Ancient History - MOST IMPORTANT NDA Previous Year Questions
Practice real questions from previous year exams of NDA.
📘 Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) / Harappan Culture📚 Seals, Script & Weights
Q1
Which among the following materials was used in making the Harappan seals?
🎯 NDA-I 2025
📘 The Mahajanapadas Period (c. 600-322 BCE)📚 16 Mahajanapadas
Q2
Which one among the following mahajanapadas in ancient India was an oligarchy ?
🎯 NDA-I 2025
📘 Buddhism📚 Symbols, Art & Architecture
Q3
Which one of the following sculptures found at Sanchi Stupa is NOT directly inspired by Buddhist ideas ?
🎯 NDA-I 2025
📘 The Mahajanapadas Period (c. 600-322 BCE)📚 Rise of Urban Centres
Q4
Consider the following statements about the emergence of urban centres in India from circa 6th Century BCE :
1. All of them developed away from the capitals of mahajanpadas.
2. Major towns were located along routes of communication.
3. Many were bustling centres of commercial, cultural and political activity.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 The Mauryan Empire (c. 322-185 BCE)📚 Archaeological Sources (Inscriptions, Sites)
Q5
Consider the following statements about ancient Indian inscriptions :
1. The earliest inscriptions are in Sanskrit.
2. Kharosthi script, used in inscriptions in the north-west, was deciphered with the help of coins of Indo-Greek kings who ruled over the area.
3. Most of the inscriptions mention grand, unique events, and routine agricultural practices do not find mention.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 The Mauryan Empire (c. 322-185 BCE)📚 Mauryan Administration
Q6
Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:
List-I (Unit in use in early India)
A. Muhurta
B. Raktika
C. Angula
D. Pada
List-II (Content)
1. Measure of weight
2. Measure of time
3. Metre of poetry
4. Measure of length
Code:
A B C D
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 Post-Mauryan Period (c. 200 BCE - 300 CE)📚 The Indo-Greeks
Q7
First coins in Indian history bearing the names and images of rulers were issued by the:
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 Post-Mauryan Period (c. 200 BCE - 300 CE)📚 Society and Economy
Q8
Which of the following statements with regard to the famous ‘silk routes' are correct?
1. Silk routes refer to East-bound European silk cargoes along these routes.
2. There were several silk routes, over land and by sea, joining together vast regions of Asia with Europe and northern Africa.
3. They are known to have existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost till the fifteenth century.
4. Besides silk, Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and South-east Asia travelled the same route.
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 Schools of Art and Architecture📚 Caves
Q9
Consider the following statements about Ajanta paintings :
1. The surface of the rock was coated with clay mixed with rice husk and gum and a coat of lime was applied over this.
2. The outline drawing was done first on the lime coating and colours were added subsequently.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
🎯 NDA-I 2024
📘 The Mahajanapadas Period (c. 600-322 BCE)📚 16 Mahajanapadas
Q10
Taxila was the capital of which one among the following Mahajanapadas of ancient India?
🎯 NDA-II 2024
📘 Post-Mauryan Period (c. 200 BCE - 300 CE)📚 The Kushanas (Kanishka)
Q11
Which one of the following statements about Rabatak inscription is not correct?
🎯 NDA-I 2023
📘 The Gupta Empire (c. 319 - 550 CE)📚 Literature, Science & Technology during Guptas
Q12
Who among the following was the author of the famous Sanskrit work 'Mrichchhakatika'?
🎯 NDA-I 2023
📘 Western & Central India Dynasties📚 Misc
Q13
Yashovarman was ruler of which one of the following kingdoms ?
🎯 NDA-I 2023
📘 Post-Mauryan Period (c. 200 BCE - 300 CE)📚 The Kushanas (Kanishka)
Q14
Near which one of the following cities in India have large statues of Kushana rulers been discovered?
🎯 NDA-I 2023
📘 The Mahajanapadas Period (c. 600-322 BCE)📚 System of Administration
Q15
Which one of the following was NOT a way in which kings in ancient India attempted to claim a higher status?
🎯 NDA-II 2023
📘 Buddhism📚 Important Sites
Q16
Consider the following statements regarding Sanchi and its archaeological findings :
1. When Sanchi was discovered in 1818, three of its four gateways were still standing, the fourth was lying on the spot where it had fallen
2. Animals depicted at Sanchi include elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
🎯 NDA-II 2023
📘 The Mauryan Empire (c. 322-185 BCE)📚 Ashokan Inscriptions and Sites
Q17
Which one of the following Ashokan Minor Rock Edicts, contains the personal name of the king - Ashoka ?
🎯 NDA-II 2023
📘 The Gupta Empire (c. 319 - 550 CE)📚 Literature, Science & Technology during Guptas
Q18
Arrange the following in correct chronological order
1. Charak Samhita
2. Bharat's Natyashastra
3. Sangam Literature
4. Ashtadhyayi
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
🎯 NDA-II 2023
📘 Deccan & South India Dynasties📚 Chola Dynasty
Q19
'Sengol', installed in the new Parliament building of India, was seen as a symbol of the path of service, duty and nation in which Empire of the past?
🎯 NDA-II 2023
📘 The Mauryan Empire (c. 322-185 BCE)📚 Literary Sources (Kautilya's Arthashastra, Megasthenes' Indica)
Q20
Arthashastra, the classical work of Indian political thought, focuses primarily on
🎯 NDA-I 2022