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Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1)

Class 7 · Foundation (Classes 6–9)

Real UPSC Prelims questions from 2016–2026, linked to this book. Try each one first, then open the answer. 2026 answers follow UPSC's provisional answer key.

Ch 1 · Geographical Diversity of India

Prelims 2018 · Q85

Consider the following statements:

  1. 1.The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
  2. 2.Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
  3. 3.The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 and 3
  3. (c)3 only
  4. (d)1 and 3
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 2 (Structure and Physiography); Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 1 (Geographical Diversity of India).

The one fact NCERT doesn't give: Barren Island has erupted again since 1991, for example in 2005 and 2017, so it has not been inactive since then.

Class 11 India: Physical Environment, ch 2, calls it India's only active volcano (statement 1). Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2018), question 85 ↗

Ch 5 · The Rise of Empires

Prelims 2019 · Q7

Which one of the following is not a Harappan site?

  1. (a)Chanhudaro
  2. (b)Kot Diji
  3. (c)Sohgaura
  4. (d)Desalpur
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (c)

NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 5 (The Rise of Empires); Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 1 (Bricks, Beads and Bones: The Harappan Civilisation).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 1 (Map 1), shows Kot Diji and Chanhudaro as Harappan sites. Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 5, names Sohgaura (Uttar Pradesh) as the find-spot of a 4th–3rd century BCE inscription. That is Mauryan times, about 1,500 years after the Harappans. Answer (c).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2019), question 7 ↗

Prelims 2020 · Q30

Who among the following rulers advised his subjects through this inscription?

"Whosoever praises his religious sect or blames other sects out of excessive devotion to his own sect, with the view of glorifying his own sect, he rather injures his own sect very severely."

  1. (a)Ashoka
  2. (b)Samudragupta
  3. (c)Harshavardhana
  4. (d)Krishnadeva Raya
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 5 (The Rise of Empires).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 5, quotes Ashoka's edict in which his Dhamma officers look after all sects, and asks whether he was tolerant of other beliefs. Advice not to praise your own sect by running down others carries the same Ashokan message. Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2020), question 30 ↗

Ch 7 · The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity

Prelims 2025 · Q15

Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of

  1. (a)Samudragupta
  2. (b)Chandragupta II
  3. (c)Kumaragupta I
  4. (d)Skandagupta
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (b)

NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 7 (The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity); Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2 (Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE)).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 7: Faxian visited in the early 5th century CE. Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Theme 2: Chandragupta II ruled c. 375–415 CE. The dates fit only (b).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2025), question 15 ↗

Ch 10 · The Constitution of India — An Introduction

Prelims 2021 · Q85

A legislation which confers on the executive or administrative authority an unguided and uncontrolled discretionary power in the matter of application of law violates which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India?

  1. (a)Article 14
  2. (b)Article 28
  3. (c)Article 32
  4. (d)Article 44
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 10 (The Constitution of India — An Introduction); Class 9 Understanding Society: India and Beyond, Ch 6 (Democracy).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 10: Article 14 means equality before law. Class 9 Understanding Society, ch 6: equal protection means treatment 'without arbitrary discrimination'. Unguided, uncontrolled discretion is arbitrary, so it breaks Article 14. Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2021), question 85 ↗

Ch 11 · From Barter to Money

Prelims 2017 · Q43

Which of the following is a most likely consequence of implementing the 'Unified Payments Interface (UPI)'?

  1. (a)Mobile wallets will not be necessary for online payments.
  2. (b)Digital currency will totally replace the physical currency in about two decades.
  3. (c)FDI inflows will drastically increase.
  4. (d)Direct transfer of subsidies to poor people will become very effective.
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), Ch 11 (From Barter to Money).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society (Part 1), ch 11: UPI moves money directly from one bank account into another. If money goes bank-to-bank, you no longer need to load a mobile wallet first. The other options are sweeping claims NCERT gives no basis for. Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2017), question 43 ↗

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