men and provided limited rights to women for inheriting property. Dayabhaga is considered a more liberal school that grants comparatively greater rights to women for inheriting property than Mitakshara.
Q- With reference to the period of the Gupta dynasty in ancient India, the towns Ghantasala, Kadura and Chaul were well known as (2020)
(a) ports handling foreign trade
(b) capitals of powerful kingdoms
(c) places of exquisite stone art and architecture
(d) important Buddhist pilgrimage centres
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
India received wealth from the Roman Empire via various ports situated in Western and Southern regions. Ports included Kalyan, Chaul, Broach, and Cambay in the West, with Chaul, associated with the Gupta dynasty. In the Andhra region, ports like Kadura and Ghantasala served as points of entry, while in the Pandya region, Kaveripattanam (Puhar) and Tondail were significant port cities. Therefore, the accurate response pertains to ports engaged in foreign trade.
Q- With reference to forced labour (Vishti) in India during the Gupta period, which one of the following statements is correct? (2019)
(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.
Answer- Option A
EXPLANATION
The State regarded Vishti as a revenue source, likening it to a tax levied on the populace. The Junagarh inscription highlights Vishti as a form of taxation, particularly extracted from the Gujarat and Malwa regions.
Under Vishti, authorities could compel individuals to serve as laborers without requiring the selection of the eldest son of the laborer. Forced labor were not entitled to receive any weekly wages.
Q- In the context of the history of India, consider the following pairs:
| Term | Description |
| Eripatti | Land, revenue from which was set apart for the maintenance of the village tank |
| Taniyurs | Villages donated to a single Brahmin or a group of Brahmins |
| Ghatikas | Colleges generally attached to the temples |
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
Answer- Option D
EXPLANATION
A Ghatika served as a center of learning, encompassing religious education, and typically had a smaller size compared to an Agrahara, which was a larger institution. Taniyurs, contrary to statement 2, were not large villages but rather distinct revenue units under the Chola administration.
Villages endowed to a single Brahmin or a group of Brahmins were termed as Brahmadeya, aligning with statement 1. Additionally, Eripatti referred to tank lands donated by individuals, with the revenue generated allocated for the upkeep of the village tank, thus corroborating statement 1.
Also read about UPSC PYQ on Fundamental Rights and DPSP.