CAPF 2023 (History) Qs

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CAPF 2023 [History] Qs
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1. Which one among the following statements with reference to the ‘Neolithic Period’ is not
correct?
A. The characteristic features of the period included ground and polished stone tools,
agriculture, animal domestication and pottery.
B. This period is also known as the ‗New Stone Age‘.
C. The characteristic features appeared almost at the same time in various parts of the
subcontinent.
D. Earliest evidence of agriculture is found from Mehrgarh around 8000 BCE.
Ans. C
INDIAN STONE AGE IS CLASSIFIED PRIMARILY INTO THREE TYPES

 On the basis of Geological Age, the type and technology of stone tools, and
subsistence base, the Indian Stone Age is classified primarily into three types →
o Old stone Age, Palaeolithic Age (5,00,000−10,000 BCE)
o Late Stone Age, Mesolithic Age (10,000−6000 BCE)
o New Stone Age, Neolithic Age (6,000−1000 BCE)
THE TRANSITION TO FOOD PRODUCTION: NEOLITHIC, NEOLITHIC–CHALCOLITHIC, AND

CHALCOLITHIC VILLAGES, (7000–2000 BCE)
 The Transition to Food Production in the Indian Subcontinent The neolithic age is generally
associated with food production, pottery, ground and polished stone tools and
sedentary living.
 In the Indian subcontinent, the roots of some of the features associated with the neolithic
can be traced to the mesolithic phase. There were references to the evidence of pottery
and animal domestication at certain mesolithic sites. On the other hand, there were
some some neolithic sites without pottery.
 The beginnings of animal and plant domestication did not mean the end of the hunting-
gathering way of life. Communities that practised animal rearing and agriculture usually
continued to hunt and forage for food. Moreover, there were numerous communities who
retained their hunting-gathering way of life and never switched over to domestication at all.
 Since we are dealing with a vast expanse of time, and in order to convey the idea of the
complex and variegated cultural mosaic, the discussion of food-producing agricultural–
pastoral communities of the subcontinent has been divided into three overlapping
phases →
o Phase I (7000–3000 BCE)
o Phase II (3000–2000 BCE; and
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o Phase III (2000–1000 BCE onwards).
EARLIEST VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT (7000–3000 BCE)

 Mehrgarh (Pak)
o Several sites in Baluchistan illustrate the change from a semi-nomadic pastoral life
towards settled agriculture. The oldest and best documented evidence comes
from Mehrgarh
o This site is located in the Bolan valley in the northern part of the Kachi plain, near
the point where the river emerges from the hills through the Bolan pass.
o Seven occupational levels were identified, giving striking evidence of

continuous occupation and of cultural continuity and change over many
millennia.
o Periods I and II at Mehrgarh are considered neolithic, even though there is a small
amount of copper present.
o Period I (sub-divided into Periods IA and IB) →
 The chronology of this phase is somewhat uncertain due to inconsistent

radiocarbon dates. The majority of the dates fall between 6000 and 5500 BP
(c. 5000 BCE, calibrated).
 The people of Period I (this includes both Periods IA and IB) lived in houses
made of handmade mud-bricks with small, rectangular rooms. The bricks
used for house walls were of a standardized size, with distinctive rounded
ends and finger impressions on their upper surface. Some of the structures
divided into small units may have been granaries.
 The stone tools of Period I included thousands of Microliths, most of them

based on blades.
 A few ground neolithic handaxes (celts) were also found. Some of the blades
were set into wooden handles with a thick layer of bitumen and may have
been used as sickles to harvest grain. Grinding stones indicate food
processing.
 Bone tools, including needles and awls, were also found, as was a handmade
clay female figurine.
 Mehrgarh I was basically a-ceramic, i.e., it had no pottery; the first few
pieces of pottery appeared in Period IB.
 The people of Period I buried their dead in the open spaces between their
houses. The bodies were placed in oval pits in a flexed (bent) position.
o The bones were often covered with red ochre, suggesting some sort of fertility
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beliefs.
o In at least two burials, young goats had been placed near the feet of the body.
Grave goods included bitumenlined baskets and food offerings, and
ornaments.
o The occurrence of turquoise and lapis lazuli beads is especially interesting.
 The lapis lazuli could have come from the Chagai hills in north Baluchistan
or from Afghanistan. Turquoise could have come from eastern Iran or
central Asia. The nearest source of marine shells is the Makran coast, about
500 km away. The presence of such items in the graves indicates that the
people of Mehrgarh were engaged in some amount of long distance
exchange.
o There are some instances of double burials and also of secondary burials, where
the bones of one or more people were collected and buried after exposing the
body to the elements.
o Period II (6000–4500 BCE) →
 Period II at Mehrgarh, dated c. 6000–4500 BCE, is divided into three sub-

phases—A, B, and C.
 The size of the settlement increased during this period and there were
several mud-brick structures divided into small cell-like
compartments. Some of these may have been houses, but others may
have been used for storage.
 The stone and bone tool types of Period I continued.
o Mehrgarh III (2nd half of the 5th millennium BCE) →
 Period III had storage complexes divided into compartments, similar to

those of earlier phases. A large cemetery containing the burials of about 99
people shows changes in burial practices.
 Ornaments, mostly made of steatite microbeads, occurred frequently

among the grave goods. There were also pendants of lapis lazuli,
carnelian, turquoise, chrysoprase, agate, terracotta, and seashell.
o Period IV onwards
 The evidence from Period IV onwards shows a further expansion of the

settlement, diversification of agriculture and crafts, and more and better
decorated pottery.
 In Period IV, there were larger structures, with rooms separated from each
other by wide walls and doors with wooden lintels.
 The pottery of Period IV included polychrome wares.
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 A new style of terracotta female figurines with a tubular body, pinched nose,
and joined legs made its appearance. There are continuities in pottery designs
between Periods IV and V.
 In Period VI, there were some changes—the appearance of a red ware

decorated with pipal leaves, and a well-fired grey ware. This is also the
time when similar styles of pottery began appearing in various parts of
Baluchistan, suggesting an increase in interaction
Period I-III is that they provide the earliest and most comprehensive evidence of subsistence
activities in the region, revealing the transition from hunting and food gathering to
a heavy reliance on animal domestication and agriculture.
Thousands of plant specimens were collected in the course of the Mehrgarh excavations. These
included charred grains and seeds as well as impressions of grain on mud-brick. Barley seems to
have been the most important crop. Wheat was another important crop. Seeds of ber (Zizyphus
jujube) and dates (Phoenix dactylifera) were also found.
Not much is known about the methods of cultivation practised by the neolithic and early
chalcolithic people of Mehrgarh. Farmers must have relied on winter rains and may have
channelized water into their fields by building mud or stone embankments similar to the
gabarbands made in the region today. Stone sickles made by hafting tiny microliths onto wooden
handles with bitumen must have been used for harvesting grain.
Neolithic Mehrgarh gives clear evidence of the transition from hunting to animal domestication.
The lower levels of Period I were dominated by the bones of wild animals— deer (mostly gazelle,
but also some blackbuck, sambar, and chital), nilgai, goat, onager (wild ass), water buffalo,
cattle, pig, and perhaps elephant. There is also evidence of domesticated goats, and the
decreasing size of sheep and cattle suggests that their domestication too was underway. Cattle
were now the most important domesticated animal.
2. Which one of the following Political centers, finds a mention in Ashokan inscriptions ?
A. Indraprastha
B. Kaushambi
C. Suvanagiri
D. Kandahar
Ans. C
 The Ashoka‘s inscriptions suggest that the Maurya empire was divided into provinces
under governors. There seem to have been at least four provinces
o Taxila / Uttarapatha (north-western India),
o Suvarnagiri / Dakshinpatha (southern India),
o Tosali / Prachyapatha (eastern India present day Odisha), and

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o Ujjain / Avantipatha (western India) &

o During Ashoka’s reign, a fifth province of Kalinga was added
 The head of the provincial administration was viceroy, who was in charge of law and
order, and collection of taxes for the centre. He was generally a prince from the royal
family and was assisted by Mahamattas and a council of ministers.
 The provinces were further divided into divisions headed by Pradeshikas, who had no
advisory council.
 Divisions were divided into districts under officials called Rajukas & was assisted by
Yuktas (clerks) in accounting, secretarial, and other miscellaneous works.
 Districts were in turn divided into groups of 5 or 10 villages headed by Sthanikas (who
collected taxes), and were assisted by Gopas (who maintained proper records and
accounts).
 The lowest administrative unit was the village, headed by Gramini/Gramika on the
consultation of Grama-vriddhas (village elders).
 The Maurya administration was thus structurally in the nature of a pyramid with
the Gramini at the bottom and the king at the top.
 However, it is not sure whether the entire Indian sub-continent had similar type
of administration. It seems that while the central province of Magadha was under
strict supervision of the king, other far-flung areas might have witnessed varied degree
of administrative control.
Sthaniya (800 villages) → Drona Mukha (400 villages) → Kharvatika (200 villages) →
Samgrahana (10 villages)
 The municipal administration of Pataliputra, the capital city of Mauryas, was of a unique
character.
 The city administration of Pataliputra, according to Megasthenes and corroborated by
Arthashastra, was conducted by Six Committees of five members each. Each committee
was assigned different subjects such as →
o Industry,
o Foreigners,
o Birth and Death Registration,
o Trade And Market Regulations &
o Tax Collection
3. Which one of the following statements with reference to the ancient Indian coins is not
correct?
A. The Indo-Greeks issued the first coins bearing the name and images of rulers.
B. The Kushanas issued the first gold coins.
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C. The Kushana gold coins were different in weight from the coins issued by contemporary
Roman emperors.
D. These Kushana gold coins have been found from several sites in north India, and central
Asia
Ans. B
IMPACT OF INDO-GREEK RULE

 First rulers in India to issue coins (gold, silver, copper, and nickel) which can be definitely
attributed to any dynasty and were also the first to issue gold coins in India (which
increased in number under the Kushanas). They were also first to use names of rulers on
coins
o Though it was the Indo- Greeks who introduced gold coins in India, it was the
Kushanas who were the first rulers in India to issue the gold coins on such
a wide scale.
 They introduced new features of Hellenistic art and literature such as Gandhara art
in the north-west frontier of India, which was not purely Greek, but rather it was the
outcome of the intermingling and influence of both Indian and central Asian contacts.
 The Hellenistic Greeks are also known for their monumental buildings and their
small, finely-crafted objects
 Also introduced Practice of Military Governorship (the governors were called
strategos).
4. Consider the following statements about the practice of Vedic sacrifices :
1. The shrauta (Vedic sacrifices) involved the use of three fires — the garhapatya
(householder‘s fire), ahavaniya (offeratorial fire) and dakshinagni (southern fire).
2. These fires were supposed to be placed in pits of different shapes, i.e., the garhapatya to be
square, ahavaniya to be round and that of the dakshinagni, rectangle-shaped.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. A
VEDIC SACRIFICES
 The elaborate shrauta (Vedic) sacrifices involved the use of three fires →
o The Garhapatya (householder‘s fi re),
o Ahavaniya (offeratorial fire), and
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o Dakshinagni (southern fi re).
 These fires were supposed to be placed in pits of different shapes.
o The pit for the garhapatya was supposed to be round
o The ahavaniya squarenand
o The dakshinagni crescent shaped.
 The position of the fires and everything else was fi xed. The garhapatya was located in the
west, the dakshinagni in the south, and the ahavaniya to the east. The garhapatya was lit fi
rst of all, and the other two fi res were then lit from its coals. The vedi was a rectangular
area with concave sides, situated between the garhapatya and ahavaniya fi res. It was
covered with sacred grass, and the equipment required for the sacrifi ce was placed here.
The positions of the priests such as the Hotri (the priest of the Rig Veda, responsible for
recitation), the Adhvaryu (the priest of the Yajur Veda, responsible for the various ritual
actions), the Udgatri (priest of the Sama Veda, responsible for the singing), and the
Brahmana were specifi ed. The yajamana and his wife also had their assigned places.
5. Which one of the following commissions was not associated with public services in India ?
A. Aitchison Commission
B. Islington Commission
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C. Lee Commission
D. Radhakrishnan Commission
Ans. D
RADHA KRISHNA COMMISSION (1948)

 Radha Krishna Commission was established to investigate the situation of Indian
university education and make recommendations for improvements. Dr. Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan was named Chairman of the Commission on University Education. After India
attained independence on August 15, 1947, the University Education Commission requested
Dr. Radhakrishnan to serve as its chair.
6. Who among the following was known as ‘Lokhitwadi ?

A. Keshub Chandra Sen
B. Gopal Hari Deshmukh
C. M.G. Ranade
D. Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
Ans. B
GOPAL HARI DESHMUKH ‘LOKAHITWADI’ (1823-1892)

 Deshmukh was an Indian activist, thinker, social reformer and writer from Maharashtra.
His original surname was Shidhaye.
 Because of 'Vatan' (right of Tax collection) that the family had received, the family was
later called Deshmukh.
 Deshmukh is regarded as an important figure of the Social Reform Movement in
Maharashtra.
Career [All this is imp for prelim]

 Deshmukh started his career as a translator for the government then under British Raj. In
 1867, the government appointed him a small cause judge in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
 He worked as a Diwan also in Ratlam state.
 The government had commended him with the honorifics 'Justice of Peace' and
'Raobahadur' while he was still working.
 He retired as a sessions judge. He held many other important positions, including those of
the Assistant Inam Commissioner, Joint Judge of Nasik High Court, and Member of the
Law Council
Social work in Maharashtra

 At age 25, Deshmukh started writing articles aimed at social reform in Maharashtra in
the weekly Prabhakar under the pen name Lokhitawadi
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 In the first two years, he penned 108 articles on social reform. That group of articles has
come to be known in Marathi literature as Lokhitawadinchi Shatapatre.
 He promoted emancipation (liberation) and education of women, and wrote

against arranged child marriages, dowry system, and polygamy, all of which
were prevalent in India in his times.
 Deshmukh founded a public library in Pune under the leadership of the then governor
of the state of Bombay, Henry Brown.
 He took a leadership role in founding Gyan Prakash, Indu Prakash, and Lokhitwadi
periodicals in Maharashtra.
Social work in Gujarat

 While Deshmukh was serving as a judge in Ahmedabad, he organized in that city annual
speech conferences on social issues under the sponsorship of Premabhai Institute, and
also himself delivered speeches.
 He established in Ahmedabad a branch of Prarthana Samaj, founded an institute
promoting remarriages of widows, and invigorated Gujarat Vernacular Society.
 He started a weekly Hitechchhu in both Gujarati and English.
 He also started " Gujarati Budhhi-Wardhak Sabha".
Books
 Deshmukh wrote 35 books on diverse topics, including religious, social, economic,
political, historic, and literary matters.
 He wrote Panipat war, Kalyog, Jatibhed, Lankecha Itihas.
7. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists
:
Harappan Site Location
A. Nageshwar 1. Uttar Pradesh
B. Alamgirpur 2. Rajasthan
C. Kalibangan 3. Saurashtra
D. Rakhigarhi 4. Haryana
Code
A B C D
(a) 3 1 2 4
(b) 4 2 1 3
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(c) 4 1 2 3
(d) 3 2 1 4
Ans. (a)
8. Which one of the following pairs of books and their authors is not correctly matched ?
A. Bandi Jiwan = Sachindranath Sanyal
B. The Philosophy of the Bomb = Bhagwati Charan Vohra
C. Indian Unrest = Annie Besant
D. Desher Katha = Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar
Ans. C
 Shachindra Sanyal = Bandi Jeevan (A Life of Captivity, 1922).
 Bhagwati Charan Vohra = The Philosophy of the Bomb
 Valentine Chirol = Indian Unrest (stated Tilak the father of Indian unrest)
 Desher Katha Book = Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar
SAKHARAM GANESH DEUSKAR (1869-1912)

 He was a close associate of Sri Aurobindo.
 He studied in the Deoghar School and later became a teacher there.
 He published a book named 'Desher Katha' and described the British commercial
and industrial exploitation of India in exhaustive detail.
 Desher Katha Book →

o This book was first published in June 1904 and ten thousand copies were wold in
just four editions within the year.
o It had an immense effect on young minds during the Swadeshi Movement.
o It also informed people about swadeshi street plays and folk songs and had
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assumed the status of mandatory reading for an entire generation of swadeshi

activists.
o The fifth edition came out in 1905. However, the government of Bengal banned the
book in 1910 and confiscated all the copies.
 The book included how the British ruthlessly exploited India, commercially and
industrially, in the course of their rule.
 It also summarized the work of M. G. Ranade and D. Naoroji in a popular idiom and
warned in its concluding chapter against the colonial state‘s ―hypnotic conquest of the
mind.‖
 Sakharam Deuskar was the first person to bring the name of Swaraj, and Sri Aurobindo
was the first to relate it with its English equivalent.
o Deuskar used desh to mean nation. The overlap of the place of origin and nation,
as well as jati (literally birth, family, or caste) and nationality, inflected understandings
of the nation/country in distinct ways.
o Moreover, the constant overlap and conflation of Bengal and India, and Bengalis and
Indians in the use of desh and jati, added further twists to notions of nationalism.
BHAGWATI CHARAN VOHRA (1903 -1930)
 Indian revolutionary, associated with Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He

was an ideologue, organiser, orator and a campaigner.
 Vohra left college to join the non-cooperation movement in 1921, and after the
movement was called off, joined National College, Lahore where he got a BA degree. It was
there that he was initiated into the revolutionary movement.
 He along with Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev started a study circle on the model of the
Russian Socialist Revolution.
 In 1926, when the Naujawan Bharat Sabha revolutionary organization was formed by his
friend, he was appointed the propaganda secretary of the organization.
 On 6 April 1928, Vohra and Bhagat Singh prepared the manifesto of Naujwan Bharat
Sabha and urged the young Indians to have the triple motto "service, suffering,
sacrifice", as their sole guide to achieve the goal of independence.
 In September 1928, many young revolutionaries met at Ferozshah Kotla ground in Delhi
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and reorganized the Hindustan Republican Association into the Hindustan Socialist
Republican Association (HSRA) under the leadership Chandrashekhar Azad. Vohra was
appointed Propaganda Secretary and prepared the HSRA manifesto that was widely
distributed at the time of the Lahore Session of the Congress
Philosophy of bomb
 In 1929 he rented room No. 69, Kashmir Building, Lahore and used it as a bomb factory.
He planned and executed the 23 December 1929 bomb blast under the train of
Viceroy Lord Irwin on the Delhi-Agra railway line.
 The viceroy escaped unhurt and Mahatma Gandhi thanked God for the narrow escape,
condemning the revolutionary act through his article The Cult of Bomb.
 In response to Gandhi's article, Vohra, in consultation with Azad, wrote an article entitled
The Philosophy of Bomb. It appealed to youths to come forward and join them.
VALENTINE CHIROL
 Was a British journalist and author who had described Bal Gangadhar Tilak as the ‗father
of Indian Unrest’ in his book ‗Indian Unrest‘.
 Objecting to the above comment, Tilak brought up a civil suit against him in London. The
case was later dismissed by the King‘s Bench.
SACHINDRA NATH SANYAL

 Resident : Bengali Brahmins
 He was the Co-founder of the Hindustan Republican Association. HRA was created to
carry out armed resistance against the British Empire in India.
o Other founder were : Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Sachindra Nath Bakshi,
Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee.
 Sanyal founded a branch of the Anushilan Samiti in Patna in 1913.
 In 1912 Delhi Conspiracy Trial, Sanyal with Rashbehari Bose attacked the then Viceroy
Hardinge.
 He was extensively involved in the plans for the Ghadar conspiracy, and went
underground after it was exposed in February 1915. He was a close associate of Rash
Behari Bose.
 He was a mentor for revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh.
 Sanyal and Gandhi engaged in a famous debate published in Young India between 1920
and 1924. Sanyal argued against Gandhi’s gradualist approach.
 He sentenced to jail in the Cellular prison in Andaman & Nicobar Island. There he wrote
his famous book titled Bandi Jeevan (A Life of Captivity, 1922). He was briefly released from
the jail since then.
 Sanyal was once again incarcerated in 1925 and sent to the Cellular prison in the
Andamans for being allegedly involved in Kakori conspiracy.
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 Sachindra Nath Sanyal died while serving his second term in cell prison on February 7, 1942.
9. Which of the following is/are important markers for the archaeologists to identify an
archaeological site as a "center of craft production’ ?
1. Evidence of raw materials such as stone nodules, whole shells, etc.
2. Geographical expanse of the site
3. Evidence of unfinished objects, rejects and waste material
4. Evidence of variety of pottery
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 4 only
D. 3 only
Ans. ?
10.Consider the following statements with reference to Jainism :

1. Vardhamana Mahavira attained Kaivalyajnana outside the town of Jrimbhikagrama, on the
banks of river Rijupalika and in the field of a householder named Samaga.)
2. The state when the Karma particles actually begin to flow towards the Jiva to bind it is
known as Asrava.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. C
LIFE OF MAHAVIRA
 Vardhamana was born around 540 BCE in Kundagrama, a suburb of Vaishali, Vajji [in
present-day Bihar].
 He was a member of the ruling family of a Gana-Sangha and his father Siddhartha was
the chief of the Jnatrika clan.
 Trishala, also known as Videhadatta, Priyakarini, or Trishala Mata (Mother Trishala), was
the mother of Mahavira. As per Indologist Hermann Jacobi, Vardhaman Mahavira's
mother Trishala was sister of King Chetaka king of the Licchavi tribe. His third wife,
Kshema, was a daughter of the chief of the Madra clan of Punjab.
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 Mahavira was closely connected to rulers of Magadha, Anga and Videha through his
mother.
 He left his home at the age of 30 and wandered about as a mendicant for 12 years in
search of true knowledge. He practiced severe austerities and discarded his garments.
 During the course of his wanderings, he met Gosala and spent six years with him before
they parted due to differences.
 Digambara and Shvetambara traditions both describe Vardhamana as wandering about

for about 12 years, practising severe austerities, including meditation and fasting. He is
supposed to have attained kevalajnana (infinite knowledge, omniscience) outside the town
of Jrimbhikagrama, on the banks of the Rijupalika River under a sal tree, in the field of a
householder named Samaga. He then became a Tirthankara and came to be called a
Jina or Mahavira (the Great Conqueror).
 He preached for 30 years and was patronised by the rich and the elite.
 He died about 468 BCE at the age of 72 in Pavapuri near Rajgriha.
 He fasted unto death (Sallekhana) according to Jaina ideals. His death or final liberation
was a joyous event for the Jains.
JAINA PHILOSOPHY ON JIVAS (SOUL)

 Jaina philosophy conceives of an infinite number of jivas. The jiva does not have a form
of its own. In the way in which light from a lamp fills up a room, it acquires the size and
form of the body it inhabits and becomes co-extensive with it.
 The jiva has three main qualtities—consciousness (chaitanya), bliss (sukha), and energy
(virya).
 Jaina doctrine holds that jivas transmigrate due to karma, but its ideas of
transmigration and karma are unique. Karma is understood as consisting of material
particles floating about in space.
 Karmic matter is of different kinds; some have a directly negative effect on the jiva,
others do not.
 The major culprits are the mohaniya (delusion-causing) karmas. The karma particles
obscure and obstruct the consciousness, bliss, and energy of the jiva, in the in which
dust mars the reflective power of a mirror. The karma particles are attracted towards
the jiva due to its association with the passions, desire, and hatred. The state when the
karma particles actually begin to flow towards the jiva to bind it is known as asrava
(flow).
 A jiva associated with karma particles is considered to be a jiva in bondage (bandha).

Some jivas have an important quality known as bhavyatva—the capability of becoming
free—that does not get affected or overwhelmed by the karma particles.
 By exertion and right knowledge, the influx of fresh karma can be stopped (samvara).
 The next stage is that of nirjara (wearing out). In successive stages, though a transformation
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of consciousness and behaviour, the jiva can move from bondage to liberation. When the
last karma particle has moved away from the jiva, ignorance disappears, and it is restored to
its omniscient, ideal state. The cycle of samsara is broken and moksha is attained. The
ladder leading from ignorance to omniscience is visualized as having 14 rungs or stages of
purification called gunasthanas. One who has entered the 13th stage of kevalajnana is
known as an arhat.
 An arhat who has also already acquired the capability of teaching the doctrine is known as a
tirthankara. The 14th stage is achieved by an arhat immediately before his death, when
he is liberated from all activity and from the last few remaining karma particles. The
final abode of liberated souls is a world called siddha-loka.
11.Consider the following pairs with reference to textiles in Southern India
Tax Meaning
1. Panjupeeli on cotton yarn
2. Nulayam on cotton thread
3. Tari kadamai on silk clothes
4. Sella on silk thread
Which of the pairs given above is/are correct ?
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, and 4
Ans. B
 Panjupeeli = a tax on cotton yarn
 Nulayam = a tax on cotton thread
 Tari Pudavai = Tax on cloth
 kaibanna or bannige = a tax on dyers
 Pattadai Nulayam = levied on silk thread
 Tari irai or tari kadamai = loom tax
 Sella = Muslins
WEAVERS AND WEAVING IN EARLY MEDIEVAL TAMIL NADU

 The most important weaving communities in early medieval times in the Tamil Nadu
area were the Saliyar and Kaikkolar.
17
 During the Chola period, the latter seem to have combined the vocations of weavers and
soldiers. Weavers had their own residential sector in all towns. This was often located in the
temple square, as was the case in Tanjavur.
 The varieties of textiles and techniques used in cloth manufacture can be gleaned from
literary and epigraphic sources.
 Muslins (known as sella) and chintz (known as vichitra) were much in demand. Vegetable
dyes such as red safflower, indigo, and madder were used. Block printing seems to have
been in vogue in South India from the 12th century onwards.
 Artisans used both vertical and horizontal looms, and the use of patterned looms
seems to have begun in the 11th century.
 The industry was well organized and textiles were important commodities both in
internal and external trade. Weavers sold their goods at local fairs, but at the higher level,
the textile trade was controlled by powerful merchant guilds.
 There is also evidence of weavers‘ guilds known variously as samaya pattagara, saliya
samayangal, and seniya pattagara.
 The Cholas actively encouraged the weaving industry in their kingdom and derived
revenue from it. Inscriptions mention taxes such as
o the tari irai or tari kadamai (loom tax).
o achchu tari (probably a tax on the patterned loom),
o tari pudavai (probably a tax on cloth),
o panjupeeli (a tax on cotton yarn),
o parutti kadamai (a tax on cotton),
o nulayam (a tax on cotton thread), and
o kaibanna or bannige (a tax on dyers).
o A tax called pattadai nulayam was levied on silk thread.
 There is evidence of the state announcing tax concessions and tax remissions for a
specified period to weavers in new settlements in order to attract them.
 Kulottunga I was given the title Sungam tavirta Cholan (remover of customs duties). This
alludes to his having abolished customs dues at ports in order to promote trade.
 The increase in the socio-economic status of weavers and their involvement in temple
honours and activities in early medieval South India are reflected in the many donations
they made to temples. These took the form of money, livestock (cows, sheep), and shares of
cloth or land.
18
 The gifts were aimed at defraying the cost of the building of shrines, making and installing
images, the maintenance of perpetual lamps, providing woven cloth, and the celebration of
festivals. Some donations were made as expiation for crimes.
 There is also evidence of weavers being given land by temples or village assemblies for
services rendered by them. Weavers invested money in land and were involved in money-
lending as well. The Madras Museum copper plates of Uttama Chola state that the king
deposited money with certain groups of weavers for the celebration of a festival at
the temple of Uragam at Kanchipuram. Some weavers were also given managerial roles
in the temple, including the management of fi nances and maintenance of accounts. In
return for performing these important duties, they were declared exempt from taxes.
12.Which one of the following animals does not come under the category of four noble
animals (Maha-Ajaneya Pasu) carved on the rounds drum (Anda-Phalaka) of the lion
capital at Sarnath
A. Deer
B. Lion
C. Bull
D. Horse
Ans. A
MOTIFS IN PILLERS OF ASHOKA (SARNATH)

 Most found motifs were of LOTUS (symbolised, purity and fecundity [fertility] in Indian
tradition),
 LION (is a solar symbol and represents the Buddha too, as he is referred to
as Sakyasimha, i.e., lion among the Sakyas),
 BULL (symbol of fertility),
 ELEPHANT (relevant in Buddhism as according to Buddhist tradition, Buddha
entered his mother’s womb in the form of a white elephant),
 SPOKED WHEEL (represents dharmachakra, i.e., the wheel of dharma and
also associated with sovereignty),
 HORSE (symbolises departure of Siddhartha from his home).
13.The ruler Vindhyashakti during the period preceding the Gupta Age is associated with
which one of the following dynasties ?
A. Vakatakas
B. Chalukyas
C. Kalachuris
D. Sungas
19
Ans. A
VAKATAKAS OF THE DECCAN

 The Vakatakas of the Deccan In peninsular India, especially in northern Maharashtra and
Vidarbha, the Satavahanas were succeeded by a local power known as the Vakatakas,
who played an effective role in the political game of the Deccan for more than two and a
half centuries.
 The Vakatakas were contemporaneous of the Guptas in northern India. The Puranas refer
to the dynasty as the Vindhyakas.
 The Vakatakas, who were Brahmin themselves (belonging to the, Vishnuvriddha gotra) were
great champions of the Brahmanical religion and performed numerous Vedic sacrifices.
Their history can be reconstructed on the basis of a large number of copper-plate land
grant charters issued to the brahmanas.
 Even though they promoted Brahminism, they were liberal in outlook and patronised
Buddhism as well.
 Vindhyashakti I (last quarter of the 3rd century, around c. 250 – 270 CE) → Founder of the
Vakataka dynasty, who probably ruled from Purika.
14.The ancient Indian medical treatise for horses called Ashvashastra is attributed to which
one of the following persons ?
A. Vagbhatta of the seventh century
B. The sage Shalihotra
C. Bhartrihari of the seventh century
D. Varahamihira of the sixth century
Ans. B
https://t.me/prelimbits/6121
15.The celebrated group of poets in medieval Mathura and Vrindavana called the Ashta-
Chhapa were the successors of which one of the following medieval Bhakti Saints ?
A. Kabir of Benaras
B. Chaitanya of Bengal
C. Guru Nanak of Punjab
D. Surdas of Braj region
Ans. ?
Still searching
20
16.Consider the following observations about the largest stupa at Sanchi

1. Going by information available from the inscriptions on the railings of the stupa, the
construction of part of one of its gateways was financed by the Guild of Ivory workers.
2. In its original early form, this stupa was plain except for the stone railings and the gateways,
which were richly carved.
3. The panels on the four gateways contain sculptures only in the front and have no sculptures
on the rear side.
4. In 1918, when the stupa was discovered, all of its four gates were intact but, the mound was
in poor condition.
5. Art historians have established clear connections between the sculptures of the stupa with
events described in Jataka Tales.
6. War scenes have also been depicted in these sculptures.
Which of the observations given above are correct ?
A. 2, 3 and 4 only
B. 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
C. 3, 4, 5 and 6 only
D. 1, 2, 5 and 6 only
Ans. D
 The Sanchi stupa was discovered in the year 1818 by Sir Henry Taylor. At that time, three
of its four gateways were still standing, the fourth was lying on the spot and the mound
was in good condition.
17.Which of the following pairs are correctly matched ?
Inscription/Event Time Period
1. Prayag Prashasti by Harishena 4th century CE
2. Chinese traveller Fa Xian‘s Account 6th century CE
3. Mudrarakshasa of Vishakhadatta 5th century CE
4. Harshacharita of Banabhatta 6th century CE
5. Aihole Prashasti of Ravikirti 7th century CE
6. Kavirajamarga of Amoghavarsha 8th century CE
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
A. 1, 2 and 3 only
21
B. 2, 3 and 4 only
C. 4, 5 and 6 only
D. 1, 3 and 5 only
Ans. D
 Faxian / Fa Hien (Visit 399–412 CE)
 Prayag Prashasti by Harishena = 4th century CE
o Inscriptions of Samudragupta (335–375 AD) written by Harisena in Sanskrit It

discusses Samudragupta's conquests and the boundaries of the Gupta Empire.
Inscriptions called him ―Dharma Prachar Bandhu”.
o Harisena, who was not only his court poet but was also a kumaramatya, that is, a
high ranking official who described himself by different titles such as
sandhivigrahika (minister for peace and war) and mahadandanayaka
(judicial/military officer).
 Vishakhadatta’s Mudrarakshasa from the 5th century (a historical drama describing the
clever machinations of Chanakya against Chandragupta’s enemies that is Rakshasa, a
minister of the former Nanda king).
 Banabhatta (7th century)
 Aihole Inscriptions [7th Century]
 Amoghavarsha (9th C)
18.Which one of the following statements is correct

A. Brahmi, used for writing many Ashokan inscriptions, shows local variations.
B. The system of hieroglyphic writing was developed in ancient Mesopotamia.
C. The system of cuneiform writing developed around 3rd millennium BCE in Egypt.
D. An ancient script, Kharoshthi was widely used in the southern part of India.
Ans. A
 Language consists of spoken symbols of communication. A script, or writing, is a system of

visual communication using signs or symbols associated with specific meanings or sounds,
written down on some surface. Human beings used languages long before they invented
scripts.
 The cuneiform script of Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) was invented in c. 3400 BCE and
Egyptian hieroglyphics in c. 3100 BCE. In the Indian subcontinent, the earliest substantial
evidence of writing is associated with the Harappan civilization and dates from c. 2600 BCE,
but recent discoveries push back the origins of the script to the second half of the 4th
millennium BCE
22
 Kharoshthi’s core area lay in the north-west—in and around the Indus, Swat, and Kabul
river valleys, the land known as Gandhara in ancient times. Ashoka‘s Shahbazgarhi and
Mansehra inscriptions are in this script.
19.Which one of the following activities was not a part of the daily time Table for a King as
prescribed Arthashastra ?
A. Receive reports on defense
B. Visit the town incognito
C. Receive revenue in cash
D. Consult his Council of Ministers
Ans. B
KAUTILYA’S TIMETABLE FOR A KING

 According to Kautilya, if a king is energetic, his subjects will be energetic. If he is lazy, his
subjects will be lazy and will eat into his wealth. An indolent king is also likely to fall easily
into the hands of his enemies.
 Arthashastra 1.19.16 recommends that the king divide the day and night into eight
parts each. This gives a total of 16 units of time, each consisting of 1½ hours, each
associated with specific activities.
 This is how Kautilya suggests the king should spend the eight parts of the day,
starting immediately after sunrise →
o Receive reports on defence and accounts of income and expenditure.
o Look into the affairs of the people of the cities and countryside.
o Bathe, eat a meal, study.
o Receive revenue in cash and assign tasks to the heads of department.
o Consult his council of ministers through correspondence and receive secret

information brought in by spies.
o Relax and enjoy himself or hold consultations.
o Review elephants, horses, chariots, and troops.
o Discuss military policy with the commander- in-chief.
 This is how Kautilya recommends the king spend the eight parts of the night →
o Interview secret agents.
o Bathe, have a meal, study.
o Go to bed to the strains of musical instruments.
o 4,5. Continue to sleep (this gives him a total of 4½ hours of sleep).
23
o Awaken to the sound of musical instruments and ponder over the science of
statecraft and on the work to be done.
o Consult counsellors and dispatch secret agents.
o Receive blessings from priests; see his physician, chief cook, and astrologer.
 At daybreak, the king should circumambulate a cow, its calf, and a bull, and proceed to the
assembly hall.
 Following such a punishing routine would no doubt have been very difficult even for a
diligent king. So, Kautilya goes on to state that if the king does not want to follow this
timetable, he can divide the day and night into different parts according to his
capacities and carry out his tasks accordingly. The Arthashastra gives advice, but the
suggestion of alternatives implies some flexibility as well.

CAPF 2023 (History) Qs

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1

CAPF 2023 [History] Qs

B. This period is also known as the ‗New Stone Age‘.

D. Earliest evidence of agriculture is found from Mehrgarh around 8000 BCE.

INDIAN STONE AGE IS CLASSIFIED PRIMARILY INTO THREE TYPES

o Old stone Age, Palaeolithic Age (5,00,000−10,000 BCE)

o Late Stone Age, Mesolithic Age (10,000−6000 BCE)

o New Stone Age, Neolithic Age (6,000−1000 BCE)

THE TRANSITION TO FOOD PRODUCTION: NEOLITHIC, NEOLITHIC–CHALCOLITHIC, AND

o Phase I (7000–3000 BCE)

o Phase II (3000–2000 BCE; and

o Phase III (2000–1000 BCE onwards).

EARLIEST VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT (7000–3000 BCE)

o Seven occupational levels were identified, giving striking evidence of

o Period I (sub-divided into Periods IA and IB) →

 The chronology of this phase is somewhat uncertain due to inconsistent

 The stone tools of Period I included thousands of Microliths, most of them

o The occurrence of turquoise and lapis lazuli beads is especially interesting.

o Period II (6000–4500 BCE) →

 Period II at Mehrgarh, dated c. 6000–4500 BCE, is divided into three sub-

 The stone and bone tool types of Period I continued.

o Mehrgarh III (2nd half of the 5th millennium BCE) →

 Period III had storage complexes divided into compartments, similar to

 Ornaments, mostly made of steatite microbeads, occurred frequently

 The evidence from Period IV onwards shows a further expansion of the

 The pottery of Period IV included polychrome wares.

 In Period VI, there were some changes—the appearance of a red ware

o Suvarnagiri / Dakshinpatha (southern India),

o Tosali / Prachyapatha (eastern India present day Odisha), and

o Ujjain / Avantipatha (western India) &

B. The Kushanas issued the first gold coins.

IMPACT OF INDO-GREEK RULE

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

o The Garhapatya (householder‘s fi re),

o Ahavaniya (offeratorial fire), and

o Dakshinagni (southern fi re).

 These fires were supposed to be placed in pits of different shapes.

o The pit for the garhapatya was supposed to be round

o The ahavaniya squarenand

o The dakshinagni crescent shaped.

RADHA KRISHNA COMMISSION (1948)

6. Who among the following was known as ‘Lokhitwadi ?

B. Gopal Hari Deshmukh

D. Gopal Ganesh Agarkar

GOPAL HARI DESHMUKH ‘LOKAHITWADI’ (1823-1892)

Career [All this is imp for prelim]

Social work in Maharashtra

 He promoted emancipation (liberation) and education of women, and wrote

Social work in Gujarat

Harappan Site Location

A. Nageshwar 1. Uttar Pradesh

B. The Philosophy of the Bomb = Bhagwati Charan Vohra

C. Indian Unrest = Annie Besant

D. Desher Katha = Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar

 Shachindra Sanyal = Bandi Jeevan (A Life of Captivity, 1922).

 Bhagwati Charan Vohra = The Philosophy of the Bomb

 Desher Katha Book = Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar

SAKHARAM GANESH DEUSKAR (1869-1912)

 Desher Katha Book →

assumed the status of mandatory reading for an entire generation of swadeshi

BHAGWATI CHARAN VOHRA (1903 -1930)

 Indian revolutionary, associated with Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He