Ancient History › Society, Law & Administration – UPSC Prelims PYQs

5 questions · 1996–2026 · answers as per the UPSC key

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In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni (‘mistress of the field’) originate ?

(a) Rigveda
(b) Atharvaveda
(c) Ashtadhyayi
(d) Arthashastra
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Answer: (b) Atharvaveda

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra, which of the following are correct ?

  1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.
  2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
  3. 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
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Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

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 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 right to the property.
  3. The Mitakshara system deals with the 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
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Answer: (b) 2 only

With reference to the history of India, the terms “kulyavapa” and “dronavapa” denote

(a) measurement of land
(b) coins of different monetary value
(c) classification of urban land
(d) religious rituals
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Answer: (a) measurement of land

In the context of ancient Indian society, which one of the following terms does not belong to the category of the other three?

(a) Kula
(b) Vamsa
(c) Kosa
(d) Gotra
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Answer: (c) Kosa